猶太教的起源
The Origins of Judaism
在文物開窗的本檔展覽中，我們將給觀眾呈現本館收藏的七件猶太教文物。它們共同反映出的，是猶太人雖然散居各地，但是擁有作為“聖書子民”的信仰和文化傳統。猶太民族相信他們是迦南（Canaan）某個部落的後裔，一般認知中，這裡所說的迦南地是指地中海東部的大敘利亞地區，包括今日的巴勒斯坦、以色列、約旦和敘利亞。
在猶太人的族長亞伯拉罕（約西元前21世紀），其子以撒，其孫雅各的時代，這個迦南之地位於幾個重要的中東文明中間，南邊是埃及，東邊是美索不達米亞，北邊是希台人（Hittites），這裡是一個文明間的貿易、思想交互往來十分熱絡的重要地區。
猶太人相信他們的祖先亞伯拉罕是第一個猶太人，他是神（上帝）揀選的先知，被應許了一塊“流著奶與蜜”的地方。雖然在歷史上，猶太人從來不曾單獨擁有這片地區，而是和其他群體共生，但是對應許之地的理想構成了猶太民族自我認知的重要部分。
In this exhibition, we will choose seven different Jewish artifacts from our museum's collection. As a whole, these artifacts reflect the Jewish diaspora's beliefs and cultural traditions as the "People of the Book". The Jewish people believe they are descended from a tribe in Canaan, where is generally recognized as a region in the eastern Mediterranean Sea that includes present-day Palestine, Israel, Jordan, and Syria.
In the time of Abraham (20th century BCE), the patriarch of the Jews, his son Isaac, and his grandson Jacob, this Canaanite land was situated amid several important Middle Eastern civilizations, including Egypt to the south, Mesopotamia to the east, and the Hittites to the north, and it was an important area of trade and intellectual interaction between civilizations.
The Jews believe that their ancestor Abraham was the first Jew, a prophet of God who was promised a land "flowing with milk and honey". Although historically Jews have never owned this area alone, but rather in symbiosis with other groups, the idea of “Promised Land” forms an important aspect of the Jewish identification.
聖書的子民
People of the Holy Book
猶太人常常被稱為是“聖書的子民”，因為他們依據猶太教聖經而生活，因此他們對於律法書（Torah，討拉/妥拉）中上帝的啟示有著特別的崇敬。Torah這個詞常常被中文翻譯為“律法”，但是它的含義是“指引”或“教導”。這些教導被包含在猶太教經典的前五卷中，裡面有613條對於猶太人而言十分重要的誡命。由於這些誡命是神啟示給摩西的，因此它也被稱為《摩西五書》，裡面有儀式的律法、衛生的規則和道德的律法，猶太人要遵行這些內容，其中最重要的，就是相信神是獨一無二的。與古埃及和古代近東地區的多神信仰、偶像崇拜不同，猶太教的信仰核心是神是獨一的。
西元十二世紀的猶太教學者邁蒙尼德（Maimonides，摩西·本·麥蒙）將猶太人的信仰總結為十三個信條，分別是：
- 我完全相信真神。真神創造世界，掌管一切。
- 真神是唯一的。
- 真神無形、無體、無相。有形、有體、有相、有限之人、之物，都不是真神。把有形、有體、有相、有限之人、之物視為真神者，都是拜偶像。
- 真神永恆，無始，無終。
- 真神是唯一值得敬拜的神。
- 真神借先知傳遞話語。先知的預言真實可信。
- 摩西是最大的先知。
- 律法是真神在西奈山親自頒布，借摩西所傳，不可改變。
- 律法是永恆的，不可替代。人們要永遠遵守。
- 真神洞察人的行為。
- 真神獎賞遵守律法的人，懲罰違背律法的人。
- 默西亞必將來臨，要每日盼望。默西亞來臨的時候，世界恢復和平，恢復正義，萬民都歸向真神。這是默西亞的使命。沒有實現默西亞使命的人，都不是默西亞，無論他怎樣宣稱、人們怎樣相信、他有怎樣神跡。
- 人的靈魂不滅，死後復活。
西元前586年，新巴比倫帝國征服了猶太人生活的耶路撒冷，摧毀了猶太人的聖殿，此後猶太人依靠波斯帝國的幫助重建了聖殿，但是在西元66-73年，反抗羅馬人暴政的猶太人起義被鎮壓，位於耶路撒冷的猶太人聖殿再次被拆除。在耶路撒冷被毁和猶太人被驅逐後，猶太人的崇拜不再以聖殿为組織中心，祈禱取代了獻祭，崇拜是以社區為中心（由至少十名成年男子代表）和拉比權威而建立，拉比是四散各地的猶太人社區的教師和領袖。
在西元二十世紀之前的歷史中，因為長期的遷徙、流散和種種發展，猶太人族群形成了各種樣貌，重要有中東猶太人、塞法迪猶太人（Sephardic Jews, 伊比利半島系猶太人）和阿什肯納茲猶太人猶太人（Ashkenazi Jews, 德國和東歐系猶太人），並且在日常生活中使用所在地的主要語言，但是維繫其共同的猶太人認同的，則是其宗教信仰——猶太教。由於長期散居於全球各地，因此猶太教徒所使用的日常和宗教器物總是會受到所在社會的更廣闊文化、審美風格的影響。在本檔展覽中的修殿節蠟燭台，就是這樣的一個例子，展現了葉門猶太社群發展出的具有當地藝術風格的器物和審美取向。
Jews are often referred to as the "People of the Holy Book" because many Jews used to live by the Jewish Bible and therefore have a special reverence for God's revelation in the Torah. The word "Torah" is often translated into Chinese as "law" but it means "guidance" or "instruction". These teachings contain 613 commandments of great importance to the Jewish people. Since these commandments were given to Moses by God, they are also known as the Five Books of Moses, which contain ceremonial laws, rules of hygiene, and moral laws that the Jews are required to follow, the most important of which is to believe that God is one and there is no other god. Unlike the polytheistic beliefs and idolatry of ancient Egypt and the ancient Near East, the core of Jewish belief is that God is one.
