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Shabbat
From Friday Sundown To
Saturday Sundown
Every Week of the Year
Shabbat is one of the foundations, if not the
foundation, of Jewish life. Its observance has protected and inspired
the Jew throughout history and has influenced, in some degree or another,
all of civilization. It is based on two fundamental premises:
-
G-d created the world in six "days"
and "rested" on the seventh "day."
- G-d
intervened in history to take the Jewish People out of the bondage of
slavery in Egypt.
All else of Shabbat law; perhaps, in a sense, all of Torah law
as well, and an understanding of the Jewish soul, follow from the above
premises.
Pearl & Harold M. Jacobs Learning Center
for the Weekly Day of Rest
Work Restrictions: Thirty-nine Biblical
categories of "melachah" very
loosely defined as "work," and Rabbinical extensions
Tu B'Shevat
15 Shevat
Jewish Arbor
Day. Celebration of new fruits and the land of Israel. No eulogies or
daily prayers of mourning said. Some add special services.
Work
Restrictions:
No restrictions
on work.
Fast of Esther
11
Adar***
Fast begins at first morning light.
Commemorates the fast of Queen Esther in order to save the Jewish people
of ancient Persia (Late 6th century B.C.E.), and the subsequent victory of
the Jewish people over their enemies.
Work
Restrictions:
No restrictions
on work.
Purim
14 Adar
Commemorates the rescue of the Jewish
people in ancient Persia (Late 6th century B.C.E.). Celebrated with
feasts, special prayers, the reading of the Book of Esther, the sending of
gifts from friend to friend, and extra charity.
Work
Restrictions:
Limited
restrictions on work.
Shushan Purim
15 Adar
Purim in cities surrounded by
walls from the days of Joshua such as Jerusalem -
see inside for details.
Work
Restrictions:
Limited
restrictions on work.
Rosh
Chodesh Nisan
The first commandment given by G-d to the
Jewish People was to establish the beginning of the Month of Nisan (which
wasn't yet called "Nisan," but, rather, the First Month). Until now, the
Calendar was, so to speak, in G-d's hands. From this point on, the Hebrew
Calendar was placed in the hands of the Jewish People.
Chodesh
Nisan, The Month of Nisan
"Hashem said to
Moshe and Aharon in the Land of Egypt, 'This month shall be for you the
beginning of the months; it shall be for you the first of the months of
the year.' " (Shemot, 12:1-2)
Nisan is the Month of Redemption, because it is
the month in which the Exodus took place around 3,300 B.C.E., at which
time the Jewish People were redeemed from Slavery in Egypt. This event, in
which the Bible records (Shemot, Chapters 1-15) G-d's intervention in
human history in behalf of the oppressed Children of Israel, constituted
the physical birth of the Jewish Nation.
Passover
15-21 Nisan (15-22 in
Diaspora)
Commemorates the Exodus of the Jewish
people from ancient Egypt. Special dietary restrictions beginning the
morning of the previous day. No foods containing
fermented grain products - Chametz - may be consumed or found in any
Jewish household. Special family meal - the "Seder" - conducted during the
first evening in Israel and the first 2 evenings in the Diaspora. Memorial
(Yizkor) services are said on 7th day in Israel, 8th day in the Diaspora.
Work
Restrictions:
Israel:
Sabbath like
restrictions on the first and last days (15 & 21 Nisan). Non-essential
work activities or crafts prohibited during other days.
Diaspora:
Sabbath like
restrictions on the first 2 and last 2 days (15&16 & 21&22 Nisan).
Non-essential work activities or crafts prohibited during other days.
Yom HaShoah
27 Nisan
Holocaust Memorial Day - Special
memorial prayers are said.
Work Restrictions:
No restrictions
on work.
Yom HaZikaron
Lechalalei Ma'arachot Yisrael
4 Iyar
Israel Defense Forces Memorial Day -
Special memorial prayers are said.
Work Restrictions:
No restrictions
on work.
Yom HaAtzmaut
5 Iyar
Israel Independence Day. Many add
special thanksgiving prayers and celebratory feast.
Work Restrictions:
No restrictions
on work.
Lag BaOmer
18 Iyar
Break in the mourning period for the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva (2nd
century). Only day in 49-day period when weddings permitted.
