Passover (Feast of Unleavened Bread)

Passover begins on the 14th day of the Jewish month of Nisan (March 29, 2010). The primary observances of Passover are related to the Exodus from Egypt after generations of slavery. The command to observe Passover continuously is found in Exodus 12:14.

Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance.

www.strath.ac.uk In the first Passover, God commanded each Hebrew household in Egypt to sacrifice a perfect yearling lamb and sprinkle the blood on the lintels and the doorposts. The “Angel of Death” then passed over the houses which were protected by the blood of the lamb, but where there was no blood, the first born was slain. This account is found in Exodus 11.

Modern Passover observances include the removal of chametz (leaven) from the homes. This commemorates the fact that the Jews leaving Egypt did not have time to let their bread rise. Leaven is also a biblical symbol for sin. Consequently, Matzo or unleavened bread is eaten during the feast.

Another significant element in the Passover observance are the five cups of wine. Each cup recalls one of the five statements of deliverance found in the Passover account (Ex. 6:6-8). 1) “I will bring you out ...” 2) “I will rid you of all their bondage.” 3) “I will redeem you …” 4) “I will take you to me for a people, …” 5) “I will bring you into the Land …” Consequently, four toasts are offered to God thanking Him for His deliverance. The four toasts are all named: 1) the Cup of Thanksgiving 2) the Cup of Plagues 3) the Cup of Redemption 4) the Cup of Praise. Offering the fifth cup awaits the appearance of Elijah the Prophet to precede the coming of the Messiah.

Messianic Significance

The traditional Jewish Passover observance is highly significant for those who believe in the Messiahship of Yeshua (Jesus). Yeshua observed the traditional order of the Passover (the Seder) during the meal commonly known as the Last Supper (Matt. 26:17-29). The Last Supper was a traditional, orthodox Passover Seder. The person and work of Yeshua are portrayed throughout the Seder in symbolic form. The most significant ceremony found in the Seder is origin of the ordinance of Communion.

During the Last Supper, His last Passover Seder, Yeshua exercised Messianic authority by transforming a ceremony that was culture bound to Israel and turning it into a ceremony that, today, is celebrated by Believers from every tongue and tribe and people and nation. During the Passover Seder He came to the third toast of thanksgiving offered to God. The third cup is associated with the third “I will” statement found in the Exodus story; “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and great judgments.” Traditionally, the Third Cup is raised to thank God for physical redemption from slavery in Egypt. Instead, Yeshua transforms the Third Cup into a symbol of spiritual redemption from slavery to sin. He associates the cup with the New Covenant of Jeremiah 31:31-34. The essence of the New Covenant is spiritual redemption from sin. His actions and words are recorded in Luke 22:20, “And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.’” The Cup of the Redemption now becomes the Cup of Communion we all enjoy today.

In like manner He transformed the symbolism of the Unleavened Bread (Matzo). During the Seder He specifically identified the Matzo with His body. The Matzo is an adequate symbol of the body of the Messiah for five reasons. 1) It is made without leaven which is a symbol of sin. Likewise, Yeshua was sinless. 2) It is made without salt. A rich man could afford to flavor his matzo with salt but a poor man could not. In the same manner, Yeshua was a poor carpenter. 3) The matzo is striped from hot, swift baking. Likewise, His body was striped by means of the Roman whip. 4) The matzo is pierced to prevent rising. Similarly, His body was pierced by the Roman nails in His hands and feet and the Roman spear thrust in his side. 5) Finally, during the Seder the matzo is broken. This action dramatizes His death on the cross when His soul was torn away from his body. Yeshua exercised Messianic authority by transforming a ceremony that is culture bound to Israel and turning it into an ordinance all Believers can embrace. Believers from every family, tribe, tongue, and nation celebrate the eating of the matzo today.

Observing the origin of the ordinance of Communion and contemplating its meaning is surely a good reason for Believers today to celebrate the Festival of Passover.

