The Jewish Festivals The Jewish Festivals Download this Study Topic The Jewish Festivals The cycle of Jewish festivals that govern religious life today are outlined in Leviticus 23. The first festival, held weekly, is given the highest place within Jewish life. It is known as Shabbat, the Sabbath. Leviticus 23:3 reads, “Six days shall work be done. But the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwellings.” The Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday and runs through sundown of the following day, a time when the family comes together. The Sabbath is a time of joy, change, rest and reflection. It is also a time of worship, studying the Scriptures, and reflecting upon God, our Creator. A festive occasion, the Sabbath is welcomed as a bride, or as the “Queen Sabbath.” The women of the house initiate the Sabbath by lighting candles. Various traditions include eating special bread, known as Challah, in a fine festive meal. If there is a synagogue in the community, people are most welcome to join the worshipers for a Friday night service or a Saturday morning service.

Many rabbis are willing to help explain their order of service. If a group from your congregation wants to attend a Sabbath worship service, it would be best to call the rabbi in advance, announcing your intentions, so that he can make your participation most meaningful. Passover The first of the major festivals in the religious calendar falls in the springtime, around Easter, and is known as Pesach, or Passover. Passover, an eight-day festival, is really three festivals combined into one eight-day period: The Feast of The Passover Lamb, The Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of First Fruits. The Festival of the Passover Lamb commemorates the Exodus event. A first-born lamb was sacrificed and its blood put upon the door frames of Jewish homes. That delivered Jewish people from the grip of the 10th plague, the slaying of the firstborn in Egypt, and brought about freedom from bondage and slavery under Pharaoh. Feast of Unleavened Bread Besides commemorating the Passover Lamb, Passover is also known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

For eight days, Jewish people rid their homes of all forms of leaven, such as cookies, cakes and breads, and only the unleavened bread, usually matzah, are eaten. Feast of First Fruits The third festival during this eight-day period is known as the Feast of First Fruits. Leviticus 23:9-11 reads: The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. He is to wave the sheaf before the LORD so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath.' Passover is celebrated primarily within the home, rather than the synagogue. A festive time, the family gathers to commemorate the Exodus through the feast of the Passover Seder and the singing of traditional songs. As believers in Jesus, we can gain insight into the sacrament of Communion as we understand the Last Supper, which was the Passover meal, and how Jesus celebrated it.

Through the Missouri Synod’s Board for Evangelism Services, the Task Force on Witnessing to Jewish People has put together a Jewish Christian Haggadah (order of service), as well as a leader’s manual, to help Christians understand how they might celebrate Passover within their own worship setting. Many congregations in North America today, on Maundy Thursday, remember not only redemption from Egypt, but also redemption that has been bought for us through Jesus, our Passover Lamb. Shavuot Next in the order of festivals comes Shavuot, or Pentecost, 50 days after Passover. Its name is derived from the Hebrew word which means weeks, because we mark seven cycles of weeks from the seventh day of Passover before we celebrate Shavuot. This holiday is doubly significant. First, it celebrates the harvest by the offering of the first fruits, commemorating the agricultural phase of the festival. Synagogues are decorated with flowers. Secondly, it commemorates the giving of the Ten Commandments to Israel on Mt. Sinai. Within the Galut, or Exile (Jewish people not living in Israel), the agricultural phase of Shavuot is diminished.

Within American synagogues, this festival is used as a time of confirmation. The children who are confirmed, or initiated, into the Jewish fold are regarded as “first fruits,” offered on the altar of God in honor of Israel’s covenant on Mt. Sinai. It is commemorated by the consecration of Jewish youth to Torah. Rosh Hashanah Next in the religious calendar comes Rosh Hashanah, also known as the Feast of Trumpets, usually falling in mid-September. We find in Leviticus 23:23-25: “And the Lord said unto Moses, “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites: “On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the LORD by fire.” ’ ” According to Jewish tradition, the world was created on the first day of Tishre. Therefore, this day is most appropriately designated as a day of judgment for Israel and all mankind. Tishre is the first day of Rosh Hashanah, a time dedicated to prayer and contemplation, the day when spiritual rebirth is considered.

The shofar, the ram’s horn, is sounded within the synagogue to summon worshipers to an awareness of their spiritual need. The shofar has a special position within Jewish traditional life today. It is said that on Rosh Hashanah, when the shofar is sounded, God opens up three great books in heaven — The Book of Life, The Book of Death and an intermediate book. Those who have lived a most righteous life in the past year automatically have their names inscribed in the Book of Life. Those who have lived a most wicked life in the past year automatically have their names inscribed in the Book of Death. The rest have their names placed in the intermediate book. We have ten days to restore our relationships with our fellowman. We are to seek forgiveness where we have offended, make restitution of outstanding damages, and fulfill or seek release from vows made. Then we turn to God to seek His forgiveness on Yom Kippur. After the last service ends, the shofar is once again sounded and fates are sealed into one of those books for the coming year.

During this time, these greetings are exchanged: L’Shannah tovah tekateivu – may your name be inscribed for a good year. Leviticus 16 and 17 help us to understand what Yom Kippur was about. On this day, all Israel gathered together in Jerusalem, and the high priest was to make atonement. He was to sacrifice for the people of Israel, so the relationship between the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the people might be restored. On this day only was the high priest allowed to enter the Holy of Holies with the blood of sacrificed animals. First, a bull was sacrificed. Then the blood was brought inside the veil, and applied to the mercy seat, in order that the high priest of Israel and his family might first have atonement for their sins. Then, the high priest went out from the Holy of Holies and again, another animal was sacrificed. The blood of that animal was brought back inside in order to atone for the people of Israel. This atonement must be made year after year after year. The temple in Jerusalem and the altar where the sacrifices were made was destroyed in the year 70.

Since then and up to this time, no Jewish sacrifices have been offered even at Yom Kippur. Yet, Yom Kippur plays a central role in the life of Jewish people. The shofar also serves as a reminder of the faithfulness of our forefather Abraham. He was willing to trust God and the promises God made concerning the nation of Israel, when God asked Abraham to offer up his son Isaac. Just as the knife was about to come down into Isaac, the angel of the Lord stopped the sacrifice, and provided a substitute sacrifice instead, a ram caught by its horns in a thicket nearby. The sounding of the shofar also is a reminder of the giving of the law and testimony on Mt. Sinai. And it is a reminder of the eventual coming of Messiah. Many Jews today say that prayer, repentance and good deeds are sufficient to accomplish atonement for our lives. But when many Jewish people are asked if they know for certain that their sins have been atoned for, few would respond with an overwhelming, “Yes.” For those of us who believe in the Messiah Jesus, we know for a fact that our sins have been forgiven. Jesus alone shed His blood for us.

