Jewish holiday
The
Jewish calendar has a number of festival days, fast days and days of remembrance, collectively known as
Jewish holidays.
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 nearly identical teachings about how to observe these holidays.
Rosh Hashanah - New Year's Day
- The week before Rosh Hashana, special additional morning prayers are added known as Selichot. \n*Erev Rosh Hashanah (evening of the first day) - 29 Elul \n*Rosh Hashanah - 1 Tishri \n*ראש השנה - א' בתשרי
Rosh Hashanah is set aside by the Mishna as the new year for calculating calendar years, sabbatical and jubilee years, vegetable tithes, and tree-planting (determining the age of a tree). According to Jewish legend, the creation of the world was completed on Tishri 1. This holiday is characterized by the blowing of the shofar, a trumpet made from a ram's horn. The practice of Tashlikh, the symbolic casting away of sins by throwing either stones or bread crumbs into the waters, occurs during the afternoon of the first day. Rosh Hashanah is always observed as a two-day holiday, both inside and outside the boundaries of Israel.
Ten Days of Repentance
The ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are known as Aseret Yemei Teshuvah the Ten Days of Repentance. The day after Rosh Hashanah is a minor fast day Tzom Gedalya the Fast of Gedalia.
Yom Kippur - Day of Repentance
- Erev Yom Kippur - 9 Tishri \n*Yom Kippur - 10 Tishri \n*יום כיפור - י' בתשרי
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, and conjugal 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 annullment 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.
Contrary to popular belief, Yom Kippur is not a sad day. Sephardic Jews (Jews of Spanish, Portuguese and North African descent) refer to this holiday as "the White Fast".
Sukkot - Festival of Booths
- Erev Sukkot - 14 Tishri \n*Sukkot - 15 Tishri \n* חג הסוכות - ט"ו בתשרי
Sukkot is an eight-day Biblical, pilgrimage festival, referred to in most English versions of the Bible as The Feast of Tabernacles. The first two days are celebrated as full holidays. The following five days are known as Hol Hamo'ed— weekdays that retain some aspects of the festival. The seventh day (fifth of the intermediate days) is called Hoshanah Rabbah and has a special observance of its own. The last day, the eighth, is celebrated as a separate holiday with its own special prayers and customs (see below).
Sukkot commemorates the life of the Israelites in the desert during their journey to the promised land, the Land of Israel. During their wandering in the desert they lived in booths (sukkot). The Torah directs Jews to use four species of plants to celebrate the holiday: the lulav (palm branch), the etrog (lemon-like citron), myrtle, and willow. The etrog is handled separately; the other three species are bound together and are collectively referred to as the lulav.
- The semi-holiday days between the "first days" and the "last days" of Sukkot are known as Chol Hamo'ed, refered to as the "Intermediate days". \n*Hoshanah Rabbah - the seventh day of Sukkot - הושענא רבא\n*Shemini Atzeret - the eighth day of Sukkot - שמיני עצרת\n*Simhat Torah - the finale of Sukkot - שמחת תורה
In
Israel Sukkot is eight days long, including
Shemini Atzeret. Outside Israel (the
Diaspora), Sukkot is nine days long. Thus the eighth day is
Shemini Atzeret, and the extra (ninth) day is
Simchat Torah. In Israel the festivities and customs associated with
Simchat Torah are celebrated on
Shemini Atzeret.
The last portion of the
Torah is read on this day. On the following
Shabbat Jews start the reading of the Torah again from the beginning— at the start of the book of
Genesis. Services are unconventionally joyous, and humorous deviations from the standard service are allowed, and even expected.
Simchat Torah - Celebrating Torah
See the article for more details on Simchat Torah.
Chanukah - Festival of Lights
- Erev Chanukah - 24 Kislev \n*Chanukah - 25 Kislev \n*חנוכה - כ"ה בכסלו
The story of Chanukah is preserved in the books of the First and Second Maccabees. These books are not part of the
Tanakh (Bible); they are part of the
Apocrypha. The miracle of the one-day supply of oil miraculously lasting eight days is first described in the
Talmud.
This holiday 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 with a special
Menorah also called a
Chanukiah in Israel.
Among secular Jews, prior to the 20th century, this holiday was considered be a relatively minor one. However, with the commercialization of
Christmas as a time for buying gifts adding to its position as the biggest holiday in the Western world, as well as the establishment of the modern state of
Israel, this holiday began to increasingly serve both as a celebration of Israel's struggle for survival and as a
December family gift-giving holiday which could function as a Jewish alternative to Christmas.
Tu B'shevat - Tithe of Trees
- Tu B'shevat - 15 Shevat \n* חג האילנות - ט"ו בשבט
Tu B'shevat is the new year for trees. This day was set aside in the Mishnah as the day on which to bring fruit tithes. It is still celebrated in modern times. In the
Land of Israel during the
1600s Rabbi Yitzchak Luria of
Safed (also:
Tzefat) and his disciples created a short
seder, 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 \n*Purim - 14 Adar \n*פורים - י"ד באדר\n*Shushan Purim follows Purim.
