Jewish Festivals
Jewish Religious Festivals, Fast Days, and Memorial Days
Jewish Calendar:
In the Jewish calendar, the days are reckoned from sunset to sunset, the months are calculated
according to the moon, and the years according to the sun. As the lunar year consists of about
354 days and the solar year has about 365 days, the lunar cycle must be adjusted yearly to the
solar calendar in order that Passover should always fall in the "month of Abib" (Deut. 16:1).
Without this modification, the festival of Passover would come eleven days earlier each year
until its celebration would be in the winter months. This adjustment is made by having a leap
year seven times in each nineteen-year cycle - years 3, 6, 8, 11, 14, 17 and 19, a leap year
being the intercalation of an extra month of Adar (Adar Sheni) into the calendar.
(This nineteen-year cycle is a cycle of 235 synodic months after which the phases of the moon
recur on the same day of the month, after Meton, a 5th-century B.C. Athenian astronomer)
in which an additional month is added after Shevat.
In a leap year this additional month Adar Rishon (first Adar) is intercalated between Shevat and
Adar, and the later is known as Adar Sheni (second Adar).
The year according to biblical reckoning begins with Nisan, and the civil year begins with Tishri;
the years are numbered from Tishri.
The year 5749 (1988 - 1989) marked the beginning of a new nineteen-year cycle.
The months in their biblical order are Nissan (Aviv - spring), Iyyar (Ziv - glory), Sivan,
Tammuz, Av, Elul, Tishri (Etanim - strength), (Mar)heshvan (Bul - produce), Kislev, Tevet,
Shevat and Adar.
The present calendar was instituted by the patriarch Hillel II in the year 358. The Jewish
year is calculated by adding 3760 to the civil year, and conversely, the civil year is
obtained by subtracting 3760 from the Jewish year, i.e. time is reackoned from 3761 B.C.
The main dates in the Jewish calendar, including those associated specifically with the State
of Israel, are arranged in the following order:
Rosh ha-Shanah (Tishri, 1)
Fast of Gedaliah (Tishri, 3)
Yom Kippur (Tishri, 10)
Succot (Tishri, 15)
Hoshana Rabbah (Tishri, 22)
Shemini Atzeret (Tishri, 22)
Simhat Torah (Tishri, 23)
Hanukkah (Kislev, 25)
Asarah be-Tevet (Tevet, 10)
Tu bi-Shevat (Shevat, 15)
Fast of Esther (Adar, 13)
Purim (Adar, 14)
Passover (Nisan, 15)
Memorial Day for the Victims of the Hollocaust and its Heroes (Nisan, 27)
Remembrance Day for Fallen Soldiers (Iyyar, 4)
Israel Independence Day (Iyyar, 5)
Lag ba-Omer (Iyyar, 18)
Jerusalem Day (Iyyar, 28)
Shavuot (Sivan, 6)
Fast of Seventeenth Tammuz (Tammuz, 17)
Tishah be-Av (Av, 9)
see below
The biblical order of the months:
Nisan
First month of the Jewish calendar (Ex. 12:2), though the seventh from the beginning of the
Hebraic civil year. The name appears in the Bible only in Esther 3:7 and Nehemiah 2:1;
elsewhere it is referred to as "the month of Abib (Spring) (Ex. 13:4, 23:15, 34:18;
Deut. 16:1). The month always contains 30 days.
According to one tradition the Creation occured in the month of Nisan. It is also the month
in which the biblical patriarchs were born, Moses led the Jews out of Egypt, and the final
redemption is to take place (TB. RH 11a). In biblical times, kings reckoned the years of
their reign from the first of Nisan. If a king mounted the throne on the previous day, then
the Ist of Nisan marked the beginning of the "second year" of his reign. It is customary
during the entire month of Nisan to refrain from reciting tahanun (supplication) prayers,
eulogies and memorial prayers.
Some notable dates:
1st - Tabernacle was completed in the wilderness
14th - Paschal sacrafice was offered in biblical times.
14th - Beginning of the Warsaw Ghetto Revolt (1943)
15th-21st - (in the Diaspora (exile) 15-22) - Passover
27th - Memorial Day to the Victimes of the Holocaust
Iyyar
Second month of the Jewish calendar, though the eighth from the beginning of the Hebraic
civil year. The Bible calls it Ziv (radience) (I Kg. 6:1, 6:37), and it is referred to as
Iyyar in the Talmud (RH 1:3). The month always consists of 29 days.
Some notable dates:
5th - Israel's Independence Day, 5708 (14 May 1948)
14th - Pesah Sheni (Second Passover) in the Temple period
18th - Lag b-Omery
28th - Jerusalem Day
Sivan
Third month of the Jewish calendar, though the ninth from the beginning of the Hebraic
civil year. The name appears in the Bible only in Esther 8:9. The month always contains 30 days.
Some notable dates:
6th - Festival of Shavuot (Pentecost or Feast of Weeks), (in the Diaspora (exile) also on the 7th)
Tammuz
Fourth month of the Jewish calendar, though the tenth from the beginning of the Hebraic
civil year. It is mentioned once in the Bible in reference to the Babylonian god (Ezek. 8:14);
in the Talmud it appears frequently as the name of the month. The month always consists of 29 days.
Some notable dates:
17th - Fast of Seventeeth Tammuz (Shivah Asar be-Tammuz), a day of national mourning
Av
Fifth month of the Jewish calendar, though the eleventh from the beginning of the Hebraic
civil year. The name first appears in Jewish sourses in Megillat Ta'anit of the talmudic
period (third to fifth centuries), but appears earlier in Assyrian inscriptions, apparently
referring to spring and meaning "fresh growth". The month always contains 30 days.
As many national calamities occured in Av, primarily the destruction of both Temples on the
ninth of the month, it is called Menahem (consoler) Av, expressing the hope that God
will make it a month of consolation, or in reference to the tradition that the Messiah,
God's agent for the final redemption, was or will be born during this month. "When Av arrives,
gladness is diminished," say the talmudic sages (Ta'an. 4:6). Hence, celebration is severely
curtailed until after the ninth of Av. During these nine days amusements, bathing for pleasure,
business dealings, new construction, planting and nonvital repairs are avoided; meat is not
eaten and wine not drunk except on Sabbath and at a se'udat mitzah repast.
Some notable dates:
1st - Aaron dies (Num. 33:38)
9th - Tishah be-Av, day of national mourning
9th - The destruction of the First Temple (586 BCE)
9th - The destruction of the Second Temple (70 CE)
9th - Jerusalem razed by Hadrian (132 CE)
9th - Bethar falls as Bar Kokhba revolt is crushed (135 CE)
9th - England expels the Jews (1290)
9th - Spain expels the Jews (1492)
9th - Jews of Rome enclosed in ghetto (1555)
10th - France expels the Jews (1306)
Elul
Sixth month of the Jewish calendar, though the twelth from the beginning of the Hebraic
civil year. Its name appears only once in the Bible (Neh. 6:15). The month always consists
of 29 days.