He has cleansed us of all sin, and made it possible for us to have that eternal assurance. Sukkot The next festival is Sukkot, a holiday occurring on the 15th day of Tishre, five days after Yom Kippur, and continuing for an eight-day period. Sukkot literally means booths, or tabernacles. It is a holiday of Thanksgiving, and the final of the three in-gatherings of the harvest for the ancient people of Israel. The sacrifices offered in the temple during this holiday were considered by the sages as the most important ones, and are bound to be resumed, even if the temple is never rebuilt in Israel, and even if all the other sacrifices were abolished. It is incumbent upon religious Jewish people today to build three-sided booths, or Sukka, as a reminder of the wanderings of our ancestors in the wilderness. Jewish people are to take meals within these booths during this eight-day festival as a reminder of the temporary tents that were dwellings for the people. During this festive time of thanksgiving, common foods of the earth are bound together, in order to be waved before the Lord as an offering of praise and thanksgiving.

The elements bound together are the best fruit of the land, and are brought into the synagogue as evidence of the providential blessings conferred upon Israel. The people use four different plants to observe Succot and different rabbinic interpretations describe the symbolism of each. The Esrog, citron, stands for the kind of heart Jewish people should have, caring for others. The Lulav, palm branch, represents the spinal cord, symbolizing courage and steadfastness. The Haddas, or myrtle, some rabbis say, represents the human eye, to see the good in man and to shun the sin of envy. The last is the Arabah, or willow branch. The Arabah represents the mouth, or the power of expression, used to teach man right and straight thinking. These four plants — citron, palm branch, myrtle and willow — are bound together to represent the ideal Jewish person, combining courage, freedom from envy, and cleanliness of speech. On the seventh day of this eight-day festival of Succot, a time of celebrating is known as hoshana rabbah.

Within this synagogue celebration, Jewish people march around the beema, or the lectern, accompanied by the chanting of verses of hoshana, literally meaning “Save us, we pray!” The waving of the Esrog, the Lulov, the Haddas, and the Arbah symbolize man’s desire to lead a clean life and follow God. The eighth day of Sukkot is known as Shmeni Etzerat, an extra day spent in the presence of the Lord. No time elapses between Sukkot and Shmeni Etzerat, as was the case between Passover and the Feast of Weeks. The rainy season in Israel began soon after Sukkot, and it would have been difficult for large numbers of Jewish people from outlying areas to again revisit the temple at a later time. Today, rabbis interpret the eighth day of assembly as a plea of God to His people to gather in Jerusalem on a festival of thanksgiving. “Your parting from me and my house makes me unhappy. Please tarry an extra day, that I might enjoy your presence,” rabbis would say.

“Being in the presence of the Lord” on Shmeni Etzerat typifies the understanding by Jewish people today of this festival. Simcha Torah The day following Shmeni Etzerat is known as Simcha Torah, literally meaning, rejoicing in the law. Simcha Torah is celebrated as a holiday in honor of the conclusion of the public reading of the Pentateuch. The reading cycle throughout the religious calendar year calls for the reading from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Deuteronomy. On Simcha Torah the last portions of the Pentateuch are read, and the first portions of Genesis are read. This once again completes the cycle and expresses the continuity of the heritage of devotion to Torah enjoyed by Jewish people in all the lands. During Simcha Torah, processions with the Torah are made around the pulpit, accompanied by chants and marked by a festive setting. It is customary to serve refreshments at synagogue as well as home. Simcha Torah is a day of the Jewish person’s greatest rejoicing that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has given His words to us, and we rejoice in them.

Hanukkah Hanukkah, Chanukah, Hanukah, Chanukah (choose your spelling, as experts disagree) is the Festival of Dedication, or the Festival of Lights. This day begins on the 25th day of the Jewish month, Kislev, usually around mid-December, and lasts for eight days. Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the temple by the Maccabees, who, in the year 167 BCE, were victorious over their enemies, the Syrian Greeks. Under the leadership of Antiochus, and aided by Hellenized Jewish people, attempts were made to destroy Judaism and Israel. Today people light candles during this holiday to honor the traditional myth that, at the Temple rededication, a small jug of fine oil lasted for eight days, though it contained only enough oil for one day’s light. However, this myth appears nowhere in the books of Maccabees in the Apocrypha. Jewish observers use a nine-candled menorah, or Hanukkiah, during the eight days. Two traditions dominate the lighting of candles at Hanukah.

One tradition holds that we must add to the light of the festival by increasing the number of candles lit on each day. The first night, one candle, the second night, two, the third night three, etc., until all eight are lit. Another tradition holds that we diminish the light, starting with all eight, and then going down to seven, six, etc., until only one candle is lit. The person who lights the candles at Hanukah lights a ninth candle, known as the shamesh, or the helper. Then the shamesh is used to light the festival lights. Hanukah did not originate as a time of giving gifts. This is a modern addition, borrowed from the custom of exchanging gifts by Christian families at Christmas. At Hanukah, families give modest gifts to each other during the eight days of the festival. The events leading up to this Festival of Dedication occurred in the time between the writing of the Old and New Testaments as recorded in the apocryphal book of I & II Maccabees.

The only reference in the Bible to Hanukah is found in John 10:22: “Jesus is at the temple in Jerusalem during the Feast of Dedication.” Feast of Purim The last festival in the religious calendar is known as The Feast of Purim, or the Casting of Lots. The book of Esther records how the plot of wicked Haman to destroy all the Jewish people throughout the kingdom of Xerxes was foiled by God through Mordecai and Queen Esther. The congregation and especially the children are given noisemakers, called groggers, on this very festive occasion. As the book of Esther is read, each time wicked Haman’s name is mentioned, the congregation boos, hisses and makes noise, trying to blot out from all memory the name of Haman. In its background, though, Purim has a serious note – the hope that someday in this world, all Jewish people can live in peace and harmony with others, without fear of bigotry and the hatred of Pharaohs, Hamans, and Hitlers. Many religious Jewish people believe this will not happen until Messiah comes.

