Celebrations In Judaism

Celebrations in Judaism
Various accessories for the appointed times of Judaism (In clockwise candlesticks of Shabbat , keli (in background), Houmash , Tanakh , read pointer , shofar and box for etrog )
Sources halakhic
Texts in Jewish law relating to this article
Bible	Leviticus 23, Numbers 28-29
Babylonian Talmud	Order Moed
Mishna Torah	Sefer Zmanim
Shulchan Aruch	Orah Hayyim chap. 242-697
change

Celebrations and commemorations Jewish ( Hebrew : "the feasts of Israel and its appointed times") took about 150 days in the Jewish year.

While haggim (Hebrew: "celebrations", "festivals" or "pilgrimages") refers mainly in the Bible, the three stages of pilgrimage to the shrine , the moadim (Hebrew: "appointed times") are so More generally, the time set at any time by a temporal or spiritual authority to observe various rituals and customs of joy or fasting. They may be of religious, national, civic or community, is universally observed by all current Jews in the former case and only in some others.

These time set the pace for the life of Jew and make their mark on the Jewish culture, even secular, particularly in its expressions and its culinary tradition. They have mostly been established in commemoration celebrations or official state of Israel , in addition to days recently introduced.

In the Hebrew Bible

The Torah presents as "time set by God" ;

These feasts are to be marked by a cessation of activity more or less complete and the contribution of specific offerings. Three of them have the opportunity of a pilgrimage to the house of God and must be marked by joy while Yom Kippur is a day of "mortification of souls .

Other special days occur during the biblical story, including a festival to YHWH undated where girls are dancing round the vineyards and four fasts prescribed by the prophets after the destruction of the First Temple . Under the Achaemenid rule , the yemei hapourim (days spells) are instituted by the Sages of that time to celebrate the last minute cancellation of a decision fatal to the Jews .

In rabbinical literature

The Haggadah of Passover, which was developed at the time of the rabbis

Practical aspects and other times in the set are collected Seder Moed ("Time Set Agenda"), the second of six orders of Mishnah . Many points of law, insufficiently described by the Bible and the details of which were transmitted orally, as the identification of four species or the status of the second day of Passover are briefly but accurately recorded. There are also ceremonies prior to the Mishna, but lying for the first time in writing, as hoshaanot and the ceremony of libation of water , and others, probably developed at this time as seder Leil hapessa'h ("rite of the night of Passover") which replaces the traditional Paschal offering, which was abolished after the destruction of the Temple, and forget the name of biblical Chag hamatzot to that of Pesach (Passover) .

The Sabbath is considered the ultimate Moed and the paradigm of other moadim. The Sages will determine thirty-nine types of activities prohibited to comply with the requirement "you do (do) do no work" they widen with various measures to ensure the sanctity . They establish, however, some adjustments to the measures rabbinical order to make the people continue the practice . They perform the same for the other days, clearly defining the status of yom tov , examining what distinguishes it and that which approaches the Sabbath , and that of Chol Hamoed , intermediate days between two holy convocations during the festival unleavened bread and the tents .

The Sages set of additional dates are holidays that have not been explicitly in the Bible, set up some days, abandoning others and determine the rituals of all. Thus:

• four moments are designated as New Year this year. ^1, nissan, new year celebrations and years of reign, ¹ Elul, for animal tithes, Tishrei ^1, to count the years and ¹ or 15 Shevat for crops and plantations. Only on ¹ Tishrei, Yom Trou of the Bible, is widely known and celebrated today under the name of Rosh Hashanah as the ringing of the shofar which characterizes sounds to the rabbis as the announcement of the Divine Judgement of mankind his actions during the past year ;
• the yemei ha'hanoukka (days of the rebuilding of the altar offerings ) established following the revolt of the Maccabees are preserved because it is a miracle product visible to all and strengthening the faith of Israel . However, the days when it is forbidden to fast , most often established to commemorate some high-Hasmonean fact, are abandoned with the fall of the Second Temple . The rabbis also teach that it is forbidden to fast for Nissan, with the exception of seniors on the eve of Passover in memory of the plague of the firstborn ;
• the period of the omer between the day after the first day of Passover and Shavuot, once happy, is clouded by a mysterious plague hitting 24,000 disciples of Rabbi Akiva who suddenly stops at thirty-third day of period ;
• fasting lamenting the fall of the Temple of Solomon now also commemorate the Second Temple and is observed on 10 Tevet , the 17th of Tammuz , the 9th of Av and 3 Tishrei ;
• an auspicious day before the fall of the Temple, 15 BC , fades . In contrast, the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles , which had acquired a major keeps his .

