HUMANITY’S SEARCH FOR GOD

The Concept of God / Divine

In the study of religion, the topic about understanding the nature of God/Divine is
non-negotiable. It is for the reason that religion is essentially about having a right
relationship with God/Divine and hence, it is more than just about membership to a
community of believers. In order for this relationship to mature, knowledge is
necessary. For one cannot love what one does not know. That is why, a deeper
relationship will always start with 'the getting to know stage'. Thus, knowledge is
the basic foundation of every relationship.
Consequently, a number of thinkers throughout history strive unceasingly to have a
profound knowledge about the God/Divine that they want to love. However, like any
other human relationships, there is always an experience of conflict and tension that
shakes that loving relationship, which eventually creates division among the lovers:
On the one hand, some believers attempt to seek understanding by proving the
existence of God. On the other hand, those who are unbelievers go against the
believers by denying that God exists. Hence, in the study of religion, the concept of
God is undeniably a hotly debated issue between believers and unbelievers.
Human beings are naturally seekers of truth. In man's quest for truth, knowing the
truth about God is the top priority since God Himself is the ultimate truth that
satisfies man's longing for truth. In support of this, a catholic theologian named Karl
Rahner posits that every human being has the sense of transcendence which he
coined it as the 'supernatural existential' (Rahner, 1993, p. 22). It emphasizes that
human beings have the natural inclination to seek for God inasmuch as it is
embedded already in the nature of every human being. Consequently, Religion plays
an important role in humanity's endeavor in searching for God since religion itself is
essentially about having a right relationship with God/Divine.
Thus, in the study of religion, we cannot do away with these two essential points:
the quest for life's meaning and the concept of God or the Divine.

Quest for Life's Meaning

 Studying religion does not merely speak about understanding the nature of God, but
it also deals with the fundamental questions that make human life meaningful.
Questions like, "Why am I here?", "What is the purpose of my existence?", "What it
means to be truly human?", "Why do I need to do good rather than evil?", "Is there life
after death?", "Does God really exist?"
 From the moment when religion came into its existence, the aforementioned
questions were already taken seriously by religion. In fact, religion offers the most
profound answers to those questions which eventually serve as a guide for humanity in
realizing the real essence of life and in living life meaningfully. Thus, studying religion is
significant for humanity since it helps bring into fulfillment the natural inner desire of
every person, ie. to live life with meaning and purpose.

ARGUMENTS OF THE NON-EXISTENCE OF GOD

LUDWIG FEUERBACH
Central Contention: (Theory of Projection)
God/Divine is just a human projection. It means that God is simply an idea or
concept that man created in his mind. Thus, God exists only in the human
mind.
ARGUMENTS OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD:
ST. ANSELM OF CANTERBURY
(Deductive Ontological Argument)
- God is 'the greatest thing we can think of.
- There are things that can exist only in our imaginations, and there are
also things that exist in reality.
- But the things that exist in reality are always better than things that
exist only in our imaginations.
- Hence, if God existed only in our imaginations, He wouldn’t be the
greatest thing that we can think of, because God who is in reality would
be better.
- Therefore, God must exist not only in the mind or imagination, but also
in reality inasmuch as He is ‘the greatest’.

A. ST. THOMAS AQUINAS

(Cosmological Arguments) The 5 proofs of God's existence.

(God as the Unmoved Mover)

- Argument from Motion
(God is the Uncaused Causer)
- Argument from Causation

(God is the Necessary Being)

 - Argument from Contingency

(God is the Peak of Perfection)

- Argument from Degrees

(God is the Designer/Maker)

- Argument from the Intelligent Design

UNDERSTANDING RELIGION
People have different attitudes towards religion. Some people are happy to believe
and practice what they have been taught. Others could not care any less. while others still
have learnt to be vocal and militant in opposing religion. Regardless of one’s attitude,
religion permeates life, both private and public, in so many ways (Cornelio et al. 2016, v)
For this reason, it is vital to study religion critically for us to have a wider array of
understanding about the people’s beliefs, traditions, and practices and eventually, fosters
unity amidst its differences. 
ELEMENTS OF RELIGION:
1.BELIEF IN SUPERNATURAL POWERS

-Every religion believes in the existence of some supernatural powers or forces. People
believe that this unseen power influences every aspect of human life.

