1 Jewish Religious Observance by the Jews of Kaifeng China by Rabbi Dr. Chaim Simons Kiryat Arba, Israel June 2010 2 address of author P.O. Box 1775 Kiryat Arba, Israel telephone no. 972 2 9961252 e-mail: [email protected] © Copyright. Chaim Simons. 2010 3 Acknowledgements are due to the following: Librarians and Staff of the following libraries: The Jewish National and University Library, (including microfilms department), Jerusalem Mount Scopus Library, Jerusalem Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design Library, Jerusalem Bar-Ilan University Library, Ramat Gan Kiryat Arba Municipal Library Yeshivat Nir Library, Kiryat Arba Chasdei Avot Synagogue Library, Kiryat Arba Hebrew Union College Libraries, Jerusalem, New York and Cincinnati Internet: Hebrew Books Google Books National Yiddish Book Center, Amhurst, Massachusetts Various authors of material Wikipedia Users of Wikipedia Reference Desk who answered the author‟s questions Miscellaneous: Otzar Hachochma Rabbi Eliyahu Ben-Pinchas, Kiryat Arba Rabbi Yisrael Hirshenzon, Kiryat Arba Rabbi Baruch Kochav, Kiryat Arba Rabbi Mishael Rubin, Kiryat Arba 4 CONTENTS Section 1: PRELIMINARY INFORMATION …………………………….. 5 Transliterations………………………………………………………………….. 6 Glossary of Hebrew and Yiddish Words………………………………………. 6 Abbreviations appearing in footnotes………………………………………….. 13 Guide to books and manuscripts appearing in footnotes………………………. 13 Section 2: INTRODUCTION………………………………………………… 28 What this Book includes………………………………………………………… 29 What this Book does not include………………………………………………... 29 A very brief synopsis of the history of the Jews of Kaifeng……………………. 30 A very brief historical synopsis of the sources for Jewish Law………………… 33 Sources of Information on Mitzvah Observance by the Kaifeng Jews…………. 34 Section 3: MITZVAH OBSERVANCE IN KAIFENG……………………… 41 Tzitzit……………………………………………………………………………. 42 Tefillin…………………………………………………………………………… 45 Mezuzah…………………………………………………………………………. 46 Tefillah…………………………………………………………………………… 47 Reading the Torah……………………………………………………………….. 69 The Synagogue…………………………………………………………………... 89 Berachot…………………………………………………………………………. 96 Shabbat.................................................................................................................. 101 Rosh Chodesh....................................................................................................... 108 The Jewish Calendar............................................................................................. 110 Rosh Hashanah..................................................................................................... 113 Yom Kippur.......................................................................................................... 115 Sukkot.................................................................................................................. 120 Chanukah............................................................................................................. 126 Purim................................................................................................................... 128 Pesach.................................................................................................................. 131 Shavuot............................................................................................................... 139 Tisha b‟Av and other Fasts.................................................................................. 140 Kashrut................................................................................................................ 142 Shaatnez.............................................................................................................. 146 From Cradle to Grave......................................................................................... 147 Between Man and his Fellow.............................................................................. 157 BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………………………………………………… 158 5 Section 1 PRELIMINARY INFORMATION 6 TRANSLITERATIONS This book is primarily intended for the reader who is proficient in the English language, and it has therefore been written in English. However, it has been necessary to include numerous words in non-English languages, especially Hebrew. Since there may be readers who cannot read Hebrew, there are very few words written in Hebrew letters (or other non-Latin characters) and a transliteration into English letters, and often a translation, will always follow. (The transliterations are arbitrary and not necessarily uniform.) GLOSSARY OF HEBREW AND YIDDISH WORDS Should the explanation of Hebrew word(s) used in this glossary include another Hebrew word, it will be written in italics and will be found elsewhere in this Glossary. .World