Search for the Leaven (Hmetz)

www.strath.ac.uk One of the most significant ceremonies of the Passover (Pesach) is the search for and removal of every speck of leaven from the Jewish home. The ceremony is significant for three reasons. 1) In the account of the Exodus, the Jewish people leave Egypt in haste. We are unable to take the time to allow our bread to rise. As a result, unleavened bread (Matzo) is a symbol of our hurried departure (Ex. 12:34). 2) Bread made without leaven is associated with the slavery in Egypt. In Deuteronomy 16:3, the Matzo is called the “Bread of Affliction.” It is a reminder of the affliction of slavery. 3) Finally, leaven is a symbol of sin. Leaven causes fermentation which is a form of decay. Therefore, anything leavened was considered impure because it had gone hametz or sour. Consequently, in the rabbinic mind, leaven became a symbol of sin. For example, the Talmud says, “leaven represents the evil impulse of the heart” (Berachot 17a). It is a symbol of the puffiness (arrogance, pride) in our hearts.

Every speck of leaven is arduously removed from the Jewish home before Passover. God did not even want the symbol of sin to be present in the Jewish home for this festival. The morning before the Seder, the cleaning is completed and a diligent search made for any stray leaven using a feather and wooden spoon (photo right). A small portion of leaven is usually left behind by the mother so that it can be found and disposed of. The leaven is swept onto the spoon by the feather, wrapped in a cloth, taken outside and burned. The father then declares his house clean and prepared for Passover.

www.thegalileeexperience.com
Cup of Elijah

According to the Bible, Elijah, one of the great Jewish prophets, never died but was carried off to heaven in a fiery chariot. Tradition identifies Elijah as the forerunner of the Messiah. Tradition states the Elijah will return from heaven on the night of Passover to precede the coming of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5). In the course of the Seder meal, a seat is provided at the table for the prophet. A cup of wine is poured for Elijah and the front door is opened as a symbolic gesture of welcoming the prophet.

Matzah

www.strath.ac.uk Matzah is the Hebrew word for unleavened bread (plural - Matzot). It is a thin wafer-like bread, which is made from a mixture of flour and water. Because it does not contain yeast, it can be baked quickly. According to the Jewish scriptures, the Hebrews took matzah with them when they fled from Egypt because they did not have time to wait for the bread to rise. To commemorate this, matzah is eaten on the first night of Passover. There are three matzot on the Seder table. They are placed in a central position near the Seder plate. The ceremony known as the “breaking of the middle matzah” contains great spiritual significance that is hidden from the Jewish community today due to our rejection of the Messiahship of Yeshua.

The Breaking of the Middle Matzo

www.jesusboat.com The three sheets of Unleavened Bread are placed in a Matzotash (Matzo Cover, pictured left). The Matzotash is a decorative bag made up of three pockets. Each pocket contains one sheet of Unleavened Bread. The traditional ceremony follows this pattern: the Middle Matzo is withdrawn from the Matzotash, displayed to all at the table, broken, wrapped in a linen napkin, hidden away during the meal, recovered, unwrapped, and a piece eaten by everyone at the table.

The Matzotash symbolizes our triune God. The top Matzo stands for God the Father, the middle Matzo for God the Son, and the bottom Matzo for God the Spirit. The withdrawing of the Middle Matzo portrays the incarnation of the Son of God when He came into our world as a man. Displaying the Matzo depicts the Messiah’s 3½-year public ministry to Israel. The Matzo is broken signifying His death on the Cross. The wrapped piece of Matzo dramatizes the fact that the body of the Messiah was wrapped in linen grave clothes. Hiding the Matzo signifies that the body of the Messiah was hidden away in the grave for three days and three nights. Recovering and unwrapping the hidden Matzo dramatizes the Messiah’s resurrection. Finally, each guest eating a piece of the Matzo at the Seder signifies the communion we all have with our risen Lord and Savior. The Breaking of the Middle Matzo is a very significant ceremony indeed (Matt. 26:26)!

Passover Seder Plate

www.strath.ac.ukThe most prominent symbol on the Passover table is the Passover Seder Plate. Passover Seder plates come in all kinds of sizes and designs; however, there is one element common to every Seder plate. That element is the six indicators that show where the six symbols of the Passover are placed.

The most prominent symbol on the Seder plate is the Shankbone of a Lamb. The shankbone recalls the Passover sacrifice called the “Pesach.” The Pesach was the year-old, unblemished lamb that was offered by the family and became the main course for the Passover banquet during the Seder.

