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 Yom Kippur in the synagogue,
painting by Maurycy Gottlieb (1878)
(larger image)In the biblical old testament, the word feast (Hebrew: מִשְׁתֶּה mishteh) from shathah שָׁתָה to drink, first occurs in Genesis 19:3, when God rescues Lot.
1 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth 2 and said, "My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night
and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way." They said, "No; we will spend the night in the town square." 3 But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. Gen. 19:1-3
Lot was good, but there was not one more of the same character in the city. All the people of Sodom were very wicked and vile. Care was therefore taken for saving Lot and his family. Lot lingered; he dawdled. Thus many who are under convictions about their spiritual state, and the necessity of a change, shelve that necessitous work. The salvation of the most righteous men is of God's mercy, not by their own merit. We are saved by grace. God's power also must be acknowledged in bringing souls out of a sinful state. If God had not been merciful to us, our vacillating had been our ruin. Lot must flee for his life. He must not yearn after Sodom. Such commands as these are given to those who, through grace, are delivered out of a sinful state and condition. Return not to sin and Satan. Rest not in self and the world. Reach toward Christ and heaven, for that is escaping to the mountain, short of which we must not stop. Concerning this destruction, observe that it is a revelation of the wrath[1] of God against sin and sinners of all ages.
The origins of various Jewish holidays generally can be found in Biblical mitzvot (commandments), rabbinical mandate, and modern Israeli history. Jesus of Nazareth observed every single one.
Rosh Ha-Shanah — The Jewish New Year
Main article: Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Ha-Shanah is the Jewish new year and day of judgement, in which God judges each person individually according to their deeds, and makes a decree for the following year. The holiday is characterized by the special mitzvah of blowing the shofar.
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For a variable number of days before Rosh Hashana among Ashkenazi Jews, and the entire month of Elul among Sephardi Jews, special additional morning prayers are added known as Selichot.
- Erev Rosh Ha-Shanah (evening of the first day) — 29 Elul
- Rosh Ha-Shanah (ראש השנה) — 1–2 Tishrei
- Rosh Ha-Shanah is set aside by the Mishna as the new year for calculating calendar years, shmita and jubilee years, vegetable tithes, and tree-planting (determining the age of a tree).
According to an opinion in Jewish Oral Tradition, the creation of the world was completed on Rosh Hashanah. The recitation of Tashlikh occurs during the afternoon of the first day. Rosh Ha-Shanah is always observed as a two-day holiday, both inside and outside the boundaries of Israel  . The two days are considered together to be a yoma arichta, a single "long day".
Aseret Yemei Teshuva — Ten Days of Repentance
Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are ten days, known as the Aseret Yemei Teshuva. During this time it is "exceedingly appropriate" for Jews to practice "Teshuvah," which is examining one's deeds and repenting for sins committed against both God and one's fellow man in anticipation of Yom Kippur. This repentance can take the form of additional supplications, confessing one's deeds before God, fasting, and self-reflection. On the third day, the Fast of Gedalia is celebrated.Main articles: Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement
Yom Kippur — Day of Atonement
- Erev Yom Kippur — 9 Tishrei
- Yom Kippur (יום כיפור) — 10 Tishrei
(Leviticus 23:27)
27 "The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to the LORD by fire.
(Leviticus 16:29)
29 "This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or an alien living among you-
(Numbers 29:7)
7" 'On the tenth day of this seventh month hold a sacred assembly. You must deny yourselves and do no work.
Yom Kippur is considered by Jews to be the holiest and most solemn day of the year. Its central theme is atonement and reconciliation. Eating, drinking, bathing, anointing with oil, and marital relations are prohibited. Fasting begins at sundown, and ends after nightfall the following day. Yom Kippur services begin with the prayer known as "Kol Nidrei", which must be recited before sunset. (Kol Nidrei, Aramaic for "all vows," is a public annulment of religious vows made by Jews during the preceding year. It only concerns unfilled vows made between a person and God, and does not cancel or nullify any vows made between people.)
A Tallit (four-cornered prayer shawl) is donned for evening prayers; the only evening service of the year in which this is done. The Ne'ilah service is a special service held only on the day of Yom Kippur, and deals with the closing of the holiday. Yom Kippur comes to an end with the blowing of the shofar, which marks the conclusion of the fast. It is always observed as a one-day holiday, both inside and outside the boundaries of the land of Israel.
Sukkot
Sukkot (סוכות or סֻכּוֹת sukkōt) or Succoth is a 7-day festival, also known as the Feast of Booths, the Feast of Tabernacles, or just Tabernacles. It is one of the three pilgrimage festivals mentioned in the Bible. The word sukkot is the plural of the Hebrew word sukkah, meaning booth. Jews are commanded to "dwell" in booths during the holiday. This generally means taking meals, but some sleep in the sukkah as well. There are specific rules for constructing a sukkah. The seventh day of the holiday is called Hoshanah Rabbah.
