- For a variable number of days
before Rosh Hashana among Ashkenazim, and the entire
month of Elul among Sephardim, special additional
morning prayers are added known as Selichot.
- Erev Rosh Ha-Shanah (evening of
the first day) — 29 Elul
- Rosh Ha-Shanah (ראש השנה) — 1–2
Tishrei
Rosh
Ha-Shanah is set aside by the Mishna as the new year for
calculating calendar years, shmita and jubilee years, vegetable
tithes, and tree-planting (determining the age of a tree).
According to an opinion in Jewish oral tradition, the creation
of the world was completed on Rosh Hashanah. The recitation
of Tashlikh occurs during the afternoon of the first day.
Rosh Ha-Shanah is always observed as a two-day holiday,
both inside and outside the boundaries of Israel. The two
days are considered together to be a yoma arichta, a single
"long day".
Aseret Yemei Teshuva — Ten Days of Repentance
Main article: Ten Days of Repentance
Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are ten days, known
as the Aseret Yemei Teshuva. During this time it is "exceedingly
appropriate" for Jews to practice "Teshuvah,"
which is examining one's deeds and repenting for sins committed
against both God and one's fellow man in anticipation of
Yom Kippur. This repentance can take the form of additional
supplications, confessing one's deeds before God, fasting,
and self-reflection. On the third day, the Fast of Gedalia
is celebrated.
Yom Kippur — Day of Atonement
Main article: Yom Kippur
* Erev Yom Kippur — 9 Tishrei
* Yom Kippur (יום כיפור)
— 10 Tishrei
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, anointing with
oil, and marital 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 annulment
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.
Sukkot
Main article:
Sukkot
Sukkot (סוכות or סֻכּוֹת
sukkōt) or Succoth is a 7-day festival, also known
as the Feast of Booths, the Feast of Tabernacles, or just
Tabernacles. It is one of the three pilgrimage festivals
mentioned in the Bible. The word sukkot is the plural of
the Hebrew word sukkah, meaning booth. Jews are commanded
to "dwell" in booths during the holiday. This
generally means taking meals, but some sleep in the sukkah
as well. There are specific rules for constructing a sukkah.
The seventh day of the holiday is called Hoshanah Rabbah.
-
Erev Sukkot — 14 Tishrei
-
Sukkot (חג הסוכות)
— 15–21 Tishrei (22 outside Israel)
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
Main article: Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah (שמחת תורה)
means "rejoicing with the Torah". It actually
refers to a special ceremony which takes place on the holiday
of Shemini Atzeret. This holiday immediately follows the
conclusion of the holiday of Sukkot. In Israel, Shemini
Atzeret is one day long and includes the celebration of
Simchat Torah. Outside Israel, Shemini Atzeret is two days
long and Simchat Torah is observed on the second day, which
is often referred to by the name of the ceremony.
The last portion of the Torah is read, completing the annual
cycle, followed by the first chapter of Genesis. Services
are especially joyous, and all attendees, young and old,
are involved.
Hanukkah — Festival of Lights
Main article:
Hanukkah
-
Erev Hanukkah — 24 Kislev
-
Hanukkah (חנוכה)
— 25 Kislev – 2 or 3 Tevet
The story of Hanukkah is preserved in the books of the First
and Second Maccabees. These books are not part of the Tanakh
(Hebrew Bible), they are apocryphal books instead. The miracle
of the one-day supply of oil miraculously lasting eight
days is first described in the Talmud.
Hanukkah 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 — one on the
first night, two on the second, and so on — using a special
candle holder called a Chanukkiyah, or a Hanukkah menorah.
There is a custom to give children money on Chanukah to
commemorate the learning of Torah in guise of Jews gathering
in what was perceived as gambling at that time since Torah
was forbidden. Because of this, there is also the custom
to play with the dreidle / sevivon.
Tenth of Tevet
Main article: Tenth of Tevet
This minor fast day marks the beginning of the siege of
Jerusalem as outlined in 2 Kings 25:1
And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the
tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar
king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem,
and encamped against it; and they built forts against it
round about.
As a minor fast day, fasting from dawn to dusk is required,
but other laws of mourning are not observed. A Torah reading
and Haftorah reading, and a special prayer in the Amidah,
are added at both Shacharit and Mincha services.
