Those who require ‘[…] the burning of incense in synagogues are the Rabbinic Jews’: Burning incense in synagogues in commemoration of the temple

HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Those who require ‘[…] the burning of incense in synagogues are the Rabbinic Jews’: Burning incense in synagogues in commemoration of the temple
 
Creator Shemesh, Abraham O.
 
Subject — Rabbinic Jews; Incense; Synagogues; Temple; Karaites; Samaritans
Description This article focuses on the burning of incense in synagogues subsequent to the destruction of the temple, in commemoration of the incense formerly used in the temple rites. We hear about the implementation of this custom in Samaritan and Rabbinic synagogues only several centuries after the destruction of the Samaritan and Jewish Temples. The Samaritans still burn incense in their synagogues at certain times, but among Rabbinic Jews the custom came to an end, probably in the Middle Ages. Burning incense in the synagogue was a point of controversy between the Karaites and the Rabbinic Jews. The Karaites argued that acts involving burning incense and lighting candles are only appropriate for the Temple and their status is like that of sacrifices or offerings that are limited to this complex. It may have been that the rabbinic custom discontinued as a result of the strict Karaite objections to this custom for concern of idolatry. In fact, burning incense in commemoration of the Temple indeed ceased, but this practice remained in evidence until the 19th century for purposes of conveying respect or on festive occasions.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2017-08-21
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — —
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/hts.v73i3.4723
 
Source HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies; Vol 73, No 3 (2017); 6 pages 2072-8050 0259-9422
 
Language eng
 
Relation
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https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/4723/9896 https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/4723/9895 https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/4723/9897 https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/4723/9881
 
Coverage — — —
Rights Copyright (c) 2017 Abraham O. Shemesh https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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