Bible Feast of Passover - What It Means to Christians Bible Feast of Passover A Christian Perspective of the Bible Feast of Passover Paul Visconti / Getty Images By Mary Fairchild Bible Feast of Passover - Pesach: Passover commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, as recorded in the book of Exodus . On Passover, Jews also celebrate the birth of the Jewish nation after being freed by God from captivity. Today, the Jewish people not only remember an historic event on Passover, but also celebrate in a broad sense, their freedom as Jews. The Hebrew word Pesach means "to pass over." During Passover Jews take part in a meal known as the Seder , which incorporates the retelling of the story of Exodus and God's deliverance from bondage in Egypt. Each participant of the Passover Seder experiences in a personal way, a national celebration of freedom through God's intervention and deliverance. Hag HaMatzah or the Feast of Unleavened Bread and Yom HaBikkurim or Firstfruits are both mentioned in Leviticus 23 as separate feasts, however, today Jews celebrate all three feasts as part of the eight-day Passover holiday.

Time of Observance: Today, Passover begins on day 15 of the Hebrew month of Nissan (March or April) and continues for 8 days. Originally, Passover began at twilight on the fourteenth day of Nissan (Leviticus 23:5), and then the next day, day 15, the Feast of Unleavened Bread would begin and continue for seven days (Leviticus 23:6). • See Bible Feasts Calendar for the actual dates of Passover. About Passover: The story of Passover is recorded in the Old Testament book of Exodus . Joseph , son of Jacob , after being sold into slavery in Egypt, was kept by God and greatly blessed. Eventually he was put into a high position—second-in-command to Pharaoh. In time, Joseph moved his entire family to Egypt and protected them there. 400 years later, the Israelites had grown into a people numbering 2 million. There were so many Jews in Egypt that the new Pharaoh was afraid of their power. To maintain control, he turned them into slaves, oppressing them with harsh labor and ruthless treatment.

Yet, through a man named Moses (great, great grandson of Jacob), God came to rescue his people. At the time Moses was born, Pharaoh had ordered the death of all Hebrew males, but God spared Moses when his mother hid him in a basket along the banks of the Nile. Pharaoh's daughter found the baby and decided to raise him as her own. Later Moses fled to Midian after killing an Egyptian for cruelly beating one of his own people. There God appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush and said, "I have seen the misery of my people. I have heard their cries, I care about their suffering, and I have come to rescue them. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people out of Egypt." (Exodus 3:7-10, paraphrased) After making some excuses, Moses finally obeyed God and confronted Pharaoh. But when Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go, God sent ten plagues to persuade him. With the final plague God promised to strike dead every first-born son in Egypt at midnight on the 15th day of the month of Nissan. But to Moses, the Lord provided instructions so his people would be spared.

Each Hebrew family was to take a Passover lamb, slaughter it, and place some of the blood on the door frames of their homes. When the destroyer passed over Egypt, he would not enter the homes covered by the blood of the Passover lamb. These and other instructions became part of a lasting ordinance from God for the observance of the Passover Feast, so that the generations to come would always remember God's great deliverance . At midnight, the Lord struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, and that very night Pharaoh called Moses and said, "Up! Leave my people. Go." They left in haste and God led them toward the Red Sea. After a few days Pharaoh changed his mind, and decided to send his army in pursuit. When the Egyptian army reached them at the banks of the Red Sea, the Hebrew people were afraid and cried out to God. Moses answered, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today." Moses stretched out his hand and the sea parted , allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground, with a wall of water on either side. And when the Egyptian army followed, it was thrown into confusion.

Moses then stretched out his hand over the sea again and the entire army was swept away, leaving no survivors. Jesus and Passover: In Luke 22, Jesus shared the Passover meal with his apostles saying, "I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God." (Luke 22:15-16, NLT ) Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover. He is the Lamb of God , sacrificed to set us free from bondage to sin. (John 1:29; Psalm 22; Isaiah 53) The blood of Jesus covers and protects us, and his body was broken to free us from eternal death. (1 Corinthians 5:7) In the Jewish tradition a hymn of praise known as the Hallel is sung during the Passover Seder.

In it is Psalm 118:22, speaking of the Messiah: "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone." (NIV) Jesus said in Matthew 21:42, one week before his death, that he himself was the stone the builders rejected. As God commanded the Israelites to always commemorate his great deliverance through the Passover meal, we Christians were instructed by Christ as well, to continually remember his sacrifice through The Lord's Supper or Communion. More Facts About Passover Jews drink four cups of wine at the Seder. The third cup is called the cup of redemption , the same cup of wine taken during the Last Supper . The bread of the Last Supper is the Afikomen of Passover, or the middle Matzah which is pulled out and broken in two. Half is wrapped in white linen and hidden. The children search for the unleavened bread in the white linen. Whoever finds it brings it back to be redeemed for a price. The other half of the bread is eaten, ending the meal. Chosen People Ministries - Passover: Promise and Fulfillment The children of Israel served as slaves under the oppression of the Pharaoh (Ex.

1:11-12; 6:6). The Messiah After Adam and Eve's rebellion, humanity fell under the oppression of slavery to sin and death (Rom. 6:20-21; Eph. 2:1-3). The Lamb Passover God redeemed Israel through the sacrifice of a lamb without any defect (Ex. 12:5). He instructed the people to sacrifice the lamb and to spread the blood upon the doorposts of their homes with hyssop (Ex. 12:21-22). The Messiah John describes Jesus as "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). In the same way as the Passover lamb was without defect, Jesus was without sin (2 Cor. 5:21). This is why Paul tells us to remember how the "Messiah, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed" (I Cor. 5:7). Blood Passover God redeemed Israel from Egypt through the shedding of blood.

When God passed through the land of Egypt, He saw the blood of the lamb on the top and sides of the doorframe; therefore, He passed over the Israelite homes and did not allow the destroyer to take the lives of their firstborn sons (Ex. 12:23). The Messiah The Bible teaches us that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness for sins (Heb. 9:22). Jesus tells us that through His blood, He provides the forgiveness of sin (Mat. 26:28). He is the Lamb who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5). Matzah Passover During the week of Passover, the Jewish community abstains from eating anything containing leaven and eats only unleavened bread, or matzah (Ex. 12:19-20). When the Israelites fled Egypt in haste, they did not have time to wait for the bread to rise while it baked. The Messiah The Bible presents leaven as a symbol of sin (Mat. 16:6-12; 1 Cor. 5:6-8).