-Eg. Hindus (many gods/goddesses)

2. BELIEF IN THE HOLY OR SACRED

- This belief is often expressed through symbols; that symbolizes both the unseen and
tangible things. It is a belief that is based on FAITH rather than EVIDENCE.

-Eg. Hindus (cow is sacred)

3. SYSTEM OF RITUALS

-Rituals are the practical side of religion that refer to the behavior performed by the
individual or a group of individuals with reference to supernatural power.It includes
varieties of behavior such as wearing of special types of cloth, reciting of prayers, hymns,
taking a bath in holy rivers, singing, dancing, crawling, fasting, etc. All these rituals are
intended to strengthen an individual's faith in the supernatural.religioLEVE

-Eg. Christianity (Holy Eucharist)

4. SINFUL ACTS

-Every religion defines certain acts as sacred and righteous and other acts as profane and
sinful.

-Acting in accordance with religious principles is believed to reap good results while sinful
acts result in suffering or disaster.This is the reason why there are concepts of Heaven and
Hell in most religions.

5. THE METHOD OF SALVATION

-Almost all religions consider salvation as the ultimate goal of life.

Eg. Buddists call salvation as Nirvana while Hindus called it as Moksha (free from the chain
of cycle of life)

6. MODE OF WORSHIP

-Each religion has a specific procedure of worshipping.The followers of different religions

either worship the supernatural power in the form of statue or in a formless manner.

Eg. Hindus worship with folded hands while Muslims do not.

7. PLACE OF WORSHIP

-Each religion has a definite place of worship which they consider as sacred.

Eg. Hindus called their place of worship as a temple, Muslims:Mosque, Christians:Church

and Jews: Synagogue.

DEFINITION OF RELIGION:
Religion is defined in so many ways by a number of authors who have different religious
backgrounds and biases. This is one of the reasons why religion becomes a complex topic to
be dealt with. In order to avoid biases, instead of using a definition of religion coming from
a particular author who represents a specific religion, it is fitting to adopt a definition
coming from a perspective that neither favors nor opposes any existing religions.

In the Social Science perspective, Religion is defined as a system of beliefs and practices by
which a group of people interprets and responds to what they feel is sacred and usually
supernatural as well. This definition basically means that Religion is a social entity. As a
social entity it can be understood in various senses.

First, RELIGION IS A COLLECTIVE PHENOMENON. An Individual who professes a religion is

typically associated with a particular religious organization. So, inasmuch as faith is a
personal or private matter, individuals who profess a religion also invoke the wider
community that they are part of.
Second, RELIGION IS CONCERNED WITH ORDERING BEHAVIOR IN RELATION TO THE
SACRED/SUPERNATURAL. According to a prominent sociologist, Emile Durkheim, the
sacred is often associated with entities, events, figures, objects, and sights that are treated
with reverence as opposed to those that are taken for granted in everyday life. Most of the
time the sacred is often associated with the supernatural as in the presence of heavenly
forces or divine beings that render a particular text or place holy in the eyes of the
followers.

Third, RELIGION INVOLVES A BODY OF BELIEFS AND MORAL PRESCRIPTIONS. It is mainly

because they are guided by texts rendered sacred by special events or figures. These beliefs
cover a wider array of ideas that order knowledge and reality for the followers.

Fourth, RELIGION EXPECTS FROM ITS FOLLOWERS TO FOLLOW A SET OF PRACTICES

THAT RELATES TO THE NOTION OF THE SACRED. These practices are typically in the form
of individual & collective rituals involving prayer, worship, purification, baptism, and
sacrifice. There are also practices that are in line with moral & behavioral prescriptions
such as Wearing particular outfits, Avoiding the consumption of food, etc.

UNDERSTANDING RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE

WHAT IS A RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE?

In understanding what is the nature of religious experience, it is good to consider
and ask first this question, “WHAT DOES THE WORD EXPERIENCE MEAN?” Theologically
speaking, the word experience is derived from the two German terms: “ERLEBNIS &
ERFAHRUNG”

ERLEBNIS

It means an interior experience of an intensely felt motion. It refers to an individual

event, even a momentary one, realized intensely in the area of the FEELINGS & EMOTIONS.
Thus, in layman's terms, this type of experience is commonly known as an ordinary
experience that affects the person in the level of emotion in a short period of time.

