The Jewish holy days can be studied from several perspectives. Each of the three pilgrimage feasts has a connection to the agricultural cycle: Passover is at the barley harvest, Pentecost at the wheat harvest, and Tabernacles at the end of the year’s harvest.
Each of the holy days has its own rituals: for example, the firstfruits of the barley harvest and of the wheat harvest were waved before the Lord at Passover and Pentecost, respectively; and during Tabernacles the children of Israel dwelt in booths.
Many of the holy days are associated with significant historical events. For example, Passover is associated with the Exodus, Pentecost with the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai, and Tabernacles with the wilderness wanderings and the dedication of the temple.
And each of the holy days has a list of readings that are a major part of the public worship service. The Exodus story (Ex. 12-15) is read at Passover and the Law-giving (Ex. 19-20) is read at Pentecost. In addition to readings from the Law, the Jews read from the Prophets (i.e. the former prophets or “Histories:” Joshua, Judges, I Samuel through II Kings as well as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and the twelve minor prophets: Hosea through Malachi) and the “Writings” (Ruth, I Chronicles through Song of Solomon, Lamentations, and Daniel) as part of their worship for the annual feasts.
In this article, we review the eight major Jewish holy days, emphasizing the readings. Most of the material in this article and the next can be found in any modern Jewish Prayer Book or in the Jewish Publication Society’s new translation, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures.
Passover
The first Passover occurred in Abib which became, for Israel, the first month of the year (Ex. 12:2, 13:4).
Each family was to choose a lamb without spot on Abib 10 and they were to kill their chosen lamb between the two evenings on Abib 14 (12:3-6,21). Each family was to paint the doorpost of its house with the blood of its lamb (vs. 7,22). They were to eat the roasted lamb that night, with loins girded, shoes on, and staff in hand (vs. 7-11,46). Seeing the blood on the doorpost, the Lord would pass over (i.e. hover over) the door to prevent the Destroyer from smiting those inside (vs. 11b-13,23).
This day was to be a memorial, a feast to the Lord, to be kept by ordinance for ever, in which Jewish children of all generations would be taught how the Lord delivered them when He smote the Egyptians (12:14,24-27,42, 13:3,8-10).
The children of Israel were to eat unleavened bread for seven days from Abib 15 to Abib 21(12:15-20,39, 13:3,6,7). As a result, Passover is also called the feast of Unleavened Bread (e.g. Ex. 23:15,34:18).
Two further details of the Passover ordinance were that the Passover lamb was not to have any of its bones broken (v.46) and that no uncircumcised person was allowed to eat the passover meal (vs. 43-45,48-49).
From early in their history, the Jews have read from Exodus 12 through the song of Moses (Ex. 15) each year as part of their Passover worship service.
Further readings
In connection with the Passover story (Ex. 12), they read the stories of Joshua’s Passover (Josh. 5) and Josiah’s Passover (2 Kgs. 23). In connection with the Song of Moses (Ex. 15), they read the song of David (2 Sam. 22), both of which celebrate the divine deliverance of the Lord’s chosen from their enemies. In addition, the vision of dry bones (Ezek. 37) was read because it tells of a future resurrection of Israel patterned after the exodus. From the Scrolls, the Jews read Song of Solomon at Passover.
Table of Readings for Passover
Day 1
Ex. 12:21-51 The Passover.
Num. 28:16-25 Passover in the order of sacrifices.
Josh. 3:5-7, 5:2-6:1, 6:27 Joshua’s Passover.
Day 2
Lev. 22:26–23:44 Order of holy convocations.
Num. 28:16-25 Passover in the order of sacrifices.
II Kgs. 23:1-9,21-25 Josiah’s Passover. Sabbath during Unleavened Bread
Ex. 33:12-34:26 Includes regulations of the renewed covenant.
Num. 28:19-25 Passover in the order of sacrifices.
Ezek. 36:37-37:14 Valley of dry bones.
Song of Solomon.
Day 7
Ex. 13:17-15:26 Red Sea and Moses’ song.
