Jewish Practices: Worship, Shabbat and Kashrut
The Centrality of Practice in Jewish Life
Judaism is a religion of practice as much as belief. The 613 commandments (mitzvot) of the Torah cover every aspect of daily life — from prayer and worship to what a Jew eats and how they rest. These practices are not arbitrary rules but expressions of the covenant between God and the Jewish people: each act of observance is a way of honouring and remembering that relationship. This lesson explores three of the most important areas of Jewish practice: worship (including the Shema, the kippah and the tallith), the synagogue, and the laws of Shabbat and kashrut.
The Shema: The Heart of Jewish Worship
The most fundamental Jewish prayer is the Shema (from the Hebrew word meaning ‘hear’). It begins: Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad — ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.’ This is the Jewish affirmation of monotheism: God is absolutely one, undivided, unique. Observant Jews recite the Shema in the morning and evening as commanded, and many recite it as the last words before sleep or at the point of death.
The Shema is not merely a doctrinal statement but an act of devotion. The tradition teaches that when reciting it, one should concentrate fully on the meaning of each word, particularly the word echad (one), drawing out its sound as a sign of intention. The Shema comes from the book of Deuteronomy and is followed by two other Torah passages that together make up the full Shema liturgy. Because Judaism holds that God’s name is supremely holy, many Jews write ‘G-d’ in English correspondence — deliberately incomplete as a sign of reverence.
The Kippah and the Tallith
The kippah (also called a yarmulke) is a small head covering worn by Jewish men. Its purpose is to signify that there is always something ‘above’ the wearer — a constant, physical reminder of God’s presence and authority. Orthodox Jewish men wear the kippah at all times; for others it is worn during prayer and religious occasions. The wearing of the kippah is a matter of custom and commitment rather than a Torah command, but it has become a universal symbol of Jewish identity and reverence.
The tallith (or tallit) is a prayer shawl worn by Jewish men during morning prayers. Its corners are fitted with fringes called tzitzit, which are a physical reminder of the 613 commandments. The Torah commands Jews to attach such fringes to their garments so that, when they see them, they will remember all God’s commands. Some Liberal Jewish women also wear the tallith. Like the kippah, the tallith is a ‘wearable theology’ — a religious teaching made tangible in fabric.
The kippah symbolises humility before God — a reminder that God is always above and present. The tallith, with its tzitzit fringes, is a physical reminder of the 613 commandments. Both are examples of Jewish practice embedding theology in everyday life.
The Synagogue: Interior Features
The synagogue is the central building of Jewish communal life — a place of prayer, study and community gathering. Several features of the synagogue interior are of religious significance:
The aron hakodesh (Holy Ark) is a cabinet or alcove set into the wall facing Jerusalem, which holds the Torah scrolls. Opening the ark is a moment of great reverence; the congregation stands when it is opened. The ark is often ornately decorated and may be flanked by carved lions, symbols of the tribe of Judah.
The ner tamid (eternal light) is a lamp that hangs above the ark and burns continuously. It symbolises the eternal nature of God and may also recall the Menorah — the seven-branched lamp that burned in the Temple in Jerusalem. Most synagogues today use an electric lamp so that the light never goes out.
The bimah is the raised platform from which the Torah is read. In Orthodox synagogues it is often placed in the centre of the congregation, so that the words of Torah radiate outward to all present. In Reform synagogues it is commonly at the front, closer to where the ark stands. The Torah scroll is lifted, carried and read from the bimah with great ceremony. Many synagogues also display the words of the Ten Commandments near the ark, signifying the centrality of God’s law to Jewish life.
Shabbat: The Jewish Sabbath
Shabbat (the Sabbath) is the weekly day of rest, observed from Friday evening at sunset to Saturday night when three stars are visible. Exodus 20:8–10 commands: ‘Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God.’ Shabbat commemorates two things: God’s rest on the seventh day after creation (Genesis 1–2), and the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in Egypt, where there had been no rest.
Shabbat observance varies considerably between Orthodox and Reform Jews. In Orthodox practice, the prohibitions are extensive: no work, no lighting fires or electricity (which means no cooking, no driving, no using a phone), no writing. The Shabbat is ushered in by the woman of the household lighting two candles, reciting a blessing, and covering her eyes while saying the Hebrew prayer. Kiddush (sanctification) is made over a cup of wine. A double portion of challah bread (recalling the double portion of manna in the wilderness) is shared. Synagogue attendance, family meals and rest define the day.
In Reform and Liberal Judaism, the spirit of Shabbat is honoured while some of the detailed prohibitions are relaxed. A Reform family might drive to synagogue, but still light candles, say Kiddush and observe the day as distinctive and holy. Both approaches see Shabbat as one of Judaism’s greatest gifts — a regular rhythm of rest built into the structure of the week.
Shabbat is commanded in Exodus 20:8–10 and runs from Friday sunset to Saturday nightfall. It commemorates both creation and the Exodus. Observance involves candle lighting, Kiddush, challah bread and rest from work — though the extent of prohibitions varies between Orthodox and Reform practice.
Kashrut: The Jewish Dietary Laws
Kashrut (from the root meaning ‘fit’ or ‘proper’) is the system of Jewish food laws. Food that meets these laws is kosher; food that does not is treifa (forbidden). A third category, parev, refers to foods that are neither meat nor dairy and may be eaten with either.
The main rules of kashrut are drawn from Leviticus 11:1–24 and other Torah passages. Land animals must chew the cud and have split hooves (so beef and lamb are kosher; pork is not). Fish must have fins and scales (so shellfish are treifa). Birds of prey are forbidden. Animals must be slaughtered in a specific way called shechitah, performed by a trained shochet (ritual slaughterer) who makes a single swift cut to minimise suffering. The blood must be fully drained before the meat can be eaten, since the Torah forbids the consumption of blood.
One of the most distinctive kashrut rules is the complete separation of milk and meat. This is derived from the Torah’s threefold repetition of the phrase ‘you shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk’ (Exodus 23:19; Exodus 34:26; Deuteronomy 14:21). In practice this means observant Jewish households maintain two separate sets of crockery, cutlery and utensils — one for meat and one for dairy — and a waiting period between eating meat and dairy meals.
Orthodox Jews observe kashrut because it is commanded in the Torah — the word of God — and requires no further justification beyond the command itself. It is also understood to sanctify the act of eating, making a mundane activity into an act of religious obedience. It distinguishes the Jewish community from others and provides a constant, daily practice of self-discipline in obedience to God.
Reform Jews approach kashrut more selectively. Some observe it fully, others partially, and some not at all. The Reform movement generally holds that Jewish ethical principles — such as justice and compassion — are more binding than ritual laws, and that Jews must make their own informed choices about observance. Some Reform Jews apply the ethical spirit of kashrut in modern ways, such as choosing ethically farmed meat, even where traditional rules are relaxed.