Judaic Context

Before the advent of David^(as), Judaism was splintered into the kingdoms of Israel to the north and Judah to the south. There was little unity amongst the various Jewish tribes. Moreover, they had gradually diverged from their monotheistic origins by incorporating Canaanite deities and practices (Wilson, p.103).

So Judaism, far from being a uniting and powerful force, was a fragmented and failing cluster of tribes, bickering with each other for land and worldly influence.

Amid this disunity, David^(as) was born in 1040 BCE in the town of Bethlehem, the same town which would host Jesus^(as), the Messiah of Judaism, a thousand years later. David^(as) was the youngest son of Jesse and the Bible records Eliab, Abinadab and Shammah as being among his seven older brothers (1 Samuel 16:6-8). Ibn Kathir, a great 14^th century Muslim historian from Syria, records his lineage back to Abraham^(as) and cites according to a genealogist of the time, his full name as being; “David bin Jesse bin Aweid bin Aber bin Salmun bin Nahshun bin Amenadab bin Iram bin Hasrun bin Fars bin Judah bin Jacob bin Isaac bin Abraham.”

He was known as a great warrior and then became King of Judah, (a territory south of Jerusalem down to Beersheba and including Hebron), in 1010 BCE. At that time the unifying king of the greater Israel (including Judah), was Saul. This was in the context of trying to stop the attacks of the Philistines and Goliath.

Philistines

The story of David^(as) comes to life with the victory over Goliath, who was from one of the Philistine tribes at war with the Israelites. Many Jewish scholars believe that the Philistines were not a single tribe, but rather a collection of local tribes as well as sea peoples, from Crete and southern Turkey. These tribes had been raiding Egypt and the Middle East and had eventually settled at the start of the 12th century BCE, in the cities of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron. They were also at war with Ramesses III in Egypt (Shanks, p.86). They used the most advanced weaponry of their time.

In order to understand the situation in which David^(as) found himself, we need to turn back two hundred years before his era, to the original conflict between the Israelites and Gideon, and the forces of Jalut (the same Philistine tribes).

Gideon was a mighty warrior, but also a spiritual man who wanted his people to return to the monotheistic belief in Yahweh (Jewish name for God). In an act reminiscent of a forefather Abraham^(as), he destroyed the idol and altar of Baal (a regional pagan deity). Whilst reminding the Jews of their monotheistic origins and beliefs, this act also antagonised neighboring tribes who similarly worshipped Baal, and sparked a battle with the Midianites and their allies.

The Jews had a large army but most were reluctant to fight, and the following incidents related in both the Bible and the Qur’an, describe how the troops were reduced in number to those that believed in the unity and power of God:

So he (Gideon) brought the troops down to the water; and the Lord said to Gideon, “All those who lap the water with their tongues, as a dog laps, you shall put to one side; all those who kneel down to drink, putting their hands to their mouths, you shall put to the other side.” The number of those that lapped was three hundred; but all the rest of the troops knelt down to drink water. Then the Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred that lapped I will deliver you, and give the Midianites into your hand. Let all the others go to their homes.” (Judges 7:5-7)

The Qur’an describes the battle between Jalut and Talut (Gideon), and then the intervention of Dawud^(as) (Arabic form of the name David^(as)) as follows:

And when Talut set out with the forces, he said: ‘Surely, Allah will try you with a river. So he who drinks therefrom is not of me; and he who tastes it not is assuredly of me, except him who takes a handful of water with his hand.’ But they drank of it, except a few of them. And when they crossed it – he and those who believed along with him – they said: ‘We have no power today against Jalut and his forces.’ But those who knew for certain that they would one day meet Allah said: ‘How many a small party has triumphed over a large party by Allah’s command! And Allah is with the steadfast.’ And when they issued forth to encounter Jalut and his forces, they said: ‘O our Lord, pour forth steadfastness upon us, and make our steps firm, and help us against the disbelieving people.’ So they routed them by the command of Allah; and David slew Jalut, and Allah gave him sovereignty and wisdom, and taught him of what He pleased. And had it not been for Allah’s repelling men, some of them by the others, the earth would have been filled with disorder. But Allah is munificent to all peoples. (Ch.2:Vs.250-252)

In these verses Jalut (or Goliath) is not an individual, but a collection of the Midianite and Amelakite tribes described as ‘Jalut and his forces’. The trial of the water describes an incident in which the forces of Talut are asked to show self-control and faith in God, before their trial against Jalut. Although reduced to just 300 men Gideon (in the Bible) was successful, because those few men were charged with a unique Divine zeal. Interestingly, the Biblical account is similar to the Qur’anic account in describing the incident at the water or river as a means of refining the army, and identifying those with true faith from those without. The Qur’anic verse also proceeds to the later events about David^(as), which we will explore in more detail here.