ERFAHRUNG

It speaks of real experiences that are based on INDIVIDUAL HAPPENINGS that

touched the feelings, picked up by the intellect, and given a connection among themselves
and moreover inserted and integrated into the totality of life. Thus, in layman's terms, this
type of experience is commonly known as a significant experience that does not only affect
the person into the level of emotion, but it also leads the individual to realize something
and eventually, articulate that realization/s into one's life in living a life with purpose and
meaning. This kind of experience becomes a religious experience when the human reason,
in the process of integrating, interpreting, evaluating and judging, is guided by FAITH.

Thus, the formula is:

RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE= FEELING + REFLECTION GUIDED BY FAITH + CONCRETE

ACTION IN LIFE

NATURE OF SPIRITUALITY

The topic spirituality enjoys immense currency nowadays, especially in

popular periodicals and books of fiction and nonfiction. Moreover, if we try to
travel about the globe, we would discover that for many people of diverse
traditions, spirituality is the central constituent of their life and culture (Laurent, p.
1). By having this context, it leads to an understanding that spirituality is a way of
life. Since it is a way of life, it is therefore necessary to study it thoroughly for us
to understand how it affects the life of the people in all its aspects.

ETYMOLOGY OF SPIRITUALITY:
The word spirituality comes from the Latin word “Spiritualitas”  which is an
abstract word related to “spiritus”  and “spiritualis”, which also means the state
of being spiritual.  From these two etymological meanings, what comes out on
the surface is the word, “spirit”.  In this sense, there are two important elements
that have to be considered in understanding the word “spirit”. First is the reality
of the “Spirit of God/Divine/Transcendent Reality” -(this must be the primary focus
of our consideration).  The second reality is the “spirit in us human beings & also
all those creations with life.”  In other words, spirituality, in its origin of the word,
refers to the relatedness of the human spirit or soul to the Spirit of
God/Divine/Transcendent.

Moreover, a theologian named Jordan Aumann in his “Spiritual Theology”

points out that spirituality, “In its widest sense, refers to any religious or ethical
value that is concretized as an attitude or spirit from which one’s actions
flow.This concept of spirituality is not restricted to any particular religion,it
applies to any person who has a belief in the divine or transcendent, and fashion
a lifestyle according to one’s religious conviction.” Thus, SPIRITUALITY is a way
of life that is based from the experience of the Divine/Transcendent/God by
which this experience would bring one to have a moral and virtuous life.

ELEMENTS OF SPIRITUALITY:
1.HOLISTIC
-It means that spirituality is claimed to be a fully integrated view of life. It
emcompasses all aspects of being human and is a means of experiencing
life.Eg. A person is viewed as a (dynamism of Body, Mind ,Spirit)
2. QUEST FOR MEANING
-The quest to determine the meaning and purpose of life arises as the central
theme in spirituality, with the relationship to the self, others, and God
contributing to its discovery.
3. QUEST FOR SACRED
-It means that spirituality promotes having faith, which can be an important
part of a person’s beliefs and decisions in life. And this faith may be viewed as
a belief in God, almighty being, ultimate reality, or a higher power that gives
meaning and purpose in life.
4. SUGGESTS A SELF-REFLECTIVE EXISTENCE
-It emphasizes that in the person's quest for meaning in life, self-reflection is
of great importance-which may be expressed through contemplation or
meditation.

CONTEMPORARY UNDERSTANDING OF SPIRITUALITY:

