Overview of Jewish Holidays

Throughout the Jewish calendar, holidays and memorial days are scattered throughout the year. In the month of Nisan - Passover, in the following month of Sivan - Shavuot. Between them, there is a "bridge" connecting the two - the days of "Counting the Omer". In Tammuz, there is a less "pleasant" date - the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz, and in Av, the Fast of the Ninth of Av. The three weeks between are called "Bein Hametzarim". The month of Elul prepares us for the approaching holidays - the Days of Awe. At the beginning of Tishrei is Rosh Hashanah, and after ten days, on the 10th of Tishrei, is Yom Kippur, with the days between called the "Ten Days of Repentance". On the 15th of Tishrei, is the festival of Sukkot. In Kislev, Chanukah, in Tevet, the Fast of the Tenth of Tevet, and in Adar, the festival of Purim.

When discussing Jewish holidays, there is a critical starting point that, once understood correctly, will greatly change our approach towards them. The common perception of the term 'holidays' and various memorial days in all religions and nations is that they are simply 'days of remembrance'. Their essence and purpose are to recall those historical events that were part of the nation's heritage and preserve national/religious history as a unifying and consolidating factor.

However, in Jewish understanding, the holidays are much more than this. Let's explain further:

The word "holiday" in Hebrew, "חג" (chag), is derived from a word meaning a cycle, as each time we return to the same point.

Take Passover, for example. At a superficial glance, one might err in thinking we eat matzah only to preserve historical memory - that's just a small part of the matter. The truth is that the same spiritual "light" and abundance that allowed the freedom of the nation in the year 2448 from creation, on the 15th of Nisan, is eternally engraved on this date. Every year, when we reach that date, the same spiritual light is awakened, and we can reconnect and benefit from it.

This means that for the Israelites to leave Egypt, they needed much spiritual "ambition". It's not enough for Pharaoh to release them and open the doors. To establish an independent nation, it’s not enough to physically extract the Israelites from Egypt; instead, the harder task is to remove "Egypt" from the people. After 400 years of exile, it's necessary to free the people from the habits of Egyptian society and instill within them freedom and independence. Therefore, the Creator provided an influx of spiritual 'freedom', so that the physical freedom would have meaning. (This freedom was expressed at the Sinai Revelation and the receiving of the Torah since "there is no free person except one who studies Torah" – but that’s a topic for another essay).

That spiritual enlightenment at that time remains engraved on this date forever.

A person for whom Passover translates to more than just matzah and "Mimouna" participates in the depth and meaning of things, gaining from the holiday not just extra physical weight but also a massive spiritual baggage of 'freedom'. When the holiday ends, they won’t say "Passover has passed"; rather, "I passed through Passover". Our role is to try and succeed in absorbing the "benefit package" that Passover provides us.

The annual cycle of holidays serves as a spiritual refueling stop. At each holiday or festival stop, one can connect and be filled with the special spiritual abundance of that date. A good Jew should pass through the entire Jewish year cycle and take into daily life the gifts that the holidays provide.

Let’s take a brief look at them and see that all Jewish holidays, except for Rosh Hashanah, relate to the cycle of events that Israel experienced in its first year of formation.

The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan. Every year on this date, we celebrate the Passover Seder. Seven days later, on the 21st of Nisan, the greatest historical event occurred - the parting of the Red Sea. This is the festival of the Seventh Day of Passover.

The purpose of our exodus from Egypt was to receive the Torah, as Hashem told Moses (Exodus 3:12): "When you take the people out of Egypt, you will serve Hashem on this mountain". Therefore, as Israel longs and anticipates the giving of the Torah, they count the days... These are the days of the Counting of the Omer we count every year.

After forty-nine days, on the 6th of Sivan, the Sinai Revelation and the giving of the Torah occurred. Each year, when this special date arrives, the same light that gave the people the tools to receive the Torah returns and shines with increased intensity...

Immediately following the Sinai Revelation, Moses ascends the mountain for forty days, where he learns from Hashem the explanation of the written Torah – the "Oral Torah", and upon completion, on the 17th of Tammuz, Moses descends the mountain with the two tablets. When he sees the calf that the Israelites made, his strength wanes, and he casts the tablets from his hands.

The Fast of the 17th of Tammuz was established, among other things, because of this event. Incidentally, the sin of the calf left its eternal mark on this date, so that centuries later, during the First Temple, the daily offering ceased, and during the Second Temple period, the walls of Jerusalem were breached.

On the 1st of Elul, Moses ascends the mountain again for forty days to plead and pray to the Creator to forgive the people for the sin of the calf. At their end, on the 10th of Tishrei - Yom Kippur - Hashem delivers to Moses the happiest news of all - "I have forgiven according to your word"!

This declaration was eternally engraved, and every year anew, when those forty days arrive in which Moses pleaded and longed for forgiveness, the Creator bestows an influx of kindness and mercy, closeness to the people of Israel, and readiness to forgive. Those whose ears are sensitive, and whose moment is quiet, can still feel today the special closeness to the Creator in the month of Elul, in the expression "I am for my beloved, and my beloved is for me", and on Yom Kippur, they can hear Hashem's voice - "I have forgiven"! The first proclamation of "I have forgiven" by Hashem etched forever the nature of this date as one of forgiveness and pardoning.

On the 15th of Tishrei, Sukkot, we celebrate in memory of the Clouds of Glory that protected the people from all dangers of the great and terrible desert. Every year, during these days, we absorb anew the faith and absolute dependence on the Creator who surrounds us with His grace and love...

In the second year after the Israelites left Egypt, on the 9th of Av, the spies returned from touring the land. They discouraged the hearts of the people from entering the Land of Israel, saying it was very bad. The people believed their lies, protested against Moses and Aaron, and sat down and wept. Hashem said - you wept in vain on this date, you will weep for generations. Indeed, the people’s weeping then carved into this date a nature of removal from the land, and centuries later, both Temples were destroyed on this day. To this day, unfortunately, we continue to weep...

Following this introduction, we arrive at Rosh Hashanah.

What is Rosh Hashanah? What load does it bring us?

Rosh Hashanah is the day Adam was created.

The world began to be created on the 25th of Elul, and on the sixth day, on the 1st of Tishrei, Adam was created. This day eternally contains the call of Hashem "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness"! Anyone who wishes can utilize this mighty day and be truly recreated. We can forget the past and "begin anew".

It is very worthwhile to study these days, understand their significance, delve into their depths, and emerge a new person...