David^(as) and Goliath

Having survived a lengthy war and internal strife, in which the Philistines had killed thousands of Israelites and captured the Ark of the Covenant (sacred tablets of the Jews), the Israelites desperately sought a new and powerful King. Samuel the last of the Judges, anointed Saul as the King, but despite battles with the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, the King of Zobah and Amalekites (1 Samuel 14:47-48), Saul and his 3 sons were unsuccessful and died near Mount Gilboa.

David^(as), under persecution from Saul who had seen him as a rival, had previously fled to Gath and fought the enemies of the Philistines, in a pact with them. He later returned to Hebron to become the King of Judah. In 1003 BCE, after the death of Saul, he became the second and the greatest King of the United Kingdom of Israel, a position he held until his death more than thirty years later. As King of Israel the Philistines now saw him as their enemy, and tried to attack him but failed twice, since the ability of his troops had greatly advanced with Divine guidance.

The Qur’an also mentions David^(as) as having been given Divine knowledge of how to make armour from softened iron:

And remember David and Solomon when they exercised their respective judgments concerning the crop when the sheep of certain people strayed therein by night, and We were witness to their judgment. We gave Solomon the right understanding of the matter and to each of them gave We wisdom and knowledge. And We subjected the mountains and the birds to celebrate God’s praises with David. And it is We who shall do all such things. And We taught him the making of coats of mail for you, that they might protect you from each other’s violence… (Ch.21:Vs.79-81)

The Bible describes Goliath as a Philistine giant, the champion of their army, whom the young and fearless David^(as) struck down with a slingshot:

When the Philistine (Goliath) drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, striking down the Philistine and killing him; there was no sword in David’s hand. Then David ran and stood over the Philistine; he grasped his sword, drew it out of its sheath, and killed him; then he cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. (1 Samuel 17:48-51)

David^(as) is mentioned as the Prophet Dawud^(as) 16 times in the Holy Qur’an in Chapters 2, 4, 5, 6, 17, 21, 27, 34 and 38. The Qur’an describes David^(as) as dealing the final blow to Jalut (Holy Qur’an, Ch.2:V.252) two hundred years after Talut (Gideon). Interestingly in this case also, the leader of the warring tribes is given the name Jalut (Ahmad, vol.1, p.318-320). It is noteworthy that the Bible story of the fight with Goliath does not appear at all in the Qur’an. Furthermore, the account later in the Bible (2 Samuel 21:18-20) is with various relatives of Goliath being killed.

The incidents at the time of David^(as) happened because of the weakness shown by Saul. After his death, David^(as) was given permission to annihilate the forces of Jalut, because of their continued assaults and denial of God.

Jerusalem. Old city

David^(as) as King of Israel

In his new role as King, David^(as) moved his capital from Hebron to Jerusalem, taking the Ark with him. He united all of the Jewish tribes into a single force and restored a single Jewish faith, worshipping the one God Yahweh. This proved to be a wise decision. Jerusalem was centrally located and not associated with his old kingdom of Judah, nor the tribes to the north, so Jerusalem became a new neutral city, through which all the tribes could be united (Wilson, p.109). One of the significant verses is:

…And We subjected the mountains and the birds to celebrate God’s praises with David… (Ch.21:V.80)

But this verse is not to be taken literally. The Arabic terms used for mountains and birds can be interpreted as great men with the power and strength of mountains, and spiritual men who ascended great spiritual heights. Some commentators have suggested that David^(as) literally gained control of mountain tribes around the city of Tyre. Nevertheless, the verse is likely to have the metaphorical meaning described above.

The truth of this verse is evident if one reflects the extent to which David’s empire grew.

David^(as) led his armies to combat injustice and defeated the Moabites, Ammonites and Edomites. He grew his united Kingdom from the Dead Sea to the south, up to the bend of the Euphrates covering Syria, Lebanon and parts of modern Iraq.

