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Home , Adar, Kislev, Nisan, Sivan, Tammuz (Hebrew month)

PART SIX Calendars -CALENDARS-

By Julius H. Greenstone—

THE JEWISH YEAR consists of 12 , each having 29 or 30 days. An intercalated year has 13 months, an additional month, called Sheni (second Adar), being added between Adar and . Nisan, , Ab, Tishri, Shebat, and the first Adar (in the intercalated year) always have 30 days; , Tarnmuz, , Tebet, Adar (in a simple year, or Adar Sheni in an intercalated year) always have 29 days each. Heshvan and sometimes both have 30 days, when the year is called "perfect" {Shelemah, indicated by letter E>), sometimes both have 29 days each, when the year is called "defective" (Haserah, indicated by letter n), and sometimes Heshvan has 29 days and Kislev 30 days, when the year is called "regular" (ke-Sidrah, indicated by the letter 3). Whenever the month has 30 days, the 30th day of the month is the first day of the following month, which has two New Moon days. When the month has only 29 days, the following month has only one New Moon day. The year 5709 is called 709 (D'iSTl) according to the short system (p"D7). It is a perfect common year of 12 months, 50 , 355 days. It begins on Monday, the second day of the week. The first day of falls on Thursday, the fifth day of the week. Therefore, the year's sign is ntP3—3 for second, tP for perfect (^D^bw) and n for fifth. It is the ninth year of the 301st lunar cycle of 19 years and the twenty-seventh year of the 204th solar cycle of 28 years since Crea- tion, according to the traditional Jewish reckoning.

784 ABRIDGED JEWISH CALENDARS FOR 5709-5710 (1948-50)

Holiday 5709 (1948-49) 5710 (1949-50)

First Day New Year Mon. 1948, Oct. 4 Sat. 1949, Sept. 24 Second Day New Year Tues. Oct. 5 Sun. Sept. 25 Fast of Gedaliah Wed. Oct. 6 Mon. S-pt. 26 Day of Atonement Wed. Oct. 13 Mon. Oct. 3 First Day Mon. Oct. 18 Sat. Oct. 8 Second Day Tabernacles. .. Tues. Oct. 19 Sun. Oct. 9 Hoshana Rabba Sun. Oct. 24 Fri. Oct. 14 Eighth Day of Feast Mon. Oct. 25 Sat. Oct. 15 Rejoicing of the Law Tues. Oct. 26 Sun. Oct. 16 New Moon Heshvan, 1st day. Tues. Nov. 2 Sun. Oct. 23 New Moon Heshvan, 2nd day. Wed. Nov. 3 Mon. Oct. 24 New Moon Kislev, 1st day. .. Thur. Dec. 2 Tues. Nov. 22 New Moon Kislev, 2nd day... Fri. Dec. 3 First Day Mon. Dec. 27 Fri. Dec. 16 New Moon Tebet, 1st day... . Sat. 1949, Jan. 1 Wed. Dec. 21 New Moon Tebet, 2nd day. . . Sun. Jan. 2 Fast of Tebet Tues. Jan. 11 Fri. Dec. 30 New Moon Shebat Mon. Jan. 31 Thur. 1950, Jan. 19 New Year for Trees Mon. Feb. 14 Thur. Feb. 2 New Moon Adar, 1st day Tues. Mar. 1 Fri. Feb. 17 New Moon Adar, 2nd day... . Wed. Mar. 2 Sat. Feb. 18 New Moon Adar Sheni, 1st day. New Moon Adar Sheni, 2nd day Fast of Mon. Mar. 14 Thur. Mar. 2 Tues. Mar. 15 Fri. Mar. 3 Shushan Purim Wed. Mar. 16 Sat. Mar. 4 New Moon Nisan Thur. Mar. 31 Sun. Mar. 19 First Day Passover Thur. Apr. 14 Sun. Apr. 2 Second Day Passover Fri. Apr. 15 Mon. Apr. 3 Seventh Day Passover Wed. Apr. 21 Sat. Apr. 8 Eighth Day Passover Thur. Apr. 22 Sun. Apr. 9 New Moon Iyar, 1st day Fri. Apr. 29 Mon. Apr. 17 New Moon Iyar, 2nd day.... Sat. Apr. 30 Tues. Apr. 18 Thirty-third Day of the Omer. Tues. May 17 Fri. May 5 New Moon Sivan Sun. May 29 Wed. May 17 First Day Feast of Weeks... Fri. June 3 Mon. May 22 Second Day Feast of Weeks. Sat. June 4 Tues. May 23 New Moon , 1st day. Mon. June 27 Thur. June 15 New Moon Tammuz, 2nd day. Tues. June 28 Fri. June 16 Fast of Tammuz Thur. July 14 Sun. July 2 New Moon Ab Wed. July 27 Sat. July 15 Fast of Ab Thur. Aug. 4 Sun. July 23 New Moon Elul, 1st day Thur. Aug. 25 Sun. Aug. 13 New Moon Elul, 2nd day.. . . Fri. Aug. 26 Mon. Aug. 14 Eve of New Year Fri. Sept. 23 Mon. Sept. 11

*Fast observed on following day. 785 194?i, Oct. 4—Nov. 2] TISHRI 30 DAYS ['"1ET1 5709