- Erev Sukkot — 14 Tishrei
- Sukkot (חג הסוכות) — 15–21 Tishrei (22 outside Israel)
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah (שמחת תורה) means "rejoicing with the Torah". It actually refers to a special ceremony which takes place on the holiday of Shemini Atzeret. This holiday immediately follows the conclusion of the holiday of Sukkot. In Israel, Shemini Atzeret is one day long and includes the celebration of Simchat Torah. Outside Israel, Shemini Atzeret is two days long and Simchat Torah is observed on the second day, which is often referred to by the name of the ceremony.
The last portion of the Torah is read, completing the annual cycle, followed by the first chapter of Genesis. Services are especially joyous, and all attendees, young and old, are involved.
Hanukkah — Festival of Lights
Main article: Hanukkah |
 Hanukkah Menorah. Hanukkah is observed by the kindling of the lights of a special candelabrum, the Hanukiah, or Hanukkah Menorah, one on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night
(larger image)
- Erev Hanukkah — 24 Kislev
- Hanukkah (חנוכה) — 25 Kislev – 2 or 3 Tevet
The story of Hanukkah is preserved in the books of the First and Second Maccabees. These books are not part of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), they are apocryphal books instead. The miracle of the one-day supply of oil miraculously lasting eight days is first described in the Talmud.
Hanukkah marks the defeat of Seleucid Empire forces that had tried to prevent the people of Israel from practicing Judaism. Judah Maccabee and his brothers destroyed overwhelming forces, and rededicated the Temple in Jerusalem. The eight-day festival is marked by the kindling of lights — one on the first night, two on the second, and so on — using a special candle holder called a Chanukkiyah, or a Hanukkah menorah.
There is a custom to give children money on Hanukkah to commemorate the learning of Torah in guise of Jews gathering in what was perceived as gambling at that time since Torah was forbidden. Because of this, there is also the custom to play with the dreidel (called a sevivon in Hebrew).
Tenth of Tevet
This minor fast day marks the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem as outlined in 2 Kings 25:1
1 So in the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. He encamped outside the city and built siege works all around it. As a minor fast day, fasting from dawn to dusk is required, but other laws of mourning are not observed. A Torah reading and Haftorah reading, and a special prayer in the Amidah, are added at both Shacharit and Mincha services.
Tu Bishvat-New Year of the Trees
Tu Bishvat (חג האילנות - ט"ו בשבט) — 15 Shevat Tu Bishvat is the new year for trees. According to the Mishnah, it marks the day from which fruit tithes are counted each year, and marks the timepoint from which the Biblical prohibition on eating the first three years of fruit and the requirement to bring the fourth year fruit to the Temple in Jerusalem were counted. In modern times, it is celebrated by eating various fruits and nuts associated with the Land of Israel. During the 1600s, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria of Safed and his disciples created a short seder, called Hemdat ha‑Yamim, reminiscent of the seder that Jews observe on Passover, that explores the holiday's Kabbalistic themes.
Purim — Festival of Lots
- Erev Purim and Fast of Esther known as "Ta'anit Ester" — 13 Adar
- Purim (פורים) — 14 Adar
- Shushan Purim 15 Adar
In leap years on the Hebrew calendar, Purim is observed in the Second Adar (Adar Sheni). Purim commemorates the events that took place in the Book of Esther. It is celebrated by reading or acting out the story of Esther, and by making disparaging noises at every mention of Haman's name. In Purim it is a tradition to masquerade around in costumes and to give Mishloakh Manot (care packages, i.e. gifts of food and drink) to the poor and the needy. In Israel it is also a tradition to arrange festive parades, known as Ad-D'lo-Yada, in the town's main street. Sometimes the children dress up and act out the story of Esther for their parents.
New Year for Kings
- New Year for Kings — 1 Nisan.
Although Rosh Hashanah marks the change of the Jewish calendar year, Nisan is considered the first month of the Hebrew calendar. The Mishnah indicates that the year of the reign of Jewish kings was counted from Nisan in Biblical times. Nisan is also considered the beginning of the calendar year in terms of the order of the holidays.
In addition to this New Year, the Mishnah sets up three other legal New Years:
- 1st of Elul, New Year for animal tithes,
- 1st of Tishrei (Rosh Hashanah), the New Year for the calendar year and for vegetable tithes
- 15th of Shevat (Tu B'Shevat), the New Year for Trees/fruit
Pesach — Passover
Main article: Passover
The first seder begins at sundown on the 15th of Nisan, and the second seder is held on the night of the 16th of Nisan. On the second night, Jews start counting the omer. The counting of the omer is a count of the days from the time they left Egypt until the time they arrived at Mount Sinai.Exodus 12:1-13
1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2 "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. 3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. 4 If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. 5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. 7 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. 8 That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. 9 Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water, but roast it over the fire—head, legs and inner parts. 10 Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. 11 This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD's Passover.
