Passover · Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur · Sukkot · Purim · Lag B’Omer · Shavuot · Hanukkah
Holocaust Remembrance Day and Israeli Independence Day · Tisha B’Av · Tu B’Shevat · Tisha B’Av · Shabbat · Bottom
Passover is the story of how Moses led the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt. Passover is considered one of the major Jewish holidays because it is inspired by Torah. During Passover,we are not allowed to eat any type of bread that contains yeast. We are commanded to eat matzah during Passover. We are supposed to eat only food that is Kosher for Passover, meaning that they contain no yeast, flour, or corn products. We eat only unleavened bread during this time to commemorate the fact that the slaves left Egypt in such a hurry that they didn’t have time to let their bread rise. In Israel and in the Reform community, Passover lasts for 7 days. In the Conservative and Orthodox movements, it lasts 8 days. The first and second nights of Passover, a celebration is held which is called a Seder. On the table is a Seder Plate with six symbolic foods: zeroa, a roasted shankbone to remind us of the sacrificial lamb; beitzah, a boiled egg to symbolize the new life of Springtime; maror, a bitter herb to remind us of the bitterness of bondage; charoset, a mixture of wine, nuts, and pulp to remind us of the mortar used to hold the bricks together; karpas, a green vegetable, to symbolize hope; and chazeret, another bitter herb. An extra wineglass is also placed on the table for Elijah, who is said to visit each home on this night. The Seder (order) is found in the special book called the Haggadah. The Seder begins with the lighting of candles.
Rosh Hashanah is a Torah inspired holiday, as well. It is commanded in Leviticus, Numbers, and Nehemiah that it will take place on the “first day of the seventh month”. The first of Tishrei is one of the four New Year’s Days in the Jewish calendar. On Rosh Hashanah, the Book of Life is opened and all good people are inscribed for another year of life. Those that have not been good have ten days to repent before the Book of Life is sealed on Yom Kippur. The only home observance of Rosh Hashanah is the evening meal that begins the holiday. A Yontif Seder precedes the dinner. This is the blessing over candles, wine, the season, and motzi. Part of the dinner may be apples, which are dipped in honey, with wishes for a sweet year.
The most important days of the year in Judaism are the High Holidays. While other days may have more than normal attendance at synagogue, on Rosh Hashanah synagogues around the world are filled to capacity. The evening service is relatively short. Very distinctive melodies are introduced on Rosh Hashanah during the morning service. The Shofar, a hollowed-out ram’s horn is blown to usher in the New Year during the morning service. The names of the righteous are written in the Book of Life. The morning service lasts all morning. After services, some people will go to a large body of flowing water. A ceremony called tashlich is performed in which everyone present empties his pockets into the water, a symbolic casting off of sins. The second day of Rosh Hashanah is a repetition of the first. In the Reform movement, only one day is observed. The next ten days are spent reflecting on the events of the past year.
Yom Kippur begins in the house with a big meal. The Day of Atonement begins at sundown. It is a 25-hour fast from food and water. The fast lasts until sundown the next night. Only healthy adults are required to fast. The sick, old, young, and pregnant or nursing are exempt from fasting. The synagogue service begins with Kol Nidre, which is a legal document that declares all unfulfilled vows and promises null and void. The morning service includes a Torah reading from Leviticus or Deuteronomy 28:9-30:20. The Haftorah reading is from Isaiah. A Yizkor service will usually follow. Yizkor is a service for all people who are in mourning, or have been in mourning. Traditionally, people whose parents are still living do not attend Yizkor services. The afternoon service is called mincha and will usually include Torah reading from Leviticus 19 or the Torah portion that outlines the laws of incest. The Haftorah reading is from the Book of Jonah. The service concludes with Ne’ilah. A final Shofar blast ends Yom Kippur and the Book is sealed for another year.
Sukkot is a seven-day festival described in the Torah three different times. We are commanded to build a hut-like structure and adorn the insides with fruit and harvest items. The roof must be made of something that once grew but has been cut. We are to live in the hut, called a sukkah, for the duration of the holiday.
