Archive for the ‘Biblical Festivals’ Category

Jews around the world observe the Passover according to a time-honored tradition preserved in the Seder, but increasingly multiple numbers of non-Jews, who identify themselves in various ways (Hebraic Christians, “Lost Tribes,” B’nai Noah, Righteous Gentiles) are also marking this day and week of Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. The following message was written by Ross Nichols of Roots of Faith. We post it with the hope it can serve as a study guide and inspiration to many who read this Blog.

I am certain that within our diverse group there will be multiple “versions” of the Passover.  I wanted to send this out tonight for those that have never “kept” this festival before.  Here are some basic things that you need to know.

Shalom and Chag Sameach!

Ross Nichols

The command to live in booths for seven days is declared to be so that future generations know that God made the ancient Israelites live in booths when He brought them out of the land of Egypt (Leviticus 23:39-44).

This past week, Roots of Faith hosted its first annual Succoth Conference.

Several UIWU members were also in attendance. We had people from Texas, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia as well as the locals of course. Many of us camped out for a full week under the stars. The weekend was packed with exciting and informative lectures and tours.

I am so pleased and thankful for the wonderful time with all who were able to attend the week’s events. This is to be an annual event here in the Felicianas. The speakers were fantastic, the food was very good and the music was stirring! In the coming days I hope to post some reports on my blog about the conference. If you have something that you would like to share about the conference, please send it to me in an email and I will post it. A short note that captures in a few words what the time meant to you will be fine.

This is my favorite time of year now. I have camped out under the stars for the past two Festivals of Succoth. Many of you have done this for years. I would encourage any of you that have not kept this feast, to do so and to consider joining us in Saint Francisville for the Festival next year. Plans will be posted on my site soon so that you can begin to plan early.

Yesterday, from inside my home I watched the rain pouring down. Give God the glory for this miracle! It literally rained up until the day before we went into the campsite, the heavens held back the rain for seven days and then the rain fell once again the day after we had cleared the campsite! Rain is a significant part of this ancient festival. In fact, in the future, those who do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the LORD during the Feast of Succoth (Tabernacles) will not get rain in their land! (Zechariah 14:16-19)

Start thinking now about joining us next year for the Annual Succoth Conference here in the Felicianas. We experienced such an incredible level of harmony this weekend – Jew, Christians and Gentile God Fearers together, united around the one thing that we all share – a love for the Bible! We learned a great deal from the conference this year in terms of organization. Next year we will be even better and you can play a part in that as well. You can send me comments (rndavar@aol.com) – constructive feedback on what we can do to make this Conference better. I look forward to reading them and promise to consider your points when planning our next gathering.

My good friend Tammy Michael was the “official” camp / festival photographer. She informs me that she took over 500 pictures. Some of these are up on the Roots of Faith website. The group at the camp site also took turns reading from the Torah (Genesis – Deuteronomy) and completed the entire Torah! This event was based upon a literal interpretation of Deuteronomy 31:10. I want to do this again and next time I want to be more organized with it so that everyone will be able to participate. It was quite a blessing.

Several members of Roots of Faith put together a CD with original music that was a smash hit! I have been getting compliments and requests about this CD. You can contact John Carlson for more information about how you can obtain a copy of this excellent CD (carlson_john@bellsouth.net). We also hope to put an entry on the blog about the music and the artists featured on this CD, titled – Hac! V’Shema / Shut Up! and Listen. There is a story behind the title as well:)

Thanks for all the help in making this Feast of Tabernacles a time of refreshing and revival. Don’t forget to check out the photos on my site.

Shalom, and may your names be inscribed in the Book of Life

Ross Nichols

Quite a few UIWU folk gathered in the town of St. Francisville, Louisana over this past week of Sukkoth, or the feast of Tabernacles. The gathering was sponsored by Roots of Faith, an educational ministry created and led by Ross Nichols. Part of their work is the restoration of the historic Jewish synagogue in their town, Temple Sinai, built in 1903. Sabbath and festival services are held there and this past Sabbath, the Torah scroll was chanted in Hebrew for the first time in over 80 years. Dennis Jones, who serves as Vice President of UIWU, did the reading and Genesis 1, the same text read at the dedication of the Synagogue in 1903, was text chosen. You can read more of the story of this restorative effort, carried on in cooperation with the Historic Society of St. Francisville, in the lastest issue of the United Israel Bulletin.