The existence of many communities to more than ten days' march from Jerusalem Wise forced to adopt a second holiday in the Diaspora .

In medieval literature

The Middle Ages saw the emergence of a share of Karaism a Babylonian Jewish movement intends to rely solely on the Hebrew Bible which rejects the rabbinic ordinances (including those on fixed times) and also the revival of rivalries between knowledge centers and Babylonian Galilean . The Talmudic academies of Babylonia react vigorously abundant literature devoted to their standard orders. The calendar they adopt to determine the cycle of the Jewish year and its time is fixed in place until today. It provides new rejoicing at the second day of the Feast of the fence to celebrate the end and renewal of the annual cycle of Torah reading, as opposed to three-year cycle of reading from the land of Israel . Other measures, including the prescription of Shabbat and eat hot at parties contribute, together with local influences to shape a sustainable Jewish culture.

Various practices mentioned for the first time at the time of Geonim flourish in the Middle Ages, including the fasting in remembrance of that which had been decreed by Esther . Moreover, the Kabbalah , tradition of esoteric knowledge of the Elders, spreads irresistibly, despite the secrecy surrounding its transmission. It endows the festive new dimensions and new rites, sometimes completely reclaiming some moadim as Hoshanna Rabba and Tu B'Shvat .

Observance of moadim in Rabbinic Judaism

The times set are held on fixed dates in the Hebrew calendar fixed by Hillel II. However, the lunar-solar calendar of 354 days a Metonic cycle does not correspond to the Gregorian calendar and dates vary so moadim therein.

Time set by the Torah

The time set by the Torah ( Jewish Aramaic : moadim midorata), were characterized to the destruction of the Temples by unemployment more or less extended and additional offerings vary according to occasions. These are then replaced by a reading of the Torah and prayer services additional . Their adherence varies among streams of Judaism rabbinical scrupulous fidelity of Orthodox Judaism in the observance of the liberal Reconstructionist streams and reformed , the Conservative Judaism occupies an intermediate position . In addition, some communities observe the customs of, influenced by their original habitat.

Shabbat

Traditional Shabbat table for rishon Seoud (first Shabbat meal)

The Sabbath , the seventh day of the week (which, according to the Bible, begins on Sunday) is a holiday because it is God himself who has interrupted her creative work during the week of creation.

Any creative work is forbidden on Friday evening at sunset to exit out of the next day and any violation is theoretically punishable by voluntary retrenchment or spiritual killing. The liturgy includes many piyyutim (poems) and differentiating the psalms lay days. It is also during the morning prayer is read publicly the weekly section of the Torah and the prophetic books.

Three meals should be taken after the offices of the evening, morning and afternoon to honor the Sabbath and celebrate them and besides the traditional Challah (braided bread), two in number for the recall double portion of manna in the Exodus from Egypt , meat (served with couscous in communities from North Africa), fish ( fried in oil fashionable Andalusian or stuffed fashion Ashkenazi ) and wine (kosher) must be enthroned on the table. This requirement takes precedence over all fasting, voluntary or compulsory, with the exception of Yom Kippur , Shabbat Shabbaton ("Sabbath of chabbatot) .

Rosh Chodesh

Rosh Chodesh (the new moon) is celebrated on the last day of the month and day of it by an additional office before the Hallel (praise board) , except the month of Tishrei with the solemn celebration is inconsistent with the joy of praise .

Days annals

Christmas pilgrimage

Sukkah high during the festival of Sukkot, Ecouffes street in Paris

Celebrating Pesach in Ukraine in the nineteenth ^century

The three pilgrimage festivals, Pesach , Shavuot and Sukkot , commemorating both the Exodus from Egypt and the agricultural cycle. They are built on the same canvas liturgical (prayer service added, reading from the Torah and one of the five reels , Hallel), each also having a particular rite. Pesach is characterized by the Seder during or First nights (in diaspora) and an absolute exclusion of all leaven , the source of the most typical dishes of Jewish cuisine including the kneidlach balls, matza also consumed Shabbat. Shavuot is marked by a vigil of study and a preferential consumption of dairy products. Sukkot is marked by the requirement to stay in a tent covered with branches (or at least take his meals, if time permits) and the four species .