Another symbol of sacrifice on the Seder Plate is the Hardboiled Egg. The egg recalls the Passover Peace Offering called the Chagiah. In addition, it is a symbol of mourning recalling the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem during 70 AD by the Romans. When the egg is a symbol of mourning it is dipped in salt water representing salty tears.

A symbol of slavery found on the plate is the Bitter Herbs. When the bitter herb is eaten, it brings tears to the eyes and recalls the bitter tears of Egyptian slavery.

Another symbol of slavery is the fruit paste called Charoset. The brown Charoset looks just like the brick making material we had to toil over as slaves to Pharaoh, so it is a symbol of slavery. However, Charoset tastes delicious teaching us that God’s kindness made slavery bearable.

Carpas is the green vegetable found on the Seder plate. Green is a symbol of springtime and youthfulness. The Carpas is dipped in salt water. The salt water stands for the salt water of the Red Sea. Dipping the Carpas means that, in the springtime of our nationhood, God saved us and redeemed us by bringing us through the salt water of the Red Sea.

Usually, the final item on the Passover plate is the Salt Water. It stands for the salt water of the Red Sea or salty tears depending on how the symbol is being used.

Tisha B'Av

Tisha B’Av, also known as Ninth of Av, is the traditional day of mourning for the destruction of the temples in Jerusalem. This day usually occurs in July or August.

According to Jeremiah 3:12, the Babylonian destruction of the First Temple occurred on the tenth of Av. However, II Kings 25:89 dated the event on the seventh of Av. According to the Tosefta Ta’anit 4:10, the discrepancy is due to the destruction of the outer walls and the courtyard, which started on the seventh of Av, while the entire structure was destroyed on the tenth of Av. Although some rabbis disagree, the majority decided that it is more fitting to remember the “beginning of the calamity.”

According to Josephus, the Romans destroyed the Second Temple in 70 A.D., on the tenth of Av. The Karaites still observe this day as a day of mourning. The ninth of Av was the date recorded by the Talmud, and therefore, became accepted as the anniversary of both destructions.

The Talmud classified the ninth of Av as a major day of mourning because of these five disasters:

1. It was on the ninth of Av that the Children of Israel, after the Exodus from Egypt, were not allowed to enter the Promised Land.
2. The First and
3. The Second Temples were destroyed
4. The city of Bethar, the last city to fall during the Bar Kokhba war, was captured in 135 A.D., and
5. In 136 A.D., Roman emperor Hadrian established a heathen temple on the site of the Solomonic Temple and rebuilt Jerusalem as a pagan city. Jews were then forbidden to enter the Holy City.

Based on these calamities, the ninth of Av became the symbol for all persecutions and misfortunes of the Jewish people, for the loss of national independence and for the sufferings in exile.

The Ninth of Av is the culmination of a three week period of increasing mourning, beginning with the fast on the 17th of Tammuz, which commemorates the first breach in the walls of Jerusalem, before the First Temple was destroyed. During the three week period, weddings and other parties are not permitted and people refrain from cutting their hair. Many of the traditional mourning practices are observed:

1. Complete abstention from food and drink.
2. Bathing is strictly forbidden. The washing of face and hands is permissible for cleansing purposes only.
3. The use of oils for anointing and use of perfumes is forbidden. Sexual intercourse is also forbidden.
4. Wearing footwear made of leather is also forbidden.
5. One must sit either on the ground or on a low stool, refrain from smiles, laughter and idle conversation.
6. It is customary to not work and deal with business because Tisha b’Av was regarded as an inauspicious day. Someone who works on the 9th of Av would not benefit from his efforts.
7. The study of the Torah is forbidden because it is a source of joy, except for the reading of certain texts such as Lamentations, the Book of Job, the curses of Leviticus, and some chapters of Jeremiah.

In modern Israel, besides special synagogue services to commemorate the ninth of Av, public places of entertainment and restaurants are closed on the eve on Tisha b’Av.

Ask your Jewish friends about this holiday. Do they mourn? What does the Temple mean to them? Perhaps you will get an opportunity to talk about the fact that the N.T. teaches that the indestructible temple of the Lord is in the Believers’ heart (John 2:19-21, I Cor. 3:16; 6:19).

