JUDAICA - Wisdom In Torah

term “holy convocation” to mean that the festivals are to be
sanctified “with food and drink and clean clothes” and “the
Day of Atonement, on which there is no food or drink, the
Torah states that one must honor it with clean clothes” (Shab.
119a). It was usual to cut one’s hair before the festivals. Similarly,
it was the custom, later incorporated in the halakhah,
not to work or eat in the late afternoon preceding the festival.
In the Middle Ages, it became customary to light a candle
on the eve of the festival and to recite a blessing, as on the
Sabbath. Rejoicing on the festival involved eating and drinking
(concerning the prohibition of fasting see Judith 8:6; TJ,
Ta’an. 2:12) and giving presents to the women and children.
During the tannaitic period the sages disputed the question
as to how a person should spend the festival: “R. Eliezer says
that a person should either eat and drink or sit and study on
the festival; R. Joshua declares that a person’s time should be
divided between eating and drinking and the house of learning.”
R. Johanan, the amora, found support in the Scriptures
for both opinions (Pes. 68b; cf. Beẓah 15b; Sif. Deut. 135, is
similar to R. Joshua’s opinion). The amoraim also disagreed
on the similar question as to whether the festivals were meant
for the study of Torah, or whether eating and drinking was
the main reason and permission to study the Torah on them
but a secondary consideration (TJ, Shab. 15:3). According to
the sources, it seems that it was customary to go to the bet hamidrash
both on the eve of the festival as well as in the morning.
Prayers, however, were shortened because of the festive
meal. The sages, while stating that “the festivals were given to
Israel only for their own pleasure” (S. Buber (ed.), Midrash
Tanḥuma (1885), Mid. Tanḥuma Gen. 4), nevertheless noted
the difference between Israel and the nations: “You grant the
nations many festivals and they eat, drink, and are wanton,
they go to the theater, the circus, and anger You by word and
deed; but Israel is not so. You grant them festivals and they
eat, drink, and rejoice, and go to the synagogues and battei
midrash (“houses of learning”) and multiply their prayers,
their festival offerings, and their sacrifices” (PdRK 340–1).
It seems that R. Joshua’s opinion (“half to the Lord and half
for yourselves”) was practiced and became halakhah. However,
practices of drunkenness and licentiousness are also
mentioned (Beẓah 4a; Kid. 81a); R. Abba bar Memel, a Palestinian
amora, states, “Did they not forbid work on the intermediate
days only in order that people should eat, drink,
and diligently study the Torah? But they eat, drink, and are
wanton” (TJ, MK 2:3) – exactly as the Midrash describes the
gentile nations.
Paul opposed the observance of the Sabbath and the
festivals (Gal. 4:10; Col. 2:16). Traces of the Jewish-Christian
dispute concerning the festivals are found in the Midrash (S.
Buber (ed.), Midrash Tanḥuma (1885), Pinḥas, para. 17). The
sharp condemnation by the sages of “he who despises the festivals”
(Avot 3:12; Pes. 118a) is probably directed against the
Christian heretics, and probably because of them the observance
of the Sabbath and the festivals was stressed so strongly
in Ereẓ Israel. Later, in the Middle Ages, Judah Halevi states
festivals
that the festivals were the main factor which upheld Israel in
its exile (Kuzari 3:10).
The Intermediate Days
Apart from the laws governing the musaf sacrifices on the festivals,
nothing is stated about the festival days following the
first day of Passover and Sukkot, respectively, which the sages
called ḥolo shel mo’ed or just mo’ed. They taught that these days
are also to be considered as days of “holy convocation.” Only
partial work is permitted on them for “the Torah gave the sages
the power of determining on which day it is forbidden to do
work and on which day it is allowed; which work is forbidden
and which allowed” (Sif. Deut. 135). Generally, work which
prevents deterioration or loss is permitted on the intermediate
days; where this is not the case, work is forbidden. It is forbidden
to delay work in order to do it on the intermediate days
except for public works. In Ereẓ Israel stringent laws were imposed
whereby no work at all was done, even if it was required
for the festival itself. The halakhah, however, conformed to the
Babylonian practice which allowed some work (as mentioned
above). All must rejoice on the intermediate days; thus marriage
is not permitted on these days as rejoicing should not be
mixed, ein me’arevim simḥah be-simḥah (MK 8b).
[Moshe David Herr]
Second Days of Festivals
In the Diaspora an extra day (in Heb. yom tov sheni shel galuyyot)
is added to each of the biblical festival days, except for
ḥol ha-mo’ed and the Day of Atonement. The practice originated
because of the uncertainty in the Diaspora of the day on
which the Sanhedrin announced the New Moon. Later, when
astronomical calculations were relied upon, the sages declared
that the custom should nevertheless be accepted as permanent.
Although the Day of Atonement was an exception, as a double
fast day was considered too difficult, there were individuals
who observed two days. Rosh Ha-Shanah, on the other hand,
gradually came to be observed as a two-day festival even in
Ereẓ Israel; beginnings of the custom here, too, are to be found
in the Second Temple period (RH 4:4), although it became universal
only in the Middle Ages. With regard to Passover and
Sukkot, the first day of ḥol ha-mo’ed was observed as a full festival
day in the Diaspora while an additional day was added at
the end. Thus on Passover a second seder is held on the second
night and an eighth day is added. The day following Shemini
Aẓeret at the completion of Sukkot became known as Simḥat
Torah, the “Rejoicing of the Law.” As long as the new moon
was determined by visual evidence, there was no fixed date for
Shavuot, so that the day of the festival was not in any doubt
as it was always on the 50th day counting from the second day
of Passover, which day would have been ratified in good time
by the Sanhedrin messengers. Despite this, a second day was
observed in the Diaspora for Shavuot as well. It would appear
that certain sources regard the second day as a punishment
and that for its observance no reward is to be expected (TJ,
Eruv. 3:9). The only difference in observance between the additional
days and regular festival days is in the practice con-
ENCYCLOPAEDIA JUDAICA, Second Edition, Volume 6 769