As Elul immediately precedes the Days of Awe, it is a month of repentence in which special
prayers (selihot) are said and the shofar is sounded at the weekday shaharit
morning service. In the Sephardi rites, selihot are recited daily throughout the month, whereas
Ashkenazim recite them only during the week before Rosh ha-Shanah. Shah
Tishri
Seventh month of the Jewish calendar, though the first from the beginning of the Hebraic
civil year. In the Bible it is referred to as "the month of Ethanim", the month of natural forces
(I Kg. 8:2). The expression is possibly a reference to the winds that are expected to bring the
season's first rains, or to the torrents that are supposed to fill the wadis in Eretz Israel at
this time of year. The name "Tishri", from the Akkadian root meaning "to begin", first appears
in Jewish sourses in the Talmud. The month always consists of 30 days.
Rosh ha-Shanah, the 1st of Tishri, never falls on a Sunday, Wednesday or Friday, in order that
Yom Kippur should never fall on a Friday or Sunday and Hoshana Rabbath should not fall on the
Sabbath.
Some notable dates:
1st and 2nd - Rosh ha-Shanah
3rd - Feast of Gedaliah
10th - Yom Kippur
10th - Expulsion of the Jews from Paris (1394)
10th - Yom Kippur War begins (1973)
15th - Seven day festival of Succot begins
21st - Hoshana Rabbah
22nd - Shemini Atzeret (also Simhat Torah in Eretz Israel)
Heshivan (Marheshivan)
Eighth month of the Jewish calendar, though the second from the beginning of the Hebraic
civil year. The Bible calls it "the month of the Bul" (I Kg. 6:38) in reference to the bountiful
harvests associated with the season. The name Heshivan first appears in Jewish sourses in talmudic
literature and Josephus (Ant. 1,3,3). It is often referred to as Marheshivan, i.e. with the
prefix "mar". The term "mar" is thought to mean "a drop" and relates to the month as the beginning
of the rainy season. The month sometimes has 29 days, somtimes 30.
Some notable dates:
16th - the destruction of synagogues in Nazi Germany and Austria on Reichskristallnacht (9/10
November 1938)
There are no festivals or fast days in Heshivan. In that respect it is unique.
Kislev
Ninth month of the Jewish calendar, though the third from the beginning of the Hebraic
civil year. It is mentioned in the Bible (Zech. 7:1; Neh. 1:1). The month sometimes has 29 days,
somtimes 30.
According to the Talmud, "If rains have not fallen by the 1st of Kislev, three public fasts are
decreed" (TB. Ta'an. 10a).
Some notable dates:
17th - U.N. General Assembly decides on partition of Palestine (29 November 1947)
22nd - State of Israel declares Jerusalem its capital (1949)
24th - Building of the Second Temple (Haggai 2:18)
24th - Brutish capture of Jerusalem (8 December 1917)
25th - Festival of Hanukkah begins
Tevet
Tenth month of the Jewish calendar, though the fourth from the beginning of the Hebraic
civil year. Although it is mentioned in the Bible its meaning is obscure (Esth. 2:16). The
month always consists of 29 days.
The last two or three days of Hanukkah fall at the beginning of Tevet (depending on the length
of the preceding month, Kislev).
Some notable dates:
10th - Asarah be-Tevet. A day of fasting and mourning, marking the start of the siege of
Jerusalem by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar (588 BCE)
10th - General Kaddish day. Memorial day for the victims of the Holocaust whose day of death
is unknown, set by the Israeli Chief Rabbinate (1949)
19th- Keren Kayemet le-Israel (Jewish National Fund) established, 5662 (1901)
20th - Maimonides dies (1204)
23rd - Portugal expels its Jewish population (1496)
Shevat
Eleventh month of the Jewish calendar, though the fifth from the beginning of the Hebraic
civil year. The name appears once in the Bible (Zech. 1:7). The month always consists of 30
days.
Some notable dates:
15th - Tub-Shevat, the New Year for Trees
15th - First Knesset convenes, 5709 (1949)
18th - Knesset elects Chaim Weizmann as first president of the State of Israel.
Adar
Twelth month of the Jewish calendar, though the sixth from the beginning of the Hebraic
civil year. The name appears in the Bible in Ezra 6:15 and seven times in Esther. In a leap year,
the intercalcated month is called Adar Sheni (Second Adar or Adar II) and the regular
month Adar Rishom (First Adar or Adar I). Events occuring in Adar - such as Purim,
Bar-Bat Mitzvah, and the like - are celebrated in Adar II; however, the yahrzeit of
someone who died in an ordinary Adar is marked in Adar I (although, because there is a
difference of opinion, some will say Kaddish also in Adar II). An ordinary Adar always
contains 29 days, Adar I always contains 30 days, and Adar II 29 days.
"When Adar arrives people
should increase gladness" (TB. Ta'an. 29a) - because of the Purim deliverance that occured in
that month. In Adar the half shekel was collected from the public for Temple and related purposes;
the forbidden kilayim grafted crops were uprooted; repairs were begun on roads and on water
sources damaged by rain, to make them fit for the Passover pilgrims to Jerusalem.
Some notable dates:
1st - Shekel campaign begun in Temple period
7th - Birth and Death of Moses; marked as yahzeit of all persons whose burial place is
unknown, and, in Israel, of the "Unknown Soldiers."
13th - Fast of Esther
14th - Purim
15th - Shushan Purim
Jewish Calendar - Religious Festivals, Fast Days and Remembrance Days:
5758
Tevet
Shevat
Adar Rishon
Adar (Sheni)
Nisan
Iyyar
Sivan
Tammuz
Av
Elul
Tishri
Heshivan
Kislev
5758
|
Asarah be-Tevet: 10. Tevet
Tu bi-Shevat: 15. Shevat
Ta'anit Esther: 13. Adar
Purim: 14. Adar
Pesah: 22. Nisan (22.-29. April)
Yom Hashoa: 27. Nisan (8. May)
Yom ha-Zikkaron le-Hallelei Ma'arkhot Yisrael: 4. Iyyar
Yom ha-Atzma'ut: 5. Iyyar
Lag ba-Omer: 18. Iyyar
Yom Yerushalayim: 28. Iyyar
Shavuot: 6./7. Sivan (11./12. June)
Shaivah Asar be-Tammuz: 17. Tammuz
Tishah be-Av: 9. Av
Rosh ha-Shanah: 1./2. Tishri (2. October)
Tzom Gedaliah: 3. Tishri
Yom Kippur: 10. Tishri (11. October)
Succot: 15.-22. Tishri (16.-23. October)
Hoshana Rabbah: 22. Tishri
Shemini Atzeret: 22. Tishri
Simhat Tora: 23. Tishri
Hanukka: 25. Kislev
|
1999
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
January
1999
|
Religious Festivals, Fast Days, and Memorial Days in the Hebrew civil year:
Rosh ha-Shanah: New Year (Tishri, 1./2.)