No special services.
Work
Restrictions:
No restrictions
on work.
Yom Yerushalayim
28 Iyar
Jerusalem Reunification Day. Many add
special thanksgiving prayers and celebratory feast.
Work Restrictions:
No restrictions
on work.
Rosh Chodesh Sivan
1 Sivan
"In the third month after
the Exodus of the Jewish People from Egypt, on that very day, they came to
the Desert of Sinai" (Shemot 19:1)
Jewish Tradition says that "that very
day" refers to
Rosh Chodesh Sivan.
This Rosh Chodesh always
consists of just one day because Iyar, the preceding month, is always
categorized, calendar-wise, as "missing;" that is, it consists of just
twenty-nine days. Sivan itself, however, is always "full;" that is, it
always consists of the full complement of thirty days.
Chodesh Sivan
1 Sivan - 30 Sivan
This month has the great privilege
of being the month in which the People of Israel received the Torah at the
foot of Mount Sinai, perhaps the greatest event in the History of the
Jewish People and of World History, which is commemorated on the Festival
of Shavuot, the "Day of the Giving of the Torah."
Shavuot
6 Sivan - Israel (6 & 7 In Diaspora)
Moses Receives The Torah
(Pentecost) - Celebrating G-d's giving
of the Torah and Ten Commandments to the Jews at Mt. Sinai. Memorial (Yizkor)
services said (on 2nd day in diaspora).
Work
Restrictions:
Sabbath-like
work restrictions one day in Israel - two days in diaspora.
Rosh
Chodesh Tammuz
30 Sivan - 1 Tammuz
Rosh Chodesh Tammuz is always two days,
because the preceding month, Sivan, is always "malei," or "full;" that is,
always contains 30 days. The first day of Rosh Chodesh Tammuz is the 30th
day of Sivan, and the second day of Rosh Chodesh Tammuz is the first of
Tammuz.
Chodesh Tammuz
1 Tammuz - 29 Tammuz
This month is always "chaser," or
"diminished;" that is, it always contains only 29 days. Therefore, the
Rosh Chodesh of the following month, Av, is just one day, the first of Av.
This month, Tammuz, followed by Av, contain the three week period known
as "Bein Ha-Metzarim," "in the straits" of trouble between the Jewish
People and G-d. Many tragedies occurred in this month, which led to still
greater tragedies in the next month. But our hope and belief is that
ultimately, this time will become a time of joy and redemption for the
Jewish People.
Fast of Shiva Asar B'Tammuz
17 Tammuz
Fast Day Lamenting Breach of Jerusalem Walls
-
Fast begins at first morning light. Commemorates the breach of the walls
of Jerusalem by the besieging ancient Romans (Ist century C.E.). Start of
3 week period during which weddings and celebrations are forbidden.
Work
Restrictions:
No restrictions
on work.
Rosh
Chodesh Av
1 Av
Rosh Chodesh Av is always just one day, because the preceding
month, Tammuz, is always "chaser," diminished; that is, it only contains
twenty nine days. The month of Av, on the other hand, is always "malei,"
full; that is, it always contains thirty days.
Chodesh Av
1 Av - 30 Av
"Chodesh Av," the Month of Av, contains the saddest day in the
Hebrew Calendar, the
Ninth of
Av, a day on which too many tragedies have befallen our
People for it just to be an accident. In
Megillat
Eichah, the Prophet Jeremiah's lamentation over the destruction
of Jerusalem, its Temple and its People, this day is called a "Moed" in
the sense of a day marked for tragedy.
We pray that, in our time of blossoming religious life in the
Land of Israel and around the world, we are living in the time that "Tisha
B'Av" will become a "Moed," a "joyous festival," in the classic, joyful
sense of the word, and we will shortly see the fulfillment of the verse
"They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." (Eichah 3:23)
Fast of Tisha B'Av
9 Av
Fast Day Lamenting Destruction of
Temples - Fast begins prior to sunset of the previous day and concludes
after sunset of the date indicated above. Anniversary of the destruction
of both the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem, and other Jewish
tragedies. Climax of three week mourning period and, within those weeks,
of a more intense nine-day mourning period. Special mourning customs and
prayers.
