What is the Haggadah / Aggadah?
The Haggadah is a book containing the liturgy that Jews read during the Seder on the first night of Passover. The word Haggadah means “telling,” which comes from this biblical command: “On that day tell your son, ‘I do this because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt’” (Exodus…
What was the Feast of Firstfruits?
The Feast of Firstfruits was a festival commanded by the Lord that took place within the Passover celebration. One of seven feasts of the Lord, the Feast of Firstfruits was celebrated in the Jewish month Nisan (roughly late March to early April). The Feast of Firstfruits served as a reminder to the Israelites of God’s…
What is a bar mitzvah? What is a bat mitzvah?
The term bar mitzvah means “son of the commandment.” The term bat mitzvah means “daughter of the commandment.” Within Judaism the idea of a bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah ceremony is relatively new. At the age of 13, a Jewish boy is considered to become mature enough to fulfill the obligation of mitzvah (the commandments),…
What is the Feast of Tabernacles / Booths / Sukkot?
The Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths and Sukkot, is the seventh and last feast that the Lord commanded Israel to observe and one of the three feasts that Jews were to observe each year by going to “appear before the Lord your God in the place which He shall choose”…
What is the Feast of Dedication?
The Feast of Dedication, which was once also called the Feast of the Maccabees, was an eight-day winter festival celebrated by the Jews in the month of December or sometimes late November, depending on when it fell in the lunisolar Jewish calendar. Today, this festival is called Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights. The history…
What is the true meaning of Rosh Hashanah?
One of the “appointed feasts of the LORD” given to Israel in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) is known today as Rosh Hashanah, literally “Head of the Year.” We read about Rosh Hashanah in the Torah, the Jewish Law found in the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. “And the LORD spoke to Moses,…
Are there parallels between Jewish wedding traditions and our relationship to Christ?
Jewish wedding traditions at the time of Christ are a fascinating study topic, and certain parallels can be seen between those customs and Christian theology. In the Bible, the Church is sometimes metaphorically understood to be Jesus’ Bride (Revelation 21:2, 9–10; 19:7; 22:17). The Mishnah Kiddushin (the section of the Talmud dealing with “dedication” or…
What is the day of Pentecost?
Pentecost is significant in both the Old and New Testaments. “Pentecost” is actually the Greek name for a festival known in the Old Testament as the Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23:15; Deuteronomy 16:9). The Greek word means “fifty” and refers to the fifty days that have elapsed since the wave offering of Passover. The Feast…
What is the Feast of Trumpets?
The Feast of Trumpets marked the beginning of ten days of consecration and repentance before God. It is one of seven Jewish feasts or festivals appointed by the LORD and one of three feasts that occur in the autumn. The Feast of Trumpets began on the first day (at the new moon) of the seventh…
What does leaven symbolize in the Bible?
The Bible mentions leaven, or yeast, in several contexts. In some contexts, the reference to leaven is obviously literal; in other contexts, leaven takes on symbolic connotations. Leaven causes dough to rise, but the process takes time. The Israelites, when God freed them from captivity in Egypt, had no time to spare, so, in their…