recognised Rabbis from about the 16th century onwards – אחרונים Acharonim .Month in the Jewish calendar when Purim occurs -- אדר Adar The name given to a matzah which the last item eaten at the -- אפיקומן Afikoman seder on Pesach. Prayer recited on Chanukah and Purim in the amidah and in -- על הניסים Al Hanisim bircat hamazon. .Prayer recited at the end of almost every service -- עלינו Aleinu .Silent prayer recited at every service -- (עמידות plural: Amidot) עמידה Amidah Apocrypha απόκρυφα (Greek) -- A number of books which were not included in the Jewish Bible. Twigs of willows – one of the “Four Species” taken on the Festival of -- ערבות Aravot Sukkot. .see tallit katan -- ארבע כנפות Arba Kanfot .The “Four Species” taken on the Festival of Sukkot -- ארבעת המינים .Arbaat Haminim .Fast of 10th Tevet -- עשרה בטבת Asarah b’Tevet Jew from European country. Also -- )אשכנזים )plural: Ashkenazim) אשכנז Ashkenaz used to denote the prayer rite of Ashkenazim. Psalm 145 together with a few other verses from Psalms, which is -- אשרי Ashrei recited daily, twice during shacharit and once at the start of minchah. Wooden poles which are attached to the beginning and the -- עצי חיים Atzei Chaim end of a Sefer Torah. .Month in the Jewish calendar – two months before Rosh Hashanah -- אב Av .President of a Bet Din -- אב בית דין Av Bet Din Term used for the service of the High Priest in the Temple on Yom -- עבודה Avodah Kippur. .Song of Moses which is recited daily at shacharit -- אז ישיר Az yashir .A person who has had a seminal emission -- בעל קרי Baal Keri Man who reads from the -- (בעלי קורא plural: Baalei Koreh) בעל קורא Baal Koreh Torah during the Synagogue service. 7 Prayer at beginning of pesukei dezimrah in the -- ברוך שאמר Baruch Sheamar shacharit service. .Square shaped black boxes which contain the parshiot of the tefillin -- בתים Batim A blessing which is recited on various – (ברכות plural: Berachot) ברכה Berachah occasions. .Blessing recited after eating of food -- ברכה אחרונה Berachah acharonah .A Rabbinical Court – בית דין Bet Din .Elevated area in centre of a Synagogue from where the Torah is read -- בימה Bimah .Grace after Meals after eating bread -- ברכת המזון Bircat Hamazon .Very short prayer said mainly during maariv and shacharit -- ברכו Borachu .Ritual circumcision -- ברית מילה Brit Milah Capel (Yiddish) -- Skull cap worn by a Jew. Other names for it are kipah (Hebrew) or yarmulke (Yiddish). .An expression used for some of the Festivals occurring during the year -- חג Chag .One of the names for Pesach -- חג המצות Chag Hamatzot .Forbidden fats of animals-- חלב Chailev .The alternative to yibum -- חליצה Chalitzah .Leaven food which may not be eaten on Passover -- חמץ Chametz Eight day Festival when an increasing number of candles are lit on -- חנוכה Chanukah each successive night – hence the expression “Festival of Lights”. Chanukah Gelt (Yiddish) -- Money given to children on Chanukah. The man called up on Simchat Torah to begin the new -- חתן בראשית Chatan Bereshit cycle of Reading of the Torah. .Intermediate days of the Festivals of Pesach and Sukkot -- חול המועד Chol Hamoed Usually used to denote printed -- (חומשים plural: Chumashim) חומש Chumash volumes of the Torah, for use by the Synagogue worshippers. Daven, Davening (Yiddish) – Praying. .A judge in a Bet Din -- דיין Dayan One meaning is:) Various postponements of the day Rosh) -- דחיות Dechiyot Hashanah will fall when making Jewish calendar calculations. .Jewish religious laws -- דינים Dinim Duchan, Duchaning (Yiddish) -- Blessing of the congregation by Kohanim during the Synagogue service, popularly known as the “Priestly Benediction”. .Elijah the Prophet -- אליהו הנביא Eliyahu Hanavi .Month in the Jewish calendar occurring before Rosh Hashanah -- אלול Elul .Land of Israel -- ארץ ישראל Eretz Yisrael .Day before Yom Kippur -- ערב יום כיפור Erev Yom Kippur Citron (similar to a lemon) which is taken -- (אתרוגים plural: Etrogim) אתרוג Etrog as one of the “Four Species” on the Festival of Sukkot. 8 Synagogue official (or monitor) who is in charge of deciding who is to -- גבאי Gabbai be called up to the Torah, and who corrects mistakes made by the Baal Koreh. .The major part of the Talmud -- גמרא Gemara A system of assigning numerical value to a Hebrew word or -- גימטריה Gematria phrase. Helping one‟s fellow man financially and -- גמילות חסדים Gemilut Chasadim spiritually. .Store room for worn-out religious texts prior to their burial -- גניזה Genizah .World recognized Rabbinical leaders between the years 600 – 1000 -- גאונים Geonim .Rain -- גשם Geshem .The sciatic nerve of an animal - it may not be eaten -- גיד הנשה Gid Hanasheh Threads prepared to certain specifications which are used to sew up the -- גידים Gidim sections of parchment of the Sefer Torah. Twigs of myrtle which