Notes for Religious Studies 369:

Introduction to Judaism

Name	Main Symbols and Observances	Historical Significance	Natural or Social Significance
Passover (Pesah)	Refraining from leavened bread Seder (symbolic ceremonial meal), Telling and reliving the story of the Exodus from Egypt eating unleavened bread (matzah)	Commemorates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt	Spring
Feast of Weeks (Shavu'ot): Preceded by counting of the fifty days of the "'Omer"		Commemoration of receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai	First fruits Grain harvest
Tabernacles (Sukkot):	Living in temporary booth Procession with "four species": palm frond, myrtle and willow branches, citron	Wanderings of Israelites' in the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land	Ingathering of the crops In the Oral tradition:The beginning of the rainy season
Sh'mini Atzeret (Eighth Day of Assembly), Rejoicing of the Law (Simhat Torah)	8th-9th days of Tabernacles Simhat Torah is celebrated by singing and dancing with Torah scrolls	Simhat Torah marks the conclusion and beginning of the annual cycle of reading the entire Torah

Traditionally, Jewish families were supposed to travel to Jerusalem to celebrate three feasts during the year.
Because of this requirement to travel to Jerusalem, these three festivals became known as the shalosh regalim (three pilgrimage festivals).
These three feasts are: Pesah (Passover, The Feast o Unleavened Bread), Shavuot (The Feast of Weeks), and Sukkot (The Feast of Booths).
The three pilgrimage festivals are connected with both the cycles of nature and important events in Jewish history.

Pesah celebrates the Exodus from Egypt and Israel's liberation from slavery.
The last of the ten plagues inflicted on the Egyptians was the deaths of the first-borns. God "passed over" the dwellings of the Israelites--hence the name of the holiday.
In ancient times, the celebration centred around a special sacrifice.

Pesah is also the festival of spring and marked the beginning of the grain harvest in Israel.
Matzah, unleavened bread, was taken by the Hebrews as they hastened out of Egypt. It therefore commemorates the liberation.
No leavened items may be eaten, or be found in one's possession for the duration of the holiday, A ritualized search and burning is conducted before the holiday.

The Seder [="order"] marks the beginning of the festival and links the entire history of the Jewish people together, from the Exodus to history's messianic culmination.

Important sections of the seder service are marked by drinking cups of wine.
During the meal the cup will be filled four times. The number is given symbolic interpretations; e.g., it corresponds to four promises made by God to Israel in Exodus (6:6-7):
Therefore, say to the children of Israel 'I am the Lord, and I SHALL TAKE YOU OUT from under the burdens of Egypt; I SHALL RESCUE YOU from their service; I SHALL REDEEM YOU with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I SHALL TAKE YOU TO ME for a people and I shall be a God to you.....
One opinion in the Talmud requiresfive cups. In most communities, an additional cup is filled and reserved for Elijah the Prophet.

There are three matzot.
A roasted shankbone: in remembrance of the Passover lamb.
An egg: a symbol of spring or a reminder of Temple offerings.
The roasted shankbone and the egg are not eaten.
Sprigs of parsley: a symbol of spring, are dipped in
Salt water: to represent the tears of the Israelites in Egypt
Maror (bitter herbs): a reminder of the bitter life in Egypt.
haroset: a mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon and wine is served as a remembrance of the mortar made as Egyptian slaves.

According to the Pharisaic-Rabbinic interpretation, seven weeks are counted from the beginning of Pesah to the feast of Weeks, Shavuot.
In the Bible, this ritual, the offering of a measure of barley meal, commemorates the new barley and wheat crops.
Later tradition interpreted it as an anticipation of the revelation of the Torah at Mount Sinai.

Biblical festival commemorates the new wheat crop: Two wheat loaves were offered in the Temple.
By Rabbinic calculations, Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah.
Beginning of season for offering Bikkurim: offering of first fruits.

Sukkot celebrates both the fall harvest, as well as remembering the 'booth's that the Israelites lived in during the forty years in the wilderness.
Rabbinic Judaism celebrated Sukkot as a water festival in anticipation of the rainy season.
This is a festival of thanks and gratitude to God for the blessings in one's life, and the hope for continued blessings.
The building of the sukkot also symbolizes the transience of life and the assurance of God's providence.
The "four species": Palm frond, citron, myrtle and willow branches. These are carried in processions, and are subject to many symbolic interpretations.