I know I mentioned Jewish Feasts and
Holy Days so here is a little synopsis of what they currently are and is based
on the foods.
I will do another Feast Day overview so you
can see where these days fit into the prophetic picture of Old Testament and
New Testament but I must get my 1959 F100 back on the road first.
Shabbat
Shabbat is considered the most
important of all Jewish holidays. It is the day of rest and weekly observance
of God's completion of creation. Starting on Friday night an hour before
sunset, it lasts for 25 hours until sunset on Saturday night.
Rosh Hashanah
During the fall when the days begin
to shorten and the leaves begin to change, Jewish tradition encourages us to
look inward as we prepare for the New Year ahead. The Jewish New Year (Rosh
Hashanah) is a holiday marked by festive meals with foods symbolizing our hopes
for the new year—such as apples dipped in honey for a sweet new year and
pomegranates for a year of plenty—and a day spent in prayer or quiet meditation.
Yom Kippur
The most solemn day of the Jewish
year, Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement offers an entire day devoted to
self–examination. Many spend the day in synagogue devoted to prayer and study
while abstaining from food and drink. The goal is to begin the New Year with a
clean slate.
Sukkot
This seven–day festival celebrates
the fall harvest and also commemorates the time when the Hebrews dwelt in the
Sinai wilderness on their way to the Promised Land of Israel. The holiday is
celebrated by building (and then dwelling in) ceremonial huts called Sukkot, waving
of four different plant species (palm, myrtle, willow and citron), and many
food-filled festive gatherings in the Sukkah.
Shemini Atzeret
This holiday literally means the “8th
day of assembly.” It is a festive day after the week-long festival of Sukkot,
and is marked by the annual prayer for rain recited in synagogue. In Israel and
in liberal (Reform, Reconstructionist, Renewal) communities outside of Israel
it is combined with the holiday of Simchat Torah.
Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah marks the end and the
beginning of the annual Torah reading cycle. Every week all over the world, the
same Torah portion is read in Jewish communities. On Simchat Torah the cycle
ends and begins again. This is accompanied by parading the Torah scrolls about
and with singing and dancing.
Hanukkah
This beloved 8–day Jewish winter
festival celebrates the miracle of a small cruse of oil when it burned for 8
days, instead of only one. It also celebrates the military victory of the
Jewish Maccabees over the powerful Syrian Greek army in 167 BCE. The victory
was followed by a rededication (Hanukkah) of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. It
is from this act that the holiday gets its name.
Tu B’Shevat
This is the Jewish New Year of the
Trees. Observances include planting of trees, purchasing trees to be planted in
Israel, and a mystical Tu B'Shevat ritual meal that includes different colored
wine (from white to red) and different kinds of fruits and nuts.
Hamentashen Purim
The name of this holiday means
“lots”, so named for the lots that were drawn to determine a dark day in Jewish
history. As luck would have it, those dark days never arrived, as the evil villian's
plans were thwarted by the clever Jewish Queen Esther, whose story is recounted
in the Biblical Scroll of Esther. Celebrations include a public reading of the
scroll, giving gifts to friends and to the needy, dressing up in costume,
eating a special triangle-shaped pastry, the hamantaschen, and the drinking of
alcohol for those of drinking age.
Matzah Passover
This seven or eight day festival of
freedom marks the Hebrew exodus from Egypt long ago. The story is told during a
festive ritual meal called a “Seder.” During the festival, it is traditional to
abstain from all foods containing leaven; that is, foods made from grain that
have not been prepared according to a strict Passover cooking procedure. Among
the grain foods that are permitted is matzah, an unleavened bread that is baked
before it has a chance to rise.
Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day)
Jews all over the world mourn the
loss of six million Jewish lives lost during the Holocaust as part of Hitler's
genocidal “Final Solution.”
Yom HaZikaron (Israeli Memorial Day)
On this Memorial Day, we commemorate
the soldiers who have fallen fighting for Israel’s independence and defending
its security. This holiday falls the day before Israel's Independence Day.
Yom HaAtzmaut (Israeli Independence
Day)
This holiday celebrates the
independence of the Modern State of Israel. In Israel the day of Yom HaAtzmaut
is marked with fireworks, barbeques, and outdoor revelry. For Jewish
communities outside of Israel it is a time to gather and celebrate our pride
and connection to the Jewish homeland.
Lag B’Omer
This holiday marks the 33rd day of
the 49-day “Omer” period between Passover and Shavuot. This 7 week period
called “the Omer” is traditionally a quiet time on the Jewish calendar, but Lag
B’Omer, which occurs on the 33rd day is an exception. Bonfires, outdoor parties
and revelry rule the day, which is also a popular Jewish wedding date.
Shavuot
Shavuot is the holiday celebration of
the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people. The celebration of Shavuot is
also the Festival of First Fruits and Grains, a fulfillment of the promise of
spring. The name means “weeks”, so named for the 7-week period from Passover to
Shavuot.
Tisha B’Av
An important fast day in the Jewish
calendar is Tisha B’Av, the 9th day of the Hebrew month of Av. The day
commemorates the destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem in 586 BCE and
70 CE.
Tu B’Av
Held six days after the fast day of
Tisha B’Av comes a festival of love! A popular wedding date, the day is
celebrated in the best way possible with wine, chocolate and roses!
No comments:
Post a Comment