12 "On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn—both men and animals—and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.
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The Plot Against Jesus
1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 "As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified."
3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. 5 "But not during the Feast," they said, "or there may be a riot among the people." (Matthew 26:1-5)
Sefirah — Counting of the Omer
- Sefirah (ספירת העומר, Sefirat Ha'Omer) — Counting the Omer
- Sefirah is the 49 day ("seven weeks") period between Pesach and Shavuot; it is defined by the Torah as the period during which special offerings are to be brought to the Temple in Jerusalem. Judaism teaches that this makes physical the spiritual connection between Pesach and Shavuot.
- Lag Ba'omer (ל"ג בעומר) is the 33rd day in the Omer count (ל"גis the number 33 in Hebrew). The mourning restrictions on joyous activities during the Omer period are lifted on Lag Ba'Omer and there are often celebrations with picnics, bonfires and bow and arrow play by children. In Israel, youth can be seen gathering materials for bonfires.
New Israeli/Jewish national holidays
Since the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel has established four new Jewish holidays.
- Jerusalem Day
- Yom HaShoah — Holocaust Remembrance day
- Yom Hazikaron — Memorial Day
- Yom Ha'atzma'ut — Israel Independence Day
These four days are national holidays in the State of Israel, and have since been accepted as religious holidays in general by the following groups: The Union of Orthodox Congregations and Rabbinical Council of America; The United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth (United Kingdom); The Chief Rabbinate of the State of Israel; All of Reform Judaism and Conservative Judaism; The Union for Traditional Judaism and the Reconstructionist movement.
These four new days are not accepted as religious holidays by Haredi Judaism, which includes Hasidic Judaism. These groups view these new days as Israeli national holidays, and they do not celebrate these holidays.
Yom HaShoah — Holocaust Remembrance day
- Yom HaShoah (יום הזכרון לשואה ולגבורה) — 27 Nisan
Yom HaShoah is also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day, and takes place on the 27th day of Nisan.
Yom Hazikaron — Memorial Day
- Yom Hazikaron (יום הזכרון לחללי מערכות ישראל) — 4 Iyar
- Yom Hazikaron is the day of remembrance in honor of Israeli veterans and fallen soldiers of the Wars of Israel. The Memorial Day also commemorates fallen civilians, slain by acts of hostile terrorism.
Yom Ha'atzma'ut — Israel Independence Day
- Yom Ha'atzma'ut (יום העצמאות) — 5 Iyar
Yom Ha'atzma'ut is Israel's Independence Day. An official ceremony is held annually on the eve of Yom Ha'atzma'ut at Mount Herzl. The ceremony includes speeches by senior Israeli officials, an artistic presentation, a ritual march of flag-carrying soldiers forming elaborate structures (such as a Menorah, a Magen David and the number which represents the age of the State of Israel) and the lighting of twelve beacons (one for each of the Tribes of Israel). Dozens of Israeli citizens, who contributed significantly to the state, are selected to light these beacons.
Jerusalem Day
- Jerusalem Day (יום ירושלים) — 28 Iyar
Jerusalem Day marks the 1967 reunification of Jerusalem and The Temple Mount under Jewish rule during the Six-Day War almost 1900 years after the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.
Shavuot — Feast of Weeks — Yom HaBikurim
- Erev Shavuot — 5 Sivan
- Shavuot (שבועות) — 6, 7 Sivan
Shavuot, The Feast of Weeks is one of the three pilgrim festivals (Shalosh regalim) ordained in the Torah, Shavuot marks the end of the counting of the Omer, the period between Passover and Shavuot. According to Rabbinic tradition, the Ten Commandments were given on this day. During this holiday the Torah portion containing the Ten Commandments is read in the synagogue, and the biblical Book of Ruth is read as well. It is traditional to eat dairy meals during Shavuot.Leviticus 23:15-21
15 " 'From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. 16 Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD. 17 From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the LORD. 18 Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the LORD, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings—an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 19 Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. 20 The priest is to wave the two lambs before the LORD as a wave offering, together with the bread of the firstfruits. They are a sacred offering to the LORD for the priest. 21 On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.
Seventeenth of Tammuz
The 17th of Tammuz traditionally marks the first breach in the walls of the Second Temple during the Roman occupation.
As a minor fast day, fasting from dawn to dusk is required, but other laws of mourning are not observed. A Torah reading and Haftorah reading, and a special prayer in the Amidah, are added at both Shacharit and Mincha services.