   

Excerpt taken from Encyclopedia Judaica and Judaism 101.

Rosh HaShanah (Festival of Trumpets)

In Hebrew, the term “Rosh HaShanah” literally means “the first of the year;” this particular feast is more commonly known as the Jewish New Year. The common greeting for this holiday is “L’shanah tovah,” literally “for a good year.”

Rosh HaShanah falls on first day of the seventh month, according to the Hebrew calendar. It marks the beginning of the period known as the High Holy Days and the first two days of Rosh HaShanah usher in the Ten Days of Repentance, culminating in the major fast day of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

In Scripture, the term “Rosh HaShanah” is not used to describe the holiday. Instead, it is known as “Yom Ha-Zikkaron” (the day of remembrance) or “Yom Teruah” (the day of the sounding of the shofar). This day is instituted in Leviticus  23:24-25.

Various observances of Rosh HaShanah include the blowing of the shofar (a ram’s horn) in the synagogue. The sound of the shofar is a call to repentance for the Jewish people. If the holiday falls on Shabbat, the blowing of the shofar is typically not observed. Work is not permitted during Rosh HaShanah. For the most part, people observed Rosh HaShanah by spending the day reading liturgy in the synagogues. Religious services for Rosh HaShanah focus on God’s sovereignty.

Another popular observance is the eating of apples or bread with honey, as a symbol of the wish for a sweet new year. Instead of the traditional braided challah, round challah is served during Rosh HaShanah.

Recently, the exchange of Rosh HaShanah greeting cards has become popular in America. Take this opportunity to build bridges with your Jewish contacts by sending them a Rosh HaShanah card. Study up on Leviticus 23:24-25, Numbers 29:1-6, Psalm 81:3-4, Ezra 3:1-6, and Nehemiah 8:1-12. Rosh HaShanah will be fulfilled by the rapture of the Church (I Thess. 4:13-18, I Cor. 15:50-58). Ask them how they celebrate Rosh HaShanah and tell them what the feast means to you. L'shanah tovah.

   

Adapted from Judaism 101

Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement)

Yom Kippur is probably the most important holiday of the Jewish year. Many Jews who do not observe any other Jewish customs will refrain from work, fast and/or attend synagogue services on this day. The name Yom Kippur means “the Day of Atonement.” On this day, the rabbis teach that God seals our fate for the coming year and thus, the entire day is spent fasting and praying to God for forgiveness and a good year.

However, the rabbis also teach that Yom Kippur atones only for sins between man and God. In order to atone for sins against another person, one must first seek reconciliation with the other person. These things must be done before Yom Kippur. It is customary in the days before Yom Kippur for Jews to seek out friends and family whom they have wronged and personally ask for their forgiveness.

In Leviticus 23:27-32, God describes Yom Kippur as a day of “complete rest.” Observances include not working, refraining from eating and drinking (even water) for 25 hours beginning before sunset on the evening before Yom Kippur and ending after nightfall on the day of Yom Kippur. Additional restrictions (found in the Talmud) include: washing and bathing, wearing leather shoes, and anointing one’s body (with perfumes, cosmetics, etc.).

Recently, Yom Kippur cards have been introduced. So, if you missed sending your Jewish friend a holiday card, the opportunity still exists. Go to www.hallmark.com or www.americangreetings.com for ideas.

The Messianic Implications in the Prophets

An important aspect of Yom Kippur is the implications of this particular day in the Prophets. The two main passages which provide these implications can be found in the Book of Isaiah.

Isaiah 52:13-53:12 contain the two main concepts of the Day of Atonement: substitution and atonement. The Messiah will undergo a substitutionary suffering; He will die a substitutionary death on behalf of the people of Israel. The Messiah also bears our iniquity and is an offering for our sins.

Based on the previous passage, we can draw six deductions. First, the Messiah would be rejected by His own people Israel and He will be despised among the Gentiles. Secondly, the Messiah would die as the Day of Atonement sacrifice. Thirdly, the Messiah will bear the sins of the believers. Fourthly, after being rejected by Israel, He will be a light to the Gentiles. Fifthly, after being a light to the Gentiles, He will be accepted by His own people. And lastly, as a result of Israel’s acceptance, the Messiah will return to set up His Kingdom and set up Israel.