PENTATEUCHAL PROPHETICAL Civil Day Jewiah SABBATHS, FESTI- PORTIONS PORTIONS Month of the Month VALS, FASTS Week nvens nnosn Oct. Tishri New Year njETI WIT 'N /Gen. 21 I Sam. 1:1-2:10 4 M 1 (Num. 29:1-6 5 T 2 New Year rwn WH~\~I '3/Gen. 22 Jer. 31:2-20 Num. 29:1-6 /Is. 55:6-56:8 6 W 3 Fast of Gedaliah Ex. 32:11-14; 34:1-10 \Seph. none

7 Th 4 Hos. 14:2-10; 8 F 5 Joel 2:15-27 Seph. Hos. 14:2-10; 9 S 6 raw na0.-|^i Deut. 31 Micah 7:18-20 10 S 7 11 M 8 12 T 9 fLev. 16 Is. 57:14-58:14 1133 DV Num. 29:7-11 Afternoon: Jonah 13 W 10 Day of Atonement [Afternoon: Lev. 18 Seph. add: Micah 7: 14 Th 11 18-20 15 F 12 16 S 13 irr«n Deut. 32 II Sam. 22 17 S 14 Lev. 22:26-23:44 Zech. 14 18 M 15 Tabernacles ni3DT 'K Num. 29:12-16 Lev. 22:26-23:44 I Kings 8:2-21 19 T 16 Tabernacles ni3DT '3 Num. 29:12-16 Num. 29:17-25 20 W 17 Seph. 29:17-22 Num. 29:20-28 21 Th 18 Seph. 29:20-25 •tyinn 7in Num. 29:23-31 22 F 19 Seph. 29:23-28 Ex. 33:12-34:26 23 S 20 Num. 29:26-31 Ezek. 38:18-39:16 N3T wyenrr Num. 29:26-34 24 S 21 Seph. 29:29-34 Eighth Day of Feast* Deut. 14:22-16:17 25 M 22 Num. 29:35-30:1 I Kings 8:54-66 Deut. 33:1-34:12 26 T 23 min nroty Gen. 1:1-2:3 /Josh.1 27 W 24 Rejoicing of the innDLaw N Num. 29:35-30:1 \Seph. 1:1-9 28 Th 25 29 F 26 fls. 42:5-43:10 {Seph. 42:5-11; 61:10; 30 S 27 t'nn '3D] rvtt>N-i3 Gen. 1:1-6:8 I 62:5 31 S 28 Nov. i— l M 29 2 T 30 New Moon Bnn VHTI 'N Num. 28:1-15

•The Book of is read. 1948, Nov. 3—Dec. 2] HESHVAN 30 DAYS []WV\ 5709

Day SABBATHS, FESTI- PENTATEUCHAL PROPHETICAL Civil Jewish PORTIONS PORTIONS Month of the Month VALS, FASTS Week nrzns nntjsn Nov. Heshv 3 w 1 New Moon t»in W\~l '3 Num. 28:1-15 4 Th 2 5 F 3 /Is. 54:1-55:5 6 S 4 m Gen. 6:9-11:32 \Seph. 54:1-10 7 S 5 8 M 6 9 T 7 10 W 8 11 Th 9 12 F 10 13 S 11 -\b I1? Gen. 12:1-17:27 Is. 40:27-41:16 14 S 12 15 M 13 16 T 14 17 W 15 18 Th 16 19 F 17 (II Kings 4:1-37 20 S 18 Gen. 18:1-22:24 \Seph. 4:1-23 21 S 19 22 M 20 23 T 21 24 W 22 25 Th 23 26 F 24 27 S 25 c'nn '3Di me>"n Gen. 23:1-25:18 I Kings 1:1-31 28 S 26 29 M 27 30 T 28 Dec. 1 W 29 ]ap "viB3 or 2 Th 30 New Moon Bnn BWH 'H Num. 28:1-15

787 1948, Dec. 3-1949, Jan. 1] KISLEV 30 DAYS [I^DJ [5709

Day PENTATEUGHAL PROPHETICAL Civil Jewish SABBATHS, FESTI- PORTIONS PORTIONS Month of the Month VALS, FASTS Week nvuns nnoen Dec. Kislev 3 F New Moon KHn IPtm '3 Num. 28:1-15 4 S 2 mhn Gen. 25:19-28:9 Mai. 1:1-2:7 5 s 3 6 M 4 7 T 5 8 W 6 9 Th 7 Hos. 12:13-14:10 or 10 F 8 11:7-12:12 or 11:7-14:10 11 S 9 Gen. 28:10-32:3 Seph. 11:7-12:12 12 S 10 13 M 11 14 T 12 15 W 13 16 Th 14 (Hos. 12:13-14:10 or 17 F 15 j 11:7-12:12 or | Obadiah 1:1-21 18 S 16 Gen. 32:4-36:43 [Seph. Obad. 1:1-21 19 S 17 20 M 18 21 T 19 22 W 20 23 Th 21 24 F 22 25 S 23 ['nn '3D! 3EH Gen. 37:1-40:23 Amos 2:6-3:8 26 s 24 /Hanukkah n33n Num. 7:1-17 27 M 25 \ Feast of Dedication Seph. 6:22-7:17 Num. 7:18-29 28 T 26 Seph. 7:18-23 Num. 7:24-35 29 W 27 Seph. 7:24-29 Num. 7:30-41 30 Th 28 Seph. 7:30-35 Num. 7:36-47 31 F 29 Seph. 7:36-41 Jan. 1949 Gen. 41:1-44:17 S 30 win ptm 'x.ypa Num. 28:9-15 Zech. 2:14-4:7 1 Num. 7:42-53