Jesus was without sin, meaning without leaven (2 Cor. 5:21). Symbolically, Jesus was crucified at the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Bitter Herbs Passover The Torah prescribes three necessary elements of Passover: the Lamb, Matzah and Bitter Herbs (Ex. 12:8). The bitter herbs remind the Israelites of how the Egyptians embittered the lives of the slaves in Egypt. The Messiah For believers, the bitter herbs represent how Jesus delivers His people from the bitterness and sorrow of sin and brings joy to our lives. Redemption The story of Passover represents God's redemption of Israel out of Egypt. The Messiah God fittingly chose the celebration of Israel's redemption from Egypt as the day to redeem the world through Jesus' death and resurrection. Land Passover God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt in order to bring them into the Promised Land. The Messiah In the same way, God delivers followers of Jesus from a dominion of darkness to bring them into His kingdom (Col. 1:13), and reminds us that one day God will fulfill His promise to establish His earthly kingdom in Jerusalem.

First Fruits Passover Following Passover, God commanded the nation to offer the first fruits of their harvest on the first day following the Sabbath; therefore, on the Sunday following Passover, God instructs Israel to offer the first fruits of their harvest as an offering (Lev. 23:9-14). The Messiah On the Sunday following Passover, Jesus conquered death and rose from the dead, coinciding with the Feast of First Fruits. As the first fruit of the resurrection, Jesus gives hope to His people that they shall likewise follow Him into eternal life (1 Cor. 15:20-23). PASSOVER CELEBRATION : Instructional Seder will explain the holiday. - latimes PASSOVER CELEBRATION : Instructional Seder will explain the holiday. March 26, 1993 |MARY HELEN BERG Teachers, clergy and people of all beliefs are invited to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Passover at an instructional Seder service to be hosted by the South Bay-Harbor Inter-Religious Council at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Temple Beth El in San Pedro.

The event offers a special opportunity to understand this Jewish holiday and a chance to discuss and celebrate such universal themes as freedom and redemption, said Rabbi David Lieb, who will conduct part of the Passover ceremony. "While the Passover Seder is a unique Jewish experience and must be understood in the context of Jewish history, it does have messages of universal significance," Lieb said. This year, Passover, or Pesach, begins at dusk April 5. Considered by some the most important Jewish holiday, it commemorates the event that finally forced the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II to free the Israelites from bondage. As recounted in the Bible, God sent the angel of death to claim the firstborn of every Egyptian household. Jewish households, identified by a marking of lamb's blood on the doorway, were "passed over" by death and their children saved. Once freed from slavery, the Jews, led by Moses, fled Egypt for the promised land of Canaan. Seder is the ritual meal that commemorates this exodus. It takes place on the first night of the seven-day Passover celebrated by Reform Jews and on the first and second nights of the eight-day holiday celebrated by Conservative and Orthodox Jews.

The word Seder, from the Hebrew sedher , means order or division and indicates the degree of ceremony followed during the highly traditional meal. Participants in Sunday's Seder will be educated on the significance of the holiday and partake in Passover customs such as special readings and symbolic foods. The ceremonial foods, each symbolizing part of the Israelites' history, include matzo, bitter herbs and lamb. Matzo is important because when the Israelites were forced to flee Egypt, they had no time to let yeast rise and had to bake bread without it. The unleavened bread symbolizes their haste in leaving Egypt, Lieb said. Bitter herbs mark the bitterness of slavery, and lamb is served to commemorate how the animal's blood was used to mark the homes of Israelites during the first Passover. The first Seder was held during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II about 1250 BC and began as a religious service sometime around the 7th or 8th Century BC, Lieb said. Jews began to celebrate Seder in the home during Roman times around the 1st or 2nd Century BC. Throughout the centuries, the Seder meal has been a time for reflection and discussion, Lieb said.

Somehow, the lessons of Passover have remained constant. "There's always a Pharaoh and there's always a slave who needs freeing," he said. "There's always a God who intervenes." The event is of special interest to parents, clergy, religious school teachers and administrators but is open to the general public. A donation of $3 for adults and $2 for children under 12 is requested. Temple Beth El is located at 1435 W. 7th St. in San Pedro. For more information call (310) 833-2467. MORE: Festivals and Feasts in Ancient Judaism Biblical Pilgrimage Festivals and Major Feast Days of Ancient Israel and Modern Judaism by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D. Three Biblical Pilgrimage Festivals: Hebrew Bible Origins: Three agriculture-related pilgrimage festivals are mandated in Exodus 23:14-17: a seven-day springtime festival of Unleavened Bread, around the barley harvest; an early summer festival of Harvest, when the wheat ripens; and an autumn festival of Ingathering, when olives, grapes, and other fruits are harvested (cf. Exod 34:18-23).

The book of Leviticus gives regulations for feast days that are to be celebrated "with a sacred assembly," including the weekly sabbath (Lev 23:1-4) and seven annual feast days: Passover (7 days, incl. unleavened bread), First fruits, Pentecost or Weeks, the New Year, the Day of Atonement, the first day of Booths, and the eighth day of Booths (Lev 23:5-44) These festivals are later transformed and combined with commemorations of historical/religious events; originally the people could bring their offerings to any major sanctuary, but later they are required to go to the Jerusalem temple, esp. for three main pilgrimage festivals (see Deut 16:1-17). Feast of Passover (Pesach) and Unleavened Bread (Mazzot): The barley-harvest festival was transformed to include the commemoration of the original Exodus, when the Hebrews came out of Egypt, ca. 1300 BCE.

The Passover was originally celebrated in each family's house; an unblemished lamb was slaughtered and eaten, and its blood sprinkled on the doorposts with a branch of the hyssop plant (Exod 12:1-13, 21-28, 43-49; cf. John 19:29). The lamb was slaughtered on the afternoon of the 14th day of the month of Nisan/Abib (called the "Day of Preparation"), and the Passover meal eaten just after sunset (the beginning of the 15th day, in the Jewish calendar). The seven-day feast of Unleavened Bread is also related to the Exodus, when the Hebrews did not even have time to let bread rise as they were leaving Egypt (Exod 12:14-20; 13:3-10). Both festivals combined became a major pilgrimage feast, with the people going to the Jerusalem temple to offer the sacrificial lamb (Lev 23:4-14; Num 9:2-5; 28:16-25; Deut 16:1-8).

