Purity Laws, Food Laws and Sabbath Laws

• To describe different Jewish food, purity and Sabbath Laws with examples

• To explain why it was important to keep these laws

• To evaluate how difficult it is to keep Sabbath Laws

Why would any religion have “purity” laws to

follow?

3. Certain foods

1. Contact with some sorts of people

5. Not washing before and after meals

4. idols or objects associated with idols

2. non-Jewish tableware

Cups and plates bought from the market

Fish without scales (eg prawns, eels), milk+meat together (eg cheeseburger), pork, road kill.

Roman coins with the image of the “divine” Emperor

Washing hands before and after meals as far as the elbow

Menstruating women, lepers, corpses, the mentally ill1. Write out each of the 5 things that

makes a Jew unclean, and match it to an example.

2. Explain why it would shock people if you didn’t follow these laws.

**Read the cartoon. How does it criticise these laws?

Breaking the laws meant rejecting God’s authority over your life, and distancing yourself from God. No Jew would want that.

PURITY & FOOD LAWS

Sabbath LawsThe Sabbath is the 7th day on which God rested after the work of creation. (Saturday). All Jews must follow God’s example of rest. (the 3rd Commandment).There are 39 forbidden actions based around 4 forbidden activities of baking bread, making clothes, making leather and building something. The Old Testament laid down death as the penalty for breaking them.

SowingPlowingReapingBinding sheavesThreshingWinnowingSelectingGrindingSiftingKneadingBakingShearing woolWashing wool

Beating woolDyeing woolSpinningWeavingMaking two loopsTyingUntyingSewing stitchesTearingTrappingSlaughteringFlayingTanningScraping hideMarking hides

Cutting hide to shapeWriting two or more lettersErasing two or more lettersBuildingDemolishingExtinguishing a fireKindling a firePutting the finishing touch on an objectTransporting an object between a private domain and the public domain, or for a distance of 4 cubits within the public domain.

1. Write out the 4 categories of forbidden activities,

2. give an example for each forbidden activity.

3. Say what your examples mean you would not be able to do on the Sabbath.

**How difficult would it be to keep these laws for a modern Jew? Give examples of what would be particularly difficult.

From 3:50

1. Explain with 2 examples why the Sabbath laws could make life quite difficult for a Jew.

2. Explain why Jews would want to keep the Sabbath laws.

3. Do you think it is a good idea to keep the Sabbath?

**Read Mark 3:1-4 What was Jesus accused of? What do you think about the way he answered them?

Lev. 23:3 “There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the Lord.

• In biblical times, breaking the Sabbath laws could be punishable by death. Breaking it meant you were rejecting God’s authority over your life and no longer wanted a relationship with Him.

Shabbat Do’s and Don’t

Going to the synagogue Cooking Enjoying food

and drink Watching TV

ReadingHarry Potter

Reading the Torah

Taking an afternoon nap

Makingphone calls

Going for a leisurely walk Running a marathon

Making love with your husband

or wifeChatting with your friends and family

Playing board games Playing computer games Listening to music Singing

religious songs

Doing homework Praying Playing the saxophone Going shopping

Shabbat is a day when Jews make an effort to rest – 1. draw 2 columns (allowed and Not Allowed)2. put the activities into the right columns...

Allowed•Going to the synagogue•Reading the Torah•Praying•Going for a leisurely walk•Playing board games•Taking an afternoon nap•Making love with your husband or wife (no sniggering please)•Chatting with your friends and family•Enjoying food and drink•Singing religious songs

Not Allowed•Cooking – Specifically forbidden in the 39 melakhah•Watching TV – The melakhah that bans lighting a fire also covers completing electrical circuits, and the TV programmes themselves may upset the spirit of Shabbat, E.g. if they are noisy or violent... or both.•Using a computer – Again, no electricity! Also computers are used for online shopping, e-mails that may be to do with work, and lots of other things that are forbidden on the Shabbat.•Reading Harry Potter – Reading fiction is generally not allowed because it might contain violence or other things that are considered against the spirit of Shabbat.•Making phone calls – No electricity! Also the phone call may be to do with work or other non-Shabbat activities.•Running a marathon – No, definitely not restful.•Playing the saxophone – Too noisy and too creative.•Doing homework – Too much like hard work and too much like the rest of the week. Teachers can’t mark it either.•Going shopping – It always involves money, money is to do with paid employment. It also forces other people to work which is forbidden.•Listening to music – Loud noise, and especially loud pop and rock songs are against the spirit of Shabbat, which should be a time of peace and tranquillity. The song lyrics might also be inappropriate for Shabbat!

Purity Laws Food Laws Sabbath Laws

Mindmap 3 laws for each of the types of Law. **Which one do you think would have made the most difference to a Jew’s way of life?