788 1949, Jan. 2—30] TEBET 2<> DAYS [TUB [5709

Day PENTATEUCHAL PROPHETICAL CSvil Jewish SABBATHS, FESTI- PORTIONS PORTIONS Month of the Month VALS, FASTS Week nvmB nnosn Jan Tebet Num. 28:1-15; 7:48- 2 s 1 enniPN-n 'n 53 3 M 2 NeEightw Mooh Dany of Hanukkah [Num. 7:54-8:4 4 T 3 5 W 4 6 Th 5 7 F 6 8 S 7 Gen. 44:18-47:27 Ezek. 37:15-28 9 S 8 10 M 9 Ex. 32:11-14; 34:1-10 fls. 55:6-56:8 11 T 10 rota me>y nis \Seph. none 12 W 11 Fast of Tebet 13 Th 12 14 F 13 15 S 14 Gen. 47:28-50:26 I Kings 2:1-12 16 S 15 17 M 16 18 T 17 19 W 18 20 Th 19 21 F 20 fls. 27:6-28:13; 29:22, i 23 22 S 21 Ex. 1:1-6:1 (Seph. Jer. 1:1-2:3 23" S 22 24 M 23 25 T 24 26 W 25 27 Th 26 28 F 27 29 S 28 I'nn 'am HINT Ex. 6:2-9:35 Ezek. 28:25-29:21 30 S 29 iop lisa

789 1949, Jari. 31—Mar. 1] SHEBAT JO DAYS [£33tP 5709

PENTATEUCHAL PROPHETICAL Civil Day Jewish SABBATHS, FESTI- PORTIONS PORTIONS Month of the Month VALS, FASTS Week nvens nnDsn Jan Shebat Num. 28:1-15 31 M 1 New Moon Feb. 1 T 2 2 W 3 3 Th 4 4 F 5 5 S 6 Ex. 10:1-13:16 Jer. 46:13-28 6 S 7 7 M 8 8 T 9 9 W 10 10 Th 11 11 F 12 /Judges 4:4-5:31 12 S 13 [7ITE> mE>] nbw2 Ex. 13:17-17:16 [Seph. 5:1-31 13 S 14 14 M 15 New Year for Trees 15 T 16 16 W 17 17 Tu 18 18 F 19 (Is. 6:1-7:6; 9:5, 6 19 S 20 nn' Ex. 18:1-20:26 \Seph. 6:1-13 20 s 21 21 M 22 22 T 23 23 W 24 24 Th 25 25 F 26 Ex. 21:1-24:18; 30:11- (II Kings 12:1-17 26 S 27 cnn 'aai 16 \Seph. 11:17-12:17 27 S 28 28 M 29 ]up lisa DV Mar. Bnn B>NVT'« Num. 28: 1-15 1 T 30 New Moon

790 1949, Mar. 2—30] ADAR 29 DAYS [17N [5709

Civil Day Jewish SABBATHS, FESTI- PENTATEUCHAL PROPHETICAL Month of the Month VALS, FASTS PORTIONS PORTIONS Week ni'BHS nntssn Mar. Adar Num. 28:1-15 2 w New Moon 3 Th 2 4 F 3 -5 S 4 nnnn Ex. 25:1-27:19 I Kings 5:26-6:14 6 S 5 7 M 6 8 T 7 9 W 8 10 Th 9 11 F 10 /Ex. 27:20-30:10 /I Sam. 15:2-34 12 S ,11 mar's ,mxn \Deut. 25:17-19 \Seph 15:1-34 13 S 12 -inDN myn Ex. 32:11-14; 34:1-10 fis. 55:6-56:8 14 M 13 \Seph. none 0H19 Ex. 17:8-16 15 T 14 Purim, Feast of Esther* D'TIS 7010 16 W 15 Shushan Purlm 17 Th 16 18 F 17 /Ex. 30:11-34:35 (Ezek. 36: 16-38 19 S 18 rns 's ,Kt»n o (Num. 19 \Seph 36: 16-36 20 S 19 21 M 20 22 T 21 23 W 22 24 Th 23 25 F 24 ttnnn 's ,'-iips .^np'i Ex. 35:1-40:38; 12:1- /Ezek. 45:16-46:18 26 S 25 ['nn'aoj 20 \Seph. 45:18-46:15 27 S 26 28 M 27 29 T 28 30 W 29

