The ideas of the Book of Judgment and God as the Great Judge are found in other religions too. And Jews, like others, may interpret the traditions literally. Or they may interpret them in a profoundly personal and spiritual sense. These "Days of Awe," as they are sometimes called, are days for a Jew to ask important questions about life and to continue his spiritual growth. Judaism does not offer believers easy answers to their religious questions. Instead, it encourages them to search their hearts and lives for better ways of living.
Jews are not taught that mankind is basically sinful or that normal needs and interests are wrong. There are no monks or nuns in Judaism. Instead, Jews emphasize the great beauty of family life. During the new year observance, Jews are encouraged to think about their relationships with other people. Have they acted with true love and justice? Have they been humble, remembering their limitations? Are they in need of forgiveness for sins committed against their fellow men?
Acts of loving-kindness are the best means of making amends. As the rabbis have said: "Whoever has a sin to confess and is ashamed to do so, let him go and do a good deed and he will find forgiveness."
During the Yom Kippur service, some verses are read from the book of
Isaiah. They point out to the worshiping Jew that the heart of religion is loving concern for others:
Is not this the fast that I have chosen?
To loose the bands of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
And to let the oppressed go free ...
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry,
And that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house?
When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him;
And that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning
And thy righteousness shall go before thee.
SUCCOS: THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES - One of the most joyful Jewish holy days is the celebration of
Succos, which comes at the time of harvest, when the vines are heavy with grapes and the grain stands ripe in the fields. It is a festival of thanksgiving, lasting for nine days. It reminds Jews of the time of the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt, when they were forced to live in small shelters (called
succos) along the way. Jews often make replicas of these shelters, which are also called tabernacles. They decorate them with flowers, fruits and branches as reminders of the generosity of God.
Modern Jews think of the often-sorrowful history of their fellow believers, as well as about other people. 0n the Sabbath during
Succos, this prayer is recited:
We recall today with grateful hearts Thy loving providence, which guided our fathers in their wanderings through the barren desert and the trackless wilderness.
We thank Thee that the same unfailing mercies have guided and sheltered us, their children, in all the years of our pilgrimage... We pray Thee that the enjoyment of Thy blessings may awaken within us a spirit of contentment and fortitude that we may neither grow proud through success nor become embittered by failure.
May we sympathize with those whose hopes have been disappointed and whose labors have been unfruitful. May our hands be outstretched to those who suffer, and our hearts be open to those who are in need. Praised be Thou, 0 Lord, Giver of all good. Amen.
On the ninth day of the
Succos celebration, there is a joyful ceremony in the synagogue, when the scrolls of the Torah are carried about in a gay procession. Sometimes there are dances and songs in which all join. This is one more way in which Jews show their love for the Torah. On this day, the last verses of the Torah (Deuteronomy 34) are read. Then the rabbi turns back to the first verse of
Genesis: "In the beginning, God ..."This begins the annual reading of the whole
Torah in each synagogue.
HANUKKAH: FEAST OF DEDICATION - The celebration of Hanukkah is a feast of dedication that usually comes in December. Jews observe it for eight days, during which there are special services in the synagogues, special holiday foods, and gifts. Hanukkah recalls to modern Jews a significant event in the past, when their ancestors fought for religious freedom.
In the second century B.C., the Syrians had gained control of Palestine, and they were trying to force the Jews to discontinue their religion. Some of the Jews did as they were commanded. Others refused, despite Syrian reprisals. An elderly priest, Mattathias, began a revolt. Later his son, Judah Maccabee, carried the revolt much farther and won final victory over the Syrian army. In celebration of their regained freedom, the Jews went to Jerusalem to cleanse the temple and renew Jewish worship there. They found a single unopened container of the oil used in their services. According to tradition it burned before the altar for eight days.
Now Jews burn eight candles during
Hanukkah, often lighting one the first evening, two the second, and so on. They often call Hanukkah the Festival of Lights. Hanukkah is a time of great rejoicing and a time of solemn reminder of how precious liberty is. Jews especially are thankful at this time for the freedom to worship according to their own consciences. The struggle for freedom of thought and worship is never finished completely. It is an ongoing task. Jews recognize this as they pray a special Sabbath prayer during
Hanukkah:
Bless, O God, the Chanukah (Hanukkah) lights, that they may shed their radiance into our homes and our lives. May they kindle within us the flame of faith and zeal that, like the Maccabecs of old, we battle bravely for Thy cause. Make us ever worthy of Thy love and Thy blessing, our Shield and Protector. Amen.
PURISM - In the early spring -- usually in March -- Jews celebrate a particularly joyful holy day. In the synagogues, the people assemble to hear the reading of the
Megillah, the
Book of Esther. In contrast to their usually serious attention in services, the Jews on this day distribute noisemakers among the children, for use at certain places in the reading. Later the children may dramatize the ancient story. Friends and relatives often exchange gifts, and many Jews enjoy a special cookie, called a Haman tart.
The story that they hear in the synagogue concerns a beautiful Jewish woman of long ago, Esther. the wife of the king of Persia. Esther’s uncle, Mordecai happened to arouse the hatred of a high court official named Haman. For revenge, Haman began a plan to exterminate all the Jews, accusing them unjustly of disloyalty to the king. When Esther learned of the plan, she risked death to expose Haman’s schemes, revealing her own Jewish ness to the king. As a result, the king honored Mordecai -- and Haman died on the gallows that he himself had prepared for Mordecai.
Jews enjoy hearing the annual reading of the story. They enjoy the carnival atmosphere that pervades the synagogue on this night, with the children vigorously using the noisemakers whenever Haman’s name is mentioned. They do not concern themselves very much with whether or not the story is true as it is read. Many Jewish scholars claim that it is simply an historical novel.
However, the meaning of the story is real and true. It is a tale of hatred directed at Jews simply because of their Jewishness. Haman’s chief charge against the Jews was that their ways were "different.’ This charge and others like it have been hurled against the Jews countless times in the past. It is no wonder that they have made an annual celebration of this story of the downfall of one anti-Jewish oppressor.
Jews celebrate
Purim not only for this reason, but also in recognition of common brotherhood. Many rabbis say that the basic idea to this day is that differences among men do not need to cause dissension. Deeper than all differences is our humanity. In the story, the king’s acceptance of the people whose ways were different shows that he saw the shared humanity under the outward diversity.
THE PASSOVER - The Jews, like all people, have a celebration in the springtime. Long ago, people celebrated the renewed fertility of the earth, the newborn animals among their flocks, and the new growth of plant life. For many hundreds of years, Jews have held a spring festival to commemorate the legendary events described in the first chapters of the book of
Exodus.
For many years the Jews had been held in what amounted to slavery in Egypt. Moses became their spokesman, and he sought their release from the Egyptian Pharaoh. But this ruler became quite stubborn, according to the legends, despite the several plagues that God had sent against the Egyptians. So God sent an angel of death to kill all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both of men and flocks. The Israelites, however, were spared. They had marked their houses with the blood of a lamb. So the angel of death "passed over" them. The Pharaoh relented, and the Israelites left in great haste. They did not even have time to leaven their bread. It had to be baked unleavened.