Isaiah 52:13-53:12 is probably the most effective witnessing tool in the Bible. Ask your Jewish friend if you could read him or her something. Read Isaiah 52:13-53:12 and then ask, “Who was that about and where is it found?” Invariably they will answer that it is about Jesus from the New Testament. They will be very surprised and hopefully impressed when you show them that it was written about Jesus by the Jewish prophet Isaiah some 700 years before Jesus came. And that is why you believe that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah and Savior.

Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles)

The seven feasts of Israel are divided into two sections, the spring cycle of feasts and the fall cycle of feasts. The spring feasts consist of: 1) Passover which portrays the Messiah’s substitutionary, sacrificial death, 2) Unleavened Bread which portrays the Messiah’s sinless life, 3) First Fruits which portrays the Messiah’s resurrection, and 4) Weeks (Pentecost) which is fulfilled by the birth of the Church. After a four month summer break (which portrays the current Church age), we come to the fall cycle of feasts.

The fall cycle commences with the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah) which portrays the Rapture (the end of the Church age). Trumpets is followed by the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) which will be fulfilled by the Tribulation period and Israel’s national salvation. The final feast of the year is the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths (Sukkot) which will be fulfilled by the institution of the 1,000 year Messianic Kingdom when Jesus (Yeshua) rules over the world from His glorious throne in the world’s capitol city of Jerusalem.

The feast is celebrated by each family erecting their own temporary shelter or booth (tabernacle, Hebrew: Sukkah). The Jewish family “lives” in the Sukkah as much as they can for the seven day period of the feast, at least eating one meal a day in the Sukkah if not more, and sleeping in the Sukkah if they can. “Living” in the Sukkah recalls the Exodus from Egypt when Israel lived in temporary shelters and God dwelt visibly in our midst.

We know that the feast portrays the institution of the Messianic Kingdom from Zechariah 14:16. “Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.” In the Messianic Kingdom observance of the Feast of Tabernacles will be mandatory for all nations. Every country will be required to send a delegation to Jerusalem each year to celebrate the festival.

The parallel between the Exodus experience and the current celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles is captured in this thought: when Israel came out of Egypt, Israel lived in temporary shelters and God dwelt in our midst. In the same way when the Messianic Kingdom is instituted God will once again dwell in our midst.

Hag Sameach (Happy Holiday)!

Simchat Torah (Shemini Atzeret)

In Israel, Shemini Atzeret is the day after the seventh day of Sukkot. This day is also the holiday Simchat Torah. Outside of Israel, where extra days of holidays are held, only the second day of Shemini Atzeret is considered Simchat Torah. Shemini Atzeret is Tishrei 22 and 23, while Simchat Torah is Tisheri 23.

These two holidays are commonly thought as part of Sukkot, which is incorrect. Shemini Atzeret is a holiday in its own right and does not involve some of the observances of Sukkot.

Shemini Atzeret literally means “the assembly of the eighth (day).” According to rabbinic literature, our Creator is a host who invites us as visitors for a limited time. When the time comes for us to leave, He has enjoyed Himself so much that He asks us to stay another day.

Simchat Torah literally means “rejoicing in the Torah.” This holiday marks the completion of the annual cycle of weekly Torah readings. Each week in the synagogue, Jewish people publicly read a few chapters of the Torah, starting with Genesis chapter 1 through Deuteronomy 34. On Simchat Torah, the last Torah portion is read, then proceed immediately to Genesis chapter 1, a reminder that the Torah is a circle and it never ends.

The completion of the readings is a time of great rejoicing. There are processions around the synagogue carrying Torah scrolls with plenty of high-spirited singing and dancing. In some synagogues, confirmation ceremonies or ceremonies marking the beginning of a child’s Jewish education are held at this time.

Chanukah

The word Chanukah is the Hebrew word for “dedication.” The title in English is the “Feast of Dedication.” The word refers to the rededication of the Temple, in Jerusalem, after its desecration by the Greeks in 164 B.C. The Book of Daniel predicts the desecration of the Temple in chapters 8 and 11.

