The Jewish Holidays in october 2024

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year.  It is the birthday of earth, which traditionally is 5785 years old this year.

Traditional Rosh Hashanah foods include apples and honey (for a sweet year) and a round challah (egg bread) signifying the cyclicality of a year.

Rosh Hashonah citations in the Torah and Talmud include:

Torah

Leviticus 23:24 - Speak to the Children of Israel, saying: in the seventh month on day one of the month there will be for you a Shabbaton [a Sabbath observance], a memorial of the blast of a horn, a solemn assembly.

 
Numbers 29:1 - And in the seventh month on day one of the month there will be a holy convocation for you; all the work of the service you will not do, it is a day of the blast of the ram's horn for you.

Talmud

Tractate Rosh Hashonah of the Babylonian Talmud provides the first reference to the 1st day of the 7th month as the New Year. It also connects Rosh Hashanah with the repentance associated with Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) 

(2) Fast of Gedalia, 4 Tishrei/October 6

Gedaliah was the governor of Judah, appointed by Nebuchadnezzar, who was assassinated shortly after the fall of the First Temple.   This is considered a minor holiday, observed by a fast that begins at sunrise and ends at sunset on the same day (most Jewish holidays begin the night before; this is an exception).  The details of Gedaliah's assassination are described in 2 Kings 25:25-26 and Jeremiah 41. 

(3) Yom Kippur, 10 Tishrei/October 12

Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement, is considered the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.  According to tradition, it is the day on which G-d makes and seals the final decision on who will live and who will die in the coming year.  

In traditional practice, this is a fast day, with prayer and repentance for 24 hours, on the 10th day of the 7th month (Tishrei 10) ending with the visibility of the third star in the sky.

Although the holiday is referred to as Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), in the Torah, it is called Yom Kippurim (Day of Atonements).

The Yom Kippur citations in the Torah and Talmud are:

Torah

Leviticus 16:29 - "And it will be for you as a law for eternity; in the seventh month, on the tenth of the month, you will afflict your souls, and all the work you will not do, the native or the stranger who lives in your midst."

Leviticus 23:27 - "Also, on the tenth of this seventh month, a Day of Atonements, a holy gather it will be to you, and you will afflict your souls, and you will make an offering of fire to YHVH."

Leviticus 25:9 - "And you will bring a ram's horn to sound in the seventh month on the tenth of the month on the Day of Atonements; you will bring the ram's horn through all your land."

 
Number 29:7 - And on the tenth of the month, in the seventh [month] it will be a holy assembly for you, and you afflict your souls; all the work you will not do."

Talmud

Tractate Yoma of the Babylonian Talmud includes the rules and ordinances for the Day of Atonement, including the animal sacrifices (a practice no longer performed).

(4) Succoth, 15-21 Tishrei/October17-23

Succoth is The Feast of Booths.  It is the third of the three annual harvest festivals described in the Torah, the others being Passover (Pesach) and the Feast of Weeks (Shavuoth).  By all descriptions, it was the most important of the three - in fact, in the ancient world, more important than Rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur.  

According to the Torah and the practices of Ezra, it was the time of the year in which the Torah was read publicly.  The holiday is celebrated beginning the 15th day of the 7th Month (Tishrei on the Jewish calendar), which is the night of the full moon and lasts for seven days.   The 7th day of Succoth is called Hoshanah Rabbah (the Great Supplication)

During Succoth, those who observe the holiday live in temporary shelters - or at least have their meals in them.  The booth is not entirely enclosed - the sky is visible through the ceiling, which is decorated with fall produce.   We invite guests to dine in our booths and celebrate the harvest.  According to the Zohar (the Kabbalistic handbook) there are even seven spiritual guests associated with Succoth: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and  David.

Among the elements the Succoth celebration are the four species of plant - the Etrog (a large citrus), and the Lulav (which comprises the other three - the palm, myrtle, and willow).  The leader holds the Etrog and Lulav and shakes them in all four compass directions, as well as up and down, reciting certain prayers to the glory of G-d.

 Here is List of References to Succoth in the Torah:

Exodus 23:16 And the feast of harvest, the first-fruits of your labors, which you sow in the field, and the feast on ingathering at the end of the your, when you gather in your labors from the field. (Torah Portion Mishpatim) 

Leviticus 23:33 And YHVH spoke to Moses saying: 34 “Speak unto the children of Israel saying: ‘On the 15th day of this 7th month is the feast of Succoth for seven days unto YHVH.  35.  On the first day shall be a holy convocation, you shall do no manner of servile work.  36.  Seven days you shall bring a fire offering unto YHVH, on the 8th day shall be a holy convocation unto you, and you shall bring an offering made by fire unto the Lord, it is a day of solemn assembly [Shemini Atzeret], all work of service you will not do. (Torah Portion Emor)

Leviticus 23:39 However, on the 15th day of the seventh month, when you gathered the produce of the of the land, you will celebrate the feast of YHVH for seven days on the first day a Shabbaton [solemn rest] and on the eight day, a Shabbaton.  40. And you will take for yourselves on the first day fruit of the glorious tree, branches of palms and a bough of the thick tree, and wills of the brook, and you will rejoice before YHVH your Elohim for seven days. 41. You will celebrate it a feast to YHVH for seven days in the year; it is an eternal statute for your generations, in the seven thou will celebrate it. 42. In a Succah [booth] you will celebrate it. 43. So your generations will know that in Succoth [booths] I caused the children of Israel to dwell when I brought them from the land of Eygpt ; I am YHVH your Elohim. (Torah Portion Emor).

Numbers 29:12 And on the 15th day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no manner of servile work, and you shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days.  (Note: verses 13 through 34 list all the animals to be sacrificed for Succoth  with verse 35 listing the sacrifices for Shmini Atzeret). (Torah Portion Pinchas)

Deuteronomy 16:13 – When you bring in the products of your threshing floor and wine vat, you will celebrate the festival of Succoth for seven days.  14.  You will rejoice on your festival along with your son and daughter, your male and female slave, and the Levite, sojourner, orphan, and widow from your settlements.  15.  Seven days you will celebrate to YHVH your Elohim in the place that YHVH will choose, YHVH your Elohim will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands and you will be so happy. (Torah Portion Re’eh)

Deuteronomy 31:10 – And Moses commanded them saying, “At the end of seven years, at the appoint season at the year of the Shemita (land restoration to its original owners) at the Festival of Succoth, 11. When all Israel comes to see the face of YHVH your Elohim in the place that He chose, you will read this Torah facing all Israel in their ears.” (Torah Portion Ve’yelech)

(5) Hoshana Raba and Shemini Atzereth, 21-22 Tishrei/October 23-24

Hoshana Raba (The Great Supplication) and Shemini Atzereth (the Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly) are two holidays are the end of Succoth and therefore the last of the Harvest Festival Days.   Symbolically, Hoshanna Raba, the 7th day of Succoth, is the last chance to repent for the New Year.  The Book of Life may have been closed on Yom Kippur, but it is not sealed until Hoshana Raba.  

Shemini Atzeret is its own holiday, and technically not a part of Succoth.  In traditional synagogues, Ecclesiastes (Kohelet) is read as well as prayers for rain.   

(6) Simchat Torah, 15 Tishrei/October 15

Simchat Torah is Hebrew for Rejoicing for the Torah.  We celebrate the Torah by reading the closing verses of Deuteronomy and the opening verses of Genesis.   Thus the cycle of reading the Torah begins anew.  In traditional congregations, the Torahs are carried around the sanctuary seven times.