Work
Restrictions: Limited restrictions work through mid-day.
Rosh Chodesh Elul
The month of repentance and personal
reflection
Rosh HaShanah 5764
1-2 Tishrei
The Jewish New Year Day
of Judgment for the entire world. Extended, special synagogue services and
blowing of the ram's horn - Shofar. Start of Ten Days of Repentance.
Work
Restrictions:
Sabbath-like
restrictions on work both days in both Israel and the diaspora.
Tzom Gedaliah
3 Tishrei
Fast Day Lamenting The Expulsion From
Israel; Fast begins at first morning light. Commemorates the assassination
of Gedalya Ben Achikam, and the true start of Babylonian exile of the
Jewish people (Early 6th century B.C.E.)
Work
Restrictions: No restrictions on work.
Yom Kippur
10 Tishrei
The Day of Atonement -
Fast day, beginning prior to sunset on the
previous day (September 15, 2002). Day-long synagogue services, with many
special prayers, including Kol Nidre, N'eela, and Memorial (Yizkor)
services.
Work Restrictions:
All Sabbath-like work restrictions, with no exceptions for cooking etc. as
on Sukkot, Shmini Atzeret, Simchat Torah, Passover and Shavuot, where
exceptions are made for food preparation and carrying. In addition, there
are special restrictions against washing, applying oils, etc. to oneself,
marital relations and wearing leather shoes.
Sukkot
15-20 Tishrei
The Tabernacles - Commemorates the Jewish
people's wanderings in the desert. All meals must be eaten in special
temporary hut - the "Sukkah" Rituals with four species of plants -
Lulav and Etrog
- culminating with special services on the seventh day - Hoshana
Rabah.
Work
Restrictions:
Israel:
Sabbath-like
restrictions on the first day. Non-essential work activities or crafts
prohibited during other days.
Diaspora:
Sabbath like
restrictions on the first 2 days. Non-essential work activities or crafts
prohibited during other days.
Hoshanah Rabah
21 Tishrei
The seventh and last day of Sukkot -
culminates the observation of the Days of Awe
as the day of the final sealing of judgment, which began on Rosh
Hashanah. Additional prayers and quests for repentance as on Yom Kippur
are said in synagogue.
Work Restrictions:
Non-essential
work activities or crafts prohibited.
Shmini Atzeret
22 Tishrei
The Eighth Day of Assembly - culminates the
celebration of renewal and thanksgiving and invokes our anticipation of
the Messianic Age. Memorial (Yizkor) services are said in syngogue.
Work Restrictions:
Sabbath-like
restrictions.
Simchat Torah
Israel: 22 Tishrei
Diaspora: 23 Tishrei
Rejoicing of The Torah - Special
celebration of closing of the High Holidays season. Cycle of Biblical
readings in synagogue completed and begun again in joyous celebration and
festivity. Combined with Shmini Atzeret in Israel into one day, celebrated
as second of two consecutive days in the Diaspora.
Work Restrictions:
Sabbath-like
restrictions.
Chanukah
25 Kislev - 2 Tevet
The Holiday Of Lights
- Celebration of the rededication of
the Second Temple in Jerusalem to holy service by the Maccabees after
their successful struggle for independence and religious freedom against
the Syrians (2nd century B.C.E.). Commemorated by lighting candles during
each night.
Work
Restrictions:
Tradition
limits work only during the time that the Chanukah candles are lit.
Rosh Chodesh Tevet
A Month of Anguish
- On the 10th - Asara BeTevet - Fast
begins at first morning light. Commemorates the beginning of the
Babylonian siege of Jerusalem (7th century B.C.E.).
Work
Restrictions:
No restrictions
on work.
Asarah B'Tevet
Fast day that begins at first morning
light and ends at dusk. Commemorates the beginning of the Babylonian siege
of Jerusalem (Early 6th century B.C.E.). In the modern State of Israel,
Kaddish (the Jewish prayer for the
deceased) is recited on this day
for people whose date or place of death is unknown. Consequently, many
rabbis have designated it as a day of remembrance for the
Holocaust.
Work Restrictions:
No restrictions
on work.
To be continued...
Important Notes
on Observing Jewish Holidays
Jewish Holidays Index
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