Jdi na obsah Jdi na menu
 


Page 1 - What is religion, Torah, prayer,....?

 

Question: What is religion?
Answer: Religion is: the belief in God, observance of the Law, performing prayers, observance of holidays, etc.


Question: What religion do Karaites profess?
Answer: Karaites profess the religion which was commanded by God and written by Moses in the Torah.


Question: What is the Torah?
Answer: The Torah is the five books of Moses.


Question: What is described in the Torah?
Answer: The Torah describes the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, the enlightenment of the People of Israel with the light of true faith and the laws of human coexistence.

Question: What is prayer?
Answer: Prayer is an expression of our inner feelings in front of our Creator.


Question: How are our inner feelings expressed in front of God?
Answer: Our inner feelings are expressed via: 1) glorification of God 2) thanksgiving to God for our existence 3) supplications for forgiveness of our sins 4) penance for committed inequitable acts 5) supplications to God for what we need 6) expressing our joy and 7) grief.


Question: What pushes humans to pray to God?
Answer: It is the eternal divine spirituality, located in the human which urges him/her to come to prayer before the Creator.


Question: How must prayer be done and what time do we pray?
Answer: Prayer must be done piously, with deep respect and in truth as it is written: יהוה is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him; He also will hear their cry, and will save them. (Ps 145:18-19)
Our teachers of faith defined morning and evening as the times for prayer.


Question: Is it necessary to worship in a kenasa (synagogue)?
Answer: Yes! In the second book of Moses it is written: And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. (2M 25:8).
According to this commandment it is necessary to have a sanctuary - kenasa for worship, because the original tabernacle was richly decorated and very beautiful, the kenasa must be as beautiful and luxurious as possible and because the presence of God dwells in the kenasa, it is our duty to have the kenasa in deep and sacred respect.
In the kenasa collective worship proceeds and it has effect on the souls of praying people, therefore it is necessary to participate in collective worship as often as possible.

Question: Why do Karaites pray to the south?
Answer: The prayer of King Solomon says: If they return unto Thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray unto Thee toward their land, which Thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which Thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for Thy name (1 Kings 8:48).
Based on this biblical passage, our teachers of faith set the direction of prayer to the Holy Land which is south.
Hekhal היכל, which contains the Sefer Torah, helps us to identify the direction of prayers in the kenasa.
The area in front of the Hekhal near the southern wall is designed for the leaders of collective prayers.


Our teachers of faith established the custom to say this prayer before we enter into the kenasa (synagogue):


And in Your great mercy, יהוה, I enter into Your house, I bow in deep respect before Your sanctuary, O יהוה, hear and accept my prayers.