Rosh Hashana is the day on which G-d completed the creation of the world, by creating Adam, the original man. Adam's very first act was to proclaim the Almighty as King of the universe. He called upon all creatures: "Come let us worship, bow down and kneel before G-d, our maker". Each Rosh Hashana, we too proclaim the Kingship of G-d and reaffirm our commitment to serve Him well. Just as on the original Rosh Hashana, G-d created the world for the first time, so each Rosh Hashana He reconsiders and re-evaluates the quality of our relationship with Him, and creates the world anew. The Book of Life On the first evening of Rosh Hashana, we exchange the traditional blessing, "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year". Our sages explain that on Rosh Hashana, we all stand in judgement before G-d - 'like a flock of sheep before the shepherd'. If we are worthy, we are 'inscribed' in the 'Book of Life'. Ten days later, on Yom Kippur, the Book is sealed. Through repentance, prayer, and charity, we can sweeten the decree and merit G-d's blessings for health, well-being and prosperity for the coming year. 1
Yom Kippur ('Day of Atonement') is the holiest day in the Jewish Year. In addition to the prohibition of work, as on the shabbat, there are five activities specifically prohibited on Yom Kippur, from Wednesday evening, September 26, until Thursday night September 27 (2001): eating and drinking, anointing oneself with perfumes or lotions, marital relations, washing (for pleasure) and wearing leather shoes. 1
Immediatly following the awesome days of Rosh Hashana through Yom Kippur, we prepare for the joyous exuberance of Sukkot - the 'Season of our Rejoicing'. After leaving Egypt, during the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, the Jewish People were surrounded by protective 'clouds of glory'. In commemoration, and to enhance our awareness of G-d's all-embracing love and protection, we are commanded, "In Sukkahs (booths) you shall dwell, seven days". During the entire seven days of the festival, all meals are eaten in the Sukkah, unless it rains. A Unique Mitzvah Eating festive meals and spending time in the outdoor Sukkah is a delightful and unique religious experience. Some have the custom of decorating the Sukkah with elaborate ornaments; others preserve its unadorned simplicity. But whatever one's style, the Sukkah is the only mitzvah in which we are completely surrounded, from head to toe, by the mitzvah itself - enveloped, as it were, in the divine presence. The Four Kinds Another special mitzvah of Sukkot is the shaking together of the 'Four Species' - the etrog (citron), lulav (palm branch), three hadassim (myrtle branches) and two aravot (willow branches) - on each day of sukkot, except Sabbat. Why Four Species? One explanation, among many, is that each of the four kinds represents a different kind of Jew. The fact that the mitzvah requires all four kinds symbolizes our oneness as a people: we all need one another. And the four species are waved in all directions, signifying that G-d is everywhere. 1
Jewish morale was at an all time low. The Temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed, the nation conquered, and for almost 70 years, had been dispersed in foreign lands. The prophesied end of Exile had not materialized, and the blight of assimilation had set in. Just then, the enemy arose to carry out his evil plans. This time it was Haman. Descended from the Jew-hating tribe of Amalek, Haman devised his scheme to solve 'the Jewish problem' once and for all, by annihihilating every Jew, men, women and children, throughout the world, in a single day. Rallying the Jews And it almost worked. Were it not for Mordechai. A descendant of King Saul, and advisor to King Ahashverosh, Mordechai sensed the danger. Donning sackcloth and ashes, he went to the gate of the palace, crying aloud, rallying the Jews to return to Torah. His cousin, Queen Esther, called for him. He told her that she must go to the King and plead for her people. Officially in disfavor, she feared to go, but saw that she had no choice. She undertook a three-day fast of penitence and called upon the whole Jewish People to do likewise. Then she went to the King... Victory It is a story of great courage and self-sacrifice - first and foremost by Queen Esther and Mordechai, and ultimately by the whole Jewish nation. For throughout the duration of the whole year, not one single jew chose to convert, even to save his life. The nation was awakened to a whole-hearted return to Torah and mitzvot, annd throughout the year strengthened their faith and observance And in the merit of this, they were able to rise up against their enemies and destroy them, on the 13th of Adar, the very day destined for the 'final solution'. The Jewish People had shown their true character. They had earned the right to leave Exile, return to the Holy Land, and rebuild the Temple. As it was in those days, so may it be with us. 1