The Three Weeks and the Nine Days
- The Three Weeks: Seventeenth of Tammuz, 17 Tammuz – 9 Av
- The Nine Days: 1–9 Av
The days between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av are days of mourning, on account of the collapse of Jerusalem during the Roman occupation which occurred during this time framework. Weddings and other joyful occasions are traditionally not held during this period. A further element is added within the three weeks, during the nine days between the 1st and 9th day of Av — the pious refrain from eating meat and drinking wine, except on Shabbat or at a Seudat Mitzvah (a Mitzvah meal, such as a Pidyon Haben — the recognition of a firstborn male child — or the study completion of a religious text.) In addition, one's hair is not cut during this period.
In Conservative Judaism, the Rabbinical Assembly's Committee on Jewish Law and Standards has issued several responsa (legal rulings) which hold that the prohibitions against weddings in this timeframe are deeply held traditions, but should not be construed as binding law. Thus, Conservative Jewish practice would allow weddings during this time, except on the 9th of Av itself. Reform Judaism and Reconstructionist Judaism hold that halakha (Jewish law) is no longer binding, and rabbis in those movements follow their individual consciences on such matters; some uphold the traditional prohibitions and some permit weddings on these days. Orthodox Judaism maintains the traditional prohibitions.
Tisha B'av — Ninth of Av
- Tisha B'Av (צום תשעה באב) — 9 Av
Tisha B'Av is a fast day that commemorates two of the saddest events in Jewish history that both occurred on the ninth of Av — the Siege of Jerusalem (587 BCE) by Nebuchadnezzar II, and destruction by the Babylonians in 586 BCE of the First Temple, originally built by King Solomon, and the siege and destruction of Second Temple in 70 CE. Other calamities throughout Jewish history are said to have taken place on Tisha B'Av, including King Edward I's edict compelling the Jews to leave England (1290) and the Jewish expulsion from Spain in 1492.
Tithe of animals
- New Year for Animal Tithes (Taxes) — 1 Elul
This commemoration is no longer observed. This day was set up by the Mishna as the New Year for animal tithes, which is somewhat equivalent to a new year for taxes. (This notion is similar to the tax deadline in the United States of America on April 15.)
Rosh Chodesh — the New Month
The first day of each month and the thirtieth day of the preceding month, if it has thirty days, is (in modern times) a minor holiday known as Rosh Chodesh (head of the month). The one exception is the month of Tishrei, whose beginning is a major holiday, Rosh Hashanah. There are also special prayers said upon observing the new Moon for the first time each month.
Shabbat — The Sabbath —שבת
Main article: Shabbat
Jewish law accords the Sabbath the status of a holiday. Jews celebrate a Shabbat, a day of rest, on the seventh day of each week. Jewish law defines a day as ending at nightfall, which is when the next day then begins. Thus, Shabbat begins at sundown Friday night, and ends at nightfall Saturday night.
In many ways halakha (Jewish law) gives Shabbat the status of being the most important holy day in the Jewish calendar.
- It is the first holiday mentioned in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), and God was the first one to observe it.
- The liturgy treats the Sabbath as a bride and queen.
- The Torah reading on the Sabbath has more sections of parshiot (Torah readings) than on Yom Kippur, the most of any Jewish holiday.
There is a tradition that the Messiah will come if every Jew observes the Sabbath twice in a row.
Acharei hachagim
Acharei hachagim (modern Hebrew:אחרי החגים) Literally: after the holidays. Used in modern Hebrew vernacular to suggest a delay. Many tasks get postponed until acharei hachagim, regardless of the proximity of the coming holiday. Acharei hachagim is considered a legitimate target date for the task in question.
Variances in observances
The denominations of Reconstructionist Judaism and Reform Judaism generally regard Jewish laws (halakha) relating to all these holidays as important, but no longer binding. Orthodox Judaism and Conservative Judaism hold that the halakha relating to these days are still normative (i.e. to be accepted as binding.)
There are a number of differences in religious practices between Orthodox and Conservative Jews, because these denominations have distinct ways of understanding the process of how halakha has historically developed, and thus how it can still develop. Nonetheless, both of these groups have similar teachings about how to observe these holidays.
Reform Jews do not observe the 2nd day of Jewish holidays in the Diaspora.
Name
"Yom Tov" is also a Jewish given name.
References
- Greenberg, Irving. The Jewish Way: Living the Holidays. New York: Touchstone, 1988.
- Strassfeld, Michael. The Jewish Holidays: A Guide and Commentary. New York: Harper & Row, 1985.
Notes
- « Strongs H639 Retrieved 8/27/2010
- « Mitzvah (Hebrew:מצוה, H4687 nf. commandment, precept; good act (deed) , mitzvah, virtue, pronounced [ˈmɪtsvə]; plural, mitzvos or mitzvot; from צוה H6680 tsavah "to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order") is a word used in Judaism to refer to the 613 commandments given in the Torah and the seven rabbinic commandments instituted later for a total of 620. The term can also refer to the fulfilment of a mitzvah. Retrieved 8/27/2010
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