•The is read. 791 1949, Mar. 31—Apr. 29] NISAN 30 DAYS [jD'J 5709

PENTATEUCHAL PROPHETICAL Civil Day Jewis SABBATHS, FESTI- PORTIONS PORTIONS Month of the Mont VALS, FASTS Week nvens rmosn Mar Nisai 31 Th New Moon BHn B>m Num. 28:1-15 Apr. F 2 2 S 3 mp'i Lev. 1:1-5:26 Is. 43:21-44:23 3 s 4 4 M 5 5 T 6 6 W 7 7 Th 8 F 9 (Mai. 3:4-24 or 8 II Kings 7:3-20 9 S 10 bmn me* ,ix Lev. 6:1-8:36 [Seph. Mai. 3:4-24 10 S 11 11 M 12 12 T 13 D'TOH n'jyn 13 W 14 /Josh. 3:5-7; 5:2-6:1, Fast of First-Born /Ex. 12:21-51 \Seph. 5:2-6:1, 27 14 Th 15 Num. 28:16-25 Passover riDEH N Lev. 22:26-23:44 II Kings 23:1 (or4)- 15 F 16 Num. 28:16-25 9; 21-25 Passover PIDB7 '3 Ex. 33:12-34:26 Ezek. 36:37-37:14 16 S 17 * Num. 28:19-25 Seph. 37:1-14 Ex. 13:1-16 17 S 18 Num. 28:19-25 Ex. 22:24-23:19 18 M 19 Num. 28:19-25 Num. 9:1-14 19 T 20 Num. 28:19-25 Ex. 13:17-15:26 20 W 21 Passover PIDS1 T Num. 28:19-25 II Sam. 22 Deut. 15:19-16:17 21 Th 22 Passover FIDBI 'n Num. 28:19-25 Js. 10:32-12:6 22 F 23 innoN 111 Sam. 6:1-7:17 23 S 24 t'nn '3D]'r»0 Lev. 9:1-11:47 \Seph. 6:1-19 24 S 25 25 M 26 26 T 27 27 W 28 28 Th 29 29 F 30 ttnn wn N Num. 28:1-15

•The Song of Songs is read. 792 1949, Apr. 30—May 28] IYAK If DAYS [T'N 5709

Civil Day Jewish PENTATEUCHAL PROPHETICAL SABBATHS, FESTI- PORTIONS Month of the Month VALS, FASTS PORTIONS Week nvenr nncssn Apr. Iyar /Lev. 12:1-15:33 30 s 1 New Moon (Num. 28:9-15 Is. 66 May 1 s 2 2 M 3 3 T 4 4 W 5 5 Th 6 Amos 9:7-15 or 6 F 7 Ezek. 22:J-19(orlO) Seph. Ezek. 20:2 7 S 8 D'BHp ,nia nn« Lev. 16:1-20:27 (or l)-20 8 S 9 9 M 10 10 T 11 11 W 12 12 Th 13 13 F 14 'JB> nDS 14 S 15 "ION Lev. 21:1-24:23 Ezek. 44:15-31 15 S 16 16 M 17 17 T 18 33d Day of 'Omer 18 W 19 19 Th 20 20 F 21 21 S 22 'npna .inn Lev. 25:1-27:34 Jer. 16:19-17:14 22 s 23 23 M 24 24 T 25 25 W 26 26 Th 27 [mplD] ]Up 1133 DV 27 F 28 28 S 29 i'nn 'uai -DIM Num. 1:1-4:20 I Sain. 20:18-42

793 1949, May 29—June 27] SI VAN 30 DAYS []VD 5709

Day PENTATEUCHAL PROPHETICAL Civil Jewis! SABBATHS, FESTI- PORTIONS PORTIONS Month of the VALS, FASTS Week Monti ni'EHS nnusn May Sivan 29 s 1 New Moon EHPI tPN"! Num. 28:1-15 30 M 2 31 T 3 June 1 W 4 2 Th 5 myiaEH'« Ex. 19:1-20:23 Ezek 1:1-28; 3:12 6 Num. 28:26-31 3 F Feast of Weeks A myntsn 'a Deut. 14:22-16:17 /Hab. 3:1-19 4 5 7 Feast of Weeks* Num. 28:26-31 \Seph. 2:30-3:19 5 S 8 6 M 9 7 T 10 8 W 11 9 Th 12 10 F 13 11 S 14 Num. 4:21-7:89 Judges 13:2-25 12 s 15 13 M 16 14 T 17 15 W 18 16 Th 19 17 F 20 18 S 21 "n^yna Num. 8:1-12:16 Zech. 2:14-4:7 19 s 22 20 M 23 21 T 24 22 W 25 23 Th 26 24 F 27 25 S 28 I'nn 'am ~\h nhw Num. 13:1-15:41 Josh. 2 26 S 29 ]Qp "lisa DV 27 M 30 ttnn ptm N Num. 28:1-15 New Moon

•The Book of Ruth is read. 794 1949, June 28—July 26] TAMMUZ 29 DAYS man 5709 PENTATEUGHAL Civil Day Jewish SABBATHS, FESTI- PROPHETICAL Month of the Month VALS, FASTS PORTIONS PORTIONS Week nnosn June Tam. Num. 28:1-15 28 T 1 New Moon 29 W 2 30 Th 3 July 1 F 4 2 S 5 mp Num. 16:1-18:32 I Sam. 11:14-12:22 3 S 6 4 M 7 5 T 8 6 W 9 7 Th 10 8 F 11 9 S 12 pVa ,npn Num. 19:1-22:1 Micah 5:6-6:8 10 s 13 11 M 14 12 T 15 13 W 16 Ex.32:ll-14;34:l-10 (Is. 55:6-56:8 / ram nts>y nyatp DIX \Seph. none 14 Th 17 \Fast of Tammuz 15 F 18 16 S 19 Dnre Num. 25:10-30:1 Jer. 1:1-2:3 17 s 20 18 M 21 19 T 22 20 W 23 21 Th 24