The entire weekend was packed with inspiring activities and occasions. Joe Good of Hatikva Ministries joined the group and instructed them in the traditions of waving the four species (Lev 23:40), which many did for the first time. Representatives of the St. Francisville Historical Society spoke to the group about the history of the Jewish community and the synagogue in St. Francisville. There was a also a tour of the lovely but abandoned school that is next door to the synagogue property, donated by Julius Freyhan, a prominent Jewish citizen of the parish in the early 1900s.

The folks at Roots of Faith have posted a lovely collage of professional quality photographs of the events this past week, including the rededication of the synagogue. We have already decided that our 2008 Sukkoth celebration will also be held in St. Francisville. We hope many of our readers will have time to make plans so they can join us.

This evening at sundown is called more popularly, Rosh HaShanah, that is “head of the year.” Yet, it is the 1st day of the SEVENTH month, not the first day of the first month. Judaism really has two “years.” The seasonal New Year is, of course, the first day of the first month, as Exodus 12: 1 plainly says: This Moon/month shall be to you the beginning of months.” That day is very significant in biblical and Jewish history and many things have taken place on Nisan 1st–the biblical New Year. It signals “new beginnings.”

But the 7th month/moon is also the first of a kind of “civil year,” that had to do in ancient times with certain calculations regarding the Jubilee, the redemption of bond-servants, and so forth. It is kind of an “legal” New Year, much like our July and Oct “fiscal years” in our society today. It has to do with “accounting.

In the Torah itself, this holy day is never called Rosh HaShanah. Rather it gets a different name–Yom Teru’ah, that is “day of the blast.” Teru’ah in Hebrew refers to raising up a loud noise, whether a shout or the blast of the trumpet or Shofar. Thus some Christian groups that keep this day refer to it as the “feast of Trumpets.” This is also a name that is nowhere found in the Bible. There is, however, an association of this day with a “trumpet,” or more properly, a “shofar,” in Psalm 81. But notice carefully, our word TERU’AH also occurs, in the very first verse, here translated “shout.” It really means to raise up a noise, and it can be voices, instruments, and of course the piercing sound of the Shofar. I guess it would be highly appropriate to actually SHOUT on this day, as well as SING and blow the Shofar!

1 Cry aloud to God our strength, raise a SHOUT (verb rua’) to the God of Jacob.
2 Lift up a song, and give out a timbrel, A pleasant harp with psaltery.
3 Blow in the month a SHOFAR, In the new moon, at the day of our festival,
4 For a statute to Israel it is, An ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5 A testimony on Joseph He hath placed it, In his going forth over the land of Egypt. A lip, I have not known — I hear.

But what does it mean? The instructions in Lev 23 are amazingly sparse and seem to give no reason or meaning to the day. It simply says it will be a Sabbath, no work to be done, people are to gather on this day, and there will be a “memorial SHOUT/BLAST.”

The best clues to the Biblical meaning of this day are found in Psalm 80 & 81. The connection here to the tribe of Joseph is quite interesting. Judaism is surely right to connect the sound of the Shofar as a call to the Tribes, and a call to all humanity to awaken, a call of judgment and preparation…as it falls ten days before Yom Kippur, the Day of Covering, and then leads into Sukkoth, which seems to be a picture of the Kingdom of God with Israel once more dwelling in “booths” or “huts,” that is temporary shelters, as in the days when they were led out of Egypt and had that intimate, “face to face” relationship with YHVH.

Each year this sequence is pictured…this is the “LAST” month of the holy calendar, the SEVENTH month (no festivals really in months 8-12), so it seems to picture somehow the “end of history,” but in a mini-form, year by year….

The Jewish Prayer book contains many wonderful things in the liturgy that will connect back with the biblical meaning of this solemn day…

May all have a meaningful “mo’ed,” that is “appointment” with YHVH…and Shabbat Shalom this evening and tomorrow until sunset.