Hanukkah did not originate as a major holiday, but it has become important in America because of the time of year in which it falls. Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, celebrates the victory of the Jews over the Syrians. After the destruction of the Temple, the Jews, led by the Maccabees, had few troops remaining after a fierce battle. When they came upon the remains of the Temple, there was only enough oil to last for one night. Legend has it that the meager amount of oil miraculously lasted for eight days, giving the Maccabees the time to regain their strength and ability to fight. They were able to defeat the Syrians and rebuild the Temple.
Hanukkah is an eight-day holiday that begins on the 25th day of the month of Kislev. It is celebrated by lighting candles, exchanging gifts, and eating fried foods. It is a holiday of fun, games, and song that is enjoyed by young and old alike.
Listen to the sounds of Hanukkah
Holocaust Remembrance Day takes place 14 days after the start of Passover and eight days before Israeli Independence Day. This day is also known as Yom Ha’Shoah. In Israel all places of entertainment are closed and a siren is blasted for three minutes while everyone stands at attention. On the 15th day of Iyar in the year 5708 (May 14, 1948) the Jewish people declared independence, thereby creating a Jewish state in the land of Israel. One of the earliest sessions of the Israeli Knesset established the 5th day of Iyar as Israeli Independence Day. This act had the effect of transforming the self-image of Jews everywhere. Almost every Jew in the world feels a special connection to the State of Israel, regardless of his or her feelings about the political party in power at the time. In Israel, Independence Day is celebrated much like the 4th of July is in America. Here, the holiday is celebrated with parades like the Israel Day Parade held in New York City.
Purim is a holiday based on the book of Esther. It takes place on the 14th of Adar. Purim is the story of Queen Esther, who saved the Jewish people from death by the hands of Haman. Legend has it that Haman is a direct descendent of the wicked Amalek. Purim is a festive holiday on which a Jew is commanded to drink until he cannot distinguish between “Blessed be Mordechai” and “Cursed be Haman”. Mordechai, Esther’s cousin, persuaded her to convince the King to hang Haman and save the Jews. Other celebrations are called Purimspeil, a play in which members of the synagogue act out the story of Esther.
From the second day of Pesach until Shavout, we count the days of the Omer. In this way, the Torah ties Pesach to Shavout. There are two reasons to connect the two. The first is to establish a rhythm for the season. During the spring, we go from happy to sad and back again. More importantly, it gives a special importance to the two holidays. Pesach is the holiday of freedom, and Shavout reminds us that freedom is not free. In 70 CE, the Temple was destroyed. Sixty years later, the Jews, led by Rabbi Akiva, revolted against the Roman leadership that tried to build a pagan temple in its place. In the midst of the revolt, plague broke out, killing thousands of Akiva’s students. On the eighteenth of Iyar, the plague suddenly ended. This coincided with the thirty-third day of counting the omer. Rabbi Akiva and his remaining students were saved. Lag, or 33 in Hebrew, became the holiday to remember the saving of the Jewish students.
Shavout takes place seven weeks after Passover, on the 50th day of the Omer. From Passover to Shavout, we count the Omer (grain) each day, ending with Shavout. This holiday celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. On Shavout, the Book of Ruth is read. Shavout begins with the festival meal. Synagogue observance begins in the evening. The morning service includes the reading of the Ten Commandments. The Haftorah portion is from Ezekiel.
Tu B’Shevat is the New Year for the trees. In recent years, a Seder has been developed that includes four glasses of wine, ranging from white, symbolizing winter, to red, symbolizing summer. It has also come to represent general respect for the earth and its bounties.
Tisha B’Av takes place on the 9th day in the month of Av. It is a minor fast day that mourns the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in the year 586 BCE and 70 CE. It is the only 25-hour fast day other than Yom Kippur.
Jewish Prayer
The Torah says (Genesis, 2:2-3) “ On the seventh day G-d finished the work and rested from all work…and G-d blessed the seventh day and declared it holy because on it G-d ceased from all work of creation…”. One of the Ten Commandments (Exodus, 20:8) says to “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy”. These and other writings of the Torah and Talmud give us an idea of the importance of Shabbat. It is the only holiday mentioned in the Ten Commandments. Shabbat has been likened to a bride or a queen. This likeness is why we sing “Lecha Dodi”: to welcome the Shabbat Bride. We are commanded to cedebrate Shabbat from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday.