Holiday marking the Jewish New Year. According to the Bible (Tanakh), the date of Rosh ha-shanah
is the first of the Hebrew month of Tishri, and the holiday lasts one day. It can fall only on
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sabbaths. The one practice unique to Rosh ha-shanah is the
sounding of the shofar, in accord with the biblical command "... it is a day when the
horn is sounded" (Num. 29:1). Since it falls on the first day of the month, when new months were
proclaimed by the Sanhedrin on the basis of the testimony of witnesses there existed an
uncertainty as to when exactly Rosh ha-Shanah would be. Even when the Temple stood, it was
sometimes necessary to celebrate two days of Rosh ha-Shanah due to the late arrival of witnesses.
As a result it was decided to celebrate two days every year.
Thus, unlike other holidays, the celebration of Rosh ha-shanah for two days is not related to the
Diaspora (exile) at all. It was rather a function of procedural problems connected to the Sanhedrin
in Eretz Israel and its hearing of testimony for the declaration of the new month.
Accordingly, the second day of Rosh ha-Shanah was not considered as the "second day of the Diaspora"
but rather both days were regarded as one long day (yom arikhta). In consequence, the two days of
Rosh ha-Shanah, with regard to a number of halakhic considerations are considered to be one unit.
The biblical name for Rosh ha-Shanah is Yom Teru'ah, "the day of blowing the shofar".
The "shofar" is made of the horn of a ram, and three different types of sound are prescribed by
the halakhah. The teki'ah is a long unbroken sound, the shevarim consists of
three sounds of intermediate length; and the teru'ah is a series of short notes sounded in
rapid succession. The above sounds are produced in varios combinations. The shofar is not sounded
when Rosh ha-Shanah falls on the Sabbath. Rosh ha-shanah, is also known as yom ha'din, "the
day of judgement", when according to thec Talmud, God determines who will be inscribed in the
"book of life" and who will be inscribed in the "book of death" for the coming year. The decision
is made on Rosh ha-Shanah and sealed ten days later at the conclusion of Yom Kippur. One's behaviour
in the interim can alter a harsh decree, thus the period from the beginning of Rosh ha-shanah to the
conclusion of Yom Kippur is known as the Ten Days of Repentance (Aseret Yemei Teshuvah).
During the Middle Ages, it also became common to refer to Rosh ha-Shanah and Yom Kippur as the
Days of Awe (yamim nora'im), a title which is still in general use.
The holiday opens with the lighting of candles in the house. After the Arvit service in
the synagogue, it is customary for worshippers to wish one another le-Shanah tovah tehatem
ve-tikatev (May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year). It is traditional to eat
bread and apples dipped in honey followed by the meditation, "May it be Your will to grant
us a good and sweet year."
On the first day of Rosh ha-Shanah, the account of the birth of Isaac (Gen. 29) is read, and on
the second day, the Akedah story or the "Bindind of Isaac" is the Torah reading. The
Amidah of the Musaf service of Rosh ha-Shanah is the longest of the year and
contains a three-part unique portion known as Malkhuyyot, Zikhronot and Shofarot
(Kingship, Remembrance and Shofar). Each one of these sections contains verses relevant to its
theme selected from the Pentateuch, Prophets, and Hagiographa. In Malkhuyyot, God is
proclaimed King of the Universe, Zikhronot notes that God remembers all His creaturs, and
that nothing that they do is hidden from Him, Shofarot mentions the Sinai revelation,
which was accompanied by the sounding of the shofar, and looks forward to the coming of
the Messiah, who will also be heralded by the sound of the shofar.
In Ashkenazi communities, a special custom known as Tashlikh is fairly popular, and
invokes the recitation of biblical verses and a prayer near a body of water. It is performed on
the first day of Rosh ha-Shanah unless the first day falls on the Sabbath, in which case it is
deferred to the second day. The custom symbolizes purification of sin in the water.
Fast of Gedaliah (Heb. Tzom Gedaliah) (Tishri, 3)
Mentioned in the Bible (Zec. 8:19) as the "fast of the seventh month", it commemorates the
death of Gedaliah son of Ahikam, assasinated on the third of Tishri (582 BC) by Ishmael son
of Nethaniah of the royal family. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had appointed Gedaliah
governor of the Jews who remained in Eretz Israel after the destruction of the First Temple.
After he was murdered, large numbers of the people fled to Egypt (Jer. 40 and 41), and the
last vestige of Jewish autonomy in Judah came to an end. The sages established the fast in
"order to demonstrate that the death of the righteous is equivalent to the destruction of
the Temple, which is also commemorated by the fast" (Rosh ha-Shanah 18b).
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) (Tishri, 10)
A festival declared in the Torah as a day of atoning for sins, observed on the tenth of
Tishri. It is the holiest of all the festivals, described in the Bible as, "It shall be a
sabbath of complete rest for you" (Lev. 23:32). Eating, drinking, washing or anointing the body,
wearing leather shoes, and marital relations are all forbidden on the Day of Atonement (Yoma 8:1).
This is the only fast which can take place on the Sabbath.
The Day of Atonement concludes the Ten Days of Repentance which begin on Rosh ha-Shanah and is
regarded as the day on which ones fate is sealed for the coming year.
At one time the Temple ritual performed by the high priest on the Day of Atonement was the most
important event of the whole year. It was the only time he entered the Holy of Holies in order
to atone for the sins of the children of Israel. The precise order of his activities is outlined
in the Bible in the Book of Leviticus (ch. 16) and is described in the talmndic tractate (Yoma).
After the destruction of the Temple the notion of penitence became the main feature of the
Day of Atonement when the Jew confesses his sins. After the last meal is eaten before Yom Kippur
the worshippers go to the synagogue while it is still light Kol Nidrei and the Arvit
prayers are recited. On the Day of Atonement, after Minhah, a fifth service is added -
Ne'ilah, which is said at the end of the day. Piyyutim and Selihot are added
to all the services, according to the time available and according to varying customs.
