Transcript Jewish Festivals, Rituals, Practices

Jewish Festivals, Rituals,
Practices
Jewish Festivals
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Nature is the key (not clocks and
calendars)
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•
days begin at nightfall
lunar month:
• 29 1/2 days
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•
solar year (365 1/4 days)
festivals follow seasons
Jewish Calendar
Name
of Month
Nissan
Iyar
Sivan
Tammuz
Av
Elul
Tishrei
Cheshvan
Kislev
Tevet
Shevat
Adar
Adar II
Month
Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Length
of Month
30 days
29 days
30 days
29 days
30 days
29 days
30 days
29 or 30 days
29 or 30 days
29 days
30 days
29 or 30 days
29 days
Gregorian
Equivalent
March-April
April-May
May-June
June-July
July-August
August-September
September-October
October-November
November-December
December-January
January-February
February-March
March-April
Jewish Festivals
•
Nature is the key (not clocks and
calendars)
•
•
days begin at nightfall
lunar month:
• 29 1/2 days
•
•
•
•
•
•
solar year (365 1/4 days)
festivals follow seasons
Sabbath (and New Moon)
Pilgrim Festivals
“Days of Awe”
Fast Days
Pilgrim Festivals
Name
Commemorates
Spiritual
Agricultural
Pesach
(Passover)
spring
the Exodus of the
Israelites from
slavery in Egypt
God is the
redeemer, go from
slavery to Egypt to
serving God
(alone)
Spring, barley
harvest
Shavuot
(Pentecost)
early summer
Giving of the ten
commandments
on Sinai
Revelation of
Torah (completes
Exodus
experience)
Wheat harvest/
first fruits
Succot
(Tabernacles)
autumn
God protected
Israelite in the
desert
God is our
The final Harvest
protector;
Festival
symbolized by
leaving homes and
dwelling in tents
Source: Norman Solomon, Judaism.
“Days of Awe”
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Rosh Hoshana (New Year)-- September 9-10, 2010/5771
– New Year’s Eve: food symbolizing sweetness (e.g., bread dipped in
honey); pray: “May it be Your will to renew for us a good and sweet
year.”
– Morning Service: four to six hours; focus on God as creator, king
and judge; sounding of the shofar (ram’s horn) periodically.
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)—September 18, 2010/5771
– high attendance (strong cultural celebration)
– various forms of fasting and restraint are practiced
– emphasizes Teshuva (repentance)
– Kol Nidrei (opens synagogue service Yom Kippur eve)
– Ne’ilah (“closing of the gates”); chanting “Avinu Malkenu” (“Our
Father, Our King”)
Other Festivals
• Chanukah (rededication of Temple by Hasmoneans
in 165 BCE, [also the miracle of the oil, and thus
victory of light over darkness])
• Purim (rescue of Jews from extermination under
Ahasuerus, Esther, carnival atmosphere, distributing
alms to the needy, merriment)
• The New Year for Trees (mentioned in the Talmud
but only popular after the “return to the land,” school
holiday in Israel, tree planting)
• Yom Ha-Atzma (Israel Independence Day, somewhat
controversial)