Encyclopaedia Judaica - Vol.06 (Dr-Feu) - WiccanGeek's Reading ...

festivals
cerning burial, the use of medicine (Sh. Ar., Oḥ, 496:2), and
laws regarding nolad (the appearance or creation of something
not previously in existence). An egg, for instance, which was
laid on the first day of the festival remains forbidden all that
day but may be eaten on the second day (ibid. 513:5). On the
second day of Rosh Ha-Shanah, however, nolad is not permitted
to be used because the two days are considered one long
day. Certain trends in Conservative Judaism have made the
second festival day optional, while the Reform has abolished
it altogether, even for Rosh Ha-Shanah.
A person from Ereẓ Israel who temporarily visits the Diaspora
has to observe the additional day when in company,
so as not to arouse controversy (ibid. 496:3, cf. Pes. 4:1; see
*Domicile). A visitor to Ereẓ Israel, however, observes only
one day if he has any intention of staying. According to Ẓevi
Hirsch *Ashkenazi, even without such intention he observes
one day only (Ḥakham Ẓevi, resp. no. 167).
Liturgy
On the three pilgrim festivals and on the high holidays a
special *Amidah is recited while on Rosh Ḥodesh and ḥol
ha-mo’ed the ordinary weekday Amidah is said. In both, the
*ya’aleh ve-yavo prayer is included, as also in the Grace after
Meals. On Ḥanukkah and Purim *al ha-nissim, recounting
the miracles of the particular festival, is said in both Amidah
and Grace. The Amidah is followed by *Hallel, preceded and
completed by a benediction. On Shavuot, Sukkot (including
ḥol ha’mo’ed), Shemini Aẓeret, and Ḥanukkah, Hallel is recited
in its complete form. On Passover full Hallel is recited
on the first day(s) only but not on ḥol ha-mo’ed or on the last
festival day(s) when only “half” Hallel is recited. Full Hallel is
also recited during the seder and in many congregations also
at the conclusion of the evening service on Passover eve. On
Rosh Ha-Shanah and the Day of Atonement, Hallel is deleted
as these are days of judgment. On Purim, too, Hallel is not
recited. On Rosh Ḥodesh “half” Hallel is recited (a Babylonian
custom). The Torah reading on the festivals is from two
scrolls: the first portion always contains a reference to the festivals,
while the second is from Numbers 28–29 concerning
the special sacrifice of the day. On Simḥat Torah three scrolls
are read: in the first the Pentateuch is concluded; in the second
it is begun again; while from the third the reading is of
the sacrifices of the day. Unlike on the Sabbath, there is no
reading at the afternoon service, except on the Day of Atonement.
On the other hand, in many congregations the Torah
is read on Simḥat Torah eve. It is customary to read the Song
of Songs on the Sabbath during Passover and Ecclesiastes on
the Sabbath of Sukkot. On Shavuot the Book of Ruth is read
and on Purim the Book of Esther. Lamentations is read on
the Ninth of Av. On all the Pentateuchal festivals, including
ḥol ha-mo’ed and Rosh Ḥodesh, the *Musaf Amidah is recited
which corresponds to the special sacrifices of the day. On Rosh
Ḥodesh the *tefillin are taken off before Musaf, while on ḥol
ha-mo’ed tefillin are not used except according to Ashkenazi
practice in the Diaspora, when they are taken off before Hal-
lel. In contrast to Ereẓ Israel, the priests recite the *priestly
blessing in the Diaspora only during the Musaf service of the
festivals (excluding Rosh Ḥodesh). When one of the festival
days is followed by the Sabbath, a procedure known as *eruv
tavshilin permits the preparation of food on the festival for the
Sabbath, which would otherwise be prohibited.
The “good days” mentioned in *Megillat Ta’anit, of which
some are also mentioned in other sources, were all established
in the Second Temple period. Save for Ḥanukkah and Purim
all have long disappeared, the last one being Nicanor’s Day
(13th Adar) which was still observed in Ereẓ Israel in the seventh
to ninth centuries. During the Middle Ages and in modern
times other days became commonly accepted as “good
days,” some without any official standing. These are Lag ba-
Omer, the 15th of Av, and Tu bi-Shevat, and lately Israel *Independence
Day, which is also celebrated as a holiday with
special prayers and Hallel.
Women and the Festivals
Women are responsible for obeying all of Judaism’s negative
commandments and for observing most of the positive commandments.
These positive precepts include celebrating the
Sabbath and all of the holy days and festivals of the Jewish year
(TB Pes. 109a). However, women are exempt from the following
positive mitzvot linked to festivals and holy days: hearing
the shofar on Rosh ha-Shanah, dwelling in a sukkah during
the Sukkot festival, waving the lulav on Sukkot, and counting
the omer. Since these are all commandments that are to
be performed at fixed times of the year, they conform to the
exemption of women from time-bound mitzvot prescribed
in Kid. 1:7. Yet, the Talmud specifically obligates women to
other time-bound festival observances, generally rituals that
take place in the home. These include kiddush (sanctification
of wine) on the Sabbath (Ber. 20b), and, according to most
authorities, on the festivals as well; kindling Sabbath and festival
lights and the Hanukkah lamp (Shab. 23a); listening to
the reading of the megillah (Scroll of Esther) on Purim (Meg.
4a); and eating maẓẓah (Pes. 43b) and drinking four cups of
wine at the Passover seder (Pes.108a).
A number of rabbinic authorities have held that a woman’s
voluntary performance of those festival mitzvot from
which she is halakhically exempt should be understood as a
praiseworthy personal minhag (custom) or permitted as a fulfillment
of an individual neder (vow). Authorities have been
divided over whether one who observes an optional mitzvah
may recite the benediction that usually accompanies the performance
of that precept. R. Moses *Isserles (the Rema, 1525 or
1530–1572) maintained that a woman could recite the blessing
in this case (Sh. Ar., Oraḥ Ḥayyim 589:6) and this became the
custom among Ashkenazi Jews. Thus, a woman may choose to
listen to the shofar or may sound it herself, and she may recite
the appropriate blessing (Oḥ 589:6). A woman may not sound
the shofar on behalf of others, according to the principle that
only one who is obligated to perform a precept may perform
it for others (Oḥ 589:1).
770 ENCYCLOPAEDIA JUDAICA, Second Edition, Volume 6