2.7a : Festivals Flashcards
1
Q
Why are festivals important?
A
- They celebrate God as creator and sustainer of nature.
- They celebrate the relationship between Jews and God.
- They have been celebrated since biblical times, and celebrate important events in Jewish history.
- They give an oppourtunity for Jews to repent their sins and begin a fresh start.
2
Q
What is Rosh Hashanah?
A
- The Jewish New Year starts in September/October and Jews send cards to each other.
- It is the most serious fesitval of them all.
- God opens ‘the Book of Life’ in which everyone’s name is written. God weighs up the good and bad deeds everyone has done over the past year.
- It prepares for the day of judgement, as Jews think about their deeds over the past year, and how they could have done better.
- It is the start of the Jewish new year and is used to celebrate the story of creation at the start of the Torah.
- Orthdox Jews celebrate over 2 days, whereas Liberal and Reform Jews celebrate for 1 day.
3
Q
What are some of the features of Rosh Hashanah?
A
- God opens ‘the Book of Life’ in which everyone’s name is written. God weighs up the good and bad deeds everyone has done over the past year.
- In the month of Elul (the month before Rosh Hashanah) the shofar is blown every day in the synagogue, and people think about their sins and relationship with God and people.
- They make new years resolutions and throw their sins into the water in the tashlich ceremony.
4
Q
SOWA: Micah 7:19
A
“And you shall cast all their sins into the depths of the sea”
5
Q
SOWA: Deuteronomy 30:1
A
“See I set before you this day, life and good, death and evil….. choose life”
6
Q
Why is Rosh Hashanah important to Jews?
A
- Choosing to be good can be a real struggle for some people, and if they fail and do bad things they feel guilty, and so Rosh Hashanah is a chance for people to come before God ackniwledging their sins and showing how they will do better in the coming year.
- They make new years resolutions and throw their sins into the water in the tashlich ceremony.
7
Q
What is Yom Kippur?
A
- Also known as the Day of Atonement
- Yom Kippur occurs 10 days after Rosh Hashanah and these days are known as ‘The Days of Awe’, as Jews reflect on their promises, and how they can put right things they have done worng.
- Jews believe that during the days of awe all cratures will be judged by God, and Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur will decide whether they live or die in the coming year.
- Jews believe that Yom Kippur and the days leading up to it is a time for prayer, good deeds, reflecting on past mistakes, and making ammends with others.
8
Q
What happens at Yom Kippur?
A
- 25 hour fast
- Confession of sins and prayers.
- Wearing jewllery and leather shoes is forbidden.
- On Yom Kippur eve, families have a special meal and make a family donation to the poor. They then go to the synagogue for an evening service with the Kol Nidrei prayer.
9
Q
Why is Yom Kippur important?
A
- The mitzvot say that any Jew who does not fast on Yom Kippur will be cut off, meaning that regard this as the most important festival.
- Yom Kippur releases people from the guilt about their sins, and they feel that they can have a fresh start.
- Jews fast which takes their mind of their physical needs, so they can concentrate on their spiritual.
- Fasting encourages self-discipline needed to keep resolutions, and helps Jews to feel compassion for the poor.
10
Q
SOWA: Leviticus 23:26-29
A
“It is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the Lord your God. Anyone who does not deny himself will be cut off from his people”
11
Q
What is Sukkot?
A
- Sukkot celebrates and reminds Jews of the Israelites journey throught the desert on the way to the Promised Land.
- Jewish families build a sukkah, a temporary shelter just like their ancestors lived in, in the 40 years in the wilderness.
- Jewish families may live in the sukkah and have meals in it.
- Sukkot lasts for seven days, and no work is permitted on the first and second day of the festival.
- It begins 5 days after Yom Kippur.
12
Q
What happens at Sukkot?
A
- Jewish families build a sukkah, a temporary shelter, and may live in it and have meals in it.
- Everyday of the festival, Jews go to the synagogue carrying an etrog in one hand and a lulav as commanded in the mitzvah.
- They wave the lulav in all directions and there is much rejoicing, as sukkot is called ‘the season of our rejoicing’.
13
Q
Why is Sukkot important?
A
- The four species symbolise four different types of people, God’s prescence everywhere and the blessings he showers onto his people.
- The etrog symbolises those who both know the Torah and do good deeds.
- The lulav symbolises those who are learned in the Torah, but do not do good deeds.
- The myrtle symbolsies those who do good deeds, but do not know the Torah
- The willow symbolises those who are both ignorant of the Torah and selfish.
- Sukkot encourages family harmony as they live in a sukkah together.
- There is a link between their ancestors, reinforcing the idea that Jews belonged to an ancient people.
14
Q
SOWA: Leviticus 23:40
A
“On the first day you must take for yourself a fruit of a citron tree, an unopened palm frond, myrtle branches, and willows (that grow here) in the brook. You shall rejoice befor God for seven days”
15
Q
SOWA: Leviticus 23:42
A
“You shall dwell in sukkot seven days, in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I the Lord your God”