In today’s era, the word ‘spirituality’ is understood apart from the word
‘religion’ in spite of the relationship of these two terms regarding its elements.
Accordingly, spirituality today puts emphasis on subjective experience of
sacred or spiritual dimension and deepest purpose, values, and meanings by
which human beings live, typically in an unconnected from organized
religious institutions. In support to this, the recent social scientific studies
emphasize that spirituality is increasingly used to refer to alternative forms of
approaching the divine that are not typically associated with organized
religion (Cornelio et. al, p. 11). By having this context, it resulted in identifying
and distinguishing two types of persons namely spiritual and religious.
The former refers to the individuals who associate faith with the
private realm of personal experience rather than with the public realm of
religious institutions, creeds, and rituals. Thus, they are those who have no or
low levels of interest in church attendance and commitments to orthodox
beliefs. Whereas the latter, refers to the persons who associate faith with the
public realm of religious institutions, creeds, and rituals. Thus, they are the
individuals who adhere to the tenets and practices of a particular religion, yet
their hypocrisy, empty ritualism and immorality preclude the development of
their spirituality. For this reason, this modern understanding of spirituality
leads a modern man to come with an understanding that one can become
(SBNR) Spiritual-but-not-Religious or (RBNS) Religious-but-not-Spiritual.
However, “RELIGIOUS” in a true sense of the word, a religious person
must have been submissive and obedient to the will of the Lord, part of it is
being truly “SPIRITUAL.” In this sense, a person can still be Religious at the
same time Spiritual if one seeks to understand the meaning behind all the
prayers, and rituals performed and articulate the traditions and doctrines
taught in any particular religion to one’s life. For religion itself served as the
guide for any individuals who adhere to its tenets in living a life with meaning
and purpose.

JUDAISM

MAGEN DAVID
- The symbol or emblem of the Jewish people is the (Shield of David), also
known as the Star of David.
 MENORAH
- It is a candelabrum with seven candle holders displayed in Jewish
synagogues.
- It symbolizes the burning bush as seen by Moses on Mount Sinai.
- MEZUZAH

MEZUZAH
- It is a little case, containing a tiny scroll that is found on doorposts in
Jewish homes. The writing on the scroll is from the bible that is written
in Hebrew and
- It says that Jewish people should love God and keep his rules.

UNDERSTANDING JUDAISM IN GENERAL:

BRIEF HISTORY
(Corral & Kupang, p. 52-61)

According to most of the Historians, Judaism began when Abraham made a

divine covenant with GOD. That is why, ABRAHAM is known to be as the FATHER
OF THE SEMITIC RELIGIONS (Judaism, Christianity, Islam). Throughout Judaism
History, their followers have been called many names such as “HEBREWS- those
who accepted Yahweh as their God” and “Israelites- who were the descendants
of the Hebrews, which originated from Abraham.”
 Moreover, JACOB, as the grandson of Abraham, had 12 sons and their
descendants became known as the 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL and it is where the
term “JEW” came from. The term “JEW” originated from YEHUDAH or JUDAH, the
southern kingdom of Israel. But now it is used to refer to someone who practices
Judaism and takes part in Jewish Culture.

Another important figure in Judaism was Moses. He is the leader who

freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and protected the Jews from the wrath
of God, and negotiated with God on their behalf. Moses, is also an important
figure as he gave the Jews the Torah around 1250 B.C. The Torah contains the
laws of God.

SACRED TEXTS
The Jewish sacred text is known as the “TaNaKH”. Iit refers to the
Hebrew Bible; which Christians called it as the OLD TESTAMENT. It consists of
the following: Torah (The Law), Nevi’im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings).
TORAH (The Law)
It is the first law given by God to Moses and recorded into the sacred
text. It is the main sacred text of Judaism, which corresponds to the five books
of Moses which is known in Gk. as the (Pentateuch). The first book is called
Genesis (Bereshit); it contains stories of creation, records the establishment of
the covenant between God and the Jewish people, tells of the lives of the
patriarchs. The second is called Exodus (Sh’mot); it contains the account of
Israelites enslaved in Egypt, the exodus from Egypt, the receiving of the 10
Commandments at Mt. Sinai. The third is called Leviticus (Vayikra); it gives
God’s ethical and ritual laws and specific instructions to priests on how to
perform their duties. The fourth is called Numbers (Bamidbar): it recounts the
Israelites through the desert and gives more of God’s ethical and ritual laws .
And the fifth book is called Deuteronomy (Devarim): It reviews the laws and
the people prepare to enter the promised land.Thus, the Torah contains the
early history of Judaism, as well as the Law and Teaching “handed down” by
Yahweh himself. IT IS KNOWN AS THE HEART OF THE JEWISH SPIRITUALITY
inasmuch as it is the sacred summary of what being a religious Jew is all
about.
NEVI’M (Prophets)
It contains writings of God’s messenger, who spoke His word to the
Hebrews. The writing is the more literary section of the Tanakh, consisting of
stories, proverbs, psalms, and poetries, the narrative books of (Joshua, Judges,
Samuel and Kings and the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah and books of Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Ezekiel and The Twelve minor prophets). Hosea, Joel, Amos,
Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Haggai, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Zechariah,
Malachi.
KETUVIM (Writings)
It contains wisdom literature, poetry, songs, narrative, history, religious
philosophy, and love hymns. There are 12 books in total which include:
Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel,
Eza, Nechemiah, Chronicles.
TALMUD
-This sacred text is next to the TaNakh. It is the compendium of learning that
is the basic source for Jewish Law and codes. It is another form of scripture
and is the WRITTEN VERSION OF THE JEWISH ORAL LAW which includes
rabbinical commentaries that explains the laws that may not be clear in
Scriptures. It is composed of the following: First, MISHNAH; It is primarily a
compilation of Jewish laws that includes discussions concerning prayer, diet,
agricultural laws, holidays, women and family life, sacrifices, offerings, etc.
written in Hebrew and edited sometimes around 200 C.E. in Israel. Second is
called GEMARA; It is the rabbinic commentaries and discussions on the
Mishnah.

