“From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD” (Leviticus 23:15-16). Background to the Feast of Pentecost Pentecost, or the […]
Shavuot and the giving of the Torah
October 4, 2012 by
Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, also known as Pentecost, is a celebration of the firstfruits of the spring harvest. It is a time of rejoicing before the Lord: From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf (the Omer) of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days […]
Rosh Hashana
October 4, 2012 by
Rosh Hashana literally means head of the year. The Biblical designation of this feast that is celebrated as the start of the new year is Yom Teru’ah (Day of trumpets): “On the first day of the seventh month hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. It is a day for you to sound the trumpets” […]
Rosh Hashana – Happy New Year?
October 4, 2012 by
by Alexander Marks A time of soul searching and sadness Why is the Jewish New Year a time of sadness and weeping whereas the Gentile New Year’s Day is a time of gaiety and rejoicing? Unlike the Gentile New Year’s Day, Rosh Hashana is a time of soul-searching and sadness. On this day, according to […]
Yom Kippur – Pointing to the final atonement
October 4, 2012 by
Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. (Psalm 32) Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement, is the most solemn day in the Jewish calendar, the day in which atonement was […]
Atonement – How can I be sure?
October 4, 2012 by
By Raymond Cohen The most solemn of all Jewish Holy Days are those which commemorate Rosh Hashana (New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). These occur in the seventh month (Tishrei) and cover a span of ten days. The ram’s horn (shofar) sounds and calls the people to a most solemn, soul-searching experience in […]
The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)
October 4, 2012 by
The feast of tabernacles is rich with symbolism for believers in Jesus the Messiah. It speaks to us of the past, the present and the future – of the past because it recalls our deliverance from slavery; of the present – because it reminds us that we are sojourners; and of the future – because […]
The Lesson of Chanukah
October 4, 2012 by
Dies auch in Deutsch erhaeltlich Chanukah is a celebration of the miracle that was reported to have occurred following the Maccabean revolt against Syria when the temple was rededicated after it had been defiled by Antiochus. The priests had only one cruse of oil, sufficient to keep the lamps burning for one day, but, it […]
Passover a celebration for Jews and Christians
October 4, 2012 by
The story of Passover is a timeless story that resonates in the hopes and dreams of people of all ages in their struggle for liberation from cruel oppressors. But Passover represents much more than just a story of national liberation. The Lord instructed Moses to tell Pharaoh: “Let my people go, so that they may […]
His blood be upon us?
October 4, 2012 by
In view of the controversy that the film “The Passion of Christ” stirred up, perhaps it is necessary to examine this important and extremely sensitive subject which is capable of eliciting such a passionate emotional response. What disturbed certain Jewish groups is the question of collective Jewish responsibility in the death of Christ and that […]
