In the modern-day world, there are many cultures that have specific traditions, beliefs, and values. While some cultures value individuality, other cultures may value community above all else. In a similar way, they have varying approaches to religions. Therefore, different nations and groups of people are exposed to different cultures, such as the Jewish community. Jewish people have a culture that emphasizes the importance of religion and familial ties. Among the most crucial objects that have cultural and historical significance to the Jewish people is a menorah, which serves as a candelabrum for religious purposes. Thus, the Jewish culture is focused not on individuality but instead on communal and familial ties, devoting their lives to the worshipping of God, which is facilitated by such objects as a menorah.
First, it is necessary to see what Jewish culture values and what kind of traditions and beliefs these people have. The most noteworthy fact is that Jewish people hold that there is only one God, who not just created the world but with whom each Jew must have a unique and emotional connection (Reuben and Hanin 120). They think that God is present in every person’s life, influencing everything they do (Reuben and Hanin 120). In this case, Jews follow the rules and teachings of God, which revolve around worshipping and respecting those around them. This is why Jewish culture revolves around a communal life, and there is no “I” or “Me” in the Holy Scripture called Tanakh (Reuben and Hanin 120). Because of fostering such a close connection in the community, Jews often have a bond with other Jews throughout the world and a sense of belonging to a worldwide community, creating diasporas (Reuben and Hanin 120). Aside from communal connections, Jewish religious practice places a strong emphasis on domestic and familial activities. A prime example is the Sabbath supper, which brings families together to celebrate the important day (Reuben and Hanin 120). Therefore, the Jewish household is central to many of their religious traditions.
Apart from these facts, it is necessary to mention that the process of identifying the religion of the child depends on the parent. Although certain communities consider children of Jewish fathers as Jewish, this culture generally thinks that a person is a Jew if they are the child of a Jewish woman (Reuben and Hanin 111). Finally, a Jewish individual’s actions can almost always be seen as acts of worship. Jews have an agreement with God to uphold his commandments, thus upholding that agreement and carrying out actions in a way that pleases God is an act of devotion (Reuben and Hanin 146). A devout Jewish person makes an effort to infuse purity into all they do by performing it in a way that honors and celebrates what God has accomplished (Reuben and Hanin 146). Such a person might turn their entire existence into an act of worshipping.
As for the artifact most well-known from the Jewish culture, it is most certainly a menorah. When translating the word menorah from Hebrew into English, it means light, and there is a story behind such a meaning. The early menorah remained at the Temple in Judea, a small region engaged in the center of the struggle between the Egyptian kingdom and the Greek-Assyrian kingdom. The menorah, a candlestick holder with seven branches that was used in the Temple, was among the earliest symbols of the Jewish faith and had a specific significance and value to the culture. The menorah is supposedly a representation of Israel and its role as “a light unto the nations” (Isaiah 42:6). The sages stress that lighting is not a violent power and that Israel must fulfill its goal by leading by example rather than by resorting to violence. In the Messiah, Zechariah’s revelation, when he witnesses a menorah, God emphasizes this concept by saying, “Not by might, not by might, but by My spirit” (Zechariah 4:1-6). Therefore, it represents the values and significance of the culture by emphasizing its vow to non-violence and stressing the power of God.
The menorah represents the values and traditions of the culture by having a specific number of candles. The six lights that are angled in toward and metaphorically directed by the divine illumination symbolized by the central candle allude to the many fields of human wisdom (Jewish Virtual Library). The central light of the menorah, which represents the Shabbat, also represents the creation in seven days (Jewish Virtual Library). This artifact communicates the hopes of reaching grand enlightenment and wisdom. Thus, it can be claimed that the menorah reveals the worshipping of God and the belief in enlightenment, paying tribute to the past.
Nowadays, after thousands of years, the traditions of using the menorah still persist. Previously, seven stems made up the menorah in the First and Second Temples (Dartmouth College). Candleholders no longer have seven branches because of the custom that emerged after the Temples were ruined not to copy anything from them. Now, since Chanukah celebrates the miracle that one day’s supply of oil for this lamp remained for eight days, the nine-branched menorah used during the holiday is sometimes designed after this one (Dartmouth College). Additionally, the Hanukkah menorah includes nine candles because there is one to be used every eight days and one for lighting the other (Dartmouth College). On the eight days of Hanukkah, an extra oil wick or candle is lit every evening (Dartmouth College). For Hanukkah, the menorah was customarily placed on a shelf outside the residence to identify it as a Jewish one (Dartmouth College). It is now frequently placed on a window to illuminate the night during the shorter days throughout the year (Dartmouth College). Therefore, a menorah still impacts the Jewish culture since every family owns one for cultural celebrations.
Hence, Jews devote their life to the worship of God, which is made possible by such artifacts as a menorah, and place a greater emphasis on social and familial relationships than on individualism. The most notable point is that Jews believe in a single God who not only created the universe but also with whom every Jew must have a special and emotional bond. Jewish religious practice lays a great focus on personal and familial activities in addition to links to the community. In addition to these facts, it is important to note that it is the parent’s responsibility to determine the child’s religion. A menorah is unquestionably the Jewish cultural relic that is most well-known. It emphasizes the culture’s pledge of nonviolence and the importance of God, which are representative of the culture’s ideals and relevance. Jewish culture is still influenced by menorahs since every household has one for special occasions.
Works Cited
Dartmouth College. “The Menorah: A Symbol of Light.” Dartmouth College, 2019. Web.
Jewish Virtual Library. “Ancient Jewish History: The Menorah.” Web.
Reuben, Rabbi Steven Carr, and Hanin, Jennifer S. Becoming Jewish: The Challenges, Rewards, and Paths to Conversion. United States: Xlibris US, 2019.