Tu Bishvat-New Year of the Trees
Main article: Tu Bishvat
* Tu Bishvat (חג האילנות
- ט"ו בשבט)
— 15 Shevat
Tu Bishvat is the new year for trees. According to the Mishnah,
it marks the day from which fruit tithes are counted each
year. In modern times, it is celebrated by eating various
fruits and nuts associated with the Land of Israel. During
the 1600s, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria of Safed and his disciples
created a short seder, called Hemdat ha‑Yamim, reminiscent
of the seder that Jews observe on Passover, that explores
the holiday's Kabbalistic themes.
Purim — Festival of Lots
Main article: Purim
-
Erev Purim and Fast of Esther known as "Ta'anit Ester"
— 13 Adar
-
Purim (פורים) — 14
Adar
-
Shushan Purim 15 Adar
-
In leap years on the Hebrew calendar, Purim is observed
in the Second Adar (Adar Sheni).
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 masquerade around in
costumes and to give Mishloakh 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-D'lo-Yada, in the town's main street.
New Year for Kings
* New Year for Kings — 1 Nisan.
Although Rosh Hashanah marks the change of the Jewish calendar
year, Nisan is considered the first month of the Hebrew
calendar. The Mishnah indicates that the year of the reign
of Jewish kings was counted from Nisan in Biblical times.
Nisan is also considered the beginning of the calendar year
in terms of the order of the holidays.
In addition to this New Year, the Mishnah sets up three
other legal New Years:
* 1st of Elul, New Year for animal tithes,
* 1st of Tishrei (Rosh Hashanah), the New Year for the calendar
year and for vegetable tithes
* 15th of Shevat (Tu B'Shevat), the New Year for Trees/fruit
Pesach — Passover
Main article: Passover
* Erev Pesach and Fast of the Firstborn known as "Ta'anit
Bechorim" — 14 Nisan
* Passover/Pesach (פסח) (first two days)
— 15 (and 16) Nisan
* The "Last days of Passover", known as Acharon
shel Pesach, are also a holiday commemorating K'riat Yam
Suf, the Passage of the Red Sea. — 21 (and 22) Nisan
* The semi-holiday days between the "first days"
and the "last days" of Passover are known as Chol
Hamo'ed, referred to as the "Intermediate days".
Pesach (Passover) commemorates the liberation of the Israelite
slaves from Egypt. No leavened food is eaten during the
week of Pesach, in commemoration of the fact that the Jews
left Egypt so quickly that their bread did not have enough
time to rise.
The first seder begins at sundown on the 15th of Nisan,
and the second seder is held on the night of the 16th of
Nisan. On the second night, Jews start counting the omer.
The counting of the omer is a count of the days from the
time they left Egypt until the time they arrived at Mount
Sinai.
Sefirah — Counting of the Omer
Main article: Counting of the Omer
* Sefirah (ספירת העומר,
Sefirat Ha'Omer) — Counting the Omer
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.
Lag Ba'omer
Main article: Lag Ba'omer
Lag Ba'omer ( ל"ג בעומר)
is the 33rd day in the Omer count (ל"ג
is the number 33 in Hebrew). The mourning restrictions on
joyous activities during the Omer period are lifted on Lag
Ba'Omer and there are often celebrations with picnics, bonfires
and bow and arrow play by children. In Israel, youth can
be seen gathering materials for bonfires.
New Israeli/Jewish national holidays
Since the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, the Chief
Rabbinate of Israel has established four new Jewish holidays.
* Jerusalem Day
* Yom HaShoah — Holocaust Remembrance day
* Yom Hazikaron — Memorial Day
* Yom Ha'atzma'ut — Israel Independence Day
These four days are national holidays in the State of Israel,
and have since been accepted as religious holidays in general
by the following groups: The Union of Orthodox Congregations
and Rabbinical Council of America; The United Hebrew Congregations
of the Commonwealth (United Kingdom); The Chief Rabbinate
of the State of Israel; All of Reform Judaism and Conservative
Judaism; The Union for Traditional Judaism and the Reconstructionist
movement.