A main feature of the services of the day is the vidui or confession, of which two versions
are read. The long confession of 44 double, alphabetically arranged lines begins: "For the sin
wherein we have sinned ..." while the shorter form is made up of single words or phrases, again in
alphabetical order, beginning with Ashamnu (We have trespassed). In the Musaf the
"order of the Temple service" plays a significant part. It is a description of the service of the
high priest in the Temple on Yom Kippur. Another noteworthy part of the Musaf is the
inclusion of a martyrology known as the Ten Martyrs. Many modern synagogues expand this section
to include readings relating to the Holocaust.
In the Shaharit sevice the Torah reading is Leviticus 16, which deals with the order of the
sacred service on the Day of Atonement. The haftarah is from Isiah (chs. 57-58) dealing with
the ideal fast. In the Minhah service the Torah reading is a continuation of the section
read in the morning, while the haftarah is the Book of Jonah, which emphasizes the universal
power of repentence. The Ne'ilah service concludes with an impressive declaration of the
Jewish faith, and the shofar is blown marking the end of the fast.
Succot (Feast of Dedication/Feast of Tabernacles) (Tishri, 15-22)
One of the three pilgrimage festivals referred to in the Bible as realim. Succot is also
known as Hag ha-Asif, "The Festival of the Ingathering", due to the fact that it falls
during the season when the final summer produce is gathered from the field. Another name is simply
Ha-Hag, "The Holiday" par excellence (Ex. 23:16, II Chron. 7:8).
The first day of Succot is a full holiday on which work is prohibited. The next six days are known
as hol ha-mo'ed (semi-holiday or intermediate days of the feast). The days of
hol ha-mo'ed have their own special regulations, but work is permitted under most
circumstances. Outside Eretz Israel, the second day of Succot is also observed as a full holiday
and the following five days are hol ha-mo'ed. After hol ha-mo'ed comes the holiday
known as Sheini Atzeret, the Assembly of the Eighth Day, which is, for all practical purposes,
the last day of the festival. In Israel Sheini Atzeret also combines the festivals for Simhat Torah.
In the Diaspora (exile) an additional, ninth day, is set aside for that.
Succot has a number of unique observances. During the entire seven days (prior to Sheini Atzeret),
one is required to dwell "in the succah", a temporary structure whose roof must be made of
materials that grow from the ground, e.g. palm fronds, tree branches, bamboo poles. Dwelling in the
succah commemorates the temporary structures in which the Israelites dwelt during their
40 years wandering after the Exodus from Egypt (Lev. 23:42-43). On each of the seven days of
Succot, except the Sabbath, the Four Species - the palm branch (lulav), citron (etrog), myrtle,
and willow - are taken up (after the appropriate benediction) and waved. The species are held
also during the recitation of Hallel, and during the recitation of Hoshanot, when the entire
congregation joins in a procession encircling the bimah. One such procession is held as part of
the Shaharit service on each of the seven days. The seventh day of Succot, i.e. the last day of
hol ha-mo'ed, is known also by the name Hoshana Rabbah, "The Great Hoshana." On Hoshana Rabbah
seven such processions are held during and after which appropriate prayers are recited. After these
willow branches are beaten on the ground.
There is a special commandment in the Torah to rejoice on Succot, "You shall hold the Feast of Booths
for seven days. You shall rejoice in your festival .. and you shall have nothing but joy" (Deut.
16:13-15).
In the Temple period, an observance unique to Succot was the Simhat Bet ha-Sho'evah that
accompanied the special water libations of Succot, and the celebrations at that time were
especially joyous. Once in every seven years, during Succot at the termination of the Sabbatical
Year (Shemitah), there was a public reading of certain passages of the Book of Deuteronomy. This
reading, known as hakhel, is commanded in Deuteronomy 31:10-13.
The various laws of Succot are discussed at length in the tractate Succot, the sixth in the
Order Mo'ed. The tractate contains five chapters with Gemara in both Jerusalem and Babylonian
Talmuds and Tosefta.
Hoshana Rabbah (Tishri, 22)
The seventh and last day of Succot. On this day the worshippers go round the bimah of the synagogue
seven times while holding the four species. During the hakkafot (circuits) piyyutim
are recited with the refrain Hoshana (Save us, we beseech thee). The name Hoshana Rabbah (the great
hoshana) derives from the sevenfold circuit. The source of this custom is in Temple worship. During
the festival of Succot, according to tradition, the world is judged for water, and it was the custom
to take branches of the willow and go around the alter saying "O Lord, deliver us! O Lord, let us
prosper!" (PS. 118:25). Each day the alter would be circled once, and on the seventh day seven times,
The custom was then to beat the ground with the willow branch after saying the hoshanot
prayers.
In the Talmud, Hoshana Rabbah is referred to as a day when everyone comes to the synagogue. Its
special character was emphasized during the time of the geonim, who saw it as the day in
which each human being receives from heaven a note on which his fate is registered. And so there
are those who greet each other on this day with the Aramaic blessing a pitka tava, or in
Yiddish gut kveitl. Many and varied liturgical customs have developed for Hoshana Rabbah.
The most widespread are the inclusion of the additional Sabbath and festival psalms in the Shaharit
(morning) service and the introduction of High Holidays melody and usage for the ritual of taking
out the Torah from the ark. Another custom is to remain awake studying Torah throughout the night.
This custom was already known in the thirteenth century, and its source is in the need to give
additional time to those who had not yet finished reading the Torah and needed to finish by
Simhat Torah.
Shemini Atzeret (Tishri, 22)
A festival that falls on the 22nd of Teshri and which coincides with Simhat Torah. "On the eighth
day you shall hold a solemn gathering, you shall not work at your occuparions" (Num. 29:35). The
holiday is referred to in the Bible as atzeret, which means assembly or closing. It is a
closing in that it follows the seven days of Succot and closes that holiday and the Tishri holiday
season. Thus the name Shemini Atzeret means the closing or assembling of the eighth day, although
obligations of Succot are not observed.
By rabbinic tradition, Shemini Atzeret celebrates the conclusion of the annual cycle of the
reading of the Torah. This celebration is known as Simhat Torah. In the Diaspora (exile) Shemini
Atzeret is a two-day festival, with the Torah reading concluded on the second day, and it is common
to refer to the second day as Simhat Torah and only to the first day as Shemini Atzeret. In Israel,
where the festival lasts but one day, the two names are used interchangeably.
In the Diaspora, a few observances of Succot "spill over" into Shemini Atzeret, and according to
some customs, the meals on that day are taken in the succah, although the benediction recited
when eating in the succah is omitted. On the other hand, the benediction She-heheyann,
marking the advent of a new holiday, is recited. In the Diaspora, the ceremony of bidding farewell
to the succah is performed on the first day of Shemini Atzeret, whereas in Israel it is
performed on the seventh and final day of Succot.