One example of his superior judgement came when he needed to appoint a chief priest. As with his choice of Jerusalem, he also appointed two priests: Abiathar (Samuel 23:9) descended from Moses^(as) lived in the north in Shiloh, and Zadok (2 Samuel 8:17) descended from Aaron^(as), lived in the south in Hebron (Wilson, p.112). This was again a wise decision as it prevented regional factions from forming during such a turbulent time. Whilst being aware of the needs of the various tribes, he had also proven himself to be decisive and ruthless in key policies, such as when he sent an army to utterly destroy the Edomites. At the same time, he allowed the Philistines to retain a token presence on the coast. David^(as) was also able to build strategic alliances with the Phoenicians and other tribes with whom the Israelites established successful trade links, as is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an:

And We strengthened his kingdom, and gave him wisdom and decisive judgement. (Ch.38:V.21)

So this verse describes his attributes of strength, wisdom and judgement. It was in his reign that Israel reached its zenith due to his vision, religious conviction, leadership qualities and his ability to dispense justice fairly, to all people under his leadership. Thus, it was during the reign of David^(as) that through its spiritual and secular development Israel enjoyed its golden age.

Zabur (Psalms)

David^(as) is also portrayed in the Qur’an as a great spiritual leader. In the Qur’an, David^(as) is described as being given the Zabur (Psalms) through divine revelation (Ch.4:V.164). Hence, according to Islamic tradition it would be incorrect to claim that he wrote the Psalms through his own authorship. The Bible names his scribe as Jehoshaphat (2 Samuel 8:16), who recorded these revealed verses and poems for the wider Jewish population.

The Arabic name Zabur is similar to the Hebrew names Zamir or Zimra (song) and Mizmor (melody), which could be used to describe the Psalms. In the Qur’an, the Zabur is described as one of the revealed books of the Jews, alongside the Torah of Moses^(as) and the Injeel (Gospel) of Jesus^(as). All three of these are elements of the modern Bible, supplemented by letters and other historical texts, incorporated into the Bible at various stages of history.

The Qur’an repeatedly mentions the Psalms and even quotes them:

And already have We written in the Book of David, after the exhortation, that My righteous servants shall inherit the land. (Ch.21:V.106)

Interestingly, this verse validates the authenticity of the Psalms, as Psalm 37, verse 29 in the Bible reads:

The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever. (Psalm 37:29)

In the modern Bible, at least 73 of the 150 Psalms are directly attributed to David^(as), although older Bibles lack a lot of these references. Thirteen also carry additional contextual information before the Psalms, describing the events when the Psalms were written. David^(as) was known for his beautiful singing voice when reciting from the Psalms.

The Hadith (sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad^(saw)) recorded by Imam Bukhari, record a Tradition narrated by Adbullah bin ‘Amr^(ra) in which the Holy Prophet^(saw) said:

‘The most beloved fasting to Allah was the fasting of (the Prophet) David who used to fast on alternate days. And the most beloved prayer to Allah was the prayer of David who used to sleep for (the first) half of the night and pray for 1/3 of it and (again) sleep for a sixth of it.’ (Bukhari, vol.4, ch.34, Hadith no.631)

This illustrates another side of David^(as)’s character, for whilst he is often depicted as strong and brave, his spiritual devotion here is considered exemplary. His reciting of the Zabur is described here as the most beloved prayer.

Conclusion

David^(as) died in 970 BCE at the age of 70, in the city of Jerusalem. On his death, he passed his kingdom to his son Solomon^(as). The Tomb of David^(as), lies just outside the Sion Gate in Jerusalem (Murphy-O’Connor p.93).

Much folklore has evolved around David^(as). However, it is indisputable that he united the Jewish tribes into a single Kingdom, ruled with strength and justice, and restored the Jewish monotheistic faith to its original, spiritual level. This would not have been possible for a purely secular ruler, so there is no doubt that he was bestowed with a divine mission.

A thousand years later the Jewish Messiah Jesus^(as) was born both as the son of God and of Davidic descent. His followers claim that he was born in Bethlehem, (although this may have been recorded in the Bible in order to reinforce his credentials as being from the Davidic family line). Many other notable figures have claimed their lineage back to David^(as), including the Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie 1^st, and Maimonides, the great 12^th century Spanish philosopher of Andalucia. There is no doubt that all notions of a great Jewish nation and state originate from his time.

