Holy Days
About
In the Jewish faith, holidays are much more than times to party, celebrate, and (sometimes) mourn. Rather, in Judaism, holidays are Holy Days, which are consecrated to Hashem.
Like wedding vows, the Jewish Holy Days are eternal covenants between Hashem and His Jewish people and celebrate past, present, and future miracles, blessings, redemption, and salvation for His Jewish people.
~Am Yisrael Chai!
Shabbat
When: Every week,
Friday at sunset - Saturday at nightfall.
(Halachic Times vary by your location)
Every week we get to celebrate the Holy Day Shabbat, which is a day of complete in commemoration of
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The 7th day of creation, when Hashem rested from all the work He had created to do.
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The day when Hashem brought the Jewish people out of Egypt, allowing us to rest from harsh labor.
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This practice "wedding feast" also prepares us for the days of Moshiach when it will be eternally Shabbat.
Pesach (Passover)
When: April 12 sunset -20 nightfall, 2025
Pesach is the Holy Day that celebrates the day when Hashem delivered our Jewish ancestors out of the land of Egypt, parted the Reed Sea and allowed us to escape on dry ground in the middle of the night (much like the beginnings of the 3rd day of creation!).
As we fled, Pharaoh and his army were drowned in the bottom of the sea, thus separating the sacred from the secular.
From this separation, Hashem began to let His beloveds rise, not only as a people, but His Holy Jewish Nation through the giving of His Torah.
Pesach Sheni (Second Passover)
When: May 12, 2025
When the Temple stood, one who lived too far from Jerusalem to get to the temple in time of the Pesach offering or one who was in a state of uncleanness on Pesach (and thus could not bring his or her offering to the Temple) was commanded to celebrate Pesach on the 14th day of the second month (Iyar) instead of on the 14th day of the first month (Nissan).
SHAVUOT
When: June 1, 2025 at sunset - June 2, 2025 at nightfall
On the second night of Pesach, or the first night of the Feast of Unleavened bread, we begin counting the Omer for 49 days (or 7 weeks). Shavuot is the culmination of the counting on the 50th day after Pesach. This Holy Day celebrates the earthly ingathering of firstfruits from the harvest of our fields.
More significantly, after leaving Egypt, Moshe and the Hebrew people were given the Torah by Hashem on Mount Sinai. This giving of the law was the first fruit of nationhood for the Jewish People, and therefore the Jewish Nation, both of which are called the "firstfruits of Hashem's harvest."
(Jeremiah 2:3)
The Fast of Tammuz
When: July 13, 2025
This Jewish Holy Day marks the beginning of a three week period of mourning. The fast of Tammuz commemorates five tragic events that occurred throughout the Jewish History on this day:
1. Moshe destroyed the two tablets containing the 10 commandments, which he had just received from Hashem after 40 days and nights spent alone with Hashem on Mt. Sinai. While Moshe was taking a long while to return, at the behest of the people, Aaron took the gold earrings (which the people likely got from the Egyptian plunder) and made golden calf. When Moshe returned and saw the calf, he destroyed the two copies of the 10 Commandments (aka: "The Pact" in Tanakh).
2. The Jewish people had to discontinue their daily sacrifices due to a lack of sheep. This tragedy occurred during the Babylonian seizure of Jerusalem, which consequently sent the Jewish people into exile.
3. Apostomus (who is either a Greek or Roman Soldier) burned the Sacred Torah Scroll of Moshe. For more information, see: https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/5163575/jewish/Who-Was-Apostomus-Who-Burned-a-Torah-Scroll.htm
4. An idol was placed in the sanctuary of the Temple of Hashem, which desecrated the Holy House of the Almighty.
5. In 69 CE, the walls of Jerusalem were breached by Roman soldiers. This breach led to the razing of the Holy City, destruction of the Holy Temple, and the slaughter, capture, and/or exile of a large portion of Jewish people.
THE TREE WEEKS
& THE NINE DAYS
When: July 12-August 3, 2025
(The Month of Av)
This Jewish Holy Day is a three week period of mourning. This mourning remembers the saddest days in Jewish History, namely the destruction of both of the two previous Holy Temples. The last 9 days of this three week period is called The 9 Days, in which mourning is intensified (chabad.org).