22 F 25 (Jer. 2:4-28; 8:4 23 S 26 t'nn 'am 'J7DD ,niHo Num. 30:2-36:13 \Sepli. 2:4-28; 4:1, 24 S 27 25 M 28 26 T 29 leap "IISD or

795 1949, July 27—Aug. 25] AB 30 DAYS 3« 5709

Day PENTATEUCHAL PROPHETICAL Civil Jewial SABBATHS, FESTI- PORTIONS PORTIONS Month of the Month VALS, FASTS Week nVBHB nnosn July Ab 27 w 1 New Moon BHn PNT Num. 28:1-15 28 Th 2 29 F 3 30 S 4 lirnnap.nnm Deut. 1:1-3:22 Is. 1:1-27 31 S 5 Aug. 1 M 6 2 T 7 Morning: 3 W 8 (Deut. 4:25-40 Jer. 8:13-9:23 3N3 njwn oix {Afternoon: Ex. 32:11- AftetttoonIs. 55:6-56: .* 8 4 Th 9 l 14; 34:1-10 Seph. Hos. 14:2-10; 5 F 10 Fast of Ab* Micah 7:18-20 6 S 11 lDmnaw.iinnm Deut. 3:23-7:11 Is. 40:l-2fi 7 s 12 8 M 13 9 T 14 10 W 15 11 Th 16 12 F 17 13 S 18 apy Deut. 7:12-11:25 Is. 49:14-51:3 14 s 19 15 M 20 16 T 21 17 W 22 18 Th 23 19 F 24 20 S 25 I'nn '3D) n«n Deut. 11:26-16:17 Is. 54:11-55:5 21 s 26 22 M 27 23 T 28 24 W 29 \up -nsa or 25 Th 30 win wxii 'N Num. 28:1-15 New Moon

* The Book of Lamentations is read, 796 1949 , Aug. 26-Sept- . 23] ELUL 29 DAYS fr^H 5709

Day PENTATEUCHAL PROPHETICAL Civil Jewish SABBATHS, FESTI- PORTIONS PORTIONS Month of the Month VALS, FASTS Week nvBns nnesn Aug. Elul 26 F 1 enn B>NVT 'a Num. 28:1-15 New Moon* 27 S 2 Deut. 16:18-21:9 Is. 51:12-52:12 28 S 3 29 M 4 30 T 5 31 W 6 Sept. 1 Th 7 2 F 8 Is. 54:1-10 or 54:1- 3 S 9 Deut. 21:10-25:19 55:5 4 s 10 5 M 11 6 T 12 7 W 13 8 Th 14 9 F 15 10 S 16 Kan '3 Deut. 26:1-29:8 Is. 60 11 s 17 12 M 18 13 T 19 14 W 20 15 Th 21 16 F 22 17 S 23 Deut. 29:9-31:30 Is. 61:10-63:9 18 S 24 nin^o1? D'0'3B>» 19 M 25 Sellhot* 20 T 26 21 W 27 22 Th 28 23 F 29

• The Sephardim say Selihot during the whole month of Elul. >, Sept. 24—Oct. 23] TISHRI 30 DAYS p-ltPn 5710

Day PENTATEUCHAL PROPHETICAL Civil Jewish SABBATHS, FESTI- PORTIONS PORTIONS Month of the Month VALS, FASTS Week nrans nnasn Sept. Tishri mts>n usn 'K /Gen. 21 [Num. 29:1-6 I Sam. 1:1-2:10 24 s 1 New Year /Gen. 22 rer. 31:2-20 25 s 2 New Year , Num. 29:1-6 Is. 55:6-56:8 26 M 3 rv?"n DIX Ex. 32:ll-14;34:l-10 Seph. none 27 T 4 Fast of Gedaliah 28 W 5 29 Th 6 30 F 7 Hos. 14:2-10; Joe! 2:15-17, 27 Oct. Seph. Hos. 14:2-10; 1 S 8 T12W r\2U> ,13'fNn Deut. 32 Micah 7:18-20 2 9 s Lev. 16 Is. 57:14-58:14 -1133 OV Afternoon- Jonah 3 M 10 Day of Atonement Num. 29:7-11 Afternoon: Lev. 18 Seph. add: Micah 7: 4 T 11 18-20 5 W 12 6 Th 13 7 F 14 Lev. 22:26-23:44 8 S 15 Tabernacles ni3Dl 'N Num. 29:12-16 lech. 14 Lev. 22:26-23:44 9 s 16 Tabernacles ITDDT '3 Num. 29:12-16 I Kings 8:2-21 Num. 29:17-25 10 M 17 Seph. 29:17-23 Num. 29:20-28 11 T 18 iSefh. 29:20-25 -ryiDn ^n Num. 29:23-31 12 W 19 Seph. 29:23-28 Num. 29:26-31 13 Th 20 Seph. 29:26-31 Num. 29:26-34 14 F 21 Seph. 29:29-34 mxy 'row Deut. 14:22-16:17 15 S 22 Num. 29:35-30:1 I Kings 8:54-66 or 9:1 Eighth Day of the Feast* rrnn nnotp [Deut. 33:1-34:12 16 S 23 JGen. 1:1-2:3 /Josh. 1 17 M 24 Rejoicing of the Law (Num. 29:35-30:1 \Seph. 1:1-9 18 T 25 19 W 26 20 Th 27 nn nos 21 F 28 fl Sam. 20:18-42 {Seph. add: Is. 61:10; 22 S 29 Gen. 1:1-6:8 1 62:5 23 30 arm 10 tm'« Num. 28:1-15 s New Moon