Passover and Sukkot is celebrated for a week while only the first few days are holidays, the intermediate days are subject to laws and specific statutes . On the second day of Passover , the counting of the Omer inaugurates a period of seven weeks (up to Shavuot), during which the demonstrations of joy are strongly discouraged, at least until Lag B'Omer . Sukkot, the seventh and final day Hoshanna Rabba , has acquired a solemnity equivalent to the Days of Awe, is itself immediately followed by a celebration of a day (two in the Diaspora ) called Shemini Atzeret. It is characterized by the abandonment of the sukkah, and especially by the celebration of Simchat Torah , celebrating the end of the annual cycle of reading. These festivities are held on the second day of Shemini Atzeret in the Diaspora .

Days of Awe

Rosh Hashanah , the Jewish New Year, is a day of trial preceded by a penitential period beginning in the month of Elul , during which the Sephardim recite penitential poems (Ashkenazi Jews do not begin until the week before Rosh Hashanah). Celebrated for two days in the land of Israel as in the diaspora, it is marked by the sounding of the shofar and various propitiatory ceremonies as Tashlikh , symbolic return of sins in the depths of a water point. However, the party is not totally devoid of joy, Jews affirming their confidence in God by dressing in their finest attire and taking food where, like bread or apples dipped in honey, sweetness predominates . Other foods are consumed auspicious including spinach , originally the bkala Tunisia. The ten days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are a time of introspection and reconciliation with others. Some communities also observe the custom of kapparot , "offering" a cock in propitiation by replacing .

Yom Kippur , the Day of Atonement, day off also imperative that the Sabbath is marked by fasting (25 hours) and deprivation (bathing pleasure, wearing leather and marital relations are forbidden). The imposing worship that stood on this day at the time of the Temple, including sending a goat to Azazel and culminating with the interview of High Priest of Israel with God in the Holy of Holies only exist the Treaty Yoma who described and the five prayer services of the day, devoted entirely to repent . Given the solemnity of the day, we do not read the Hallel but it also omits the Tahanoun , Office of supplication .

Time set by the rabbis

Pilgrimage to Meron, 1920

The time fixed by the rabbis (Jewish Aramaic: moadim miderabbanan) celebrate a special miracle or a chance to celebrate before God not mentioned in the Bible. For this reason, we do not read the Tahanoun and eulogies are prohibited .

Hanukkah , festival of praise and thanksgiving , celebrating the miracle of the cruse of oil , a small flange that is enough to power the candelabrum of the Temple for eight days while the amount was enough for just one day. Therefore, an eight-branched candelabrum is lit at the main window each night to "publish the miracle" and the Hallel is recited during a short week after Thanksgiving has been inserted in prayer .

On 15 Shevat , designated by the rabbis as a date for calculating various requirements for fruit, becomes in France the opportunity for the exiles to remember the land of Israel by eating dried fruits derived therefrom. This custom is imported in the land of Israel even by the Kabbalists of Safed, making it a ritual meal in its own right .

The feast of Purim , although celebrating the events recounted in the Book of Esther , the last book of the Hebrew Bible, was established by the Elders and is therefore regarded as a rabbinic holiday. The requirements of Esther and Mordecai to make great feasting, exchanging gifts and help the needy, the rabbis loved reading the Book of Esther itself. Many customs of joyful exuberance develop later, up to the adoption of the Italian carnival masquerading inspired by .

Lag B'Omer marks the end of torment at the time of the Mishna and is also considered the day of the hiloula ("marriage" with the heavens, that is to say, death) of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai , great figure of Kabbalah. This gives rise to annual pilgrimages to Mount Meron in the place of burial .

Fasting

Jews during the three weeks

The 9th of Av , commemorating the destruction of both Temples, is marked by the same privations as Yom Kippur, but he is devoted to mourning and not atonement. Therefore, you do not read on this day that kinnot , elegies mourning the Temples (including the Book of Lamentations ) and the tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people since, like the killing of the spiritual leaders of several generations , the cremation of the Talmud in Paris , the expulsion of Jews from Spain and the Holocaust . The day of destruction is called Moed, we do not read paradoxically Tahanoun .

