Community Building for 1000 Jews & Muslims 2023-25

30.11.2015

In our morning session this week, we read the third chapter of the laws of Shema in the Mishneh Torah. We discussed the requirements of washing and cleanliness for prayer in Judaism and Islam. We compared how in both Judaism and Islam one can use dirt or other materials to clean their hands in the absence of water. We also talked about what speech is considered "holy" and thus not fit for being said in a bathroom or other environments. We read several ahadith from Bukhari discussing the importance of washing before praying and the spiritual benefits that is said to bring.

In the afternoon session we reviewed Chapter 3 of the laws of idolatry in Mishneh Torah as one of our regular members missed the previous session. We talked about the different ways and forms of worship used, and the Jewish and Muslim perspectives on monotheism and worship. We concluded with reading a few ahadith and discussing the attitude towards heresy and non-mainstream views in early Jewish and Muslim societies.

7.12.2015

 Our group is in the process of becoming an official student group, and we've received a lot of support from the Cymbalista Jewish Center and the Arabic and Islamic Studies department to continue our project. This week we discussed the laws of Hanukkah. We read the description in the Mishneh Torah of the reason for the holiday and then the laws of lighting the Hanukkah lights and reciting the Hallel prayer. We discussed the differences between biblical and rabbinic holidays.

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