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Prague · 28 Cheshvan 5787

Shabbat this week · 16:02–17:11

Family life

Family Life

מִשְׁפָּחָהmishpacha
Awaiting expert review

A large part of Jewish practice takes place at home: Shabbat, holidays, kashrut, education and passing on the tradition. Tradition emphasizes honoring parents, the duty to teach children and "peace in the home" (shalom bayit). Specific understandings of roles and family rules differ considerably between movements.

01

Parents and children

Halakhah

The Ten Commandments command honoring father and mother, and Leviticus to "fear" them, i.e. to treat them with respect; the Talmud makes both concrete (caring for them, not contradicting their word in public).1,2,3

Halakhah

Parents have a duty to teach their children Torah ("teach them diligently to your children"); the Talmud also counts teaching a son a trade and how to swim among a father's duties.4,5

02

The home as a sanctuary

Interpretation

The value of shalom bayit (שְׁלוֹם בַּיִת) holds a high place in tradition; the Talmud gives it priority even over the Hanukkah light if one cannot afford both.6

Minhag

The home is marked by mezuzot on the doors, the kitchen is run according to kashrut (to the extent the family observes it), and Shabbat and holidays are celebrated.

03

Marriage

Halakhah⁂ To verify

In Orthodox practice and in some Conservative families, the laws of family purity (taharat ha-mishpacha) are observed, based on Leviticus, with immersion in the mikveh; this is an intimate area that is discussed publicly with restraint.7,8

Halakhah⁂ To verify

According to halakhah, divorce is possible by handing over a bill of divorce (get). A husband's refusal to give a get leads to the problem of so-called "chained women" (agunah), which rabbinical courts and prenuptial agreements seek to address.9,10

04

Diversity of families

Modern practice⁂ To verify

Understandings of the roles of men and women, of intermarriage and of families of same-sex couples differ fundamentally between Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and secular settings; this encyclopedia describes these differences and does not judge them.

FAQ

What does shalom bayit mean?

Literally "peace of the home": the value of harmony in the family, which tradition ranks very highly.

Is honoring parents unconditional?

Not entirely: halakhic authorities address situations where a parent's demand would lead to violating a commandment or to harm; the details are the subject of halakhic literature.⁂ To verify

Sources

Secondary literature

  1. 13Hayim Halevy Donin, To Be a Jew

See also