What is evident is the cycle of history. The Jews and their nation of Israel always prospered when they became spiritual and acted with justice, equity and mercy. This is apparent when they escaped bondage from Pharaoh in Egypt and repelled the Philistines, and later at the hands of Cyrus the Great. But whenever they moved away from their faith and became tyrants, ignoring the several opportunities to change God gave them over many decades, their lands and power were taken away from them, as happened notably at the hands of the Persians and Romans.

References

1. Abu Khalil, Dr Shauqi, Atlas of the Qur’an, Darussalam Publishers, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2003.

2. Ahmad, Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud, The Holy Qur’an with English Translation and Commentary (five volumes), Islam International Publications Ltd, Tilford, UK, 1988.

3. Ali, Maulawi Sher, The Holy Qur’an – Arabic Text and English Translation, Islam International Publications Ltd, Tilford, UK, 2004.

4. Armstrong, Karen, The Great Transformation – The World in the Time of Buddha, Socrates, Confucius and Jeremiah, Atlantic Books, London, UK, 2007.

5. Khan, Dr Muhammad Muhsin, The Translation of the Meanings of Sahih Al-Bukhari, Arabic-English, Vol.IV, Islamic University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia,

6. Glasse, Cyril, The Concise Encyclopaedia of Islam, Stacey International, London, UK, 1999.

7. Ibn Kathir, Imam Imaduddin Abul-Fida Ismail, Stories of the Prophets, Darussalam Publishers, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2005.

8. Murphy-O’Connor, Jerome, The Holy Land – An Archaeological Guide From Earliest Times to 1700, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 1986.

9. Shanks, Hershel, Ancient Israel – A Short History from Abraham to the Roman Destruction of the Temple, SPCK, Washington DC, USA, 1988 (Chapter 4 – The United Monarchy was edited by Andre Lemaire).

10. Wilson, Ian. The Bible is History, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, UK, 1999.

The most commonly accepted theory by practising Jews is that of the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem. During the era of the Second Temple, when Judea was ruled by the Seleucids (successors of Alexander the Great), people of the Jewish faith struggled to preserve their religious principles and practices in the face of progressively expanding Greek influence. Though the Jewish people were shown religious tolerance, the rising of Antiochus IV brought a shift. Throughout the Seleucid Empire, Israelites were persecuted and forced to assimilate to the Hellenistic life-style. Even amongst the most devout of Israelites, there were some who began to succumb to the idolatrous practices of the Greeks. As the commonly accepted accounts of the story relate, in 167 BCE, Antiochus ordered the placement of a monument devoted to Zeus in the Temple in Jerusalem. As was the custom with such monuments, Hellenistic ritual dictated that pigs must be sacrificed at the altar of Zeus. When the Greeks ordered the Israelites to conduct the ritual at the Temple, an individual stepped forward to comply. It is said that Mattathias, a prominent Jewish priest who was leading a revolutionary group against foreign influence, killed both the acceding Jew and the guard who gave the order on the spot. Though Mattathias died soon after, his son went on to lead the movement of Maccabbees dedi-cated to the struggle against the Greeks.

The Jewish people finally succeeded in their revolt against the Seleucid monarchy in 165 BCE, when they were able to claim the Temple once again. The Talmud relates that upon re-entering the Temple, the Israelites were dismayed at the state in which they found it. The Greeks had defiled everything, including the sacred olive oil that was needed to keep the menorah (7 branched candlabra) lit at all times. In their attempts to restore the Temple, the Israelites found a single container of the sacred oil and used it to light the menorah with the expectation that it would only be enough to sustain one day. Much to their surprise, they found that the oil maintained the flame for eight days, enough time to produce more olive oil to replenish the Temple’s store.

The leaders of the Maccabbees consecrated the 25th day of Kislev every year to commemorate the success of the Israelites against the Seleucids and the rededication of the Temple. Thus, in keeping with tradition, Hanukkah is celebrated over a period of eight days, each day symbolising the strength of the flame in the rededicated Temple. While no Jewish scripture explicitly speaks of Hanukkah, the lighting of candles on the menorah during the festival is seen as a religious prescription. The Hanukkah Menorah is a candela-brum with nine branches, called in Hebrew Chanukiyyah. Eight branches of equal size represent the eight miracle days. The ninth candle holder, usually placed separately, is for Shamesh. Because Hanukkah candles can only be used for viewing purposes, the Shamesh candle is used to light the other eight candles. Starting on the first day of Hanukkah, Jewish families are to light one candle per day for eight days. The symbolism of this action is intended to commemorate the success and miraculous nature of the Jewish struggle against the Greeks. The Jewish people have been encouraged, in fact, to display their menorahs outside their doors or in their windows when it is safe in order to disseminate the story of their success and survival.