The Torah tells us that, because G-d rested from creation on the seventh day, so should we rest. We observe Shabbat and keep it holy by abstaining from work, attending services, and by studying Torah. We put Shabbat above all other holidays, with the exception of the High Holidays. We do not marry or have funerals on Shabbat. Mourning is suspended on Shabbat. Nothing is allowed to supercede the holiness of the day. The whole week revolves around Shabbat. Each day, the number of prayers increases, and on Thursday, the Torah is taken out and read. This is done to remind us that Shabbat is just a day away and we need to prepare for the event. Much work will need to be done to prepare for Shabbat: houses to be cleaned, food to be cooked. In some traditional communities, the entire town will face to the west to greet the Sabbath Queen. The Queen is representative of the observant part of Judaism. There is a Midrash (commentary that seeks to interpret Jewish literature. Midrash often deals with theological ideas, teachings, philosophy, exposition, legend, etc. It may also focus on specific direction for practice.), that says the Sabbath realized that each day had a companion except herself. Sunday had Monday, Tuesday had Wednesday, and Thursday had Friday. Only Sabbath had to stand alone. When this dilemma was posed to G-d, the answer He gave was to give the Sabbath to the Jews. A fact that makes Shabbat stand alone is that in Hebrew, only Shabbat has a name. The other days are numbered. Shabbat is considered a pleasure, which is why we have the Oneg Shabbat after services. According to Isaiah 58:13 (JPS translation) “If you refrain from trampling the Sabbath, from pursuing your affairs on my Holy day if you call the Sabbath “delight”, the Lord’s Holy day is honored then you can seek the favor of the Lord.” Shabbat is a holiday that is not attached to a certain date; she comes once a week. The Sabbath is Judaism’s greatest gift to man and must be celebrated with joy and respect.
The first ritual that takes place on Shabbat is the lighting of the Shabbat candles. The female head of the house normally completes this ritual because women are given dominion over the home. If no female is available, the man is commanded to kindle the Shabbat candles. According to Moses Maimomides, both men and women are commanded to kindle Shabbat candles. Once the candles are lit, the female waves her hands over the flames three times. Everyone present recites the prayer: “Baruch ata Adonai, Elohanu melech haolam, asher kidshanu B’mitzvatov vitsevanu, lehadlich ner shel Shabbat.” (Blessed is the Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, who has commanded us to kindle the lights of Shabbat.)
Next is the Kiddush over the wine. This consists of two parts. The first is the blessing over the wine: “Baruch ata Adonai, elohanu melech haolam, borai p’re hagofen.” (Blessed is the Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, who has created the fruit of the vine.) The second part is said to sanctify Shabbat (the wine used for Shabbat should be kosher wine made from red grapes. Translated, it means: “When G-d restores the exiled of Zion, we shall be as those who dream. Our mouths will be full of laughter then, our tongues with song. Then will they say among the nations: “G-d has done great things for them.” G-d has done great things for us, and so we now rejoice. Restore us again, O G-d, like sudden floodstreams in the desert. Then those who sow in tears will reap in joy. Those who go forth weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, will return bearing the sheaves with song and with laughter.”
After the sanctification over the wine, we say the blessing for the motzi (bread). Before the prayer for bread is offered, several things need to be done. While we are preparing for Shabbat, we cover the challah (braided bread). There are several reasons for this ritual. One Midrash states that the challah is covered so it doesn’t get its feelings hurt. A more biblical reason is that the cover and the plate on which it sits represent the dew that covered the manna given to the Jews in the desert.
Another custom that takes place before the blessing is the hand washing ceremony. This ceremony dates to the time of the Temple when the priests washed their hands ritually before starting their duties. Each person who wishes to participate pours water over each hand three times. At this point, the hands are dried and the hand washing prayer is said. Translated, it means: “Blessed is the Lord Our G-d, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us to wash the hands.” (al nitilat yadayim) Next, a designated person places his hands on the challah as everyone says the prayer for the bread: Blessed is the Lord, King of the Universe, for the bread of the earth (Hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz). Then bread is then torn and passed to everyone present. After motzi has been eaten on Friday it is time to eat the Shabbat meal. At the end of the meal it is custom to give thanks with Birkat Hamazon. The first prayer is Psalm 126, which is only read on Shabbat, and is used to introduce Birkat Hamazon. This song is about our return from exile. After this is Zimun (invitation). This is a section where the leader invites others to pray responsively. The first part of the Birkat Hamazon is the blessing for food. The second part is the blessing for Land. In this part, which cites the biblical reference to Birkat Hamazon, we give thanks for Israel. The third part is the blessing for the good fortune of Jerusalem. The next part asks for peace. The last part asks G-d to cause peace to reign for the Land of Israel and for us.
