Since Yom Kippur is this Wednesday, I have decided to write something about it. I will also write about Sukkoth and the Days of Awe, as well as Rosh Hashanah (Happy New Year!). So, how many of you know much about any of these things (hint hint: they are Jewish Holidays)? Hm. Well, whether you know the information that I am about to share with you or not, I will tell you some things about these holidays.
First off: 40 Days of Awe. They are the forty days leading up to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Some people will do good deeds in these days of Awe, to outweigh their bad deeds in the past year. They don’t have it quite right. We can’t earn righteousness.
2nd Part of First off part: 10 Days of Awe. The shofar is blown in the morning on these days to awake people. “Awake, you who are sleepy! Remember your Creator and go to Him for forgiveness! Do not be like those who waste their days seeking after vain things…”
Now, second: Rosh Hashanah. (Yeah, I am really zipping through this. I’m tired, that’s why.) Rosh Hashanah is in the month of Tishri in the Jewish calendar. It is in the 40 Days of Awe (10 days before Yom Kippur, to be exact). Tishri is the first month of the civil year, and the seventh month of the religious year. It is the Feast of Trumpets. An apple slice dipped in honey (and then eaten) is supposed to resemble a sweet new year. Did you know that there is a Rosh Hashanah sedar? God called Rosh Hashanah in the Bible Yom-something. It’s very hard to say the name. A thing that you say at Rosh Hashanah is ‘blessed art Thou oh Lord our God, ruler of the universe, who brings forth fruit from the vine.’
And third: Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement, after the 40 Days of Awe. This year it is on the night of the fall equinox.
Last, but not least, fourth we have: Sukkoth. There will be another blood moon on the night of Sukkoth (Jewish days and holidays start when the sun goes down). Sukkoth is the Feast of Booths. People will make a wooden structure to help them remember the Israelites wandering in the wilderness with not great structures to live under. It includes food (you eat out under your Sukkah), like so many of the other Jewish holidays, and other holidays all over the world, so I like it!
There are many more Jewish holidays besides those listed above. There is Purim, Passover, etc.
If you want to hear a shofar, or learn more about Jewish holidays, or other Jewish stuff, I would recommend seeing this site: hebrew4christians.com