Other rituals include eating fried foods (to emphasise the importance of oil in this festival) and playing dreidel. During the time of Antiochus’ oppression, resisting Israelites would study the Torah in the presence of guards under the guise of playing this game. The dreidel is composed of a square top marked with four Hebrew letters constituting the phrase: “A great miracle happened there.”

Another remnant of the period of oppression is represented through the consumption of dairy products. During Antiochus’ rule, it was decreed that women would have sexual relations with a Greek governor before marriage. One woman, by the name of Yehudis (Judith), was summoned by a nearby governor and acceded to his wishes. She managed to intoxicate the governor with cheese and wine and then proceeded to behead him. To remember Yehudis’ achievement, dairy foods are often an important part of Hanukkah celebrations.

Accompanying these traditions is the prayer recited three times a day during each day of the celebration of Hanukkah:

‘We thank You for the miracles, for the redemption, for the mighty deeds and triumphs, and for the battles which You performed for our fathers in those days at this season. In the days of the Hasmonean High Priest Mattathias ben Yohanan and his sons, when a wicked Hellenic government rose up against Your people Israel to make them forget Your Torah and transgress the laws of Your will, You in great mercy stood by them in the time of distress. You championed their cause, defended their rights and avenged their wrong; You delivered the strong into the hands of the weak, the impure into the hands of the pure, the wicked into the hands of the righteous, and the arrogant into the hands of the students of Torah. You made a great and holy Name for Yourself in the world, and for Your people You performed a great deliverance until this day. And after this, Your children entered the shrine of Your house, cleansed Your Temple, purified Your sanctuary, kindled lights in Your holy courts, and established these eight days of Channukah for giving thanks and praise to Your great Name.’

Though Hanukkah is not considered by Jews to be the festival of most religious significance, its importance is rooted in its historical symbolism and remembrance of success in the face of oppression.

References:
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/holiday7.html

http://www.hillel.org/jewish/holidays/chanukah/default.htm

Philosophy of Tzedakah
Jews regard the One God as the Creator and Sustainer of the entire Universe. Humans are merely the guarantors of the earth and the possessions which it contains. No one person can claim ownership of any earthly possession. Thus, it does not matter that the limited resources provided to people by God have been distributed unevenly in the earth. Some nations (or people) were given a greater share and some a lesser share. But since all are created equally in the image of God, there is a duty that devolves upon the “haves” to give of their substance to the “have-nots” in order to effect justice. This is tzedakah. It is a way of looking at the world and understanding the human role in creating a more perfect world—and by doing so, imitating qualities of the Divine.

A midrashic anecdote can be used to illustrate this point. The Roman Governor, Turnus Rufus¹, puts the question to Rabbi Akiba:

‘“If, as you maintain, your God loves the poor, why does he not make them rich?” to which Akiba replies: “It is in order to give the rich the means of acquiring merit,” a quaint way of coping with the theological problem of why a beneficent God has created a world in which people suffer. A world without poverty would be an uncaring world; without those to whom compassion must be shown it would be a world without com-passion.”’

It is interesting to also study the attitude towards the poor in Judaism. In Judaism the under-privileged are not to be blamed for their condition. In fact the Hebrew prophets held that social injustice is the cause of poverty and has even led to the destruction of cities and civilizations. Prophet Ezekiel^(as) attributed the destruction of Sodom to its lack of charity. Under Jewish law, the poor have the right to receive tzedakah, and according to the Talmud, the donors also benefit as they have been given the opportunity to perform a Biblical command-ment. This attitude is based on the belief that all earthly possessions belong to God and that one’s own worth is measured in righteous commandments performed, not in material goods.

To highlight this two-way flow of benefit, the Jerusalem Talmud records that in ancient Palestine when asking for help a poor man would say to his would-be benefactor: “Acquire merit for yourself,” as if to say: “I am doing you a favour.”

Importance of Tzedakah
Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are themselves in need. The Talmud teaches that the poor should not be denied the feelings of joy and self-esteem that derive from performing the command-ment of tzedakah. As the Talmud states; “When a person gives even a perutah (the smallest coin) he or she is privileged to sense God’s presence.”