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 masquarade around in custumes and to give
Mishloah 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-Lo-Yada, in the town's main street.
New Year for Kings
- New Year for Kings - 1 Nisan. This holiday is no longer celebrated. Nisan is the first month of the Hebrew calendar. In Mishnaic times this holiday was celebrated as the New Year for Kings and months. In addition to this new year, the Mishna sets up three other New Year's: \n*1st of Elul , New Year for animal tithes, \n*1st of Tishrei (Rosh Hashanah) New Year, and \n*15th of Shevat Tu B'shevat, the New Year for Trees/fruit tithes.
Ever since the Babylonian diaspora (as a result of the Babylonian captivity of Judah), only the
Rosh Hashanah and
Tu B'shevat are still celebrated.
Pesach - Passover
- Erev Pesach and Fast of the First Born known as "Ta'anit Bechorim" - 14 Nisan \n*Passover/Pesach (first two days) - 15 and 16 Nisan \n*פסח - ט"ו בניסן\n*The "Last days of Passover", known as Acharon shel Pesach, are also a holiday commemorating K'riat Yam Suf, the Splitting of the Red Sea.\n*The semi-holiday days between the "first days" and the "last days" of Passover are known as Chol Hamo'ed, refered to as the "Intermediate days".
Pesach (Passover) commemorates the liberation of the Israelite
slaves from
Egypt. The first
seder is after the 14th of Nisan since in Judaism, a day begins at nightfall, so the first seder is thus on the night of the 15th, the second seder is held on the night of the 16th of Nisan. On that night Jews start counting the
omer. The
counting of the omer is a counting down of the days from the time they left
Egypt. until the time they arrived at
Mount Sinai. No
leavened food is eaten during the week of Pesach.
Karaites start the
omer count on the Sunday of Passover week.
Sefirah - Counting days
\n*Sefirah (The counting); also known as Sefirat Ha'Omer\n*ספירת העומר\n*Lag Ba'Omer the "33rd day of the
Omer" commemorations and celebrations
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.
Yom Ha'Shoah - Holocaust Remembrance day
- Yom Ha'Shoah - 27 Nisan \n*יום הזכרון לשואה ולגבורה - כ"ז בניסן
Yom Ha'Shoah is also known as
Holocaust Remembrance Day, and takes place on the 27th day of
Nisan.
Yom Hazikaron - Memorial Day
- Yom Hazikaron - 4 Iyar\n*יום הזכרון לחללי מערכות ישראל - ד' באייר
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.
[1]
Yom Ha'atzma'ut - Israel Independence Day
- Yom Ha'atzma'ut - 5 Iyar \n*יום העצמאות - ה' באייר
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 soldiersformingforming 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.
When the 5th of
Iyar , as in
2005, falls on a Friday or Saturday (i.e. in conflict with the Jewish Sabbath), the official celebration may be moved to the nearest Thursday.
[1]
Yom Yerushalayim - Jerusalem Day
- Yom Yerushalayim - 28 Iyar \n*יום ירושלים - כ"ח באייר
Yom Yerushalayim 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 - Pentecost
- Erev Shavuot - 5 Sivan \n*Shavuot - 6, 7 Sivan \n* שבועות - ו' ו ז' בסיוון
Shavuot, The Feast of Weeks, is sometimes known by the
Greek name "Pentecost." One of the three pilgrimage 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.
Karaites always celebrate Shavuot on a
Sunday.
The Three Weeks and the Nine Days
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, so weddings may be held on any of these days.
Orthodox Judaism maintains the traditional prohibitions.
Tisha B'av - Ninth of Av
- Tisha B'Av - 9 Av \n* צום תשעה באב
Tisha B'Av is a fast day, that commemotates two of the saddest days in Jewish history— the destruction of both the first Temple (
587 BC) originally built by King
Solomon,(see
Solomon's Temple), and the
Second Temple in
70 on this same date. Also on this date in
1290, King
Edward I signed the edict compelling the Jews to leave
England. The Jewish expulsion from
Spain in
1492 also occurred on this day.
World War I also began on this date.
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.)
Shabbat (the Sabbath) יום השבת
While the Sabbath is not considered a holiday as such by some other cultures and religions, Jewish law accords Shabbat the status of a holiday. Jewish people 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.\n*It is the first holiday mentioned in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), and God was the first one to observe it.\n*The
liturgy treats the Sabbath as a bride and queen.\n*The
Torah reading for the Sabbath has more
parshiot (Torah readings) than Yom Kippur, the most of any Jewish holiday.\n*There is a tradition that the
Messiah will come if every Jew observes the Sabbath twice in a row.\n*The Biblical penalty for violating
Shabbat is greater than that for violating any other holiday.
See
\n* Religious Festivals
Category:Jewish holy days