['nn•Th '30e ]Boo n'Bwk of Ecclesiasteu s is read. 1949, Oct. 24—Nov. 21J HESHVAJN D UAYS [ptPn 5710

Day PENTATEUCHAL PROPHETICAL Civil Jewish SABBATHS, FESTI- PORTIONS Month of the Month VALS, FASTS PORTIONS Week nvens nncjsn

Oct. Heshi— l v 24 M enn »N~n 'a Num. 28:1-15 25 T 2 New Moon 26 W 3 27 Th 4 28 F 5 (Is. 54:1-55:5 29 S 6 m Gen. 6:9-11:32 \Scph. 54:1-10 30 S 7 31 M 8 Nov. 1 T 9 2 W 10 3 Th 11 4 F 12 5 S 13 Gen. 12:1-17:27 Is. 40:27-41:16 6 s 14 7 M 15 8 T 16 9 W 17 10 Th 18 11 19 F /II Kings 4:1-37 12 S 20 NTl Gen. 18:1-22:24 \Seph. 4:1-23 13 S 21 14 M 22 15 T 23 16 W 24 17 Th 25 18 F 26 19 S 27 rnn 'am mB> "n Gen. 23:1-25:18 I Kings 1:1-31 20 S 28 21 M 29 ]EJp TIED OV

799 194*>, Nov. 22—Dec. 20] KISLEV 29 DAYS lb0D 5710

Day PENTATEUCHAL PROPHETICAL Civil Jewish SABBATHS, FESTI- PORTIONS PORTIONS of the Month VALS, FASTS Month Week nrens nnasn Nov. Kislev 22 T 1 New Moon EHI1 VH~I Num. 28:1-15 23 W 2 24 Th 3 25 F 4 26 S 5 m^in Gen. 25:19-28:9 Mai. 1:1-2:7 27 S 6 28 M 7 29 T 8 30 W 9 Dec.

1 Th 10 Hos. 12:13-14:10 or 2 F 11 11:7-12:12 or 11:7-14:10 3 S 12 Gen. 28:10-32:3 Sepk. 11:7-12:12 4 S 13 5 M 14 6 T 15 7 W 16 8 Th 17 Hos. 12:13-14:10 of 9 F 18 11:7-12:13 or Obadiah 1:1-21 10 S 19 nVttn Gen. 32:4-36:43 Seph. Obad. 1:1-21 11 S 20 12 M 21 13 T 22 14 W 23 15 Th 24 (Hanukkah D33n Num. 7:1-17 16 F 25 \ Feast of Dedication Seph. 6:22-7:17 Gen. 37:1-40:23 17 S 26 t'nn'aa] a EH Num. 7:18-23 Zech. 2:14-4:7 Num. 7:24-35 18 s 27 Seph. 7:24-29 Num. 7:30-41 19 M 28 Seph. 7:30-35 Num. 7:36-47 20 T 29 Seph. 7:36-41

800 JEWISH HOLY DAYS 801

Jewish Holy Days, Festivals and F^sts

NEW YEAR (Rosh ha-Shanah). The ecclesiastical year was reckoned from the month of Nisan; and the first day of the seventh month, Tishri, came to be regarded as the beginning of the civil year. In the Bible the festival is known as "a day of blowing" the shofar, or ram's-horn (Num. 29:1), a rite still universally ob- served in the synagogues. It is also called "a memorial pro- claimed with a blast of horns" (Lev. 23:24). The day acquired a solemn significance and was transformed into a "Day of Judgment," so named in post-Biblical writings. According to an ancient tradition, the first day of Tishri marks the first day of creation, on the anniversary of which mankind is judged by God. The dominance of the idea of judgment gave the day a solemn character, approaching that of the Day of Atonement. Judgment is passed on New Year and the decree is sealed on the Day of Atonement. The blasts of the shofar send a tremor through the congregation. It is a sign of alarm: the destiny of the world is being settled for the coming year. The sounding of the ram's-horn, commanded in the Bible, is interpreted as a reminder of the ram which sacrificed in place of . New Year opens the Ten Days of Penitence—a kind of spiritual stock-taking season—which close with the Day of Atonement.