Throughout the Jewish history numerous disastrous events have befallen the Jewish people, and or the Jewish nation during this month, especially the culminating date, the 9th of Av.
THE FAST OF TISHA B'AV
(9TH OF AV)
When: August 2, 2025 at nightfall (after Shabbat) -
August 3, 2025 (nightfall)
This Jewish Holy Day is a three-week period of mourning culminates on the 9th of Av. This day of mourning remembers the saddest days in Jewish History, namely:
1. The Sins of The Spies: When Hashem brought our Jewish ancestors out of Egypt, He soon commanded Moshe to send out 12 spies to spy out the promised land (of Israel) and bring back a report. All but 2 spies gave a bad report, saying the land was too full of indefeasible giants to be conquered. Those 10 unfaithful spies died.
2. Destruction of the First Holy Temple
3. Destruction of the Second Holy Temple
4. Jerusalem was plowed to the ground
5. Scores of Jewish have been killed and Jewish towns globally have been plundered and destroyed on this day throughout history.
6. Treblinka extermination camp was opened & Jews were corralled in the Warsaw Ghetto, waiting for the day of their slaughter by the Nazi Germans.
(Read more from the source:
https://images.shulcloud.com/1307/uploads/Documents/Bulletin/Fascinating-FActs/FFacts_Av9list.pdf)
15th of Av
When: August 9, 2025
After the long period of mourning, the 15th of Av is a joyous day filled with dancing. On this day, historically the unmarried Jewish women of Jerusalem would go dancing in vineyards in preparation for the annual Feast of the LORD (The Feast of Trumpets). There, the unmarried men would come and chose their bride!
This Holy Day has direct correlation to the events of Judges chapter 21. In this chapter, the Benjaminites were commanded to go to the vineyards in Shiloh and wait for the virgins of Shiloh to come and dance in preparation for the Feast of the Lord (The Feast of Trumpets). From the dancing virgins, 200 of the men of Benjamin were to take wives.
These 200 men were the men left of the 600 total men who did not receive wives from the 400 virgins of Jabesh-gilead (Judges 21:8-12). These 600 men were the only Benjaminites left alive after Hashem brought judgement against the tribe of Benjamin after some men of Benjamin raped and murdered the wife (concubine) of a Levite (Judges 19).
Prior to this day, intermarriage between members of the 12 Tribes of Israel was forbidding so that the land boundaries apportioned by Hashem to each Tribe would not be changed (Numbers 27: 1-11; Numbers 36:1-12). But, on the 15th of Av, Hashem allowed the Benjaminites to intermarry with other Tribes of Israel so that they would not be entirely cut off from the nation of Israel.
High Holy Days
When: September 22-24, 2025
This Holy Day marks the beginning of the High Holy Days in the Jewish Faith.
This Holy Day is the culmination of shofar blowing that begins on the first day of the previous month, the month of Elul. Everyday in Elul, the Jewish people are to hear the sound of a shofar (usually performed as part of our morning prayers).
The last day of this Holy Day users in the "Days of Awe," which are the 10 days leading up to Yom Kippur. These 10 days are days of repentance, performed in preparation for the Holiest day of the Jewish year, Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement).
Interestingly enough, this Holy Day has 3 different names and the meaning and reasons for this Holy Day have changed over time from the initial Biblical Holy Day.
01.
"Yom Teruah"
In the Tanakh, this Holy Day is officially given the name "Yom Teruah." The specifics for this commanded holy day are found in Leviticus 23:24 and Numbers 9:1.
Not much information is given by Hashem with regards for the reason behind this Holy Day. This lack of information stands in stark contrast to the rest of the Jewish Holy Days.
Normally, Jewish Holy Days celebrate or commemorate a miracle performed by Hashem, which we are to remember for all generations. So, perhaps the mystery points to some yet revealed miracle that Hashem will perform for His Jewish people!
02.
"Feast of Trumpets"
The name "Feast of Trumpets" is an English translation of Yom Teruah. This name makes clear the command to sound a loud shofar blast on this Holy Day.