Among Sephardi Jews and hasidim in the Diaspora, the procession performed in the synagogues on
Simhat Tora and known as hakkafot are performed on the first night of Shemini Atzeret as well.
The prayer for rain (Tefillat Geshem) is recited on Shemini Atzeret and from the time of its
recitation, the phrase mashiv ha-ruah u-morid ha-geshem (He causes the wind to blow and the
rain to fall) is inserted in the second benediction of the Amidah. This continues until Passover when
the phrase is replaced with morid ha-tal (He brings dew). Among Ashkenazi Jews, the memorial
prayer, Yizkov, is recited on Shemini Atzeret.
Simhat Torah (Rejoicing of the Law) (Tishri, 23)
The celebration which marks the conclusion of the annual cycle of readings of the Torah
(Keri'ar ha-Torah) in the synagogue. Simhat Torah ia a rabbinic institution timed to
coincide with the biblical festival Shemini Atzeret, the eighth day of Succot, and which in
Eretz Israel lasts but one day. Consequently, in Eretz Israel, Simhat Torah and Shemini Atzeret
are in practice one and the same holiday. In the Diaspora (exile), where Shemini Atzeret lasts
for two days, each day is popularly known by a different name - the first day as Shemini Atzeret,
and the second day, when the reading of the final portion of Deuteronomy is concluded, as
Simhat Torah.
In antiquity there were actually two different traditions with regard to the weekly Torah readings.
In Eretz Israel, the cycle lasted three years. In the Babylonian tradition, the cycle began on
the first Sabbath after the holidays of the month of Tishri. This became the Sabbath of Genesis
(Shabbath Bereshit). The cycle was completed a year later on the last of the Tishri holidays,
i.e. Shemini Atzeret. In time, all Jewish communities adopted the Babylonian system. The central
features of the Simhat Torah celebrations are the hakkafot - the perambulations around the
synagogue, with the participants carrying the scrolls of the Torah, to the accompaniment of joyous
singing and dancing. The hakkafot are held both in the Arvit and in the Shaharit
services. After the morning hakkafot, three scrolls are taken from the holy ark for the Torah
reading service. From the first scroll, the final portion of Deuteronomy is read to conclude the
entire Torah; from the second scroll, the first chapter of Genesis with a few additional verses
in order to indicate there is no pause in the cycle of the Torah readings; while from the third
scroll, the appropriate maftir is read relating to the ancient sacrificial service for
Shemini Atzeret. According to custom, everyone is called for an aliyah la-Torah, and different
practices have developed in this connection. In some congregations, the Torah reading is repeated
several times in order to accommodate all the worshippers with an aliyah in other groups of
worshippers ascend together for the reading; while in most non-Orthodox synagogues women worshippers
also approach the bimah for the aliyot. Because of the emphasis on the Torah as the heritage
of every Jew, even young children who have not yet reached Bar Mitzvah age are honored with special
aliyah. They come up to the bimah accommpanied by an adult who leads them in the traditional
blessing, as a large tallit is held over them. The person honored with the last
aliyah la-Torah is named Hatan Torah, the Bridegroom of the Law, while the one called for
the first aliyah of the Genesis portion is named Hatan Bereshit, the Bridegroom of Genesis.
In modern Israel, the custom had developed to organize a second hakkafot celebration on the
night after the conclusion of the festival. These second hakkafot have become public
celebrations and are frequently held to the accompaniment of joyous orchestral music.
Hanukkah (Feast of Lights/Dedication) (Kislev, 25 - Tevet, 1)
The festival which was established to commemorate the victory of the Maccabees in freeing the
Second Temple from the Hellenistic Syrians, and rededicating it to the worship of God. The
purification and dedication of the alter and Temple, which took place in 165 BCE, began on the 25th
of Kislev. The festival continues for eight days to correspond with the eight days during which,
according to the Talmud, the pure oil found in the Temple, which was enough for only one day,
miraculously continued to burn (Shab. 21b).
The essential observance of the festival is the lighting of the candles in honor of the miracle.
The first night one candle is lit, and each successive night another candle and added so that on
the final night of Hanukkah eight candles are lit. The custom of the school of Shammai had been
to begin lighting the full eight candles the first night, and then lighting one less each
successive night. But the halakkah is, according to the house of Hallel, as described above.
The candles should be set at the doorway, or by the window in a place where they can be seen from
the outside. This is in order to "publicize the miracle" (Heb. pirsume nisa). Since one may
not use the candles for any other pupose, not even to light from candle to candle, one special
additional candle is used, called the shamash (the "serving candle"). Some use wicks soaked
in oil, but wax candles are perfectly acceptable halakhically. The candles are held in a
menorah called a hanukkiah, which has eight stems and one additional holder for the
shamash.
After the lighting of the candles the Hanukkah hymn Ma'oz Tzur is sung. It is customary not
to do any work during the time the candles are burning, for this is the hour when all the family
may sit together and enjoy the traditional foods of the festival, such as potatoe pancakes
(latkes) and doughnuts (sufganiyot) and play the traditional spinning top game
(dreydel). It is also customary to give money to children as a Hanukkah present.
In the prayer servicesthe Al ha-Nissim paragraph is added to the Amidah and to
the Grace After Meals the full Hallel is said. After the morning Amidah, each day the
Torah is read from Numbers (7:1-89), describing the sacrifices which were brought by the princes
at the dedication of the Temple.
Asarah be-Tevet (Tenth of Tevet) (Tevet, 10)
A fast day commemorating the commencement of the siege of Jerusalem that resulted in the
destruction of the First Temple: "And in the ninth year of his reign, on the tenth day of
the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar moved against Jerusalem with his whole army. He besieged
it, and they built towers against it all round" (II Kg. 25:1). The prophet Ezekiel was commanded
to "record this date, this exact day" (Ezek. 24:2). Asarah be-Tevet is the fast mentioned
in the Book of Zechariah as the "fast of the tenth month" (Zech. 8:19). All the general regulations
and customs associated with public fast days are observed, including the recitation of special
selihot on the particular theme of the day. If the fast falls on Friday, it is not moved
to Thursday or Sunday, since it is mentioned in the Book of Ezekiel as the "exact day."
The Israeli Chief Rabbinate has chosen Asarah be-Tevet as Yom ha-Kaddish ha-Klali,
the memorial day for those who perished in the Holocaust whose day of death is unknown.
