What are the main rites of judaism?

Answer 1

-- welcoming the Sabbath

-- observing the high holy days and pilgrimage festivals

-- community care for widows, orphans, and travelers

-- circumcision

-- prayer on a regular basis

-- visiting the sick

-- Torah study on a regular basis

-- marriage

-- prompt burial of the deceased

-- keeping kosher

Answer 2

All the hundreds of mitzvoth (commands) of the Torah, including prayer, Jewish holidays, etc.

Though it may have an associated culture and one or more associated languages, the traditional definition of Judaism is the observance of the Torah, which is why dictionaries define Judaism as "the religion of Moses." In this sense, the word "Torah" is meant in its wider meaning, which includes the Tanakh, the Talmud, and other classical Jewish texts.

Answer 3

Jewish prayer-books have a structured order. Prayers are ancient, and often are sung or chanted. Some prayers are said in unison (such as Shir Hakavod), and some are not. Some prayers are said more than once per day (such as the Shema), some once a day (such as Yotzer Ohr), and others are said only on Sabbath, festivals or certain occasions. Some prayers are said aloud (such as Kaddish), some are sung (such as Lekha Dodi) and some are to be whispered (the Amidah). Most of the services are in Hebrew, but a couple of prayers are in Aramaic (such as Brikh Shemei).

While praying, Jews either sit in chairs, or stand, depending on the prayer. There is also some bowing forward (in the Amidah and Aleinu), but Jews today do not kneel except once a year on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).

In between the prayers, Kaddish is said; and the Torah is read on many occasions (over two hundred times a year).

While formal prayer services are held in the synagogue three times each day throughout the year, many other blessings (such as those over meals) are said in the home.

Importance of prayer:

Prayer services are part of halakha (Jewish law) and tradition (Talmud, Berakhot 26a); and the Torah records several prayers of our forefathers.

Prayer is an important form of communicating with God; maintaining a relationship with Him; and it is also good for the health of the soul, to which Torah, prayer and religious observance are a form of nourishment. Judaism sees it as centrally important to thank God, to recognize that He is the source of prosperity, and to be close to Him. It therefore follows that the synagogue, which is the place of public worship, would be important.

According to our tradition, we can pray privately when necessary, but communal prayer has a much stronger effect (Talmud, Berakhot 7b-8a). It also strengthens the spiritual level and the bonds within the community.

Answer 4

Religious Jews live by the Torah, by obeying its commands and beliefs.Link: Jewish beliefs
Some examples of the commands:

• Putting on Tefillin (phylacteries) in the morning
  

Link: The Tefillin

• Saying the Shema-prayer

Link: The Shema

• Sitting in the sukkah during Sukkot
  

Link: The Sukkah-booth

• Avoiding leavened products in Passover
  

Link: Passover

• Keeping kosher
  

Link: Kosher-laws

• Not eating on Yom Kippur
  

Link: Yom Kippur

• Not working on the Shabbat
  

Link: The Shabbat

• Paying workers on time
  
• Marital rights for one's wife
• The Ten Commandments

Link: The Ten Commandments

• Helping someone who is in danger
  
• Counting the days of the Omer
  
• Returning lost objects when feasible
  
• Wearing the tzitzith-garment
  

Link: What are Tzitzith

• Affixing a mezuzah to the door
  

Link: What is a mezuzah

• Learning Torah
  

Link: The Torah

• Keeping our rules of ethics

Link: Jewish ethics

• Marrying and having children
  
• Educating one's children in Judaism
  
• Giving tzedakah (charity)
  
• Honoring one's parents
  

And many more.

The laws have various reasons. Some (such as the Passover) serve to reenact or remember events of our history.
Some (such as saying the Shema-prayer) serve to reiterate our belief in God.
Some of the laws (such as those of ritual purity and kosher food) serve to sanctify us.
Some (such as the laws of torts) serve to maintain an orderly and just society.
Some (such as the law against breaking a vow) serve to prevent bad character traits.
Some (such as the command to offer help) serve to engender good character traits.
And all of the commands serve to subjugate us to God's will (especially those commands for which no explanation is easily apparent).

Note that the Torah "as is" isn't exactly what Judaism observes. Rather, It's the Torah together with the details provided in the Talmud, which is the Oral Law that was handed down together with the laws of Moses. Otherwise, the verses of the Torah often lack enough detail to be fulfilled as is.

See also the other Related Links.

Link: What are the teachings, practices, principles and beliefs of Judaism?

Link: What is life like for Jews?

Link: More about the Hebrew Bible

Link: More about the Talmud

Answer 5

See the attached Related Link.

Answer 6

There is the ritual of saying a blessing before just about every activity. Before eating, there are specific blessings said before putting on new clothing, on seeing a rainbow, on waking up in the morning, and before eating a meal. Grace after meals is a much longer blessing. Tradition dictates three daily prayers, the morning prayer service is the longest of the three. Saturday is a day of rest, on which no work may be done, but where the morning synagogue service frequently lasts until noon. The year is dominated with the Fall High Holy Day season that begins with Rosh Hashana and runs through Yom Kippur to Succot and Simchat Torah. In the spring, the weeklong festival of Passover provides some balance. Food rituals are important. Keeping kosher is more than avoiding pork, it is avoiding any possible mixture of milk and meat in any meal, and seeking out foods certified to be kosher, which to a huge extend involves assuring that nowhere in the supply chain is there any cross contamination between milk products and meat products. Passover adds to the complexity of kosher eating by forbidding even the potential for fermentation in any grain product -- so nothing that involves moistening a grain product may be eaten unless the total interval from first contact with moisture to completed cooking is 18 minutes. This creates a whole new cuisine for Passover. The birth of a boy is celebrated by circumcision on the 8th day. This is an event for a party. Boys become bar mitzvah and girls become bat mitzvah at ages 13 and 12, taking on adult responsibility. This is worthy of celebration. Marriage involves a contract, the ketubah, the bride circles the groom 7 times, the groom gives the bride a ring, and then they closet themselves for long enough that they could theoretically consummate the marriage. At death, a body is washed, embalming is avoided, and then buried as soon as possible. Wooden coffins are allowed, so long as there are no metal parts. Between the time a person dies and burial, the body is guarded, the guardians traditionally read psalms during this time. Close mourners sit shiva, staying home for a week after the funeral, receiving condolence visits and gifts of food. For 11 months after death, close mourners say the mourner's kaddish at every service they attend, so long as there is a minyan (quorum) present. Traditionally, a minyan is 10 men.