Maimonides (Moses ben Maimon), a famous Jewish scholar of the 12th century summarized the creed of the Jews in thirteen tenets, which are:
- Complete faith in the true God. He created the world and in charge of everything.
- The true God is one and only.
- The true God has no form, no body, and no appearance. People and things that have form, body, and appearance, and are limited, are not the true God. Anyone who regards a person or thing with form, body, appearance, or finitude as the true God is an idolater.
- The true God is eternal and has no beginning and no end.
- The true God is the only God worthy of worship.
- The true God delivers words through prophets. The prophecies of the prophets are true and trustworthy.
- Moses was the greatest prophet.
- The Law was given by God Himself at Mount Sinai and transmitted through. Moses and cannot be changed.
- The law is eternal and irreplaceable. It is to be obeyed forever.
- The true God sees the behavior of men.
- God rewards those who keep the law and punishes those who break it.
- The Messiah will come, and we must hope for it daily. When Mercia comes, peace will be restored to the world, justice will be restored, and all nations will turn to the true God. This is the mission of Mercia. Anyone who does not fulfill the mission of Messiah is not the Messiah, no matter how much he proclaims it, how much people believe in it, or how many miracles he performs.
- The soul of man is immortal and rises again after death.
In the year 586 B.C., the Neo-Babylonian Empire conquered Jerusalem, where the Jews lived and destroyed the Jewish Temple. During the reign of the Persian King Cyrus the Great, Jews were supported to go back to Jerusalem and to rebuild the Temple, but in 66-73 CE, the Jewish Revolt against the Roman tyranny was suppressed, and the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem was once again destructed. After the destruction of Jerusalem and the expelling of the Jews, Jewish worship ceased to be organized around the Temple, prayer replaced sacrifice, and worship was established around a community (represented by at least ten adult males) and the authority of the rabbi, who was the teacher and leader of the scattered Jewish communities.
Throughout history until the 20th century CE, as a result of long periods of migration, dispersal, and various developments, Jewish communities took on a variety of characters and sizes, notably Middle Eastern Jews, Sephardic Jews (Iberian Jews), and Ashkenazi Jews (German and Eastern European Jews), and used the major languages of their regions in their daily and secular lives. They speak the main language of the region, but their common Jewish identity is maintained by their religion, Judaism. As a result of global diaspora, the everyday and religious artefacts used by Jews are influenced by the artistic styles of the wider societies in which they live. An example of this is a Hanukkah candlestick in this exhibition. The Yemenite Jews has developed their distinct craftsmanship and artistic styles from the local art style.
正在晨禱中的葉門猶太人
A Yemenite Jew at morning prayers
Source: Wikipedia (Public Domain)
修殿節蠟燭台
Hanukkah Lamp
20世紀，銀，耶路撒冷
20th Century, Silver, Jerusalem
修殿節燭台是在為期八天的猶太節日修殿節（也稱光明節）期間點燃的九枝燭台。九枝燭台中的八枝點燃象徵節日八夜的燈火（可使用蠟燭或油燈）；每晚點燃的燈火會比前一晚多一盞，直到最後一晚點燃了所有八枝燭台。第九根樹枝上的蠟燭被稱為“沙瑪什”（Shamash），以它來點燃其他八枝蠟燭。為了符合猶太教規，第九根燭台必須要比主要的八支蠟燭或油燈偏高或偏低。
這個銀修殿節蠟燭台是手工製作，採用葉門猶太人的藝術風格設計。花朵形狀的精緻花邊設計、掐絲工藝構成了這個漂亮的主體和底座。有8個直排燭台和後方的Shamosh。
這種精美的葉門猶太人藝術風格是由古代葉門的猶太金銀鐵匠發展而來，與猶太教和猶太飾品有關，主要用於結婚、訂婚等宗教場合。這種技藝仍保留在葉門和今日耶路撒冷的 BEZALEL 藝術學校（1906 年成立）。如今，只有極少數工匠還在從事這項絕妙的掐絲技藝，這是一件十分珍貴的手工掐絲葉門風格銀燭台。
The Hanukkah menorah or candlestick is a nine-branched candlestick lit during the eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Eight of the nine candlesticks are lit with lights (either candles or oil lamps) symbolizing the eight nights of the festival; each night one more light is lit than the previous night until all eight candlesticks are lit on the last night. The candle on the ninth branch is called the Shamash and is used to light the other eight candles. In order to be Kosher, the Shamash must be higher or lower than the eight candles or oil lamps.