JDT

Tishrei is the 7th month of the Jewish lunar Calendar and normally falls in September or October on our modern Gregorian solar calendar. The three major holidays we celebrate during Tishrei are Rosh Hashanah (New Year or Trumpets); Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement); and Sukkot (Tabernacles). This year, 2007, which will begin the Jewish Year 5758, the dates fall:

Rosh HaShanah/Trumpets: September 13 (beginning at sundown on the 12th)

Yom Kippur/Atonement: September 22 (beginning at sundown on the 21st)

Sukkot/Tabernacles: September 27 through October 5 (period of seven days)

In biblical times there were two “New Year” celebrations. One was in the Spring, with the 1st of the month of Nisan, which falls in March/April (Exodus 12:1), and the other in the Fall, the date known as Rosh HaShanah today. These days are described in the Torah in Leviticus 23: 23-36. Ironically, these three major holidays that fall in the 7th month serve as both an “end” and a beginning to the “sacred seasons” in that the cycle that began with Passover ends, but the Sabbath and Jubilee years were renewed at that season (see Leviticus 25:1-10), and important legal matters were settled (debts forgiven, etc.).

Rosh Hashanah, literally “head of the year” has become the tradition New Year’s Day in Judaism today. Ten days later is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement”. The days between them are called “Days of Awe”. This description captures the the mood, the meaning, and the purpose of this 10-day period of the year. These are days of awe because they evoke anxiety, trepidation, humility, and soul searching. The first steps of any journey set the course and how we begin the year is the key to everything else that follows. The potential– and the responsibility– of the first two Jewish holidays are awesome.

According to one group of ancient rabbinic sages Rosh Hashanah commemorated the day G-d created Adam and Eve and was the birthday of the world as far as humankind is concerned, while others maintained the world began in the Spring, in Nisan. Over the centuries the observance of the 1st day of the 7th month prevailed. In the Bible this day is called the “Day of the Blasting,” referring to the Shofar or Trumpet that was blown throughout the land. It came to symbolize the day of Judgment, and thus the day for G-d to annually judge the world and everyone in it. So, the other name for Rosh Hashanah is — the “Day of Judgement”. There is a unique mitzvah (good deed) directly correlated to Rosh Hashanah in most all the synagogues of the world: To hear the blowing of the shofar, a simple ram’s horn. After the Torah reading during services, 30 blasts of the shofar are sounded in a prescribed pattern. Later come another 70 blasts for a total of 100. The shofar is blown on both days of Rosh Hashanah. During these days every moment should be filled with good thoughts, words, and deeds.

The custom of dipping Challah (bread) and/or apple slices in honey became symbolic of our confidence of a “sweet judgement”. The following prayer is recited on the first evening after eating the first piece of challah and the honey coated apple slices:

“May it be Your will to renew for us a good and sweet year”.

You can find much more information about traditional Jewish observances and meanings related to the Holydays at the helpful Web site Judaism 101. If you scroll down the table of contents you will see an extensive section on this subject.

For those interested in trying a traditional Jewish Menu for Rosh HaShanah here are some suggestions:

Honey cake, honeyed chicken, sweet potato and carrot casserole, and dough balls made from eggs, butter (or margarine), sugar, flour, baking powder and chopped nuts mixed together with honey syrup and baked, salads with a honey/mustard or honey/lime dressing\

Classic Honey Cake 3 eggs; 1 1/3 cups honey; 1 1/2 cups sugar; 1 cup strong black coffee; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 3 tablespoons butter/margarine, softened; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 4 cups flour; 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Grease and flour a 9×13-inch cake pan.

In a large mixer bowl, beat eggs and honey together. Add sugar and mix again. Mix coffee with baking powder and then add butter or margarine to the egg mixture. Add baking soda, flour, and cinnamon and beat well together.

Pour into a greased 9×13 cake pan. Bake for 55 minutes to an hour.

In subsequent posts we will discuss Yom Kippur and the traditions and mandates associated with this most solemn of holidays.

Rebecca Buntyn

Each year we order a batch of special United Israel World Union Jewish Calendars. The company we use really does a beautiful job with color photos for each monthly spread, all the Jewish holidays and Holydays marked, as well as the weekly readings printed out for the Torah and the Prophets. With the Fall Holyday season upon us we thought some of our readers might like to have one of these calendars. We have a limited number left and will happily send you one if you think you could use it this coming year. Our only requirement is that you write us by surface mail with your name and mailing address. Unfortunately, in this case, we can not accept e-mail requests, nor can we mail outside the U.S. due to prohibitive airmail postage costs.

Send your request to:

United Israel World Union Calendar

P.O. Box 561476

Charlotte, NC 28256-1476