Num. 28:19-25 Passover in the order of sacrifices.
II Sam. 22 David’s song after deliverance from enemies.
Day 8
Dt. 15:19-16:17 Order of feasts in the land of promise.
Num. 28:19-25 Passover in the order of sacrifices.
Isa. 10:32-12:6, which concludes with “The LORD shall…make men go over dry-shod…like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt” (12:5-6).
Pentecost
The next holy day in the Jewish year is Pentecost (Greek for “fiftieth”), which was celebrated the fiftieth day after the first day of Unleavened Bread (Lev. 23:16). Pentecost is also know as “the feast of weeks” (Ex. 34:22) because it occurred seven weeks after Passover, as well as “the feast of the wheat harvest” (Ex. 34:22, 23:16).
Pentecost occurs in the third month of the Jewish year, on Sivan 6 (it later became a two-day feast). Following the Exodus, the Jews arrived at Mt. Sinai in the third month (Ex. 19:1). Consequently, the Jews associate the giving of the Law of Moses with the feast of Pentecost. They read Exodus 19 and 20 as part of their worship service. They stay up all night meditating upon the Law. Psalm 119, which celebrates the Law, was read at the eight watches of the night vigil of Pentecost.
Besides the history in Exodus, the Jews read from the calendars in Numbers 28-29 and Deuteronomy 16. From the prophets, they read the “Chariot of God” (Ezek. 1) and Habakkuk’s Prayer (Hab. 3). Ezekiel 1 and Exodus 19 both describe awesome theophanies — it is likely that the book of Ezekiel was read in a yearly cycle starting at Pentecost. Habakkuk 3 recalls the Lord’s manifestation on Mt. Sinai.
From the Scrolls, they read Ruth, which has many connections to the portions from the Law (Gen. 37-40 which includes the story of Tamar in Gen. 38) and the “Former Prophets” (I Sam. 1-3, the story of Samuel and Eli) read on the sabbath before Pentecost.
Table of Readings for Pentecost
Day 1
Ex. 19-20 The Law at Mt. Sinai.
Num. 28:26-31 Pentecost in the order of sacrifices.
Ezek. 1 The chariot of God.
Day 2
Dt. 15:19-16:17 Order of feasts in the land of promise.
Num. 28:26-31 Pentecost in the order of sacrifices.
Hab. 3 Habakkuk’s prayer.
Ruth.
Ninth of Ab
The Jews instituted a fast on Ab 9 to mourn the destruction of Solomon’s temple which the Babylonians had destroyed in the fifth month (II Kgs. 25:8,9; Jet 25:8-9). The prophet Zechariah refers to this fast along with three other historical fasts instituted by the Jews (Zech. 7:3-5, 8:19). The primary reading for the Ninth of Ab is the book Lamentations, Jeremiah’s dirge commemorating God’s judgment against faithless Israel.
Trumpets
Just as the seventh day of every week was holy, the seventh month of the year was holy also (Lev. 23:23-25; Num. 29:1-6). The seventh new moon (i.e. Tishri 1), called Trumpets, is the next holy day in the Jewish year. The Jews call it Rosh Hashanah (Heb. for “New Year”) because it was the beginning of the civil year (cp. Ex. 23:16, 34:22) just as Nisan 1 was the beginning of the religious year (cp. the school year, the fiscal year, and the calendar year of today which begin on different days). At some point, Trumpets became a two-day feast.
There are three major themes associated with Trumpets/New Year: the kingdom of God, remembrances and judgments, and trumpets. For each of these three themes the Jews read 10 scriptural passages, three from the Law, three from the Writings, three from the Prophets, and a fourth from the Law to close.
Besides these special readings, they read Genesis 21 (the life of Sarah), Genesis 22 (the binding of Isaac), and Numbers 29:1-6 (Trumpets in the order of sacrifices).
Atonement
Tishri 10 is the Day of Atonement. Every year on that day the high priest made atonement for the children of Israel. The details are given in Leviticus 16.