Traditionally, the shofar is to sound at the first sight of the New Moon in Tishri. Thus, the date and time of this Holy Day is often not precisely known.
There have been many speculations regarding the meaning of this blast and the mystery, namely that perhaps moshiach will arrive on Yom Teruah. But, at this time only Hashem knows the true meaning for this Holy Day.
03.
"Rosh Hashanah"
The name, Rosh Hashanah began to be used for this Holy Day during Talmudic times, meaning during the times of the Babylonian exile. (Ezekiel 40:1 is often the reference for this change).
This name designates this Holy Day as the start of the Jewish Civil New Year, which is distinguished from the Festival New Year, which occurs in Nisan (when Pesach is celebrated, marking the first month of the Jewish calendar).
This Civil New Year is important to the counting of years, Sabbatical years, counting years to determine the Jubilee, and yovel.
When: October 1-2, 2025
This Holy Day marks the Holiest Day of the Jewish Year, as this Holy Day marks the day of yearly Atonement for all Jewish people. Though The Holy Temple is needed to fully celebrate this Holy Day, we trust and believe that Hashem will accept the "offering of our lips" (Hosea 14) while moshiach terries and His Temple lays in ruins.
When the Temple stood (and when it will again stand--may it be today!), the following are the Temple rites of the Priests & High Priest on Yom Kippur, which assures the yearly atonement of every sin for every Jewish person in Hashem's Heavenly family (Leviticus 16).
The following ceremony has been given to the Jewish people by Hashem as "a law for all time to make atonement for the Israelites for all their sins once a year" (Leviticus 16:34). Thus, though the temple does not now stand, it will again, and eternally the Holy Day of Yom Kippur will be reinstated to its proper order.
3 Animal Sacrifices
01.
1 Bull
for the Sins of the High Priest
(Leviticus 16:6)
02.
1 Ram
to be a burnt offering for the Jewish People
(Leviticus 16:3)
03.
2 Male Goats
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One offered as a sacrifice
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One for Azazel: kept alive and sent away with the sins of the people placed on it.
(Leviticus 16:7-10)
3 Locations of Blood Atonement
NOTE: Yom Kippur is the one day every year when the High Priest is allowed to go behind the veil and enter the Holy of Holies. This entrance is for the specific purpose of cleansing Hashem's sanctuary of the "uncleanliness and transgressions" of the Jewish congregation, removing them from the presence of Hashem (Leviticus 16:16).
01.
The blood of the Bull is to be mixed with glowing coals from the incense altar and aromatic incense. The mixture is to be sprinkled 7 times on the Mercy Seat, which is located on top of the Ark of The Covenant.
(Leviticus 16:11-14)
02.
The blood of the sacrificed goat is sprinkled on the Mercy Seat on top of the Ark after the blood of the bull.
(Leviticus 16:15)
03.
The blood of the bull and the goat are then to be placed on the 4 horns of the incense alter inside the tent of meeting. Then the blood is to be sprinkled 7 times on the incense altar.
These actions both cleanse and consecrate the incense altar.
(Leviticus 16:17-19)
3 Actions Performed For Sin Removal
01.
The priest places his hands on the head of the live goat and recites the iniquities and transgressions of the Jewish people, thereby transferring the sins away from the people and on to the goat.
(Leviticus 16:20-21)
02.
A "designated man" ('itti) sends the live goat into the wilderness so that the sins of the Jewish Israelites will be removed to an
"inaccessible place."
When he finished his duties, the designated man washed, changed his clothes, then reentered the congregation.
(Leviticus 16:21-22)
03.
The priest takes the extra blood of the bull and the goat used for purging the sanctuary to a clean place outside of the Jewish people's place of dwelling, changes his clothes, then offers the fat, flesh, hides, and innards of the bull, ram, and sacrificed goat as a burnt offering, turning the sacrifices to smoke: a pleasing aroma to Hashem.