Another major Shabbat ritual is Friday night and Saturday morning services. Friday services usually begin around 8:00 p.m. The service represents the start of Shabbat in the synagogue. In a Reform synagogue, candles are lit at the beginning of services. On Friday night, if there is a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, the Torah is passed from the parent to the child before the congregation. After the services everyone retires to the banquet room or Social Hall for the Oneg Shabbat. Blessings are said over wine and bread. On Saturday morning, the Torah is taken from the ark and everyone has the opportunity to show respect by touching the Torah scroll with an object and kissing the object. The tsitsit, the fringes on the prayer shawl (tallis), may be used, or, if tallis is not worn, the prayer book is commonly used. Children who have reached the age of 13 become Bar or Bat Mitzvah during Saturday morning services. The candidate reads from the prayer book and the Torah. Family members are called to the Bimah (stand from which Torah is read) for an aliyah (honor) to lead the congregation in the blessings before the Torah. The portion of Torah for the week is then read, and the closing prayers chanted. The Torah is then returned to the ark. At the conclusion of services, blessings over wine and bread are repeated.
The final ritual of Shabbat is Havdalah, which marks the end of Shabbat. Havdalah is recited with a candle with at least two wicks, a cup of wine and a spice box. The service is done to mark the separation of Shabbat and the new week. The blessing over the wine is recited, then the blessing over the spices (borai minei vesamin). As the blessings are chanted, the box is passed around so each person may smell the spices. The spices console us for the loss of the extra soul that we conferred upon us during Shabbat. The multiple wicks of the Havdalah candle serve as a reminder that all that is separate may be joined together as the candle is kindled and the blessing for light (borai meorei haeish) is chanted. After the lighting of the candle, the blessing for the separation, which praises G-d for the separation of holy from ordinary, light from darkness and the seventh day from the sixth, is chanted. Extinguishing the candle in the wine and passing the remainder of the wine around so everyone may taste its sweetness marks the conclusion of the ceremony. Two songs are sung to mark the end of the ceremony: Eliahu Hanavi, which is sung in hopes that one day we will usher in the Messianic Age, and Shavua Tov, which means a good week, a week of peace. Shabbat is now over for another week, and we return to our daily duties.
Every Friday, we prepare for Shabbat by cleaning the house. If we plan to be at home Friday night, I prepare dinner so it will be ready before dark. At the appropriate time, my wife lights the Shabbat candles and we recite the blessings over the candles and the wine. Before we start dinner, we recite the motzi. On nights we attend services, we will not light the candles because of the fear of fire. We refrain from doing housework of any kind on Shabbat. After dinner, we well put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher and not turn it on until Shabbat ends. My wife and I attend Friday night Shabbat services whenever possible. I attend Saturday morning services on a regular basis. My wife joins me on Saturday at least one a month. We are looking for an appropriate Havdalah set so we can incorporate that into our lives as well. I will no longer work on Saturday unless it is absolutely unavoidable. In the future, I would like to attend a Torah study group. Over the past year, Shabbat has become a very important part of my life. Being able to set aside one day every week for rest means a lot to me. In this fast paced world that we have created for ourselves, it becomes that much more important to have a day for ourselves. We are able to get closer to G-d when we place a greater importance on keeping Shabbat. It reminds us of all the Jews that came before us. The statement that Shabbat is the greatest gift Judaism was given to the world is the best way for me to express the way I feel about Shabbat. Judaism allows us to celebrate a holiday once each week. Shabbat is considered so important that we don’t bury our dead, have weddings, work, or say prayers that require G-d to work. I look forward to celebrating Shabbat for many years to
jewish_home_page@earthlink.net • Home • Top • written by Jeffrey Clendening