Tu bi-Shevat (New Year for Trees) (Shevat, 15)
The day designed as Rosh ha-Shonah la-Ilanot - the New Year for Trees. This affects the kind
of tithes that must be offered from the fruit of the trees. Fruit that began to grow after the
flower stage (or to ripen, according to Maimonides and the geonim, before Tu bi-Shevat,
belongs to the previous year. Fruit reaching the stage of development after Tu bi-Shevat belongs
to the new year. The consequences of this determination is whether ma'aser sheni, the "second"
tithe, or ma'aser anni, the tithe for the poor set aside during the third and sixth years of
each seven year Sabbatical cycle, is to be taken from the fruit. The importance of this determination
stems from the prohibition against setting aside fruit from the new year's crop as a tithe for the
previous year's crop. To facilitate compliance with the commandments of orlah and fourth year's
fruits, this date is used to determine the first four years that the tree bears fruit. Tu bi-Shevat
also marks the beginning of the second year in a tree's life, so long as it has taken root some time
before Tu bi-Shevat. This date was chosen "because most of the winter rains are over" (RH. 14a) and
the fruit has begun to ripen.
In the Diaspora (exile), Tu bi-Shevat has lost its halakhic and agricultural significance, yet it
is still regarded as a festive day. Thus, no fasting or eulogizing is permitted, nor is the
Tahanun prayer recited. The sixteenth-century Safed kabbalists began the custom of eating
fruit on this day. For this purpose, they composed liturgical poems (piyyutim) and a
seder for Tu bi-Shevat eve, during which they drank four cups of wine.
This custom was adopted first by varios Sephardi communities, and then by Aschkenazi Jewry who
initiated the custom to eat on Tu bi-Shevat the fruit for which Eretz Israel is famous.
In modern Israel, this is the day when children plant trees in the forests and in public places.
Fast of Esther (He. Ta'anit Esther) (Adar, 13)
A fast held on the 13th of Adar, the day preceding Purim (everywhere: even in Jerusalem and certain
other ancient walled cities where Purim is celebrated not on the 14th of Adar but on the 15th). When
the 13th of Adar falls on the Sabbath the fast is moved back to the preceding Thursday, the 11th.
Ta'anit Ester is marked by the usual observances of fast days, including the recitation of
penitential prayers (selihot) and the reading at both Shaharit and Minhah of
Exodus 30:11-14 (Va-Yedab).
It commemorates the fasts of Mordecai, Esther, and the Jews of Shushan in reaction to the decree of
Haman to liquidate the entire Jewish people. According to the Talmud and other sources, the 13th of
Adar was formerly a feast day celebrating the decisive victory of Judah Maccabee over the Syrian
general Nicanor. Because no fasting was permitted on "Nicanor's Day", the Fast of Esther was held
after Purim. But that usage was annulled and the Fast of Esther was shifted more appropriately
to the day before Purim.
Purim (Adar, 14 and 15)
A holiday that falls on the 14th and 15th of Adar and commemorates the Jewish people's escape
from extermination at the hands of Haman, minister to the Persian king Ahasuerus. The word Purim
means "lots", and the holiday is so named as a reminder of the lots cast by Haman to determine
on what date the slaughter of the Jews would commence. The 13th of Adar was the day marked for the
Jews' destruction until a royal decree rescinded the order, enabling the Jews to rout their enemies
within the Persian empire. On the 14th, the Jews rested and celebrated their victory; thereafter
it became the day on which Purim was observed in most locales. According to halakkah, cities
which were walled during Joshua's conquest of the land celebrate Purim on the 15th of Adar. This is
because the Jews of Shushan, capital of Persia, were granted a one-day extension to eliminate their
enemies; hence, their celebrations began on the 15th. Since Shushan itself was a walled city, it was
decreed that in deference to the cities of the Land of Israel, which lay in ruin at the time, cities
walled at the time of the Israelite conquest would celebrate on the same date as the Jews of Shushan.
The 15th is, therefore known as Shushan Purim. In leap years, Purim is celebrated during
Adar II. In
such years, the 14th of Adar I is called Purim Katan (Little Purim) and is marked by the
omission of certain penitential prayers normally recited on weekdays.
Four (rabbinic) commandments are observed on Purim:
(1) The reading of the Megillah (the Book of Esther, which narrates the story of Purim;
it must be handwritten on a scroll of parchment) twice; once during the evening and once on the
day of Purim. When the reader mentions the name of Haman, it is customary for the assembled to
make loud noises in order to "blot out" the name of the oppressor.
(2) Mishloah Manot, the sending of gifts of prepared food to friends and neighbours. At
least two types of food must be sent to at least one person.
(3) Se'udat Purim, a festive meal (se'udat mitzvah). The meal is usually held in
the afternoon, although it may be held in the morning.
The historicity of the story as recorded in the Book of Esther, as well as its apparent lack of
a deep spiritual lesson, has been questioned by some critical scholars. However, it would seem
that the main character of the festival is of a carnival celebration. Since the Middle Ages,
custom developed to masquerade on Purim. Amongst Aschkenazim, a popular amusement became the
commical plays known as Purim Shpiel. In modern Israel, carnival parades (Adloyada)
are organized in the streets.
In the course of Jewish history, it often occured that individuals and communities who had been
saved in a miraculous fashion established a special "Purim" each year to commemorate the date.
The best known of such "private Purims" is that of the Jews of Frankfurt-am-Main, commemorating
the community's deliverance in 1616. Frankfurt's notorius anti-Semite, Vincent Fettmilch, who
called himself the new Haman, was hanged, and the Jews whom he had expelled returned to their
homes. As a result of the events of that period, the Jews of Frankfurt proclaimed the 27th of
Elul as a day of fasting and repentance, and the 20th of Adar as Purim Winz - the Purim of
Vincent.
Passover (Heb. Pesah) (also Festival of Unleavened Bread and Festival of Spring) (Nisan 15-21/22)
The first of the three pilgrimage festivals, falling on the 15th to 21st (22nd in the Diaspora
(exile) of Nisan. The festival celebrates the liberation of the ancient Israelites from Egyptian
slavery and the ensuing Exodus under Moses' leadership. It is referred to as the "Passover"
because God "passed over" the Israelite houses when smiting the Egyptians with the tenth plague
(Ex. 12:23, 12:27). It is also called the Festival of Unleavened Bread since the only bread that
may be eaten during the festival is unleavened (matzah), and the Festival of Spring
because of the command to "observe the month of Abib(spring) and offer a passover sacrifice"
(Deut. 16:1). Because the Jewish lunar year is 11 days shorter than the solar year, the Jewish
calendar was adjusted so Passover should always fall in the spring.
Passover's first and last days ( in the Diaspora, the first two and last two) are holy days on
which most work is forbidden, and the days in between are known as hol ha'mo'ed
("the festival's weekdays") or "the intermediate days." The principal observance of the festival
is the eating of matzah and the removal of all hametz (leaven or any products
containing it) from one's abode prior to the festival.