THE FAST OF GEDALIAH is observed in commemoration of the assas- sination of Gedaliah, the Prince, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of , appointed governor over the remnants of the in Judea after the more important elements of the population had been driven into exile in Babylonia in 586 B. C. E. The assassination was supposed to have occurred on the New Year, but the fast was postponed until the day after the holiday (II Kings 25:25; Jer. 41:1, 2). SHUBAH is so named because the , or reading from the Prophets, on that day (Hos. 14:2-15) begins with the word "Shubah" ("return"), the prophet exhorting the people to return to God and repent of their sins. DAY OF ATONEMENT (Yom ha-Kippurim, or ) is a day of great solemnity, and the most extensively observed holiday. The holiday has no connection with any historic event. In the Bible it is described as "the sabbath of sabbaths" (Lev. 23:32): 802 AMERICAN JEWISH YEAR BOOK a sabbath of eminent sanctity. The day is associated with a strict rite, the fast, which lasts from sunset to sunset. The day is spent in prayer. The services in the synagogue begin in the evening, are resumed in the morning and continue throughout the day. The keynote of the prayers is contrition, confession and regeneration, a tone also manifest in the choice of the prophetic lessons of the day: the first being Isaiah 53 and the second the Book of Jonah. But the Day of Atonement is not only a fast; it is also a high festival.

TABERNACLES () is the third of the three pilgrim festivals. It was an agricultural festival, marking the completion of the harvest, and is designated in the Bible as the "Feast of Ingath- ering" (Ex. 23:16 and 34:22). It is also called the "Feast of Tabernacles"—more exactly of Booths (Lev. 23:34; Deut.l6:13). An historical significance was given to the festival; it came to be celebrated in commemoration of the booths in which the dwelt during their wandering in the wilderness after they left (Lev. 23:39). A characteristic feature of the celebration, symbolic of the agricultural character of the festi- val, is the carrying of the Lulab (palm) and Etrog (citron) by the worshippers who march in procession in the synagogue around the reading desk—in the days of the Temple, around the altar—and intone the Hoshana, "Deliver now" (Ps. 118:25). In both Bible and Liturgy the festival is described as "the season of our rejoicing." A jubilant note runs through the whole celebration.

GREAT HOSHANA () is the name given to the seventh day of the Sukkot festival. The procession around the reading desk in the synagogue carrying Lulab and Etrog, and reciting the Hoshana, is made in seven circuits. Hence the name, "Great Hoshana."

EIGHTH DAY OF THE FEAST ( 'Atzeret) is celebrated as a separate festival, although there is no special ceremony con- nected with its observance. The day marks the beginning of the rainy season in Palestine. Hence the insertion into the service of the prayer for rain. REJOICING OF THE LAW (Simhat ) is really the second day of Shemini 'Atzeret. The day closes the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles and is associated with the reading of the Law. JEWISH HOLY DAYS 803 marking the completion of the reading of the Pentateuch in the course of the annual cycle. Children and adults join in the ceremonies in a happy mood. Hilarity is the general characteris- tic of the day.

NEW MOON (Rosh Hodesh) was in ancient times an important holiday on which special sacrifices were offered and solemn assemblies were held. Its observance is now confined to some additional prayers and psalms inserted in the synagogue serv- ice and the reading from the Torah. On the Sabbath preceding the New Moon, the approaching day or days is announced by the reader and special prayers for well-being during the coming month are recited. When the previous month has thirty days, the thirtieth as well as the first day of the following month is observed as New Moon. The day preceding the New Moon is known as the "Minor Day of Atonement" () and is observed by the pious as a semi-fast day.

FEAST OF DEDICATION (Hanukkah) is not a Biblical festival. It is an annual eight-day celebration, to be observed in joy and gladness, and was instituted in the year 165 B. C. E. in com- memoration of the rededication of the Temple after the suc- cessful Maccabean revolt against Antiocus Epiphanes, King of . The historical account of the heroic exploits of and his brothers, and of the incidents which led up to the institution of the festival, are contained in Maccabees, I and II. The chief ceremonial feature of the festival is the kindling of lights in the evenings. Hanukkah is a festival of ideals. It symbolizes the triumph of over heathenism, with the lights, the symbol of the festival, representing the triumph of light over darkness.

THE FAST OF TEBET ('Asarah b'Tebet) commemorates the begin- ning of the siege of by Nebuchadnezzar, which culminated in the destruction of the Temple in 586 B. C. E. and in the exile of the Jews to Babylonia (II Kings 25:1). Observant Jews fast on this day from sunrise till sunset.

NEW YEAR FOR TREES (Hamishah 'Asar bi'Shebat) is the Palestine Arbor Day. It is customary to partake of fruits that grow in Palestine and to distribute such fruits to school children. 804 AMERICAN JEWISH YEAR BOOK

PARASHAT is the name given to the Sabbath preceding the New Moon of Adar (or Adar Sheni in an intercalated year), when the section of the Torah (Ex. 30:11-16) which relates of the poll tax imposed by on all Israelites twenty years of age and over is read in the synagogue.

PARASHAT ZAKOR is the name given to the Sabbath preceding the festival of Purim, so called because of the special section of the Torah (Deut. 25:17-19) which begins with the phrase "Re- member what Amalek did unto thee." According to tradition, was a descendant of Amalek, hence the relation of this Parashah to the Purim festival.

FAST OF ESTHER is observed in commemoration of the fast instituted by Esther and when the Jews of Persia were threatened with extermination through the machinations of Haman.

