Analysis of Judaism: Project #1

Rituals can be generally defined as a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a

series of actions performed according to a certain prescribed order. However, rituals can also
be described as a transformative experience affecting some kind of significant and meaningful
change that might not occur in any other form. For a ritual to be transformative, the willingness
of oneself must be able to change the self to the ideal self. Rituals cannot only be seen as
transformative, but also instrumental. For a ritual to be described as instrumental it means that
the ritual in which is done achieves a specific goal for oneself. Judaism is one of the many
monotheistic religions, meaning that it is defined by the belief in one God. Judaism is a
monotheistic religion based on the fact that their belief in one God cannot be divided, and
cannot be represented in any different forms. A couple of Judaism rituals that are considered to
instrumental or/and transformative would be the studies and practices of Kabbalah and the
Siddur (prayer book) filled with all the holy prayers for every holiday in the Jewish religion.
Kabbalistic tradition greatly emphasizes Shabbat; Shabbat is a day of rest and celebration that
begins on Friday at sunset and ends on the following evening after nightfall, observance.
Kabbalah teachings have several significant acts of work pertaining to meditations on the
Shabbat prayers, and Kiddush (candle-lighting) which teaches the spiritual meanings of the
most holiest of days. Kabbalah teachings are taught in order for a person to become as close as
they can to God, creating fulfillment in the individual. To the Judaism religion, God is
considered to be infinitely powerful, omniscient, the supreme creator and first cause of all
existence, and purely good-natured. God is unity, and he is a single, whole, complete
indivisible entity. God is considered to be incorporeal, unchanging, perfection, superior and
pure. In order to become close to God Kabbalah is studied in order for a persons ability to

rectify their own individual soul, as well as that of all creation, is greatly enhanced leaving the
entire world to become spiritually elevated. The individual self becomes transformed into the
ideal self while studying the teachings and rituals of Kabbalah. As for the Siddur it has a
similar explanation as the Kabbalah teachings and rituals. The Siddur is the oldest prayer book
that has come down to civilization is the prayer book of Rav Amram Gaon, Head of the
Yeshiva of Sura, in Babylon, about 1100 years ago. It contains the arrangements of the prayers
for the entire year, including also some laws concerning prayer and customs.The Siddur is a
sacred book and acceptable to God according to the Judaism religion. When using the Siddur it
is important to pray with devotion, with love, reverence, and mercy so God can notice the
individuals dedication to the ritual. The prayers in the Siddur are so arranged that it leads its
readers and followers step by step higher and closer to God.
These specific rituals overcome issues that typically arise in digital rituals by making
both of these practices available to the public online. Kabbalah classes are available to take
online in order to gain the fulfillment associated with Kabbalah teachings. One of the websites
that offers Kabbalah classes virtually is www.chabad.org. The same goes for the Siddur being
available online to download and practice on your own. The same website along with
centralsynagogue.org offers free versions of the Siddur to be downloaded directly to an
individuals computer. If an individual has the ritual to do on their own along with the intention
of making a different in oneself, the ritual and practices being done will bring satisfaction and
fulfillment into their lives. In the Judaism religion, doing ceremonies, rituals, and practices at
home will in fact bring that spirituality, and closeness to God. As I interviewed a Rabbi named
Rabbi Baitelman he explained that regardless if you partake in Kabbalah classes, or practicing
the rituals that the Siddur holds, whether its in a synagogue or online, God knows the

intentions of oneself and if its pure or not. Based on the individuals intention, is how a person
will feel once doing the rituals and classes. He stated there is an overwhelming feeling of
peace and satisfaction after experiencing such rituals with intentions that were pure. He
continued by stating Kabbalah and Siddur practices are not something people just put
themselves through to do for fun, its a lot of hard work, and you must stay focused .this
proves a person must have good intentions to do such practices considering the density it is,
they are here to learn and become enriched and fulfilled with the wonderful closeness of God.
These rituals can take an individual who is struggling with the uncertainty of life, their purpose
in life, in need of guidance, wanting to becoming closer to God, or feeling incomplete to
gaining the knowledge of health, relationships, careers, and an overall balance of life. It's a
way of looking at the world that can connect a person to the kind of permanent fulfillment one
may seek. Kabbalah will deepen a persons understanding of the universe and give more
information and tools to understand why things are happening in ones life, and how a person
can better connect to the light of the creator and receive the fulfillment someone may be
seeking. As quoted by a woman who partook in online Kabbalah classes, Kabbalah is the best
gift I have had this year. But it did not come easy. It is a result of a lot of hard, focused, and
disciplined work my teacher guided me through. Often I had to go out of my comfort zone to
apply the tools. But the satisfaction and confidence I now feel is indescribable. -Sam Parnaso