The seasonal feasts of HaShem – Holidays in Israel. The Hebrew Scriptures tell us: “These are the appointed times of HaShem, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at the times appointed for them.” – Leviticus 23:4

Israel’s Feasts, outlined in Vayikra / Leviticus 23, are worthy of serious study. There is much redemptive and prophetic meaning packed into these divinely ordained feasts. They were–and still are–God’s object lessons to Israel, and by extension, to all people in all ages. Believers who study / do them will be blessed with a deeper understanding of redemption, and a greater sense of God’s overall plan for the ages.

Facts: A Jewish holiday or festival is a day or series of days observed by Jews as a holy or secular commemoration of an important event in Jewish history. In Hebrew, Jewish holidays and festivals, depending on their nature, may be called yom tov ("good day") (Yiddish: yontif) or chag ("festival") or ta’anit ("fast").

The origins of various Jewish holidays generally can be found in Biblical mitzvot (commandments), rabbinical mandate, and modern Israeli history. Let’s see them:

Shabbat / the Sabbath

Shabbat Right back in Creation God laid down the principle of a day of rest on the seventh day. He commands his people to observe this day at the beginning of Vayikra chapter 23. Shabbat is the sign of God’s covenant with his chosen people and it is a focus of family life and bringing up children.

Pesach / Passover

Pesach (or Passover) is a great time of remembrance for God’s people, as it commemorates the Jewish Exodus from Egypt thousands of years ago and our own exodus from the “Egypt of sin and shame” through the merits of our holy Rabbi Maran Yeshua. These two themes, Maran Yeshua’s deliverance of the spiritual Egypt and the Exodus, are central to how we celebrate Pesach here at the Harvest.  The focus of Pesach is not the resurrection of Maran Yeshua but His death, as He has commanded us to partake of matzo and wine during the Passover Seder in remembrance of him (Mashiach).

Hag HaMatzot / Unleavened Bread

Pesach is followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which lasts for seven days. During this time, everyone in the community is encouraged to rid their houses of anything containing yeast or leaven. This ceremonial cleansing reminds us that we need to cleanse our hearts of leaven, which is symbolically referred to in the Bible as sin. Only unleavened bread (matzo) may be eaten during these seven days. As a community, we celebrate Pesach in homes by sharing a Passover Seder together as family.

Shavuot / Pentecost

Shavuot (or the Feast of Weeks) is celebrated in commemoration of the giving of the Torah and the giving of the Holy Spirit after Maran Yeshua’s ascension into the presence of HaShem. It is also known as Pentecost. It is celebrated during a period of 50 days (7 weeks) during which the Israelites in Moshe / Moses’ day were making their way from the sea of Reeds to Mt. Sinai, where they were to be given the Torah. During the 50 day count down, the wheat harvest in Israel is ripening, and by the end of this period it is fully ripe and ready to be brought into the temple as a first fruits offering. For this reason, we count the omer. Each day, a head of wheat is taken from a bundle and blessings are said as we purify ourselves and eagerly wait for Shavuot. In our community, Shavuot is commemorated with an amazing time of worship, many songs centered around the fire of God and the power of the in our lives to do HaShem`s commandments.

Yom Teruah / Day of the sounding of the Trumpet

Yom Teruah (or the Day of the Awakening Blast) calls God’s people to repentance. Other names for this day include Rosh Hashanah and the Feast of Trumpets. We blow the shofars on this day which begins the Jewish New Year. More importantly, it begins the Ten Days of Awe, during which we cleanse ourselves and repent of sin in preparation for the most solemn day of the year – the Day of Atonement. Making teshuvah (repenting, returning to God) is the central theme of this feast day. Traditionally, the shofar blast was used to sound a warning, as of impending danger or war. For us as believers, it is meant to call us to wake up and get ourselves ready for the Day of Atonement. We are given ten days to search our hearts and examine ourselves with thoroughness. While this feast day is more solemn than some of the other feast days, it is with great joy that we remember the mercy of Yeshua in giving us time to repent. He warns us with the shofar blast that His judgment comes to those who have not repented; but to us who take seriously His warning trumpet blast, there is grace upon grace as we make teshuvah. It’s hard not to be taken up into the theme of this feast day as everyone, young and old alike, is encouraged to bring their shofars and fulfill this mitzva.

Yom Kippur / Day of Atonement

Yom Kippur (or the Day of Atonement) is the most solemn assembly of the year. The Ten Days of Awe culminate in this feast day, which is actually a day of fasting and prayer. Is still important for us to search our hearts and humbly beseech God’s throne for forgiveness and mercy. We prepare ourselves for the coming year by bringing to mind those areas that we need to work on as we grow in Him. The day is not only about personal repentance, but corporate repentance on a national level. During this feast day we look forward to the day when “they will look on Him Whom they have pierced” and “all Israel will be saved.” This prophetic passage speaks of the Day of Atonement when at last the olive branch receives the Messiah. As a community, we honor this day by fasting together from sundown on Erev Yom Kippur through sundown on Yom Kippur when often we will break the fast together. Some fast from food and water, but many fast only from food. We wear all white to commemorate being been washed white as snow and have a long service of worship, reflection, and prayer.

Sukkot / Tabernacles

The feast of Sukkot (or the Feast of Tabernacles) is one of the greatest times of rejoicing all year long. The feast last for seven days, with the eighth day being another holy convocation. Sukkot commemorates the wandering of the children of Israel in the wilderness when God commanded them to live in booths. God’s tabernacle was among them during their 40 year wanderings. Even in their paying the consequences for disobedience, God did not abandon them but lived in a tent right along with His children.  God as a good and loving Father is seen clearly in this feast day. At Beth HaDerech we celebrate this feast day with great fervor. Everyone is encouraged to build their own sukkah. It is a booth with three sides and a roof that is only covered with braches. During the seven days of the festival, people are invited into one another’s homes to celebrate, praise, fellowship, and dance. Sitting in the sukkah and telling about the greatness of God is one of the best times of the year. Many people even sleep in their sukkah in recalling the time when the Israelites lived in booths with no walls and no roofs.

Sh’mini Atzaret / Eighth Day of Assembly

Shemini Atzaret (or the Eighth Day of Assembly) is the last feast from Lev. 23. There are many purposes for this feast day. It is almost as if God wanted just one more day fellowshipping with His children because He has enjoyed Himself so much. Shemini Atzaret gets us ready for the final festival of the year, Hanukkah (or the Festival of Lights). God invites us to stay behind for the purpose of enjoying some intimate time alone with him. This day can also be viewed as a private time between God and each one of us – a sort of spiritual honeymoon during which we celebrate His love for us and our love for Him. God has chosen us and desires for us to be intimate with Him. When the days of Sukkot are finished with all their feasting and celebrating, we can take this eighth day to sit back and relax in awe of our King. Our community celebrates this day with yet another holy convocation.

Other Feasts and Fasts within Israel.

• Jewish Weddings
• Bar Mitzvah
• Chanukah or Feast of Lights
• Purim or The Feast of Esther
• Tu B’Shvat or New Year of the Trees
• Tisha B’Av,  Yom HaShoah
• Yom Yerushalayim
• Fast of Gedaliah
• Yom Ha’atzmaut.
• Brit Mila or Circumcision is the entry of a Jewish male into the covenant with God.
• Redemption of the Firstborn applies to a firstborn child who is a boy. (Pidion ha-ban)
• Moon Rosh Hodesh was also a holy day of rest and worship.