(Leviticus 16:23-28)
"Nothing but Joy"
When: October 6-13, 2025
(Exodus 34:22, Leviticus 23:33-36; Numbers 29:12-32; Deuteronomy 16:13-15)
After the Holy Days of Repentance & Atonement, we celebrate Sukkot, which is also known as The Feast of Booths. During this Holy Day, we celebrate and commemorate how Hashem brought our Jewish ancestors out of Egypt, met with Moshe on Mount Sinai, and then gave the instructions for the building of Hashem's dwelling place among us: His Tabernacle.
This Tabernacle of Hashem was set in the middle of the Israelite camp, where our ancestors also dwelt in sukkahs, booths, or tents. Durning this Holy Day, we celebrate with joy, song and dance, which Hashem then promises to bless by blessing the crops and all of the undertakings of our hands.
Why?
Hashem declares that the Jewish Israelites are the firstfruit of His harvest. The Exodus, Mount Sinai, and even the wilderness wandering all paved the way for His firstfruit Jewish Nation of Israel to grow and come into fruition. Thus, this Holy Day celebrates all of the mercies, miracles, and powerful promises of Hashem, our G-d.
At the end of Sukkot, there are
2 distinct Holy Days
that are connected to, but distinct from Sukkot.
01.
Hoshanah Rabbah
When: October 12 (in Israel),
October 13 (outside of Israel)
Celebration on the 7th day of Sukkot, which celebrates the last day of the "Days of Judgement", which began on Rosh Hashanah.
02.
Shemini Atzret
When:
October 13 (outside of Israel)
Celebration of great joy on the 8th day of Sukkot, as commanded in Leviticus 23:36.
Joy to The Highest
When: October 13-15, 2025
01.
Simchat Torah coincides with the 8th Day of Sukkot: Shemini Atzret.
As noted above, Shemini Atzret is a celebration of great joy, as is commanded by Hashem in Leviticus 23:36.
02.
Hashem promises that celebrating with great joy is the key opening the storehouses of His blessing, which He promises to pour out on the works of our hands and crops of our fields.
This blessing also corresponds to keeping all mitzvot in the Torah.
03.
Simchat Torah is the additional celebration of Hashem's Torah itself.
This Holy Day celebrates the end of the yearly reading cycle of the entire Torah by Hashem's beloved Jewish people, to whom He made the Torah great and glorious.
Torah
This Torah is the Tree of Life, the Key to All Blessing, and will be The Light to All Nations. Through the Torah, Hashem has made a covenantal union between Himself and His beloved Jewish people. Though heinous terrorists tried to put out its and our light on Simchat Torah 2023, they could not and will not succeed.
For though their darkness came, it did not snuff us out. For, even the smallest smoldering wick of truth, Hashem has fanned into a flame for His glory. Thus, we will dance, we will sing, we will rejoice, and we the Jewish people and Jewish Nation will live.
Am Yisrael Chai!
#StandWithIsrael
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Hanukkah
When: December 14 - December 22, 2025
Hanukkah is the Jewish Holy Day that celebrates the end of fighting during the time in the 2nd century BCE. During this time, the Jewish Maccabees raised a revolt against the Seleucid Empire, who had attacked Jerusalem, desecrated the Holy Temple, and murdered many Jewish people.
BUT, during the Maccabean Revolt, Jerusalem was recaptured, and the 2nd Temple was rededicated to Hashem.
On Hanukkah, we light a Hanukkiyah, which is a special type of menorah that has 9 candles instead of the normal 7. The 8 side candles commemorate the Miracle of Lights, and the center candle (the shamash) is the candle that is used to light the other candles (one additional on each successive night of Hanukkah).
The added candles remember and celebrate the fact that during the Maccabean Revolt, only enough oil was found to light the temple menorah for a single night.
BUT, by a miracle of Hashem, the oil lasted for 8 days! This miracle is described in the Talmud, which states,
"The Talmud says that after the forces of Antiochus IV had been driven from the Temple, the Maccabees discovered that almost all of the ritual olive oil had been profaned. They found only a single container that was still sealed by the High Priest, with enough oil to keep the menorah in the Temple lit for a single day. They used this, yet it burned for eight days (the time it took to have new oil pressed and made ready)" (Shabbat 21b)
(Source)