Orthodox Judaism

Orthodox Judaism
Judaism as observed by Orthodox Jews.

* * *

Religion of Jews who adhere strictly to traditional beliefs and practices; the official form of Judaism in Israel.

Orthodox Jews hold that both the written law (Torah) and the oral law (codified in the Mishna and interpreted in the Talmud) are immutably fixed and remain the sole norm of religious observance. Orthodox Judaism has held fast to such practices as daily worship, dietary laws, intensive study of the Torah, and separation of men and women in the synagogue. It also enjoins strict observance of the Sabbath and does not permit instrumental music during communal services. A leading center of Orthodoxy in the U.S. is New York's Yeshiva Univ.

* * *

      the religion of those Jews who adhere most strictly to traditional beliefs and practices. Jewish Orthodoxy resolutely refuses to accept the position of Reform Judaism that the Bible and other sacred Jewish writings contain not only eternally valid moral principles but also historically and culturally conditioned adaptations and interpretations of the Law that may be legitimately discarded in modern times. In Orthodox Judaism, therefore, both the Written Law (Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament) and the Oral Law (codified in the Mishna and interpreted in the Talmud) are immutably fixed and remain the sole norm of religious observance.

      Orthodox Judaism has resisted modern pressures to modify its observance and has held fast to such practices as daily worship, dietary laws (kashruth), traditional prayers and ceremonies, regular and intensive study of the Torah, and separation of men and women in the synagogue. It also enjoins strict observance of the sabbath and religious festivals and does not permit instrumental music during communal services.

      Despite such seeming inflexibility, Orthodox Judaism is marked by considerable variety. Neo-Orthodoxy, for example, a late 19th-century development under the leadership of Samson Raphael Hirsch (Hirsch, Samson Raphael), sanctioned modern dress, the use of the vernacular in sermons, and a more positive view of modern culture.

      All Jewish groups—Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform—consider themselves and each other as adherents of the Jewish faith. This fact, however, has not deterred Orthodox rabbis from challenging the legitimacy of certain non-Orthodox marriages, divorces, and conversions on the grounds that they violate prescriptions of Jewish law.

      In the United States many Orthodox synagogues have joined together to form the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America. Most Orthodox rabbis are affiliated with the Rabbinical Council of America, the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada, or the Rabbinical Alliance of America. Yeshiva University, in New York City, composed of a rabbinical seminary and departments for secular studies, is one of the leading centres of Orthodox Judaism in the United States. In the State of Israel, Orthodoxy is the official form of Judaism and has considerable power and status exercised through the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Orthodox Judaism — ► NOUN ▪ a branch of Judaism which teaches strict adherence to rabbinical interpretation of Jewish law and its traditional observances …   English terms dictionary

  • Orthodox Judaism — Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, a leading Rabbinical authority for Orthodox Jewry for a quarter of the twentieth century …   Wikipedia

  • Orthodox Judaism outreach (disambiguation) — Orthodox Judaism outreach commonly referred to as Kiruv or Keruv, is the movement of Orthodox Judaism that reaches out to non Orthodox Jews to practice the Mitzvot in the hope that they will live according to Orthodox Jewish law. Orthodox Judaism …   Wikipedia

  • Orthodox Judaism outreach — For other uses, see Orthodox Judaism outreach (disambiguation). Part of a series on …   Wikipedia

  • Orthodox Judaism — noun 1. Jews who strictly observe the Mosaic law as interpreted in the Talmud • Syn: ↑Jewish Orthodoxy • Hypernyms: ↑Judaism, ↑Hebraism, ↑Jewish religion • Hyponyms: ↑Hasidim, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • Orthodox Judaism — noun The most traditional Rabbinic branch of Judaism, believing the written Torah and the oral Torah were literally given to Moses by God. See Also: Judaism, Conservative Judaism, Reform Judaism, Reconstructionist Judaism, Chasidim, Jew, Jewish …   Wiktionary

  • Orthodox Judaism — noun Date: 1904 Judaism that adheres to the Torah and Talmud as interpreted in an authoritative rabbinic law code and applies their principles and regulations to modern living compare Conservative Judaism, Reform Judaism …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Orthodox Judaism — Or′thodox Ju′daism n. jud a branch of Judaism that faithfully adheres to traditional beliefs and practices as evidenced by Torah study, daily synagogue attendance, and strict observance of the Sabbath, festivals, and dietary laws Compare… …   From formal English to slang

  • Orthodox Judaism — branch of Judaism which most strictly observes Jewish rites and traditions, branch of Judaism that adheres to the teachings of the Torah as interpreted in the Talmud …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Orthodox Judaism — /ˌɔθədɒks ˈdʒudeɪɪzəm/ (say .awthuhdoks joohdayizuhm) noun a strict form of Judaism marked by close observance of the Mosaic Law as seen through the Talmud and Torah. Compare Conservative Judaism …  

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”