These four new days are not accepted as religious holidays
by Haredi Judaism, which includes Hasidic Judaism. These
groups view these new days as Israeli national holidays,
and they do not celebrate these holidays.
Yom HaShoah — Holocaust Remembrance day
Main article: Yom HaShoah
* Yom HaShoah (יום הזכרון
לשואה ולגבורה)
— 27 Nisan
Yom HaShoah is also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day,
and takes place on the 27th day of Nisan.
Yom Hazikaron — Memorial Day
Main article: Yom Hazikaron
* Yom Hazikaron (יום הזכרון
לחללי מערכות
ישראל) — 4 Iyar
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
Main article: Yom Ha'atzmaut
* Yom Ha'atzma'ut (יום העצמאות)
— 5 Iyar
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 soldiers forming 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.
Jerusalem Day
Main article: Jerusalem Day
* Jerusalem Day (יום ירושלים)
— 28 Iyar
Jerusalem Day 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 — Feast of Weeks — Yom HaBikurim
Main article: Shavuot
* Erev Shavuot — 5 Sivan
* Shavuot (שבועות)
— 6, 7 Sivan
Shavuot, The Feast
of Weeks is one of the three pilgrim 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.
Seventeenth of Tammuz
Main article: Seventeenth of Tammuz
The 17th of Tammuz traditionally marks the first breach
in the walls of the Second Temple during the Roman occupation.
As a minor fast day, fasting from dawn to dusk is required,
but other laws of mourning are not observed. A Torah reading
and Haftorah reading, and a special prayer in the Amidah,
are added at both Shacharit and Mincha services.
The Three Weeks and the Nine Days
Main article: The Three Weeks
* The Three Weeks: Seventeenth of Tammuz, 17 Tammuz – 9
Av
* The Nine Days: 1–9 Av
* (See also Tenth of Tevet)
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,
and rabbis in those movements follow their individual consciences
on such matters; some uphold the traditional prohibitions
and some permit weddings on these days. Orthodox Judaism
maintains the traditional prohibitions.
Tisha B'av — Ninth of Av
Main article: Tisha B'Av
* Tisha B'Av (צום תשעה
באב) — 9 Av
Tisha B'Av is a fast day that commemorates two of the saddest
events in Jewish history that both occurred on the ninth
of Av — the destruction in 586 BCE of the First Temple,
originally built by King Solomon, and destruction of the
Second Temple in 70 CE. Other calamities throughout Jewish
history are said to have taken place on Tisha B'Av, including
King Edward I's edict compelling the Jews to leave England
(1290), the Jewish expulsion from Spain in 1492, Germany's
declaration of war against Russia during World War I, and
the first killings at the Treblinka death camp (1942).
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.)
Rosh Chodesh — the New Month
Main article: Rosh Chodesh
The first day of each month and the thirtieth day of the
preceding month, if it has thirty days, is (in modern times)
a minor holiday known as Rosh Chodesh (head of the month).
The one exception is the month of Tishrei, whose beginning
is a major holiday, Rosh Hashanah. There are also special
prayers said upon observing the new Moon for the first time
each month.
Shabbat — The Sabbath — שבת
Main article: Shabbat
Jewish law accords the Sabbath the status of a holiday.
Jews 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.
*
It is the first holiday mentioned in the Tanakh (Hebrew
Bible), and God was the first one to observe it.
* The liturgy treats the Sabbath as a bride and queen.
* The Torah reading on the Sabbath has more sections of
parshiot (Torah readings) than on Yom Kippur, the most of
any Jewish holiday.
* There is a tradition that the Messiah will come if every
Jew observes the Sabbath twice in a row.
* The Biblical penalty for violating Shabbat is greater
than that for violating any other holiday.
Variances in observances
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 similar teachings
about how to observe these holidays.
Reform Jews do not observe the 2nd day of Jewish holidays
in the Diaspora.
See also
Holidays Portal
* Jewish holidays 2000-2050
* Ta'anit
* Religious Festivals
* Hebrew calendar
* Rosh HaShannah
References
Greenberg, Irving. The Jewish Way: Living the Holidays.
New York: Touchstone, 1988.
Strassfeld, Michael. The Jewish Holidays: A Guide and Commentary.
New York: Harper & Row, 1985.
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