Glossary

archaeology

Go to: www.arts.cornell.edu/, select Department of Near Eastern Studies, then Faculty Information, then Jeffry Zorn's Research Web Pages, and click on Tell en-Nasbehi Biblical Mispah of Benjamin for a good website that demonstrates the work that archaeologists do and its relationship to understanding the history of the Old Testament period.  

Passover

The festival that celebrates the escape of the Israelite slaves from Egypt after they were spared the plague of the death of the firstborn.  Incorporating elements of an earlier agricultural festival, the Passover Feast falls in the spring.

For more information on the Passover celebration go to:
www.holidays.net/passover/index.htm  or
www.ou.org click on Intermediate or
www.jewfaq.org/holidaya.htm

purity laws

Purity laws are those regulations designed to set the Israelite/Jewish people apart from other groups and for their God.  According to Harper's Bible Dictionary, purity is "the condition of being free from any physical, moral, or ritual contamination."

To learn more about purity laws go to: 
www.cumber.edu/acad/rel/hbible/HebrewBible/ click on Begin Exploring, then Introductory Notes, and under Torah, click on Leviticus.
For application of purity laws to diet in contemporary Judaism go to: www.sallys-place.com/food/single-articles/whatskosher.htm or
www.ou.org/kosher/ and click on Primer or
www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm

temple

The temple in Jerusalem was built by Solomon and served as the center of sacrificial worship until its destruction in 587 B.C.E.  After the exile the temple was rebuilt in 515 B.C.E.  

For more information and pictures:

Go to: the Jerusalem Mosaic at jeru.huji.ac.il Go to New Jerusalem Mosaic and click 1st Temple.  

Shema

The Hebrew word "shema" means "hear."  It begins the Israelite/Jewish declaration of faithfulness to Yahweh found in Deuteronomy 6.4-9: "Hear, O Israel, The Lord is our God, the Lord alone" or "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one."  The Hebrew text shown on this marker is the first two words: "Shema, Israel."

Yom Kippur

The Hebrew term for Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur is 

For more information on Yom Kippur go to:
www.ou.org/chagim/yomkippur/ or
www.jewfaq.org/holiday4.htm

ziggurat

Go to ancienthistory.about.com/homework/; click on Near East; click on Art, Architecture, and Archaeology; go to ziggurats.