In modern Judaism, the entire Song of Songs is read in the synagogue services during Pesach. Feast of Weeks (Pentecost or Shavuot): The older "Wheat-Harvest" festival was later mandated to be held 7 weeks (=50 days in Hebrew counting) after the Passover (Lev 23:15-21; Num 28:26; Deut 16:9-12; 34:22). Later it also became a commemoration of the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai (Exod 19-20). In the NT it is called "Pentecost" since it is held "50 days" after Passover (cf. Acts 2:1; 20:16; 1 Cor 16:8). In modern Judaism, the Book of Ruth is read in the synagogue services during the Feast of Shavuot.

Feast of Booths (Tabernacles or Sukkoth): The older "Ingathering" or "Fruit-Harvest" festival became a commemoration of the 40 years that the Hebrew wandered in the desert, living in temporary shelters like tents or "booths" (Lev 23:33-36, 39-43; Deut 16:13-15). In the Second-Temple period, it was an 8-day festival involving the imagery of water and light; water was brought daily from the Pool of Siloam (cf. John 9:1) up to the Temple and poured over the altar; light was provided by large lamps that were lit nightly in the temple courtyards. The eighth day of Sukkoth, considered the last and greatest day of the feast, included an assembly of all the people (Lev 23:36). In modern Judaism, the Book of Qoheleth is read during the feast of Sukkoth.

New Testament References: The Synoptic Gospels have only one Passover meal (often mentioned together with the Feast of Unleavened Bread), which Jesus celebrates just before his death (Mark 14:12-26; Matt 26:17-29; Luke 22:15-20) The Fourth Gospel reports three different Passovers during Jesus' public ministry (John 2:13-23; 6:4; 11:55--19:14; but never mentions "Unleavened Bread"), as well as the Festival of Booths (7:2, 14, 37), and an unspecified feast (5:1) that some scholar think might be Pentecost. Other Feasts and Special Days in the Bible: Weekly Sabbath (Shabbat): Resting from work on the seventh day of the week is mandated in the Ten Commandments (Exod 20:8-11; Deut 5:12-15), and reinforced frequently throughout the Hebrew Bible (Exod 23:12; 34:21; Lev 23:3).

It is based on the story that God rested from his work after the six "days" of creation (Gen 2:1-3). However, Jews throughout the centuries have debated exactly what constitutes unlawful "work" (cf. Jer 17:10-27) and whether God does not do at least some essential life-sustaining "work" on the sabbath (cf. John 5:9-18; 7:21-23). First of the Month (Rosh Kodesh): The sighting of the new moon each month was a significant event celebrated by a minor festival in biblical times (1 Chron 23:31; 2 Chron 2:4; Ps 81:3; etc.) In modern Judaism, the first of each month is not a major celebration, although some special prayers and readings are done in the synagogues. In some Jewish communities, it is a day free from work for women (but not men), to honor them for their refusal to participate in the worship of the Golden Calf.

New Year (Rosh HaShanah): The first day of the seventh month (the month of "Tishri" on the Jewish calendar) is celebrated with "sabbath rest" and a "sacred assembly" (Lev 23:23-25; cf. Num 29:1). On this day, the burnt offerings were reestablished by the priest Ezra in the period after the Babylonian Exile (Ezra 3:6; cf. Neh 8:2). Festivities include the blowing of the Shofar (a type of trumpet made out of a ram's horn). Note that the Jewish Calendar has four different days called "New Year" (just as Westerners have "New School Year" and "New Fiscal Year" dates different from Jan. 1): Nissan 1 (in March) = new year for counting calendar months; Elul 1 (in August) = new year for tithing of animals; Tishri 1 (in September) = new year for years (increase year numbers); Shevat 15 (in February) = new year for trees (when fruit is ripe enough to eat).

Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur): An annual purification ritual, involving a sacrifice offered for the purification of the temple, the land, and the people (Lev 16:1-34; 23:26-32). The New Testament does not directly mention this feast day, but adapts its imagery to speak of Jesus' death as an atonement for sins (Rom 3:25; Heb 2:17). Feast of Dedication or Feast of Lights (Hanukkah): The temple of Jerusalem had been "desecrated" (but not "destroyed") by the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 167 BC. After the success of their revolt, the Maccabees cleansed and rededicated the Temple and the Altar in 164 BC, and mandated an annual 8-day celebration to commemorate this joyful event (1 Macc 4:36-59). This winter-time feast is not mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, but only in the Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal books of 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees.

It is also mentioned briefly in John 10:22, but nowhere else in the New Testament. Feast of Lots (Purim): Commemorates Queen Esther's defeat of a plan to slaughter all Persian Jews, ca. 400 BCE, as told in the Book of Esther. In modern Judaism, the entire Book of Esther read on the day of Purim. It is a time of great celebration, with noisemakers, costumes, etc. (somewhat equivalent to Western "Carnival" or "Mardi Gras" festivities). Lesser Agricultural Feasts: "Fifteenth Day of the Month of Shevat" (Tu B'Shevat) - considered the "New Year for Trees" (Lev 19:23-25) "Counting the Omer" (Sefirat Ha'Omer) - based on Lev 23:15-16, which tells the Israelites to "count" the fifty days between Pesach and Shavuot.

Sabbath Years: Every seventh year, no agricultural work was to be done; the land should also be allowed to "rest," and the people should harvest only what grows on its own in the fields (Exod 23:10-11; Lev 25:2-7, 18-24; 26:34-43). Jubilee Year: Every fifty years, all debts are to be forgiven, slaves were supposed to be freed, and land that was sold was to be returned to its original owners (Lev 25:8-17, 25-55; 27:16-25). Scholars debate whether this biblical injunction was ever actually carried out. Jewish Feasts Introduced in the Rabbinic Period: Simchat Torah ("Rejoicing in the Torah"): Held on the day after the end of Sukkoth (thus the 23rd day of Tishri), this feast celebrates the ending and restarting of the annual cycle of Torah readings in the synagogue. On this day, the end of the Book of Deuteronomy is read, followed immediately by the beginning of the Book of Genesis.

Although not mandated in the Hebrew Bible as a particular feast day, many biblical passages celebrate the centrality of the Torah in Jewish life (e.g., Ps 119). Tish B'Av ("9th day of the month of Av"): A major fast day (fasting for 25 hours), commemorating the two destructions of the Jerusalem Temple (586 BCE & 70 CE). The destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonians is told near the end of the Books of Kings and Chronicles, and bemoaned by the prophet Jeremiah. The destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans is told by the first-century Jewish historian Josephus. The Book of Lamentations (attributed to Jeremiah) is read in synagogue services on this day.

