Calendar Flashcards
What is the significance of Tisha B’ Av?
1) Destruction of the first temple:
Jewish people transgressed: idol worship, murder, and sexual immorality (423 BCE)
2) Destruction of the second temple:
Baseless hatred
3) Sin of the scouts
Major fast. If it falls on Shabbat, moved to the next day.
1) What are the 12 months called?
2) What is the significance of the order of the months?
3) Why are they Babylonian names?
4) Why is Nissan the first month?
1)
Nissan, Iyar, Sivan, Tamuz, Av, Elul
Tishrei, Heshvan, Kislev, Tevet, Shavat, Adar
2) Months remind us when God brought the Jews out of Egypt (1st redemption)
3) Babylonian name are used to commemorate the 2nd redemption, when Jews returned from Babylon.
Note:
In the pre-Babylonian era, we find in the Scriptures only four months on the calendar that are identified by name:
The first month (Nissan): Aviv
The second month (Iyar): Ziv
The seventh month (Tishrei): Eitanim
The eighth month (Cheshvan): Bul
The other months were just known by their place in the calendar—e.g., third month, fourth month—starting from the first month
4) It is the month when our nation left Egypt, the month when we became a nation.
What are the major holidays, and when are they?
1) Shalosh Regalim:
Pesach - 15th Nissan, 9 days (8 days in Israel)
Shavuot - 6th Sivan, 2 days (1 days in Israel)
Sukkot - 15th Tishrei, 7 days
2) Shemini Atzeretes - 22nd Tishrei
3) Simhat Torah - 23rd Tishrei (22nd in Israel)
4) Rosh Hashaha - 1st Tishrei, 2 days
5) Yom Kippur - 10th Tishrei
6) Purim - 14th Adar I or Adar II
7) Hanukkah - 25th Kislev, 8 days
8) Tisha B’Av - 9th Ave
What are the minor holidays?
1) Shushan Purim (Purim in Shushan) - 15th Adar
2) Pesach Sheni (second Passover) - 14th Iyar
3) Lag Ba’Omer - 18th of Iyar (33rd day of Counting Omer)
4) Tu B’Av (holiday of love)- 15th of Av
5) Leil Selichot (Selichot prep. for high holidays) - 21st of Elul
6) Tu BiShvat (new year of trees) - 1st of Shvat
7) Purim Katan - 14th of Adar (leap year only)
What are three pilgrimage festivals called in the Torah?
Shalosh Regalim:
Pesach - festival of Matzot
Shavuot - festival of reaping (wheat harvest)
Sukkot - festival of ingathering/harvest
1) How many months does a Jewish leap year have?
2) When does a new month begin?
3) Who determined the new month in ancient times?
4) Who invented the Jewish calendar?
5) What is the conversion from secular year to Jewish year?
1) 13 - Adar I is added
2) First appearance of the new moon
3) Sanhedrin, based on testimony
4) Hillel
5) Add 3760
Why is Rosh Chodesh sometimes one day and sometimes two?
The Jewish calendar combines both lunar and solar concepts, has 12 months (13 in a leap year), half 29 days, and half 30 days (354 days total in a non-leap year).
At the end of months that have 30 days, Rosh Chodesh is observed for two days, on the 30th day of the previous month and the first day of the new month. After months that have 29 days, only the first day of the next month is observed as Rosh Chodesh.
When the Sanhedrin was convened, the months were determined by witnesses who testified that they saw the crescent new-moon.
The Sanhedrin would assemble on the 30th of each month, for perhaps witnesses would come and this day would be designated Rosh Chodesh (“Head of the Month”) of the upcoming month (rendering the previous month a 29 day month).
Since the 30th day of the month was always potentially Rosh Chodesh, whenever a month has thirty days, the thirtieth day is observed as Rosh Chodesh together with the next day, the first of the following month.
However, if a month has only 29 days, then the Rosh Chodesh of the following month will be only one day—the first of the month.
Why was Adar I added?
Adar is the 12th month on the Jewish calendar counting from Nisan.
Torah says Pesach should be in the Spring.
During a Jewish leap year, which occurs seven times in a 19-year cycle (approximately once every three years), there is an added month called “Adar I,” inserted before this month of Adar (termed “Adar II” in leap years). This aligns the lunar months with the solar year, ensuring that the holidays fall in the proper seasons.
What are the days of the week in Hebrew?
1) Yom Rishon (Sun)
2) Yom Sheni (Mon)
3) Yom Shlishi (Tues)
4) Yom Rei’i (Wed)
5) Yom Chamishi (Thurs)
6) Yom Shishi (Fri)
7) Shabbat (Sat)
What is the significant of 17th of Tammuz?
Shiva Asar B’Tammuz
5 Tragedies:
1) Golden calf / the breaking of the tablets of the Ten Commandments by Moses
2) Breaching of the second temple walls of Jerusalem by the Romans in 69 CE after a long siege; the Babylonians also breached the first temple walls of Jerusalem (according to Jerusalem Talmud)
3) Cessation of the daily offering during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem
4) Burning of the Torah by Apostomos
5) Placing of an idol the Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans
When and what are the Fast Days during the year?
Major Fast Days:
1) Yom Kippur - 10th Tisrei
2) Tisha B’Av - 9th Avf
Minor Fast Days:
1) 17th Tammuz
2) Fast of Ester - 13th Adar
3) Asara b’Tevet - 10th Tevet
4) Fast of Gedaliah - 3rd Tishrei
What happened on Asara b’Tevet?
Minor fast day, commemorate the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia which ultimately led to the destruction of the first temple
Kiddush Levana: what, when, and where?
What:
Prayers for sanctification of the new moon; joyous occasion
When:
1) When moon is visible
2) Preferred: the Shabbat after Rosh Chodesh
3) Should be done between 3rd and 1th day of the Jewish month
4) Exception: postpone until after Yom Kippur and 9th Av
Where:
Outside
What are the modern holidays?
1) Yom HaShoah - 27th Nissan: holocaust and remembrance
2) Yom Hazikron - Israeli memorial day
3) Yom HaAtzmaut - 5th Iyar: Independence day
4) Yom Yerushalayim - 28th Iyar
5) Yom HaAliyah - 7th Cheshvan: historical events on the 10th Nisan, acknowledge Aliyah
6) Sigd - 29th Chesvan: Ethiopian Jews, God revealed himself to Moses
What/when is Shabbat Chazon?
Shabbat of Vision
Shabbat before Tisha B’Av
Also known as Black Shabbat: saddest Shabbat of the year.
Haftarah: Isaiah 1:1-27
