Importance of Jewish Holidays & Festivals
What are Jewish Holidays? •
Jewish holidays are observed by Jews during a year. Every year, these are celebrated with full of joy and happiness.
•
These holy days are beautiful in the sense that God gave them to Israel in order to relate with him.
•
Believers can relate to these holidays because they foreshadow what God is going to do in the future.
Hanukkah It is popularly known as Festival of Lights and Feast of Dedication, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the re-dedication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabees Revolt against the Seleucid Empire of the 2nd century BCE. The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a unique candelabrum, the nine-branched menorah or hanukiah, one additional light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night.
• Origin: God rested on the 7th day of creation • Begins at sunset on Friday and lasts until sunset on Saturday • Jews are required to refrain from many activities: driving, answering the phone, turning on an electric light etc. • A day of worship and celebration • A time to study Torah and provide services • Special foods are prepared before the onset of the Sabbath • The traditional purpose of the Sabbath was a compassionate one: it was to allow everyone, even slaves and animals, regular rest.
Rosh Hashanah • • • • • •
Jewish New Year Is observed for two days A religious event involving both festivities and serious contemplation Reflection on the deeds of the past year and on the need for redemption The shofar, ram’s horn, is blown It produces a solemn tone of warning to remind people that they stand before God.
• • •
• • •
Day of atonement = community ritual To atone means to make up for one’s faults This day has traditionally been kept by prayer and strict fasting, with no food or drink during the entire day a day deeply personal and solemn It emphasizes repentance through confession of sin Confessions are said as a group= Unity
• • • • • • • •
Reminder of the harvest Festival of Booths (shelters) In early days it was common for families to sleep outdoors in the fields during the autumn harvest seasonwhich enabled them to begin work in the fields early, to stay late, and to protect what they have harvested Eating or sleeping in the shelters came to symbolize the period of wandering in the desert, before the Israelites entered the land of Canaan A sukkah (Hebrew for shelter) is a shelter made of light wood it is set up in or near the home It is commonly decorated with branches and fruits
• • • • • • • •
Recalls the story of Ester Ester becomes a queen She finds out that Haman is turning the king against the Jews Haman wants the king to kill the Jews Ester risks her life when she goes to the king’s court without permission She saves the Jewish people from the destruction Aka Feast of Lots Customary to have carnivals and masquerade parties
• • •
Aka Passover Commemorates the Escape from Egypt The blood of the lamb killed for the Passover meal was placed over the doors of the Hebrews keeping the angel of death from entering their homes while the power of God “passed over” Egypt
• • • •
Jewish Pentecost Aka feast of weeks Moses receives the 10 Commandments Birthday of the Jewish religion
Shavuot = Pentecost
MJBI is one of the oldest and highly reputed institute offering various academic programs with a strong emphasis in Theology studies. The Messianic Jewish Bible Institute (MJBI) was formed in 1995. For the Jew follower its good to be in touch with MJBI. They have a lot of information and arrangements to spend your great holidays at religious places of Jews and Christians. Learn about the Jewish holiday including its meaning, dates and giving of Torah. Rejoice the ancient festival custom for the continuation and preservation of religious observance. For more information, explore our website now.
PO Box 610105 Dallas Texas 75261 Call us: (817)864-9300 Fax: 817.864.9304 http://mjbi.org/