Summary Chart of the Main Feasts in Modern Judaism: [Yellow highlighting indicates the "High Holy Days" or "Days of Awe"; green highlighting indicates the three traditional "Pilgrimage Festivals."] Hebrew Name of Feast The celebration of Passover – from Old to the New Testament The celebration of Passover – from Old to the New Testament The celebration of Passover – from Old to the New Testament April 9, 2013 by Yeoh Poh Ping Why is the celebration of Passover so important? Simply put, the Passover celebration commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt over 3,300 years ago. It serves to remind the participants of their redemption history, and God’s grace and power in delivering them from slavery. The PJEFC pastoral team conducted 3 classes, covering the Passover celebration in the Old and New Testament, and finally drawing parallels between the Passover and the Last Supper. The classes culminated in the celebration of the Passover Feast by all the participants. This feast was presided over by none other than our very own Reverend Lim Kar Yong.

The Original Passover The original Passover is where the LORD spared the Israelites from the plague that resulted in the death of the firstborns – the firstborn son of every Egyptian family and the firstborn male of all livestock. Three (3) elements were significant in this Passover: Elements Significance The blood sacrifice of the lamb without defect (i.e. not liable to death) The firstborns of Israel were spared, redeemed by blood from the judgment. Israel as a nation became God’s own possession – every firstborn son and male of every livestock belongs to God Sinless substitution is necessary Signifies separation from all corruption and the Israelites haste in living Egypt (place of bondage). Righteous living is necessary The bitterness of Israel’s slavery Sin is a slave master – it binds us Subsequent Passovers Subsequent Passovers were to be observed perpetually as a lasting ordinance, and celebrated as festival unto the LORD based on the description and instructions given in Exodus 12.

It is to be: A combined festival comprising the Passover (celebrated at twilight on the 14th sday), and the Feast of Unleavened Bread for the next 7 days (from the 15th to the 21st) A period of worship and reflection A festive and communal affair Covenantal in nature A ritual with a didactic purpose, to remind the Israelites of their redemption history – God sparing the firstborn, their deliverance from slavery in Egypt and making them His people. Passover in the New Testament It was central to the Jewish religious practices during the time of Jesus and observed by the early Church. During the inter-testament period from the Old to the New Testament, additional elements 4-7 were added: Description 1. Lamb (Pesach) The word ‘pesach’ (Passover) applies to the Lamb of sacrifice as well as to the deliverance from Egypt to the feast itself 2. Unleavened bread (Matzoh) Known as the “bread of affliction”, it recalls the unleavened bread prepared for the hasty flight by night from Egypt.

Today, the practice for the preparation of unleavened bread has to be completed in less than 18 minutes 3. Bitter herbs (Maror) This is a reminder of the bitterness of slavery and suffering in Egypt 4. Salt water This represents tears of sorrow shed during the years of captivity of the Lord’s people in Egypt, and also the waters of the Red Sea through which God delivered them and destroyed the enemies 5. Haroseth This is a mixture of chopped apples, nuts, cinnamon and wine. It reminds the Jews of the clay with which they had made bricks during their slavery in Egypt. 6. Wine Although not mentioned in Exodus, the use of wine was considered by Jewish tradition to be essential. 4 cups of wine are drunk, each recalling the words of redemption spoken by God to Moses in Exodus 6:6-7: The Cup of Thanksgiving / Sanctification, the Cup of Haggadah / Deliverance, the Cup of Blessing / Redemption, and the Cup of Righteousness / Restoration. Wine is also dipped to remind us of the Ten Plagues of Egypt. This part of the Passover celebration was never commanded by God, but was added by Jewish tradition.

This tradition is observed by Jesus during the institution of the Lord’s Supper. 7. Seder Meal A brief overview of Passover Download Seder Guide The book of Exodus tells us how Moses was sent by God to Pharaoh to be a deliverer of Israel. The Pharaoh, of course, did not heed Moses' appeal to set the people of Israel free from their slavery, and the stage was then set for the showdown between the God of Israel and the gods of Egypt. The final terrible plague that would descend upon the people of Egypt would be the death of the firstborn sons in the land. Only those families that sacrificed an unblemished lamb (pesach) and smeared its blood upon the doorposts of the house would be "passed over" (pasach) from the impending wrath from heaven. The Blood of the Lamb God commanded that on Nisan 10 ( Shabbat HaGadol ) each head of the household should set aside a young male lamb which should be examined for blemishes which might disqualify it as an offering. Interestingly, this period of time allowed time for each family to become personally attached to their lamb, so that it would no longer simply be "a lamb" (Exod.

12:3) but rather their lamb" (Exod. 12:5). On the afternoon of the Nisan 14 the lambs were to be publicly sacrificed by the "whole assembly" (Exod. 12:6). And even though the entire nation was responsible for the death of the lambs, each family was to apply the blood of their personal lamb upon the doorpost as a sign of their faith in the Lord's deliverance (Exod. 12:7). The name Pesach (translated Passover) derives from the Hebrew word pasach (passed over) and refers to the sparing of the households of the faithful on account of the sacrificial blood of the lamb: It is the sacrifice of the LORD's Passover (pesach), for he passed over (pasach) the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt (Exodus 12:27) That night the meat of the sacrifice was to be roasted with unleavened bread and bitter herbs and eaten in haste, since the Jews were to be ready to begin their journey immediately after God smote the Egyptian firstborn sons. God "passed over" those homes whose doorposts were sprinkled with the blood of the passover lamb.

God further commanded that Passover be observed annually as a permanent reminder of the deliverance from Egypt. Only unleavened bread is to be eaten for seven days, and the first and seventh days of Pesach are to be days of holy assembly on which all work is forbidden. The Observance Of Passover After the Mashiach Yeshua came, the Temple was destroyed (AD 70) and Rabbinical Judaism eventually assumed leadership of the Jewish people. According to the rabbis, the idea of blood sacrifice was changed to mean "prayer and the performance of mitzvot." The rabbis then decreed that Passover should be commemorated by means of the Passover Seder , held on Nisan 15. Technically speaking, Passover is a one day holiday that recalls the deliverance of the LORD by means of the blood of the lambs, immediately followed by the seven day Feast of Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatzot). Modern Judaism, however, considers Passover to be an eight day holiday that remembers the birth of the Jewish people as a nation (and thus conflates Passover proper with Chag HaMatzot).