Other fasts, whether prophetic institution like 10 Tevet , the 17th of Tammuz and 3 Tishrei or rabbinic as fast of Esther and that of the first-born , last only from sunrise to sunset. They come with no restriction of activity (which remains discouraged) and can not, including 9 BC, take precedence over the Sabbath. The three-week period between 17 Tammuz and the 9th of Av is a period of mourning , in which can not stand the festivities "natural" as the Sabbath and circumcision of a child but not weddings. Pious people abstain from meat and wine , except in specified cases, no longer heal their appearance and not wash their clothes more .

Samaritans, after one of their pilgrimage on Mount Gerizim

Observance of moadim traditions in non-rabbinic

Furthermore Rabbinic Judaism, various currents based on the Bible or at least the first six books, draw different interpretations. The Samaritans are unaware of the celebrations and commemorations postexilic / Sup> while the Karaites reject rabbinic innovations (but watch their version of Purim) .

These currents do not follow the calculation of the calendar made by Rabbinites: Samaritans adopt a different calendar Metonic while the Karaites determine the lunar cycle by direct observation of the conjunction lunar new year and by observing the germination of wheat . Therefore, their celebrations do not generally fit in the Gregorian calendar.

On the other hand, the breakdown of the 'omer, initiated by Rabbinites after the feast of Passover, is the day after the Sabbath following Passover by the Samaritans and the Karaites and the last day of Passover by Beta Esral . There is also disagreement on the issue of pilgrimage: the Samaritans continue, despite the destruction of their temple on Mount Gerizim , to make a pilgrimage there and realize the Paschal offering , as well as Beta Esral in Ethiopia, while Jews Karaites and await the rebuilding of the Temple ^, .

Finally, each stream has own ordinances and observances: if Jews and Samaritans to give some chabbatot particular importance, these are chabbatot four between Purim and Passover for the first while tsimmot of Passover and Sukkot are chabbatot taking place about fifty days before the two parties, specific second . The Beta Esral celebrate the Sigd , celebrating the actions of Ezra and Nehemiah in the month of Heshvan and observe, and the Karaites, many other Jews fasting unknown .

Modern Observances of moadim

The Haskalah , a movement of emancipation of the Jews in the Age of Enlightenment, significantly disrupts the data and their spirit of Christmas. Indeed, it could further enhancements made to the tradition, it is for most of his followers pretext to break with it, either through the reform of Judaism or Zionism , secular and nationalist redefinition because Jewish .

Barack Obama celebrates his first seder at the White House in 2009

Proponents of reform are mostly located in Germany and the United States. They want to initially keep only Judaism as its moral core and exclude aspects incompatible with modernity. Various waves of immigration would lead them to reconsider their position but their liberal ideology strongly permeates American Judaism, of which only a minority wants to keep more or less faithfully, the requirements . Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover and Hanukkah remain popular festivals but they meet some or even much more of a need to assert that cultural desire to maintain the tradition . For many, Hanukkah has indeed become the Jewish response to Christmas and New Year Christian , with gifts and, for some, decorating a "Hanukkah bush" imitating the Christmas tree . More traditional events, however, continue to be observed, including in the upper-echelons of power: a candle lighting the Hanukkah takes place at the White House since 2001 and several presidents (Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush Sr.) was are posted at public celebrations. The White House is still a Passover seder annual.

celebration of Yom Haatzma'out in Israel

The Zionism of the first time, embodied in the kibbutzim , collective agricultural facilities, and imbued with the ideals of return to land and regeneration of the Jews, intends to return to country festivals described in the Books of Judges and Kings, before the establishment of temple. Are therefore retained as agricultural fairs, that is to say, the three pilgrimage festivals, Tu B'Shvat and Tu Beav, celebrated the glory of man more than God's. The feasts, adverse balance of Jewish diasporic awaiting salvation from God, are put away or denied, some even eat pork on Yom Kippur. In contrast, Hanukkah and Lag Ba omer become symbols of Jewish heroism, giving rise to bonfires and sporting events ^, .

After the creation of the state of Israel in 1948, the anniversary of the declaration of Israeli independence and the reunification of Jerusalem holidays are proclaimed by the government , while the days are set up memorials for victims of the Holocaust and of terrorism .

However, the model is eroding the Zionist left, as in new generations from the kibbutz than in those of immigration, often attached to their traditions . Alongside the public fiercely secular and Orthodox emerges religious Zionism ideologically detached, showing the Zionist ideas compatible with traditional Judaism. This current, represented by the Grand Rabbinate of Israel, including major Israeli military victories in his calendar as yemei hoda (days of recognition) and celebrated on the liturgical model Hanukkah . However, he prefers to remember the victims of the Holocaust on 10 Tevet rather than the date of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising chosen by the government since the revolt took place in Nissan, which tradition considers unsafe for bereavement .