Some sages have said that tzedakah is the highest of all commandments, equal to all of them combined, and that a person who does not perform tzedakah is equivalent to an idol worshiper. According to Jewish law you are required to give 1/10 of your income to the poor; Jew or Gentile. The Torah and Talmud provide Jews with guidelines on the how, what and when of giving to the poor. Tzedakah is also seen as one of the three acts that gain forgiveness from sins.

However, it is more than just giving money. If conducted properly tzedakah requires that the donor share his or her compassion and empathy along with the money. In the words of Maimonides,

‘…Whoever gives tzedakah to the poor with a sour expression and in a surly manner, even if he gives a thousand gold pieces, loses his merit. One should instead give cheerfully and joyfully, and empathize with him in his sorrow as it is said, (Job 30:25) “Did I not cry for him whose day is difficult? Did my soul not grieve for the poor?” Speak to him with compassion and comfort as it is said (Job 29:13) “And I gladden the heart of the widow.”’
(Laws of Gifts to the Poor, Ch.10)

Levels of Tzedakah?
Whilst the Bible emphasises the caring of the widow, orphan and the stranger in the process of refining the laws pertaining to charity, the Rabbis of the Talmud determined that preference was to be given to women over men and one’s poor relatives over strangers.
Maimonides, a renowned scholar of the Torah, was driven to enumerate the forms of charity, from the greatest to the most weak which are listed as follows²:

1. Giving a person inde-pendence so that s/he will not have to depend on tzedakah. Maimonides enumerates four forms of this, from the greatest to the weakest:

(a) Giving a poor person work.
(b) Making a partnership with him or her (this is lower than work, as the recipient might feel he doesn’t put enough into the partner-ship).
(c) Giving an interest-free loan to a person in need.
(d) Giving a grant to a person in need.

2. Giving tzedakah anony-mously to an unknown reci-pient via a person (or public fund) which is trustworthy, wise, and can perform acts of tzedakah with your money in a most impeccable fashion.

3. Giving tzedakah anony-mously to a known recipient.

4. Giving tzedakah publicly to an unknown recipient.

5. Giving tzedakah before being asked.

6. Giving adequately after being asked.

7. Giving willingly, but inadequately.

8. Giving “in sadness”.

References

1. Of second-century CE Palestine
2. Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah, Laws of Gifts to the Poor 10:7-14 by Dr. Meir Tamari

Mehri Niknam is the founder and Executive Director of the Joseph Interfaith Foundation. She has worked as a consultant in Jewish-Muslim relations since 1995. Her academic field is comparative Judaism and Islam in the Middle Ages.

In 2005, she received the MBE for her contributions to Muslim-Jewish relations. In the same year she was made Honorary Fellow at Leo Baeck College (rabbinic seminary) for her achievements in Jewish-Muslim interfaith relations.

She is a member of the Imams and Rabbis Committee and The Roundtable of Academics and Theologians, two governmental think tanks at the Department of Communities in the UK.

In 2008 she was the Fulbright scholar, representing Britain in Interfaith and Community Action.

The great fast of Judaism is called Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and is probably the most important and awesome day of the Jewish year. It is observed on the first day of the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. It is a day set aside to “afflict the soul,” to atone for the iniquities of the past year and to “Return to our Creator”. Many Jews who do not observe any other Jewish custom will refrain from work, fast and/or attend synagogue services on this day.

There are several minor fasts in Judaism, but Yom Kippur is the only fast day decreed in the Bible.

The Torah (The first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible revealed by God to Prophet Moses) calls the day Yom HaKippurim in the Book of Leviticus and decrees:

‘And the Lord spoke to Moses saying: On the tenth day of the seventh month, there shall be a day of atonement [for the children of Israel], it shall be a holy convocation unto you, and you shall afflict your soul. And you shall do no work in that same day for it is a day of atonement to make atonement for you before your God.’ (Leviticus 23:23-28)

The rites for Yom Kippur are set forth in the sixteenth chapter of Leviticus (cf. Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 23:27–31, 25:9 and Numbers 29:7–11). It is described as a solemn fast, on which no food or drink can be consumed, and on which all work is forbidden.

Abstaining from the pleasure of food is meant to improve one’s ability to focus on repentance. The Yom Kippur fast is a 25-hour fast that begins before sunset on the evening before Yom Kippur and ends after nightfall on the day of Yom Kippur.