It was also the only day of the year that the high priest, or anyone else for that matter, was allowed to enter into the most holy place (16:2). Before he could enter, he had to be clothed with the high priestly garments (v. 4), and he had to offer sacrifice for himself (vs. 6,11) and for the people (vs. 15-16). He had to be enveloped in a cloud of incense (vs. 12,13) and must sprinkle the blood of the sin offerings on the furniture of the tabernacle (vs. 14-15,18-19).
Two goats were to be taken (vs. 7-10). One was sacrificed as a sin offering (vs. 8-9). The other, the scapegoat, had the sins of the people confessed over it and then it was released outside the camp (vs. 10,20-22).
The high priest had to bathe his flesh in the tabernacle (vs. 23-24), and the one who let the scapegoat go had to bathe his flesh and wash his clothes before he came back into the camp.
The Jews were to fast on the Day of Atonement (v.29; Lev. 23:26-32; Num. 29:7-11). It was the only fast commanded by God.
No one was allowed in the tabernacle while the high priest went into the most holy place (v. 17). After the high priest returned from the most holy place, he blessed the people (Num. 6:24-26).
It will come as no surprise that the primary reading on the Day of Atonement is Leviticus 16. But the Jews also read Leviticus 18 (for a possible explanation why, see next month’s article).
And, because the major themes associated with the Day of Atonement are repentance and forgiveness, the Jews also read the book of Jonah.
Tabernacles
Following Trumpets and Atonement is Tabernacles, an eight-thy feast celebrated from Tishri 15 to Tishri 22. It is also called the Feast of In gathering (e.g. Ex. 23:16,34:22). The children of Israel were to dwell in booths during the week to remind them that they dwelt in booths when the Lord brought them out of Egypt (Lev. 23:39-44).
Solomon dedicated the temple at the Feast of Tabernacles (I Kgs. 1:2). As a result, Solomon and the temple became major themes of Tabernacles.
Table of Readings for Tabernacles
Day 1
Lev. 22:26-23:44 Calendar of Holy Convocations.
Num. 29:12-16 Tabernacles in the order of sacrifices.
Zech. 14:1-21 Includes Tabernacles in the kingdom age.
Day 2
Lev.22 :26-23 :44 Order of holy convocations.
Num. 29:12-16 Tabernacles in the order of sacrifices.
I Kgs. 8:2-21 Solomon dedicates the temple at Tabernacles.
Sabbath during Tabernacles
Ex. 33:12-34:26 Includes the regulations of the renewed covenant.
Num. 29 Daily portion from the order of sacrifices.
Ecclesiastes.
Day 8
Dt. 14:22-16:17 Includes the calendar for the land of promise.
Num. 29:35-30:1 Tabernacles in the order of sacrifices.
I Kgs. 8:54-66 Solomon dedicates the temple at Tabernacles.
Hanukkah
The next feast in the Jewish year is Hanukkah (Hebrew for “Dedication”), celebrated for the eight days from Chisleu 25 through Tebeth 2. The story of Hanukkah is told in the first two books of Maccabees (see esp. I Macc. 4:52-59; II Macc. 1:18-36,2:1-18, 10:1-8).
Hanukkah was to be like a Feast of Tabernacles (II Macc. 1:18, 10:6). Just as Tabernacles celebrated the dedication of the temple by Solomon, which recalled the dedication of the tabernacle by Moses, Hanukkah was to be the celebration of the rededication of the Restoration Temple by Judas Maccabee following its desecration by the Syrians.
There are two major themes of Hanukkah: the filling of the temple with God’s glory (II Macc. 2:8-12) and the gathering of God’s people out of all the earth (II Macc. 1:27,29,2:7,17-18).
The Jews read Numbers 7-9 (dedication of the tabernacle, etc., Passover at Sinai, and cloud of glory) and Zechariah 3-4 (the high priest Joshua’s garments, vision of the candlestick) during the eight-day feast of Hanukkah.
Purim
The last feast of the year is Purim (Heb. for “Lots”). Of course, the reading for Purim is the book of Esther, which tells the story behind Purim.
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