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Jewish Holidays
(Tishri 1) - The Jewish New Year, observed for two days in
Israel as well as the Diaspora, marks the commencement of the
Ten Days of Penitence which reach their climax on Yom Kippur.
An important observance of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the
shofar (ram's horn). (Tishri 3) - Observed in memory of Gedaliah ben Ahikam, the Jewish governor of Judea appointed by Nebuchadnezzar (Sixth Century B.C.E.) to govern the conquered Judean territory. Gedaliah achieved much for those of his people who had remained in the country. When he was assassinated (on Tishri 3), Nebuchadnezzar exiled more of the surviving population to Babylonia. These calamitous events shattered the last Jewish hopes for a peaceful restoration. (Tishri 10) - The Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. Marked by fasting and prayer, it is the day to ask forgiveness from man and from God and to offer restitution for any wrongdoing. According to tradition, one's fate for the coming year is sealed on this day.
(Tishri 15) - The Festival of Tabernacles or Booths (Hebrew
'sukkot'). One of the three pilgrim festivals (the others being
Passover and Shavuot) when, in ancient times, Jews made pilgrimages
to the Temple in Jerusalem. It derives its name from the 'sukkah'
or booth, a temporary structure in which time is spent during
the holiday to commemorate God's protection of the Children of
Israel during their 40 years in the wilderness. (Tishri 21) - The seventh day of Sukkot, a half holiday, is marked by the recitation of many 'hosha-na' ("help us, we pray") prayers recited by worshippers carrying bundles of twigs from willow trees (which usually grow along river banks) as they make seven circuits of the synagogue. This practice is related to the tradition that on Hoshana Rabbah, final Heavenly judgment on the amount of rainfall to insure bountiful harvests is rendered. (Tishri 22) - The "Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly", the festival observed the day after Sukkot. In Israel, Shemini Atzeret also marks the completion of the annual cycle of Torah reading (see Simchat Torah) in the Diaspora. (Tishri 23 in the Diaspora, Tishri 22 in Israel) - The holiday of 'Rejoicing in the Torah' on which the year-long cycle of Torah (the Pentateuch) reading is completed and re-started. (Kislev 25) - The 'Festival of Dedication' also called 'The Festival of Lights' commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrians in 165 B.C.E and the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem which had been defiled by them. Each night of the festival an additional candle is lit until on the last night, eight candles are burning. According to tradition, when the Temple was re-captured, only one small vessel of consecrated oil -- enough for just one day -- was found. Miraculously, it sufficed for eight days until new oil could be prepared and the festival was established for this length of time to commemorate the miracle. (Tevet 10) - Commemorates the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (586 B.C.E.). This siege was the prelude to the destruction of the First Temple and the Babylonian exile of the Jewish people. (Shevat 15) -'Tu' is made up of the two Hebrew letters 'Tet' (9) and 'Vav' (6), which have the combined numerical value of 15. It is called the 'New Year of the Trees' in the Talmud since it is the date from which the tithing year of fruit trees is calculated. In contemporary Israel it is marked by the planting of trees, and, hence, is often called 'the Jewish Arbor Day.' It is customary to parttake of the fruits of the land of Israel on Tu B'Shevat. (Adar 13) - Commemorates Esther's fasting before pleading with King Ahasuerus to spare the Jewish people (See Purim). (Adar I 14) - Observed to duplicate in Adar I of a leap year those precepts observed in Adar. Since Purim and Passover should be observed close together, Purim Katan is only a partial observance without fasting.
(Adar 14) - Commemorates the deliverance of Persian Jewry
from their intended destruction by Haman, the chief minister of
King Ahasuerus (circa Fifth Century B.C.E.). The holiday is marked
by the reading of the Megillah (The Biblical Book of Esther) which
recounts the details of how Queen Esther and Mordecai managed
to thwart Haman's plot. (Adar 15) - The day on which Purim is celebrated in Jerusalem and other walled cities since the days of Joshua because at the time of the events of Purim, the Jews of Shushan were given an extra day to vanquish their enemies. (Nisan 15) - Eight-day observance (seven in Israel) commemorating the Exodus from Egypt and the liberation of the Israelites from slavery. The first two and last two days (in Israel, the first and seventh days) are full holidays. The intermediate days, 'Hol Hamoed,' are half holidays. Matzah, unleavened bread, is eaten during the entire holiday period. (Iyar 14) - Observed to indicate a one month grace period for those who could not deliver the Paschal lamb at the required time for Passover.
(Iyar 18) - The'Omer" was the offering of new barley
brought to the Temple on the second day of Passover. Fifty days
were counted from the day after the omer offering to determine
the date of the Shavuot festival. Lag B'Omer is the 33rd day in
the Omer counting period. 'Lag' represents the combined numeric
value of two Hebrew letters,'lamed'=30 and 'gimel'=3. (Sivan 6) - One of the three pilgrim festivals (the others being Passover and Succot) which were marked by pilgrimages to Jerusalem to participate in the special Temple celebrations. It is known as 'The Feast of Weeks' because it falls seven weeks after Passover. It is also called 'The Festival of First Fruits.' Shavuot is a two-day observance (one in Israel). In Jewish tradition it commemorates the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai which took place on this date. (Tammuz 17) - A day of fasting commemorating the breach made in the defense wall surrounding Jerusalem in 586 B.C.E. This led to the capture of the city and the destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, three weeks later and the exile of the Jews to Babylonia. (Av 9) - A day of fasting commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples.
- Weekly sabbath observance begins with candle lighting Friday
evening before sunset and ends Saturday at nightfall. - New Month/New Moon celebrated on the first day of each lunar month. If the previous month has 30 days, the thirtieth day is celebrated as the first day of Rosh Hodesh, and the actual first day of the new month, as the second day of Rosh Hodesh. However, the beginning of the month is always counted from the second day of Rosh Hodesh if Rosh Hodesh is observed for 2 days. - Count of the days from the second day of Passover until Shavuot, when the Torah was given on Mt. Sinai.
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