DOCTRINES & BELIEFS OF JUDAISM (SPIRITUALITY):

THE NATURE OF GOD
THE PRIMARY TENET OF JUDAISM IS THE BELIEF IN ONE UNIVERSAL
GOD (Monotheistic). This God is considered as a personal God who revealed
himself to his people, who is the creator of the universe, and is eternal,
perfect, all knowing, holy, and without physical form and that at the end, God
will send down a messiah to redeem the Jews (Political Messiah). In the Jewish
belief, this God is compassionate and merciful but He is also capable of great
anger when His rules on moral and ethical behavior are violated. (retributive
justice)
THE SECOND IMPORTANT BELIEF OF JUDAISM IS THAT JEWS WERE
CHOSEN BY GOD TO RECEIVE HIS LAW, WHICH IS SEEN IN THE COVENANT.
The first covenant was God’s selection of Abraham to be the Father of a great
nation that would lie in the Promised land Canaan. As the scripture points
out, “And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring
after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to
you and to your offspring after you (Gen. 17:7).” The second covenant was
established by God through Moses at Mt. Sinai. The book of Exodus 6:7
states, “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall
know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the
burdens of the Egyptians”

JEWISH ULTIMATE GOAL

In the Jewish tradition, the ultimate goal of every jewish person is to achieve
the promise of GOD’s SHALOM. This promise of God is a calling for all Jews to
sanctify their lives according to the way of the Torah since it contains the will
of God. That is why the Jews pursue God’s shalom according to the admonition
of the Psalmist: (Ps. 34:14), “depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and
pursue it!” And this Jewish theme of God’s Shalom emerges from the Bible’s
formula invoking God’s blessing: (Nm 6:23-26), “Thus you shall bless the
Israelites: you shall say to them, The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make
his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you; The Lord lift up his
countenance upon you, and give you peace!”
In pursuing God’s Shalom, the Jewish people strive to become holy by
sanctifying their lives. As the mandate of Yahweh in (Lev. 11:44) states, “If I
am the Lord your God; sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am
holy.”  Moreover, in order for the Jews to live a life in Holiness, they have to
live out their spirituality by living a life of obedience to the Torah, through
which God intends to sanctify every aspect of human existence. Thus, in the
Jewish way to holiness, they find guidance and direction for their lives in the
10 commandments as further expressed into 613 rules found in the Torah,
which are taught and interpreted by the rabbis.
ETHICAL EXPRESSION OF JUDAISM
JEWISH LAW (HALACHAH)
It is the system of Laws that guides the jewish people on how to act in
accordance with the Will of Yahweh for they believe that these laws are the
expression of the will of God itself. It also includes the Torah, 613 mitzvot
concerned with ethical & social issues and religious rituals and the Talmud.
And this system of laws is divided into two sections: Those about
relationships with humans and God and those about relationships between
fellow humans.