Yom Kippur is a complete Sabbath; no manner of work (such as driving, lighting of fire, carrying of items in public, cooking, shopping, buying or selling, etc.) can be performed on that day. It is well known that you are supposed to refrain from eating and drinking, even water. However, spiritual elevation is a pre-requisite for true repentance. One way to achieve spiritual elevation is to abstain from the physical luxuries. Therefore, the Talmud (the Book of Jewish Oral Law written by great Sages and Rabbis) also specifies additional restrictions based on interpretations of the Hebrew Bible. Bathing, anointing one’s body (with cosmetics, etc.), wearing leather shoes (one should not wear something which is made as the result of the death of a living animal) and engaging in sexual relations are all prohibited on Yom Kippur.

The fast of Yom Kippur is incumbent upon men and women. Boys and girls from the time they reach the age of majority, 13, are obligated to fast. However, there are exemptions. As always in Jewish law, the preservation of life overrules all other laws.

Therefore, any of the Yom Kippur restrictions can be lifted where a threat to life or health is involved. In fact, children under the age of nine and women in childbirth (from the time labour begins until three days after birth) are not permitted to fast, even if they want to. Older children and women from the third to the seventh day after childbirth may fast, but are permitted to break the fast if they feel the need to do so. These rules are Talmudic, based on and interpreted from verses in the Torah.

Yom Kippur has a highly spiritual aspect called Teshuvah (Returning to the Creator in repentance) which is its highest aim and achievement. It is an opportunity granted by God in His Mercy, so that we may become aware of our iniquities and by admitting them before God, correcting our wrongs and asking forgiveness with a contrite heart, we may return once more to “Our Father, Our King, the Creator”. Traditionally the spiritual preparation for Yom Kippur starts 40 days before, when the custom of waking up in the early morning hours to recite Selihot (prayers of asking for forgiveness) starts. Although this traditions may not be strictly observed nowadays in the West, it is nevertheless, observed on a special evening called Selihot, when Jews attend a special all night service at the synagogue in preparation for Yom Kippur.

Forgiveness in Judaism, however, cannot be taken for granted. There are two kinds of forgiveness: from the wrongs we have committed against God and the wrongs we have committed against our fellow human beings. Therefore, Yom Kippur atones only for iniquities between us and God, not for the wrongs committed against another person. These rules are based on the Torah as explained by the Talmudic rabbis. To atone for the wrongs against another person, we must first seek reconciliation with that person, righting the wrongs we had committed against them if possible. That must all be done before Yom Kippur.

Yom Kippur occurs on the tenth day after the Jewish New Year called Rosh Hashanah. The ten days in between the New Year and Yom Kippur are known as the Days of Awe. Traditionally, we believe that on Rosh Hashanah God makes judgement for each one of us, putting before us the possibility of whether we live or die –and the manor of the death – in the year to come. “On Rosh Hashanah judgement is made, on Yom Kippur judgement is sealed” (Talmudic). Those, whose time has come to die, will die, but for the rest of us, we are granted ten days – Days of Awe – to recognise our iniquities, correct those committed against our fellow human beings and, ask God to forgive us for iniquities committed against God. At the end of Yom Kippur God’s judgement is “sealed”.

This year Rosh Hashanah is on Saturday 19th of September starting at sunset on Friday 18th.. Yom Kippur starts on Sunday 27th September at sunset and ends Monday 29th, one hour after sunset.

After 25 hours of afflicting our soul, of fasting and standing most of the time during the all-day synagogue service, after long hours of praying and leaving one’s soul bare before

“Sovereign of existence”, after shamefully admitting one’s short-comings, mistakes, wrongdoings and iniquities before “The Merciful One who is Slow to anger and Forgives”, as the shadows lengthen and the day draws to an end we read:
‘When you call Me and come to pray to Me, I will hear you
When you seek Me, you will find Me
When you search for Me in your heart
I shall let you find Me.’
(Jeremiah 29:12-14)

And the service ends with the blast of the Shfar (Ram’s horn) blown in remembrance of the ram which was provided by the Merciful God to replace the sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham, and all the Jewish people in the world declare the chief Jewish prayer and belief, “with all our heart and all our soul and all our might” Deuteronomy 6:5:

“Hear O Israel [Bani Esra’il], the Lord is our God, the Lord is ONE” Deuteronomy 6:4

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