RS 200A Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Mitzvah, Matzo, Shavuot

• School: University of Victoria
• Department: Religious Studies
• Course: RS 200A
• Professor: Boyarin Shamma

Document Summary

Rituals are the means by which most members of the religion we are studying learn and express the principles of their religion. The temple as the symbol and space for enacting the covenant. The mitsvot (commandments) -> the terms of the covenant -> worship and ritual -> Also create the liturgical life of the community: commemorating and replacing the liturgical life of the temple: there are 613 mitsvot, that encompass every aspect of life. The rabbis developed three daily prayers, and symbolically connected them to temple. Sacrifices: name time - sacrifice, shacharit morning morning, mincha afternoon afternoon, arvit evening time afternoon sacrifice burned. Avodat [avodah shbalev labour of the heart] hamkidash [mikdash me"at lesser. Temple] the labor od the temple (sacrifice: prayer is a better from of worship then burning animals. Daily cycle: the three daily prayers and the other daily mitsvot, create the rhythm of the daily cycle.