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Orthodox Judaism advocates a strict observance of Jewish law, or halakha.
The women of the household mark the beginning of Shabbat by lighting candles and saying prayers. Many women choose to observe the tradition of covering their eyes as candles are lit in order to avoid deriving any benefit from the light until they have recited the blessing.
Halakha is the collective body of Jewish religious laws that are derived from the Written and Oral Torah.
Torah refers to the Five Books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy), the entire Hebrew Bible, and the entire corpus of religious Jewish knowledge.
Halakha not only guides religious practices and beliefs, it also guides numerous aspects of day-to-day life. And halakha isn't just intended for Orthodox Jews—it's intended for all those who follow the Jewish faith.
A key tenet of Orthodox Judaism is regular and intensive study of the Torah.
Orthodox Jews only eat kosher food that is permitted in the Torah. During the festival of Passover, special dietary laws exclude the use of leaven in bread and other baked goods (pictured).
In Judaism, kashrut, the term of which also denotes the state of being kosher, is a set of dietary rules that prohibit the eating of certain foods and require that other foods be prepared in a specified manner.
Shabbat, or the Sabbath, also called Shabbos, is the weekly day of rest for Orthodox Jews and is observed with full solemnity. It lasts from sunset on Friday to one hour past sunset on Saturday.
All religious Jews observe Shabbat, but observance of this day of rest and holiness is a defining characteristic of an Orthodox Jew.
Shabbat observance entails refraining from all work duties and other activities, including traveling, baking and cooking (meals are prepared in advance of the seventh day), sewing, writing, and even extinguishing a flame.
Orthodox synagogues hold three daily services in Hebrew. These are known as Shacharit (morning), Minchah (afternoon), and Arvit (evening).
Tzniut describes the character trait of modesty and discretion, as well as a group of Jewish laws pertaining to conduct. The concept is most important within Orthodox Judaism, and extends to dress code.
Orthodox Judaism requires both men and women to substantially cover their bodies. Men wear dark pants and long dark overcoats over
a white shirt. The yarmulke or kippah is traditionally worn by Jewish males to fulfill the customary requirement that the head be covered. Many Orthodox men also wear black fedoras for prayer and for walking outside.
Modern Orthodox women also usually adhere to tzniut and dress in a modest fashion.
A characteristic feature of Orthodox Jewish males is their sidelocks, or pe'ot (payot). Payot are worn by some men and boys in the Orthodox Jewish community based on an interpretation of the Tanakh's injunction against shaving the "sides" of one's head.
Here, a young Orthodox Jewish boy is preparing to pray by wrapping the leather strap of his tefillin around his arm and a tallit (prayer shawl) around his shoulders.
Tefillin (sometimes called phylacteries) are cubic black leather boxes with leather straps that Orthodox Jewish men wear on their head and their arm during weekday morning prayer.
The boxes contain four hand-written texts from the Hebrew Bible, in which believers are commanded to wear certain words on the hand and between the eyes. The passages, written on parchment scrolls, are Exodus 13:1-10 and 13:11-16, and Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:12-21.
The tefillin serve as a reminder of God's intervention at the time of the Exodus from Egypt.
A mikveh is a bath used for ritual immersion in Judaism to achieve ritual purity. Almost every Jewish community has at least one mikveh, but the bath is especially central to Orthodox Judaism where ritual cleansing is steadfastly adhered to.
In the wake of the October 7 attacks, however, which highlighted the tremendous security challenges facing the Israel Defense Forces, the Haredi exemption came to an end. This decision has prompted ultra-Orthodox men to take to the streets in their thousands to protest the government's volte-face.
Sources: (Britannica) (My Jewish Learning) (Association for Jewish Studies) (BBC) (Israel Policy Forum) (The Times of Israel) (CBS)
See also: The Israel-Hamas war, one year on
Haredi Judaism is a branch of Orthodox Judaism. Its members are often referred to as ultra-Orthodox because Haredi Judaism is characterized by its strict interpretation of religious sources and its accepted halakha and traditions.
Ultra-Orthodox Jews reject many components of the modern world, anything from evolutionary science to television. Theirs is a highly conservative worldview: Haredim regard secularization and assimilation with scorn.
Haredim regard themselves as the most authentic custodians of Jewish religious law and tradition. Their way of life embraces a sense of community and mutual responsibility, with an emphasis on study and devotion to historical convention.
Haredi is a term based on the Hebrew word for "trembling," because ultra-Orthodox Jews are seen to tremble before God.
Ultra-Orthodox Jews tend to be poor by design. In fact, CBS data reveals that the poverty rate among ultra-Orthodox is twice as high as among the general population, with nearly half falling below the poverty line.
Israel's ultra-Orthodox population currently numbers 1.28 million, or 13.5% of the 9.45 million total national population, according to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
This has led to Haredi women increasingly joining the workforce while men's numbers stagnate. And contrary to their rejection of modernity, Haredim are increasingly using the Internet.
Traditionally, Haredi men have enjoyed a de facto exemption from the mandatory Israel Defense Forces (IDF) or non-military service requirement that legally applies to all Jewish Israeli citizens.
Orthodox Judaism is the religion of those Jews who adhere to a strict observance of Jewish law and traditional beliefs and doctrines. The largest Jewish religious group, estimated to have over two million practicing adherents, Orthodox Judaism encompasses a number of key religious practices and observations. But the interpretation and application of these laws vary, leading to very different levels of interaction with the modern world. So, what exactly are the customs and traditions that Orthodox Jews must follow?
Click through and learn more about the rules governing Orthodox Judaism.
The customs and traditions that Orthodox Jews must follow
What are the strict rules governing Orthodox Judaism?
LIFESTYLE Religion
Orthodox Judaism is the religion of those Jews who adhere to a strict observance of Jewish law and traditional beliefs and doctrines. The largest Jewish religious group, estimated to have over two million practicing adherents, Orthodox Judaism encompasses a number of key religious practices and observations. But the interpretation and application of these laws vary, leading to very different levels of interaction with the modern world. So, what exactly are the customs and traditions that Orthodox Jews must follow?
Click through and learn more about the rules governing Orthodox Judaism.