Alexander the Great, acquired control of the Land of Israel in 332 B.C. Upon his death his empire was divided up among his four generals. Two of these generals founded dynasties - the Ptolemies in Egypt and the Seleucids in Syria. In 198 B.C. the Seleucids took over control of Israel. Early Seleucid rule was tolerant of Jewish culture and Jewish faith.

But, in 175 B.C. Antiochus IV Epiphanes came to the throne. He desired to infuse everything with Greek culture and Greek religion. As a result, he attempted to eradicate the Jewish faith. He prohibited Jewish spiritual practices. He attempted to destroy all copies of the Bible, and he required everyone to worship the Greek god Zeus. His crowning outrage was to erect a statue of Zeus and sacrifice a pig in the Jerusalem Temple itself.

Opposition to Antiochus was led by Mattathias and his five sons. Mattathias destroyed a Greek altar established in his village of Modin and killed a representative of King Antiochus. Mattathias and his sons then fled to the Judean hills and formed a guerrilla army. This triggered the Maccabean revolt.

The word “Maccabee” comes from the Hebrew word “Macab,” “hammer.” Maccabee was a nickname given to Mattathias’ oldest son Judah. Judah became commander of the guerrilla army. Eventually, Judah became known as Judah Maccabee because he “hammered” on the Greeks.

In time Jerusalem was recaptured. The Temple was cleansed from its defilement exactly three years to the day from the time it was desecrated. This rededication of the Temple for worship was celebrated with great rejoicing that lasted for eight days.

www.jewishsource.comAnother traditional name for this celebration is the Festival of the Lights. This name is based on a tradition found in the writings of the rabbi’s. The legend states that a miracle occurred during the rededication of the Temple. The miracle centers around the Temple lamp stand. A lamp stand was located in the outer room of the Temple. As the priests cleansed and prepared the Temple for the resumption of worship, they could only find one bottle of sacred oil for the lamp stand. One bottle of oil would keep the lamp burning for only one day, but it would take eight days to secure a new supply of the oil. However, they chose to rededicate the Temple anyway. The miracle occurred when the oil that should have burned for only one day burned in the lamp stand for eight days, long enough for the regular supply of oil to be resumed. In response, the rabbi’s felt we should remember the miracle that occurred by celebrating for eight days. The eight day celebration would be accompanied by the lighting of candles or oil lamps. Today, lamp stands with locations for eight candles are burned in remembrance of the miracle. A ninth candle is included on the lamp stand to light the eight other candles.

www.thebuddingcook.blogspot.com
used by permissionIn addition, a traditional game is played with a top called a draydel and foods fried in oil are prepared in remembrance of the miracle of the oil. The most well known Chanukah treat is potato pancakes known as latkes. Sending Chanukah cards has become very popular in recent years.

There is great Messianic significance attached to Chanukah. First, Jesus celebrated the feast in John 10:22-42. Second, Jesus dedicated Himself to the task of redemption in John 6:38. Finally, Jesus is constantly referred to as the light (Matt. 4:16; Lk. 2:32; Jn. 1:49, 3:19-21, 8:12, 9:5, 12:46; 2 Cor. 4:4-6).

Take the opportunity afforded by this season of the year to send your Jewish friends a Chanukah card. They will appreciate your recognition of the holiday and perhaps spark a question or two. God may just give you the chance to share about the Jewish Messiah, the Light of the World.

The Hanukiah

www.jewishsource.comThe Hanukiah is the nine branched lampstand associated with the Feast of Chanukah (Dedication). Chanukah is an eight-day celebration that falls in December. The festival remembers the oppression of Israel, the pollution of the Temple by the Syrian Greek King, Antiochus Epiphanes, and the victory of the Maccabees over the oppressor. The Maccabees cleansed the Temple and relit the Temple lampstand. Tradition states that only one days supply of holy oil for the Temple lampstand was available but that the lampstand burned miraculously for eight days until more holy oil could be made.

However, the Books of First and Second Maccabees indicate that the rededication was celebrated for eight days to emulate the Feast of Tabernacles.

Purim

The celebration of Purim is a Jewish festival that remembers the deliverance the Jewish people experienced while under the Persian domination predicted in Daniel 2:39, 7:5, and 8:320. The Jewish people had been taken into captivity by the Babylonians who were in turn conquered by the Medo-Persians. While all were free to return to the Land of Israel, only a small remnant actually went back to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple. The majority of Jewish people settled down in the comfort and relative security of the Persian Empire. This secure and comfortable disobedience was soon to be shattered by anti-Semitism.