FEAST OF LOTS (Purim) commemorates the deliverance of the Jews from the wholesale destruction Haman had planned for them. The is no mention of any religious observance in the Book of Esther. Purim is observed as a kind of carnival. It is a festival of merrymaking of charity, and of the interchange of gifts among friends. The Book of Esther is read during the syna- gogue services.

SHUSHAN PURIM is the name given to the 15th of Adar, the date when the Jews of Shushan, the former capital of Persia, cele- brated Purim (:18).

PARASHAT PARAH is the name given to the Sabbath preceding the New Moon of Nisan. Only those who were ritually clean could partake in the offering of the paschal lamb on the eve of Pass- over. In order to warn the people against contact with a dead body which renders them unclean and hence excluded from the performance of the rite, the section dealing with ritual cleanliness and the process of purification (Num. 19), is read in the synagogue.

PARASHAT HA-HODESH is the name given to the Sabbath when the New Moon of Nisan is announced or when it coincides with the New Moon. The name is derived from the section of the Torah (Ex. 12:1-20) describing the laws pertaining to the observances connected with the Passover holiday. JEWISH HOLY DAYS 805

THE GREAT SABBATH ( ha-Gadol) is the name given to the Sabbath immediately preceding Passover. It derives its name probably from the allusion to the "great day of the Lord" (Mai. 3:23) in the Haftarah read on that day.

FAST OF THE FIRST-BORN is observed by the first-born males on the day before Passover in commemoration of the deliverance of the first-born of the Israelites in Egypt from the tenth plague, the death of the Egyptian first-born.

PASSOVER (Pesah) is the first of the three pilgrim festivals. It was originally an agricultural festival, marking the early barley harvest. Later it became associated with the deliverance from Egypt. In the Bible the feast is also designated as "the Feast of Unleavened Bread" (Lev. 23:6), and throughout the eight days no leavened or fermented food may be consumed. In the liturgy the festival is described as "the season of our freedom." Passover is primarily a festival of the home. On the first two nights of Passover (on the first night only in Palestine and among Reform Jews) a Seder ("service") is held in the intimate circle of the home. Intended to quicken the interest of the young and the uneducated, the Seder consists of blessings, stories and songs, and follows the time-hallowed order of the Passover . The rite is symbolic of the ancient meal at which the paschal lamb was served, together with the Matzot and the bitter herbs. The Seder ceremony envelops the home in gentleness.

THIRTY-THIRD DAY OF 'OMER (Lag b'Omer) is observed as a semi- holiday. The offering of an 'Omer ("sheaf) of barley on the second day of Passover (Lev. 23:10, 11) marked the beginning of the barley harvest, from which time seven weeks were to be counted until the wheat harvest, commemorated by the Feast of Weeks. This period is known as Sefirah ("counting") or 'Omer Days. Because of the many misfortunes that befell the Jews during those days, they are kept as days of mourning and no festivities are undertaken. However, on the thirty-third day, according to tradition, a plague that raged among the followers of R. Akiba ceased, and the day is kept as a semi-holiday.

FEAST OF WEEKS, OR PENTECOST (Shabuot) is the second pilgrm festival. It was celebrated as an agricultural festival, marking the end of the barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat 806 AMERICAN JEWISH YEAR BOOK

harvest, and celebrated also as the festival of First Fruits (Num. 28:26). This harvest festival was taken to be the time when the were given on Sinai, and in the liturgy the festival is described as "the season of the giving of our Law." Both aspects of the festival have come down to us: the syna- gogues are decked with flowers, and the Ten Commandments are solemnly intoned from the Scroll of the Pentateuch. The festival has no special ceremonial feature. In medieval times, and also later, it was the custom on the Feast of Weeks to ini- tiate young children into the study of the and the Jewish religion. Since the middle of the nineteenth century, the ceremony of confirmation of adolescent boys and girls takes place on this festival in many synagogues.

FAST OF TAMMUZ (Shib'eah 'Asar b'Tammuz) commemorates the breach made in the wall of Jerusalem during the siege by the Babylonians in 586 B. C. E. (II Kings, 25:3, 4; Jer. 52:6, 7). It inaugurates of mourning, concluding with the 9th day of Ab, during which no festivities are engaged in by observant Jews. SHABBAT HAZON is the name given to the Sabbath preceding the Fast of Ab because the Haftarah on that day is taken from the first chapter of Isaiah which begins with the word "Hazon" ("vision"). FAST OF AB (Tishe'ah b'Ab) is observed in commemoration of the destruction of the First Temple by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B. C. E., and also that of the in 70 C. E. by the Romans. It is kept as a fast day from sunset to sunset. The Book of Lamentations is read in the synagogue and elegies (Kinot) are recited during the evening and morning services.

SHABBAT NAHAMU is the name given to the Sabbath following the Fast of Ab, because the Haftarah appropriate to that day is taken from Isaiah 40:1-26 which begins with "Nahamu" (Comfort ye).

SELIHOT are penitential prayers recited every evening during the month of Elul according to Sephardic rite. The Ashkenazim begin the recitation of these prayers on the Sunday preceding Rosh ha-Shanah or a week earlier, if Rosh ha-Shanah comes on a Monday. They are usually chanted before dawn on each of these davs.