Today Jews celebrate Passover to commemorate the liberation of the descendants of Abraham from their prophesied slavery in Egypt (Gen. 15:13) under the leadership of Moses, but Christians and Messianic Jews also remember the sacrifice of Yeshua the Mashiach as the Lamb of God (seh Elohim) who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29, 36). This is the real meaning of Passover. Passover is to be celebrated at the full moon in the first month of the year, namely on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan (in spring). The English date varies from year to year, sometimes in March/April, based on the Jewish lunar calendar . Note that, like all other holidays, the day begins at sundown, so at twilight on Nisan 14 the holiday technically begins. This agrees with the commandment given in the Torah, "In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month at evening" (Exod. 12:18).

A Second Chance for Passover Note: A second chance for observing Passover, called Pesach Sheni, was provided for in the Torah ( Num. 9:9-12 ) to accommodate those who are ritually unclean for the seder. This second chance for the seder would occur one month later, on Iyyar 14. In the Torah, Passover is also called: Chag Ha-Aviv - The Spring Festival (Deut. 16:1) Chag HaMatzot - The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exod. 12:17-20) Chag HaPesach - The Festival of the Pascal Lamb (Num. 9:2) Among Rabbinically observant Jews, the liberation of the Jewish people is the keynote of the Passover season, and indeed Passover is often called zeman cheruteinu, the "season of our liberation." Jews remember the redemption of Israel as the herald of the future redemption of all mankind. As such, Passover is a Messianic holiday since the Messiah is the Redeemer of all humanity.

For Messianic Jews, Passover marks the liberation of the entire world from the bondage to the evil one (a type of Pharaoh who enslaves humanity) by the hand of One greater than Moses. Like the original Passover in Egypt, the sacrifice of the Lamb causes the wrath of God to "pass over" those who are trusting in the LORD's provision for redemption, but in the case of the sacrifice of the Mashiach Yeshua, this redemption delivers us from the cruel bondage of Satan and causes the wrath of God to forever be put away from us (baruch HaShem!).

Jewish tradition prescribes a number of rituals associated with the observance of Pesach, including the mitzvah of removing chametz (and abstaining from eating chametz during the seven days of Pesach), the mitzvah of preparing a Seder and reading from the Haggadah (liturgy), the mitzvah of hearing the Song of Songs (Shir HaShirim) read during the Sabbath during Passover week, and the mitzvah of beginning the study of the Hebrew classic Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers), reading a chapter a week until the festival of Shavu'ot (Pentecost). The Timeline of Passover There is a connection between Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread that is rooted in the redemptive actions of the LORD God of Israel during the Exodus. According to various Jewish sources, the basic timeline for the seven days of Passover are as follows: Nisan 1 - The Start of the Sacred Year On the first of Nisan, two weeks before the Exodus, the LORD showed Moses the new moon and commenced the divine lunar calendar. This is called Rosh Chodashim .

Nisan 15 - Passover Two weeks later, on a Thursday, God was ready to deliver the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt. Earlier that evening the Israelites kept the Passover Seder and sprinkled the blood of the lamb on their doorposts. At the stroke of midnight of Nisan 15 the LORD sent the last of the ten plagues on the Egyptians, killing all their firstborn.This was the breaking point for Pharaoh and Israel was "permitted" to leave Egypt. 600,000 adult males (plus the woman and children and a "mixed multitude") left Egypt and began the journey to Sinai under the leadership of Moses. Nisan 18 - Pharaoh Pursues Three days after the Exodus, and regardless of the plagues and devastation that befell Egypt, Pharaoh mobilized his army and pursued the Jews to bring them back. Perhaps this was the result of Pharoah realizing that the "three-day feast to the LORD" in the wilderness was a permanent escape from his clutches.... Nisan 20 - Pharaoh traps the Israelites Pharaoh's army trapped the Jewish people against the Sea of Reeds.

The Shekhinah Glory of the LORD intervened and blocked them from attack. Nisan 21 - the parting of the Sea The following day the LORD commanded Moses to order the Israelites to march directly into the waters of the sea. Nachshon ben Aminadav of the tribe of Judah was the first to jump into the sea; the water split, and "the children of Israel walked across on the dry land in the midst of the sea." When the Egyptians attempted to follow after them, the waters rushed back and drowned them. The Israelites celebrated their deliverance with the "Song at the Sea" in praise to the LORD. Note: For more information about the timeline given in Book of Exodus, see the following Torah portions: BBC Religion & Ethics - What are the main Jewish festivals? What are the main Jewish festivals? Branched candlesticks are used during Hanukkah As well as annual festivals, observant Jews keep a holy day each week, called the Sabbath or Shabbat , which occurs on Saturday. Work is forbidden on the Sabbath as well as on some Jewish holidays.

Adar I, leap years only (February-March) Adar, called Adar Beit in leap years (February-March) Jewish holidays are celebrated on fixed dates in the lunar Jewish calendar, but this calendar varies in relation to the solar calendar used in the west. This means that the holidays move around with relation to western dates. The Jewish calendar occasionally includes an extra month to keep it synchronised with the solar year, and sometimes days are moved around to make sure that the Sabbath does not coincide with certain festivals. Outside Israel, Jewish festivals sometimes last one day longer. This has an historical basis in the difficulties faced accurately determining the Jewish calendar based on the lunar cycle. Jews living outside Israel being unsure of a festival's exact date would celebrate for an extra day. Although dates can be calculated accurately now, many non-Israeli Jews still follow this practice. The Jewish day begins at sunset, which means that all Jewish holidays begin the evening before their western date. Rosh Hashanah (1-2 Tishri) Jews eat apples dipped in honey to symbolise hope for a sweet new year Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, when Jews believe God decides what will happen in the year ahead.

The synagogue services for this festival emphasise God's kingship and include the blowing of the shofar, a ram's horn trumpet. This is also God's time for judgement. Jews believe God balances a person's good deeds over the last year against their bad deeds and decides their fate accordingly. The 10 days beginning with Rosh Hashanah are known as the Days of Awe , during which Jews are expected to find all the people they have hurt during the previous year and apologise to them. They have until Yom Kippur to do this. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement (10 Tishri) The Day of Atonement is regarded as a sacred and solemn occasion, on which synagogue attendance is particularly important. On Yom Kippur Jews believe God makes the final decision on who will live, die, prosper and fail during the next year, and seals his judgement in the Book of Life. It is a day of fasting. Worship includes the confession of sins and asking for forgiveness, which is done aloud by the entire congregation.

Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles (15-21 Tishri) The book of Exodus tells the story of the Israelites' journey to the promised land. Sukkot commemorates these years spent wandering the desert, living in makeshift dwellings. For the duration of the festival Jewish families live in temporary huts called sukkot (singular: sukkah) that they build out of branches and leaves. Each day they hold celebrations with four types of plant: branches of palm, myrtle and willow and a citrus fruit called an etrog. Sukkot is intended to be a joyful festival that lets Jews live close to nature and know that God is taking care of them. Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah (22 Tishri; outside Israel Simchat Torah is 23 Tishri) Shemini Atzeret is an extra day after the end of Sukkot. Jews spend some time in their sukkah, but not as much, and without some of the rituals. Simchat Torah means "Rejoicing in the Torah". Synagogues read from the Torah every week, completing one read-through each year.

They reach the end on Simchat Torah and this holiday marks the completion of the cycle, to begin again the next week with Genesis. Hanukkah, or Chanukah (25 Kislev - 2 or 3 Tevet, depending on the length of Kislev) The story of Hanukkah is that of the "miracle of the oil". In 164 BC a group of Jews called the Maccabees recaptured Jerusalem from the occupying Syrian Greeks. When they came to rededicate the temple, they had only enough sacred oil to light the menorah (seven-branched candlestick) for one day. It is said that the candles stayed lit for eight days despite this. During the eight days of Hanukkah, Jews light one extra candle on a special nine-branched menorah, called chanukkiya, each night. They say prayers and eat fried foods to remind them of the oil. Some gifts are exchanged, including chocolate money and special spinning tops called dreidels. Tu B'Shevat (15 Shevat) Tu B'Shevat is the Jewish New Year for Trees. The Torah forbids Jews to eat the fruit of new trees for three years after they are planted.

The fourth year's fruit was to be tithed to the Temple. Tu B'Shevat was counted as the birthday for all trees for tithing purposes, like the beginning of a fiscal year. On Tu B'Shevat Jews often eat fruits associated with the Holy Land, especially the seven plants mentioned in the Torah: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. Planting trees is another tradition. Purim (14 Adar) Purim celebrates the events told in the Book of Esther, in which a wicked Persian nobleman named Haman plotted to murder all the Jews in the land. The Jewish heroine Esther, wife of the king Ahasuerus, persuaded her husband to prevent the massacre and execute Haman. Because Esther fasted before going to the king, Purim is preceded by a fast. On Purim itself, however, Jews are commanded to eat, drink a lot and celebrate. Almsgiving is also a very important Purim tradition. The Book of Esther is read in the synagogue and the congregation use rattles, cymbals and boos to drown out Haman's name whenever it appears.

Passover, or Pesach (15-21 Nissan) This is one of the most important Jewish festivals. During Passover , Jews remember the story of the Israelites liberation from slavery in Egypt. God unleashed ten plagues on the Egyptians, culminating in the death of every family's eldest son. God told the Israelites to sacrifice lambs and mark their doors with the blood to escape this fate. They ate the lambs with bitter herbs and unleavened bread (unrisen bread without yeast). These form three of the components of the family meal, called the seder, eaten by Jews on the first two nights of Passover. There are blessings, songs and other ingredients to symbolise parts of the story. During the meal the adults explain the symbolism to the children. Shavuot (6 Sivan) Shavuot , or the festival of Weeks, is a harvest festival. Historically, at this time of year the first fruits of the harvest were brought to the temples. Shavuot also marks the time that the Jews were given the Torah on Mount Sinai . Shavuot is marked by prayers of thanks for the Holy Book and study of its scriptures.

Customs include decorating synagogues with flowers and eating dairy foods. Tisha B'Av (9 Av) This is a day of commemoration for a series of tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people, some of which coincidentally happened on this day, for example the destruction of the first and second temples in ancient Jerusalem. Other tragedies are commemorated on this day, such as the beginning of World War I and the Holocaust. As Tisha B'Av is a day of mourning Jews observe a strict fast and avoid laughing, joking and chatting. Synagogues are dimly lit and undecorated and the Torah draped in black cloth. Share this page Religion in the UK illustrated with an interactive map Programmes An Overview of the Celebration of Passover in Jewish Tradition | Kibin An Overview of the Celebration of Passover in Jewish Tradition Sign Up & Access Essays Already a member? Login here Pages: 1 This preview is partially blurred. Sign up to view the full document. Sign Up & Access Essays Already a member? Login here End of preview Upgrade to view the full document This is an unformatted preview.

Sign up to view the full document End of preview Upgrade to view the full document PassoverOne of the major Jewish holidays is Passover This holiday commemorates the Jews liberation from slavery in Egypt which is told in the book of Exodus The word Passover comes from the idea that God passed over the houses of the Israelites when the firstborn sons of the Egyptians were killed The Jews marked their doorsteps with lambs blood to signify that they were children of God Passover is celebrated each spring for eight days during the month of Nisan on the Hebrew calendarAbout 3000 years ago the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians They were forced to do hard work with little food and they had no freedoms Moses was commanded by God to lead the Jews out of slavery Moses asked the Pharaoh to free the Jews Each time he refused and a plague fell on the Egyptians After the tenth plague in which the firstborn in every Egyptian house dies the Pharaoh agreed to let the Jews go They wandered in exile for forty years before they found their promised landPassover is celebrated by Jews all over the world to remember the first momentous event in Jewish history This year Passover begins on April 20th The most important night is the first night On the first night a special family

 meal called the Seder is held Symbolic foods such as matzo are eaten during the Seder Matzo is unleavened bread which is eaten because the Jews had to leave Egypt so fast that they didnt have time to wait for their bread to rise The meal is preceded by prayers and songs from the Haggadah The Haggadah tells the story of Passover and each person at the table reads from itDuring the Seder it is traditional for the youngest child to ask four questions The answers to these questions give the meaning of Passover The Passover ceremony includes the drinking of wine One cup of wine is set aside for the prophet @Kibin is a lifesaver for my essay right now!!

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Question: What Jewish celebration commemorates an event concerning children and lamb's blood?
Answer: Passover