DIETARY LAWS [KOSHER PRACTICES] (King, p. 48)

Kosher which means “ritually correct” and particularly refers to food
preparations and consumptions. CERTAIN ANIMALS MAY/NOT BE EATEN:
According to the book (Leviticus 11:3-9), “Animals with cloven hooves and
chews its cud. Anything in the water that has fins and scales is acceptable.” This
therefore excludes shellfish such as lobsters, oysters, shrimp, clams and crabs,
all of which are forbidden. Moreover, all blood must be drained before the
meat is cooked and eaten because blood, which gives life, is sacred to God. In
addition, in the book of (Exodus 23:19), “Dairy and Meat should not be eaten
together. Fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables and grains can be eaten with either
meat or dairy.” Thus, even the utensils that have come into contact with meat
may not be used with dairy and vice versa.

JEWISH MODE OF WORSHIP:

In the Jewish tradition, their mode of worship before and after the
destruction of the Jerusalem temple is no longer the same. Before the
destruction of their temple, they would offer sacrifices by slaughtering
unblemished animals such as lambs, goats, bulls, etc. But after the destruction of
the temple, Jewish people will no longer offer sacrifices. Instead, they would
spend their time praying in the synagogue & reading the TORAH.

JEWISH FEASTS
(Corral & Kupang, 60)

FEAST OF THE PASSOVER

 In Hebrew, it is called, “PESACH”. It is an 8-day celebration of freedom
that memorializes an event when the Israelites were freed from the Egyptian
th
slavery after the 10  plague. During this feast, the Jews perform the SEDER
MEALS.

The following food that are placed on the Seder plate: Egg which

symbolizes new life in the promised land, Bitter herbs (horseradish) which is a
reminder of the bitter years of slavery in Egypt, Lamb bone which is a reminder of
the lamb killed so its blood could be sprinkled on the door posts of the Jewish
houses and that the angel of death passed over these houses, Horeset which is a
muddy looking mixture of apples, nuts, & spices that stands for the mud bricks
used by the Hebrew slaves to make Pharaoh’s pyramids and palaces, and Green
herbs (parsley/lettuce) which reminds everyone of renewal and that it is a spring
festival.

FEAST OF THE FIRST FRUITS

10 
It is based on Lev. 23:10-11 that says, “ Speak to the people of Israel and
say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving you and you reap its harvest,
11 
you shall bring the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest.  He shall
raise the sheaf before the Lord, that you may find acceptance; on the day after the
12 
sabbath the priest shall raise it.  On the day when you raise the sheaf, you shall
offer a lamb a year old, without blemish, as a burnt offering to the Lord.”  This feast
is celebrated after the sabbath and were Jewish people offer the first fruits of
their crops to God through the instrumentality of the priest who does the ritual.

FEAST OF THE PENTECOST

In HEBREW, it is called SHAVO’UT and in Greek, PENTECOSTE which

means (50  day). This feast memorializes the event when Moses brought 10
th

commandments from Mt. Sinai. During this feast, Jewish people spend all night
studying the Torah (Hebrew Scriptures) And decorate their houses with flowers.
FEAST OF THE TRUMPETS

In Hebrew, it is called YOM TERUAH that is based on (Lev. 23:24), “ Speak

24 

to the people of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month,
you shall observe a day of complete rest, a holy convocation commemorated with
trumpet blasts.” This feast memorializes the time when the trumpets were used
to give signal to Yahweh’s act of descending and visiting the Israelites on the
foot of Mt. Sinai. It is a time for rest, to blow the trumpets, to repent in the Lord &
make peace with men, to have a festive banquet.

FEAST OF ATONEMENT

In Hebrew, it is called Yom Kippur which is the holiest day of the year. As
the book Leviticus states, “For in this day of atonement shall be made for you to
purify you of all your sins: you shall be pure.” During this time, Jewish people
make amends to their family and friends and start changing their lives. They
would also fast from food, drink, bathing, perfume, sex, wearing leather.

FEAST OF TABERNACLE

In Hebrew, it is called SUKKOT or the feast of booths. This feast is a

commemoration of the people of Israel who lived in booths while they were in the
wilderness before they were freed from the bondage of Egypt.

Kippah - It is like a cap placed on the head. It serves as a reminder to Jews that
God is always above them. It also reminds them of their obligation to always
follow the laws of God at all times and in all places.

Tallit -It is a shawl that the Jewish people wear like a cloak on their backs. The
fringes on the shawl remind them of the many commandments of the Torah.