The events that led up to the celebration of Purim are recorded in the Book of Esther. The wicked anti-Semite, Haman, is promoted to the position of Prime Minister of the Persian Empire. He uses his position of power and authority to promote genocide against the Jewish people. Being a superstitious idol worshipper, Haman casts lots [pur (singular), purim (plural)] to determine the most advantageous time to begin his holocaust.

However, God remains faithful to His covenant with Abraham. God preserves the nation from destruction and puts an end to Haman using a loyal Jew, Mordecai, and his cousin Esther. As a result, the celebration of Purim is established to remind the Jewish people of His faithfulness to the nation—even when they were living in disobedience.

www.strath.ac.ukThe festival is primarily celebrated in the synagogue today through the reading of The Megillah—the Book of Esther. However, there is a twist. Whenever Haman’s name is mentioned, the congregation rattles noisemakers (gragers—see illustration) and breaks into catcalls, boos and Bronx cheers. Whenever Mordecai or Esther’s name is mentioned, the congregation applauds and cheers. Needless to say, the reading of The Megillah is a joyous time.

www.jewishsource.comThe rabbis commanded that the celebration is a time to eat, drink, and be merry. Consequently, gifts of food and drink are exchanged, and gifts are given to charity. A traditional, threecornered cookie is baked called Hamentashen. (See illustration.) Toward the end of the Purim day, a festive meal is served called Seudat Purim and, of course, traditional songs are sung. Kreplach, a pastry filled with meat or chicken, is also served during Purim.

It is also customary to hold carnival like celebrations. Consequently, the synagogue service becomes a group masquerade party. In addition, Purim Spiels (Purim plays and parodies) delight young and old alike.

Use this opportunity to wish your Jewish friends a happy and joyful Purim. Ask them if they celebrate Purim in their home or synagogue. Tell them that you would love to taste Hamentashen and Kreplach. Join them in the celebration if you can and have fun.

More than having fun, be prepared to teach them about the One who loves the Jewish people and who has a covenant stake in their survival and welfare. He who delivered Israel from the antiSemitic Haman will deliver His people from the multitude of antiSemites threatening Israel and the Jewish people today (even in the comfortable and secure United States).

Beyond physical deliverance, be ready to tell your Jewish friends about the One who can deliver them from a fate worse than physical destruction. Tell them about Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah, the One who delivers from eternal, spiritual destruction. Tell them about the One who holds out the promise of ultimate joy and celebration. For this, take them to Psalm 16:10-11, a Messianic Psalm fulfilled in Acts 13:35.

Ps 16:10-11 (NASB95)
For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Sabbath

Commencement of the Sabbath

www.thegalileeexperience.comSABBATH CANDLES: On Saturday evening, at the beginning of the Sabbath it is customary for the mother of the household to light two candles. The two candles recall two Sabbath commands found in the Bible: “Remember the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8) and “Observe the Sabbath” (Deut. 5:12). Following a common custom, the mother “welcomes” the Sabbath into the home by revolving her hands around the candles. She then covers her eyes as a symbol of concentration and respect before reciting the traditional benediction.

Conclusion of the Sabbath

www.jesusboat.comThe Sabbath concludes with a ceremony entitled “Havdalah.” Havdalah is the Hebrew word for distinction or separation. The Havdalah ceremony recognizes a distinction between the holy and the mundane. The Sabbath is a holy day entirely distinct from the mundane, common activity of the workweek. The Havdalah ceremonies recognize the conclusion of the Sabbath and the beginning of the normal workweek.

www.strath.ac.ukDuring the ceremonies, blessings are recited over wine, a special plaited Havdalah candle and spices. The plaited candle, consisting of a number of wicks, provides bright, torch-like flame to satisfy the statement in Psalm 19:9: “The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.” The lighted candle is usually extinguished in the wine.

The spice box with its fragrant aroma is passed from family member to family member to smell and enjoy. The fragrance from the spices are considered a final Sabbath joy that offsets the sad departure of the Sabbath. The pleasant aroma remains in the house as a lingering reminder of the Sabbath.