Shabbat and Festivals

Shabbat: The Day of Rest

Shabbat is the most important weekly observance in Judaism. Its authority rests in Genesis 2:1–3, where G‑d rested on the seventh day after creation, and in Exodus 20:8–11, which commands: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” For observant Jews, Shabbat is not merely a day off but a foretaste of the Messianic Age — a sign of the covenant between G‑d and Israel.

Shabbat begins at sunset on Friday and ends on Saturday night, when three stars are visible. Preparation is essential: the home is cleaned, special meals are cooked in advance, and family members are dressed in their best clothes. At the Friday night table, the woman of the household lights two candles while reciting a blessing, welcoming the peace of Shabbat. Wine is sanctified in the Kiddush prayer, and two plaited loaves (challah) are blessed to recall the double portion of manna given in the wilderness.

At the end of Shabbat, the Havdalah ceremony separates the holy day from the rest of the week. A braided candle is lit, spices are smelled (a symbol of the sweetness of Shabbat being carried into the week), wine is blessed and drunk, then the candle is extinguished by dipping it into the few remaining drops. Reform Jews may observe Shabbat more liberally — driving to synagogue, for example — seeing the spirit of rest rather than specific restrictions as primary.

Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year

Rosh Hashanah opens the High Holy Days in autumn. It is a solemn celebration: the birthday of creation and the day on which G‑d is said to judge all people. The shofar (ram’s horn) is blown up to 100 times during synagogue services, recalling the ram caught in the thicket in place of Isaac and calling worshippers to self-examination. Symbolic foods eaten at the meal include apples dipped in honey — expressing hope for a sweet new year — and pomegranates, whose seeds represent the wish to fulfil as many good deeds as its seeds.

The most distinctive ritual is Tashlich, where Jews walk to a river or stream and throw breadcrumbs into the water to symbolise casting away their sins. Central to the spirit of Rosh Hashanah is Teshuva — turning away from wrongdoing and returning to G‑d — which takes place over the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement

Yom Kippur falls ten days after Rosh Hashanah. It is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Five prohibitions apply for the full 25-hour fast: eating and drinking, washing for pleasure, wearing leather shoes, applying cosmetics, and marital relations. These privations reflect total focus on spiritual purification rather than physical comfort.

Synagogue services on Yom Kippur are the longest of the year. The day opens with Kol Nidre, a moving declaration that annuls vows made to G‑d. During the day, worshippers recite the Vidui (confession) repeatedly, beating their chest at each sin. The Book of Life — a metaphor for G‑d’s record of human deeds — is said to be sealed on Yom Kippur; the greeting exchanged is “G‑mar chatimah tovah” (“may you be inscribed for good”). The fast ends with Neilah, the closing service, followed by a single blast of the shofar. The concept of Kapparah (atonement) is at the heart of the day.

The Pilgrim Festivals

Three festivals are called the Pilgrim Festivals: Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot. In biblical times, all Jewish men were commanded to appear at the Temple in Jerusalem for each of these three festivals (Exodus 12:14–15 addresses Pesach).

Pesach (Passover) commemorates the Exodus from Egypt, when G‑d freed the Israelites from slavery under Pharaoh. All leavened bread (chametz) is removed from the home before the festival. The central event is the Seder meal, during which the Haggadah (a special text) is read, recounting the Exodus narrative. Symbolic foods — matzah (unleavened bread), bitter herbs, salt water, a lamb shank bone and charoset (a sweet paste) — each represent part of the Exodus story. The meal reinforces the idea that every Jew in every generation should see themselves as if they personally came out of Egypt.

Sukkot follows Yom Kippur and lasts seven days. Families build a temporary shelter called a sukkah with a roof of natural materials through which the stars can be seen, recalling the booths in which the Israelites lived in the desert (Leviticus 23:42–43). The four species (arba minim) — a palm branch (lulav), myrtle, willow and citron (etrog) — are waved together in all directions as a symbol of G‑d’s presence everywhere.