In antiquity, the central Passover rite was the sacrifice of the paschal offering - ofter called
simply "the Pesah" - on the 14th of Nisan, and the eating of it that evening together with
matzah and maror (bitter herbs). The Samaritans continue to perform this rite on
Mount Gerizim, but for other Jews the Seder became the central rite after the destruction
of the Second Temple.
The Passover prayer services are essentially the same as those of other pilgrim festivals. The
first days Musaf service includes the prayer of dew , the petition for rain
(Heb. Tefillat Geshem) , is no longer recited. In the Arvit (evening) service for
the second day, the counting of the Omer begins.
The laws of Passover are discussed in Pesahim, the third tractate in the Order Mo'ed.
It contains ten chapters with Gemara in both Talmuds and Tosefta.
Memorial Day for the Victims of the Holocaust and Its Heroes (Heb. Yom Hashoa) (Nisan, 27)
The 27th of Nisan of each year is dedicated to the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust.
It was on that day in 1943 that the Nazis finally suppressed the Warsaw ghetto revolt. On this
day the people unite in remembering the six million victims, the ghetto fighters, and the
partisans.
All places of entertainment and restaurants are closed for the 24 hours commencing on the eve of
Memorial Day. Candles are lit on public buildings and in synagogues, flags are lowered to
half-mast and Yad Vashem conducts a state memorial service. The president of the State of Israel,
former members of the underground and partisans, survivors and members of the public participate.
Remembrance Day for the Fallen Israeli Soldiers (Heb. Yom ha-Zikkaron le-Hallelei Ma'arkhot Yisrael) (Iyyar, 4)
A memorial day to those who fell in active service in Israel's wars. Observed on the 4th of Iyyar, the
eve of Independance Day. This date was determined by the Israel government in 1949. On this day all
places of entertainment throughout the country are closed by law, flags are flown at half mast and
memorial candles burn on public buildings and in synagogues. People visit military cemeteries and
official memorial services are held. Since 1968 an official service is held at the Western Wall to
mark the beginning of Yom ha-Zikkaron . At both Arvit (evening) and Shaharit (morning)
services in many synagogues a special memorial prayer is recited. A siren is sounded during the morning
and all activity is halted as citizens observe a two-minute silence. After the closing ceremony of
Remembrance Day, the festivities of Independence Day begin.
Independence Day (Heb. Yom ha-Atzma'ut) (Iyyar, 5)
The day which commemorates the establishment of the State of Israel on the 5th of Iyyar (14 May 1948).
National celebrations begin with a ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, near Herzl's grave, presided
over by the chairman of the Knesset. National flags are hoisted in the streets and on the buildings,
and people celebrate the holiday with dancing in the street, parties, day trips and outings. For many
years the central event of the day was the Israel Defence Forces military parade. In recent years the
central event is the Bible Quiz for Jewish youth. Each year on the day of the Israel Prize is awarded
to outstanding figures in their particular field. In many synagogues a special service, which includes
Hallel, is recited. Many people celebrate with a festive meal on the eve of the holiday.
Lag ba-Omer (Iyyar, 18)
Thirty-third day of Omer counting, as indicated by the numerical equivalent of the Hebrew letters
lamed (30) and gimmel (3), hence the word lag. It falls on the 18th of Iyyar and
is considered a joyous day on which the semi-mourning observed during the seven-week Omer period is
suspended. It is commemorated as the day of the cessation of the plague in which 24,000 disciples of
Rabbi Akiba were said to have died during the Bar Kokhba revolt (TB. Yev. 62b). It also marks the
yahrzeit of Rabbi Simeon bar Yohai. Lag ba-Omer has been traditionally celebrated with the
lighting of bonfires on the eve and during the day, and with hiking excursions in the countryside.
Sporting events and games with bows and arrows are held, as a symbolic remembrance of the Bar Kokhba
revolt and the physical prowess and courage required of his soldiers. In Israel, it is customary to
light bonfires at the tombs of Simeon bar Yohai and his son Eliezer at Meron, near Safed, and at the
tomb of Simeon the Just in Jerusalem. Throngs congregate to sing and dance, and to honor the memories
of Simeon bar Yohai and Rabbi Akiba, who were among the main rabbinic supporters of anti-Roman
resistance
In hasidic circles, three-year-old boys are traditionally given their first haircut at these festivals.
Older Torah students and adults celebrate the day as the "Scholars' Holiday". Lag ba-Omer is also a
traditional day for wedding ceremonies to be held because of the general halakhic injunction against
weddings during the period of the Omer counting.
Jerusalem Day (Heb. Yom Yerushalayim) (Iyyar, 28)
The 28th of Iyyar, markes the liberation of the Old City of Jerusalem during the Six Day War (June 1967).
On this day East Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount, was captured by the Israeli Defence Forces.
Many events take place in Jerusalem to mark Jerusalem Day. A memorial service is held on Ammunition
Hill, where many paratroopers fell during the battles. Large numbers of Israelis pay a visit to
Jerusalem to pray at the Western Wall and tour the city. The Chief Rabbinate has composed a service
of special prayers, including the recital of Hallel, for the occasion.
Shavuot (Feast of Weeks or Pentecost/Feast of the Harvest) (Sivan, 6)
The second of three pilgrimage festivals, known in english as the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. Shavuot
falls on the 6th of Sivan. The 6th of Sivan is the day after the conclusion of the counting of the
49 days of the Omer, in accordance with the biblical command to count seven complete weeks from the
morrow of Passover (Lev. 23:15-16).
The interpretation of the above verse was the subject of a bitter dispute between two parties within the
Jewish people during the Second Temple period. The Pharisses, the party that accepted the Oral Law and
claimed that it was the only authoritative interpretation of the Bible, took the words "day of rest" to
refer to the opening holiday of Passover, on which no work could be performed. The Sadducees, who
repudiated the Oral Law, took the phrase literally (in Hebrew the text reads "Sabbath") as the first
Sabbath of Passover. Accordingly, the date of the holiday came out differently for each of these groups,
with the Sadducees sometimes celebrating Shavuot as many as six days later than the Pharisses.
Shavuot has an agricultural character and is known in the sources as the "Feast of the Harvest"
(Hag ha-Katzir, Ex. 23:16) and "the day of the first fruits" (Yom ha-Bikkurim, Num. 28:26). The main
theme of the holiday, however is the commemoration of the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, which
by tradition (as inferred from verses in Exodus 19) occured on the 6th of Sivan. When the Temple stood.
the most salient aspect of the holiday, aside from its various sacrifices, was the bringing of the
special "twin loaves" (lehem ha-bikkurim) made from the newly cut wheat. From Shavuot throughout
the summer the first fruits of the seven species (wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives
and dates).
