Elementarz

Tefilin, czyli z hebrajskiego przedmioty modlitewne, to dwa czarne skórzane pudełeczka wykonane z jednego kawałka skóry koszernego zwierzęcia. Tefilin. Tefilin. Tefilin. Tefilin. Tefilin. Tefilin.

Tav ת for Tefillin (תפילין)
Tefillin, which translates from Hebrew as prayer items, are two black leather boxes made from a single piece of kosher animal skin. Inside each box are four passages from the Torah, handwritten in Hebrew by a sofer – a scribe. Men wear tefillin during weekday morning prayers. The obligation to wear them begins at the age of thirteen, although they are often worn earlier for practice.

• Do you have any particularly important items for yourself?
• How do you store them? What items do you carry with you at all times?
• What do they mean to you?

Symbolism:
The Hebrew letter ת (Tav) corresponds to the number 400.
Symbolic meaning: sign, symbol.

Resh ר for Rosh Hashanah (ראש השנה), the New Year Festival
The word “Resh” means head, which refers to the head as the beginning of the year or the beginning of everything. It is the New Year’s celebration, during which the creation of the world is commemorated and God's judgment is remembered. It is a time for reflection and contemplation on one's behavior over the past year. In Poland, it is also called the Feast of Trumpets because the sound of the shofar trumpet is supposed to be heard on the day of judgment.During the festival, dishes with symbolic meanings are eaten:

•  round challah dipped in honey symbolizes the cycle of the year;
• gefilte fish, with the head intact, signifies that: “And the Lord shall make you the head, and not the tail”;
•  apples and carrot slices in honey as a symbol of the joyous and sweet year to come.

What kind of New Year wishes do Jews exchange?
During Rosh Hashanah, Jews wish each other “May you be inscribed and sealed (in the Book of Life) for a good year.” The response is: “The same to you.”

• What New Year customs do you know?
• Do you or your loved ones have little rituals that you do on December 31st or January 1st?

Symbolism:
The Hebrew letter ר (Resh) corresponds to the number 200.
Symbolic meaning: head, person, the first.

Kuf ק for Kabbalah (קבלה)
The word Kabbalah means to receive, to get, that is, to acquire mystical knowledge. Kabbalah is the mystical school of Judaism. It is believed that when one comes into contact with it, they receive secret and hidden knowledge. Kabbalists teach that a person is capable of understanding the world, its structure, and the Creator Himself through the expansion of their own consciousness. Kabbalists believe that the first person to receive this knowledge was Adam. He touched upon secret knowledge by eating the apple from the tree of life because his consciousness was expanded.

• What do you associate the word “Kabbalah” with?
• Is your association similar to the one presented on the card?
• Where or from whom did you first hear the word “Kabbalah”?
• Kabbalists believe in reincarnation and the power of consciousness.
• Does this remind you of other religions?

Symbolism:
The Hebrew letter ק (Kuf) corresponds to the number 100.
Symbolic meaning: sun on the horizon, to be behind someone or something.

Pe פ for Purim, The Festival of Lots (פורים)
The word “Purim” comes from the word “pur” – a lot, in the sense of a lottery ticket, a winning ticket. Purim is the most joyous Jewish holiday.

This holiday commemorates the biblical story described in the Book of Esther, in which Queen Esther saved the Jewish people from extermination. She spoiled the plans of Haman – a court official who, after casting lots (purim) that foretold events in the country, persuaded the king to start persecuting the Jews.

How Jews celebrate Purim:
A constant custom associated with this holiday is giving alms to the poor and gifting small presents to friends and neighbors, usually candy, fruits, or wine. Gifts or alms should be twice as big as usual. After the service, parties and gatherings begin, during which festive dishes are consumed, and people dress up in various costumes, such as those from comics, movies, or the Bible.
The most popular are, of course, Hamantaschen, but special Purim challah, kreplach - which are Jewish dumplings filled with meat - and various bean dishes, such as bean soup, are also eaten. They remind us that Esther would not eat anything at King Ahasuerus’s court that was not kosher, so she mainly ate peas and beans.In addition to all the festive dishes and treats, alcohol is also served. Tradition almost commands abundant celebration: one should get so drunk that they cannot distinguish the name of the great enemy of the Jews, Haman, from the name of the savior, Mordecai.

• What are the most joyous holidays you know of during the year?
• What do you do during them? Are special dishes prepared?
• What are the customs?

Symbolism:
The Hebrew letter פ (Pe) corresponds to the number 80.
Symbolic meaning: mouth, word, to speak.

Ayin ע jak Ayin Hara, Evil Eye (עין הרע)
The belief in the power of the evil eye is held by people from various cultures, from Europe to America.
In Judaism, the Evil Eye is a human gaze believed to be harmful to someone or something. It can bring suffering and misfortune, such as poverty, illness, or even death. According to Kabbalah, no negative influences should be underestimated.

To ward off the evil charm, a red string is tied around the wrist (in many cultures) – it's like a talisman. If you travel to Jerusalem, you will surely meet someone who will want to tie such a string on your wrist.

• Do you or do you not believe in talismans?
• What superstitions do you know?

Symbolism:
The Hebrew letter ע (Ayin) corresponds to the number 60
Symbolic meaning: pillar, support, trust.

Samekh ס for Sukkah or Booth (סוכה) The Festival of Sukkot!
Sukkot is a holiday commemorating dwelling in booths and tents during the exodus from Egypt and the journey to Canaan. It's a holiday of migration and at the same time of rest because the long journey through the desert eventually led to rest in the promised land by God.
Every Jewish family sets up their own booth during Sukkot. They build it at night or early in the morning, usually next to the house, in the garden. It's most commonly made of leaves, branches, and sticks. The roof is usually made to provide shade, but also to allow one to see the sky through it.
Booths can vary. They can be made from various materials: branches, plants, wood, even a garden pergola will count as one. The material isn’t that important, the most crucial thing is that you can see the sky through the roof. This means it can't be completely covered. The Sukkah is decorated with branches and plants that one can find. You can also make your own decorations. Inside, tables and chairs are set up for feasting and “living” during the holiday.

• What does setting up a tent remind you of? Do you also do this in your own garden?
• Make your own booth:
  1. Collect large sticks.
  2. Connect them at one end.
  3. Fill in the booth's walls – the gaps between the sticks – with small branches
  4. Decorate the booth with flowers. Remember to leave an opening through which you can see the sky.

Symbolism:
The Hebrew letter ס (Samekh) corresponds to the number 60.
Symbolic meaning: pillar, support, trust.