The 33rd day of the Omer-counting is celebrated as a hoiday. Two reasons: 1) Between Pesach and Shavuot, one year in the early 2nd century, 24,000 disciples of Rabbi Akiva (greatest Sage of Israel in the Mishnaic period), passed away because they were not respectful enough to each other. Therefore, this period is a time of semi-mourning (no weddings, etc.). On the 33rd ("LaG"=33) day of the Omer, they stopped dying. 2) An outstanding later disciple of Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, Mishnaic Sage and author of the Zohar, principle work of Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah), passed away. Having fulfilled his mission in this world, he asked that the anniversay be celebrated as a happy day. Children have a custom to play bow and arrow, and are taken on trips to parks or the countryside. In Israel they light giant bonfires the previous night. 1
Shavuot, the second of the three major festivals comes exactly fifty days after Pesach. It marks the giving of the Torah by G-d to the entire Jewish People on M. Sinai 3,313 years ago. In Hebrew the word 'Shavuot' means 'weeks' and stands for the seven weeks during which the Jewish People prepared themselves for the giving of the Torah. During this time they rid themselves of the scars of bondage and became a holy nation ready to stand before G-d. The Giving of the Torah The giving of the Torah was far more than an historical event. It was a far-reaching spiritual event- one that touched the essence of the Jewish soul then and for all time. Our Sages have compared it to a wedding between G-d and the Jewish People. We became His special nation and He became our G-d. The Importance of Shavuot Today Each year, Shavuot is the special time for us to re-awaken and strenghten ou special relationship with G-d. We cad do so by re-dedicating ourselves to the observance and study of the Torah ... our most precious heritage Every man, woman and child, including young infants, should attend services at least on the first day Shavuot, May 17, and hear the Torah reading of the Ten Commandments. The Written and Oral Law The Torah is composed of two parts: the written law and the oral law. The written Torah contains the Five Books of Moses, the Prophets and the Writings. Together with the written Torah, Moses was also given the oral law which explains and clarifies the written law. It was transmitted orally from generation to generation and eventually transcribed in the Talmud and Medrash. Throughout the generations our people have studied these works, commenting upon them, clarifying their meanings, deriving practical applications of these principles and codifying the laws derived from them. Thus, a continuous chain of tradition extends throughout the generations, connectin us to the revelation at Mt. Sinai. 1
Saddest day in the Jewish calender. Commemorated as a 25-hour fast from sunset of the previous evening. Anniversay of the Devine decree (1312 BCE) that the Jewish People remain in the desert for 40 years till that generation died out, after they cried over the 12 Spies' false report of the land. Anniversary of the destruction (by Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar) of the First Temple, and (by Romans under Titus) of the Second Temple (70 CE). Capture by Romans of Beitar, last Jewish fortress to hold out in Bar Kochba rebellion with terrible loss of life (135 CE). Jerusalem was ploughed up and turned into a non-Jewish city - Aelia Capitolina (C. 135 CE). In 1492, Av 9 was the last date by which all Jews who would not be baptized had to leave Spain. Over 300,000 chose to leave, suffering terrible privations till they found stable new places of abode. Many never made it - victims of pirates, unscrupulous ship-captains, robbers and starvation. Of those who succumed and converted in order to remain in Spain, most secretly retained their Jewish identity for generations. They were known as Marranos. But many were caught by the Inquisition's watchful eye, and burnt at the stake. World War I, too, began on Av 9. It uprooted large Jewish populations and threw most Jewish communities into chaos. It brought in its wake the Russian Revolution which systematically crushed Judaism, the Cossack massacres of Jews throughout the Ukraine (1918-1921) and the conditions which gave rise to Nazism and the Holocaust. 1 1. - Taken from the 5761 Jewish Art Calendar 2000-01 (Chabad)
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