RELIG 210: Lecture 5January 26, 2009

Name two Jewish Holidays and write one sentence about a concept/theme each celebrates/commemorates

What are the “39 Categories of Forbidden Work?”

Provide a basic overview of the structure of Jewish holidays and festivals

Discuss the historical sources and religious significance of major festivals

Illustrate key ritual objects and practices associate with festivals

“The catechism of the Jew consists of his calendar.” Sampson Raphael Hirsch

Building Sacred Time Jewish memory Ritual Structure/Advance Preparation

Weekly cycle of reading Why make Torah part of the liturgy?

History vs. Memory Prayer, Ritual and Halakhah construct

Jewish time Shabbat is most central time-marker Major theme: Recognizing Creation

Genesis 2:2-3 Exodus 20:8 39 Categories of Forbidden Work

Actions imbued with liturgical significance All acts of labor are prohibited

God rested, so should the Jews Cannot bring anything into existence Any action used in building Tent of Meeting is forbidden

Creating distinctions in time Liturgy goes beyond communal prayer into daily life

Shabbat Rituals

29.5 Day Cycle

12 months of (29 or 30 Days)

354 Days in a year

Leap Month

Day begins at Sunset

1. Pilgrimage Festivals2. New Year Cycle3. Commemorative Celebrations and

Fasts

Origins of the Festivals Agricultural holidays Rabbis add layers Tied to national/theological narrative Temple sacrifice

Ritual Reenactment Passover - Leave Egypt (8 Days) Shavuot - Receive Torah (2 Days) Sukkot - Enter the Promised Land (8 Days)

Biblical Roots: Spring harvest festival Commemorates liberation from

Egyptian slavery “You shall observe the feast of unleavened

bread, for on this very day I brought your ranks out of the land of Egypt; you shall observe this day throughout the ages as an institution for all time.” (Exodus 12: 17-18)

The Haggadah Commanded to retell Exodus narrative Ritual reenactment-Imagine personal

deliverance from slavery Symbols

Matzah - Unleavened bread Maror - Bitter herbs Haroset- Sweet mix

Haroset

Maror

Roasted Bone-Paschal Lamb

Roasted Egg-Festival Offering

The Passover Seder Meal

Biblical Source: “You shall observe Shavuot, of first fruits of the wheat harvest.” (Exodus 34:21)

Rabbinic Reading: Commemorates giving of Torah at Mt. Sinai

Fewer home rituals than Passover or Sukkot All night studying

Biblical Source: Exodus: “the Feast of the Ingathering at the

end of the year, when you gather in the result of your work from the field.” (Exodus 23:16)

Leviticus:“You shall live in booths (sukkot) seven days…in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.” (Leviticus 23:40)

Sukkah- Temporary structures for harvest

Significance Experience of wandering and exile Liberation and God’s protection Fragility vs. God’s presence

Ritual Commandment to be happy Live in the Sukkah (temporary structure) Four Species-lulav and etrog

19th Century German Sukkah

A Sukkah

“On the first day you shall take the product of hadar trees (traditionally identified as the etrog/citron tree), branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days” (Leviticus 23:40)

Lulav and Etrog

Eight Day of Assembly-last day of Sukkot

Simhat Torah-Rejoicing in the Torah Completion of the Torah reading cycle Dancing and celebration

High Holidays or Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe) Rosh Hashannah (New Year’s Day) Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) Sukkot (Tabernacles)

“You shall observe complete rest, a sacred occasion commemorated with loud blasts.” (Leviticus 23:24)

Anniversary of Creation-New Year Theme of repentance and self-examination Trial Metaphor

“May you be inscribed” Tip the scales of divine judgment 10 day period until Yom Kippur

“Mark the tenth day of the seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be a sacred occasion for you; you shall practice self-denial, and you shall bring a gift to the lord…For it is a day of Atonement, on which expiation is made on your behalf before the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 23:27)

High priest performs rite to expiate people’s sins

A Note about sin in Judaism (“falling short of the mark”)

Rabbis call it “Day of Judgment” Climax of trial God decides fate of individual and Israel Excellent replacement for Temple Clean slate every year

Focus on spiritual concerns Abstention from food, drink, luxury, sexual activity Imagery of Death

Mythic narrative remains central in yearly calendar

Commemorate great moments and tragedies through rituals

No reference in Hebrew Bible Victory of Maccabees over Syrian

domination in 135BCE Rededicate the Temple Miracle of jar of oil added in Talmud

Menorah Latke-Fried Potato Pancake

Dreidel

Birthday of the Trees Mystical Significance Zionist Symbolism Environmental Holiday-Jewish Earth

Day

Book of Esther Jews of Persia saved from destruction Draws lots to determine day to kill Jews Diaspora story No mention of God

Ritual Read Scroll of Esther Rowdy celebration

4 minor fast days Daylight and full-day

3 connected to catastrophe of Temple’s destruction Tisha B’Av-saddest day on the calendar

Israel Independence Day Holocaust Memorial Day