Among certain Jewish communities, the mourning rites of the Omer period end with the advent of the
month of Sivan, and it becomes permissible, among other things, to hold weddings. The 3rd, 4th, and
5th of Sivan are known as Sheloshet Yemei Hagbalah the Three Days of Restriction. These are
the days when the children of Israel were restricted from approaching Mount Sinai prior to revelation,
and certain holiday customs are observed at this time. Thus the propitiatory prayers called
Tahanun are not recited and eulogies may not be delivered. The 2nd of Sivan is known as the
yom ha-meyuhas, the day of importance, coming as it does between the first of the month
(Rosh Hodesh), a semi-holiday, and the Three Days of Restriction. In some communities, the Sabbath
prior to Shavuot is known as the Sabbath of the Bride (Shabbat Kallah), since the Torah, given
on Shavuot, is metaphorically described as Israel's bride. These communities maintain the custom of
reading a ketubbah (marriage contract) between the Torah and the Jewish people, at the time
when the Torah is removed for reading from the holy ark.
On the evening of Shavuot Arvit is recited with the festival Amidah. It is customary to take
care to recite the Arvit after dark in order to make certain that the holiday is begun after
the completion of the seven full weeks of the Omer period. The Torah reading consists of the account
of the giving of the Torah in Exodus (19-20) and is preceded by the recitation of Akdamut, a
special hymn written in Aramaic. Akdamut has 90 lines and details a debate between the
Jewish people and the nations and tells of the reward that awaits the righteous in the next world.
The Torah reading is followed by the festival Musaf. In some congregations, liturgical poems
known as Azharot are recited as part of the Musaf. These are concerned with the 613
commandments. Certain Sephardi congregations recite the azharot as well as the Book of Ruth
during the Minah service instead.
In the sixteenth century, the kabbalists instituted the custom of remaining awake the entire night
of Shavuot and complied a lectionary known as Tikkun Leil Shavuot (Tikkun for Shavuot Eve),
which comprises the first chapters of the sacred books and which is studied at the time. In time the
custom of studying any subject of Jewish religious interest developed, but the observance is still
known as Tikkun Leil Shavuot. Those who remain awake for the entire night recite the morning
prayer service, Shaharit, at dawn. In Jerusalem, it has become customary to walk to the
Western Wall for the entire morning service or at least for the Musaf, and since 1967, when
Jerusalem was reunited, many thousands can be seen streaming into the Western Wall compound from
all over the city. A very ancient custom is to eat dishes of milk and honey on Shavuot in keeping
with the verse in Song of songs (4:11) that describes the Torah as "Honey and milk under your tongue."
Fast of Seventeenth Tammuz (Heb. Shaivah Asar be-Tammuz) (Tammuz, 17)
A fast day referred to in the Bible (Zech. 8:19) as "the fast of the fourth month". The Book of Jeremiah
(52:6-7) relates that the walls of Jerusalem were breached on the ninth of Tammuz, thus after the the
destruction of the First Temple the ninth was established as a day of fasting and mourning. Before the
destruction of the Second Temple, the walls were again breached in the month of Tammuz, but this time
on the 17th. As a result, the fast was moved to the 17th, since the destruction of the Second Temple
was considered an even greater tragedy (OH. 549)
"Five catastrophies befell our fathers on the 17th of Tammuz: the tablets (of the Covenant) were broken,
the daily Temple sacrifices were suspended, the walls to the city were breached, Apostamus burned a
Torah scroll, and an idol was erected in the Temple" (Ta'an. 26a). The tablets were broken because
Moses ascended Mount Sinai on the 7th of Sivan, remained there for 40 days, and descended to find the
people worshipping the Golden Calf on the 17th of Tammuz. The daily sacrifices were suspended during
the civil of the Hasmoneans John Hyrcanus and Aristobulus because the Greeks at that time laid seige
to Jerusalem and there was no access to sacrificial animals. The inhabitants of Jerusalem would lower
money over the city wall in a basket, and the enemy would send up lambs in return. "On one occasion,
a pig was sent up instead, and it dug its hooves into the wall, and the earth shook over an area of
500 parasangs ... Apostamus burned the Torah scroll." It is not known precisely to what this refers.
However, some identify it with the incident in which the Roman procurator discovered a Torah scroll,
desecrated, and burned it.
The fast of the Seventeenth of Tammuz extends only from dawn until dark. During the Shaharit
service, special penitential prayers (selihots) are recited. The Torah is read at both
Shaharit and Minhah services, and a haftarah (prophetic reading) is chanted
as on other fast days. The Seventeenth of Tammuz initiates a period of mourning, known as
bein ha-metzarim, "between the straits", which concludes three weeks later with the fast of
Tishah be-Av.
Tishah be-Av (The Ninth of Av) (av, 9)
The fast day commemorating the destruction of both Temples, which occured on Tishah be-Av - the 9th of Av.
Later traditions connect the Fast of Av with subsequent tragic events in Jewish history, including the
final collapse of the abortive Bar Kokhba revolt (135 CE), and the expulsion of the Jews from Spain (1492).
However, classical rabbinic sourses concentrate on the destruction of the Temples.
The Tishah be-Av fast begins at sundown and lasts 24 hours (like Yom Kippur), differentiating it from
the other minor fasts that begin at sunrise. The rules for observing the fast day are similar to those
of Yom Kippur. If Tishah be-Av falls on a Sabbath, it is deferred to the following day, Sunday. Like
Yom Kippur, the Minhah service is held early in the day and a last meal is eaten prior to
sunset.
On Tishah be-Av, Torah study, with the exception of those portions concerning mourning or the destruction
of the Temple, is forbidden. Before the Arvit service all leather shoes are removed, the curtain
is removed from the holy ark, and prayers are recited in a subdued tone. after the service worshippers
sit on a low stool or on the floor as the Book of Lamentations is read and a few kinot (elegies)
are recited.
Neither the tallit nor the tefillin are worn during the Shaharit service
(Yemenite Jews do wear the tallit. The service includes the reading of the Torah, "When
you have begotten children and children's children" (Deut. 4:25) and a prophetic reading
(haftarah), "I will make an end to them - declares the Lord" (Jer. 8:13). After the Torah
is returned to the holy ark, a larger number of kinot are recited. In some communities,
lamentations is recited again.
It is the custom not to exchange normal greetings and to refrain from work, until midday. At the
Minhah service, the tallit and tefillin are worn and their respective blessings
recited. The Torah reading and prophetic reading at this service are the same as on minor fast days.
A special prayer is added to the blessing of Boneh Yerushalayim (Builder of Jerusalem) during
the Amidah.
Struan Robertson