In Jewish tradition, the service or worship performed in the ancient Temple, particularly the sacrificial service performed by the priests; also sometimes used to mean labor or work.
From Hebrew avoda (עבודה) meaning 'work' or 'service,' related to the root avad meaning 'to work' or 'to serve.' This is a direct transliteration of the Hebrew term used in Jewish religious texts.
The word abodah reveals the centrality of the Temple service to ancient Jewish identity—it doesn't just mean 'worship' but specifically the intricate, choreographed sacrificial system that structured religious life before the Temple's destruction in 70 CE.
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