The order of the Administrative Procedures and Law, first adopted by the Knesset in 1948, decreed that the time set by the Torah (but not the time fixed by the rabbis) and days as fixed by parliamentary vote dates of celebration or commemoration of national holidays are mandatory and it is forbidden to employ a Jew . As for Israeli holidays, they are observed outside Israel by Jews giving credence to Zionism, secular or religious movements including Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed and Reconstructionist U.S. but not the Lubavitcher Hasidim who, like the Most Haredim continue to say the Tahanoun (Office of supplications) in those days . Some staunch opponents of Zionism, whose Netourei Karta , going so far as to declare days of mourning . The Karaites , mostly living in Israel, have integrated national holidays in their calendar .

The state of Israel has also granted the status of national holidays in some community celebrations observed by a slice of the significant Jewish population in Israel, including the Mimouna Moroccan Jews , the Sigd of Beta Esral and Seharane Jews Kurdish (although the celebration of it has been moved to the calendar so as not to compete Mimouna ). More recently, days were instituted to commemorate the birth of Theodor Herzl, the death of Vladimir Jabotinsky and the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin .

Echoes of moadim in Christianity and Islam

Fixed times of the Bible, Christianity seems to have retained the Sabbath (which most churches no longer observe the seventh but the first day of the week ), Passover (Pesach) and Pentecost (Shavuot ) while Sukkot is gradually forgotten (a pedigree is widely accepted however Hoshanna Rabba between Palm Sunday and ). The "fasting "(Yom Kippur) and the penitential period that precedes it seem to occur in several parts of Eastern Christian calendar . The Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), although mentioned in the Christian canon disappears because according to Christian doctrine, the Temple of the Maccabees spiritual vacuum was replaced by the Church . Observed at a different date in the Jewish calendar, the holidays are reinterpreted in a Christian perspective (offering Easter is Jesus, the first fruits of the harvest early Christians, etc..) While away their ritual practices as the original and when the councils that seek to emancipate its Jewish origins of Christianity .
Recently, some movements have begun to celebrate the biblical celebrations (Passover, Sukkot, etc..) On the date of the rabbinic calendar to get closer to the Jewish roots of Christianity or emphasis to the Christian message .

Islam has also kept the Sabbath (observed on Friday) and the Days of Awe (now in practice the Muslim Ramadan ) and, perhaps, the seventh day of Passover in the form of Ashura .

References

Notes

External Links

• (In) List of fixed times on Orthodox Union (includes Israeli holidays)
• (In) List of time set on Chabad.org (do not include them)
• Category "Celebrations" of a site responsible for Francophone online on Cheela.org

Bibliography

• Encyclopedic Dictionary of Judaism [ retail editions ]
• Ernest Gugenheim , Judaism in everyday life (Volume I), coll. Presences of Judaism, ed. Albin Michel, Paris, 1992, ISBN 2-226-05868-0.
• (In) Eliyahu Kitov , The Book of Our Heritage, Feldheim Publishers Ltd.., Jerusalem 1978

Celebrations and commemorations throughout the Jewish year
Articles	Shabbat new moons Christmas pilgrimage Days of celebration and feast half days formidable days of recognition
Traditional festivals	Rosh Hashanah Fast of Gedaliah Yom Kippur Sukkot and Hoshanna Rabba Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah Hanukkah Fast of Tevet ten Tu B'Shvat Four parashiyot Purim Pesach Lag Ba omer Shavuot Fast of ten Tammuz-seven Tisha Beav Tu Beav The month of Elul
Modern celebrations	Yom Hazikaron leYitzhak Rabin Yom Hazikaron laShoah oulaGvoura Yom Hazikaron lehalalei my arkhot Israel Yom Ha atzmaout Yom Herzl Yom Yerushalayim Yom Hazikaron leZeev Jabotinsky
Local celebrations	Seharane Sigd Liberation Day Nittel nacht Seoudat Yitro Fast of seven adar Purim Sheni Education Day and sharing Mimouna Yom Hazikaron lenissfim beSoudan
See also	Order Moed

Jewish life
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Version of January 11, 2011 This article has been accepted as "good article", that is to say that it meets quality standards for style, clarity, relevance, citation of sources and illustration.

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