This Hanukkah menorah is handmade and designed in the style of Yemenite Jew. Delicate lace designs in the shape of flowers and filigree work form the body and base of this beautiful candlestick. There are 8 in-line candlesticks and a Shamosh at the back.
This exquisite style of Yemenite Jewish art was developed by the ancient Jewish gold and silver smiths of Yemen and is associated with Judaism and Jewish jewelry, mainly used for religious occasions such as weddings and engagements. The art exists in Yemen and today in the Bezalel Art School in Jerusalem (founded in 1906). Today, less artisans still practice this wonderful filigree technique.
猶太新年和羊角號
Rosh Hashanah and the Shofar
羊角號
Shofar
20世紀，公羊角，巴勒斯坦/ 以色列
20th Century, Ram’s horn, Palestine/ Israel
“Rosh Hashanah”是猶太人的新年日，是猶太曆提示黎月（Tishrei，七月）的開端，相當於陽曆的九月底或十月初。這個節日的核心內容是反省懺悔和祈求得到寬恕。它的初十天是「悔改期」，在這段時間裡會迎來「贖罪日」（Yom Kippur）。猶太會堂在新年的前兩天以及其餘八天所進行的祈禱儀式，其核心都在於省察過去一年的為人處事，為自己犯下的錯誤和罪行悔改，並尋求人們與神的饒恕。
猶太新年有一個重要的儀式是吹響「公羊角號」（Shofar）。吹響這樣的號角的一項重要意義是提醒人們神在西奈山賜下《妥拉》時的場景。在希伯來聖經的記載中，當神頒佈誡命時，有角聲出現（出埃及記十九章19節）。在三大一神論宗教（猶太教、基督教、伊斯蘭教）中，都常常提到號角並重視其代表末日審判到來的象徵意義。在猶太新年日，號角會被吹響多達一百次。吹奏號角的人可以吹出許多不同的音調，每一種音調都有它獨特的經文意義，人們會通過聲音的長度、音調來辨別其意義。
要將羊角做成號角，首先要把它的尖角切去，鑽出一個開口以便於吹奏。通常號角會經過加熱的處理，讓比較窄的一端可以被拉直或是塑造成需要的形態。 在這個羊角號上，有兩個在現代以來被認為和猶太人相關的圖案，它們分別展現在羊角號的左右兩側，一個是六角星，一個是猶太聖殿符號。
The Hebrew word "Rosh Hashanah" literally means "the head of the year", i.e., the Jewish New Year, which marks the beginning of the month of Tishrei in Jewish calendar, which corresponds to the end of September or the beginning of October in Gregorian calendar. At the heart of this festival is the reflection of repentance and the prayers for forgiveness. Its first ten days are a "period of repentance" during which Yom Kippur is celebrated. At the heart of the synagogue's prayer services for the first two days of the Jewish New Year, as well as for the remaining eight days, is the time to reflect one’s behavior of the past year, repentance for one's mistakes and sins, and pray for forgiveness from both people and God.
An important ritual of Rosh Hashanah is the blowing of the shofar, the ram's horn. An important part of the blowing of the shofar is the reminder of the scene at Mount Sinai when God sent down the Torah (Exodus 19:19). In all three major monotheistic religions, the trumpet is often mentioned and valued for its symbolism of the coming judgement. On Rosh Hashanah, the Shofar can be blown up to 100 times. There are many different tones that can be played by the Shofar blower, with its own unique scriptural meaning, which can be recognized by the length and pitch of the sound.
To make a Shofar from a ram's horn, the tip of the horn is first cut off and an opening is drilled for blowing. Often the horn is heated so that the narrower end can be straightened or shaped into the desired shape. On the Shofar shown in this exhibition, there are two symbols one its two sides related with the Jews in modern times, respectively a six points star and a symbol of the Jewish Temple.
正在吹響羊角號的一位猶太老者
A Jewish man blowing the Shofar
Source: Wikipedia (Public Domain)
