In this episode we begin covering Judaism at the time of the New Testament. We spend a little time discussing the seven Jewish feasts and thought it might be helpful to provide a little outline of them here.
Nisan (April) - Passover: The celebration covers two Sabbaths and celebrates the leaving of Israelites from Egypt.
Iyar (May) - No feast.
Sivan (June) - Pentecost (or the Feast of Weeks): This is the celebration of the giving of the law from from Mt. Sinai.
Tammuz (July) - No feast.
Ab (August) - No feast.
Elul (September) - No feast.
Tishri (October) -
The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah): This the beginning of the civil new year. It was celebrated with the sounding of trumpets from morning to night in the Temple and the reading of the Law.
The Day of Atonement: The was the festival when the High Priest would go into the Holy of Holies one day a year to make sacrifice and also atone for the sins of the people by laying his hands on the head of the scapegoat.
The Feast of Tabernacle: A remembrance of the wandering in the wilderness and it covered two Sabbaths. The second Sabbath was the "last great day of the feast."
Marchesvan (November) - No feast.
Kislev (December) - Feast of Lights (Hanukkah): A celebration of the dedication of the Temple under the Maccabes and the miracle of the oil.
Tebeth (January) - No Feast.
Shebet (February) - No feast.
Adar (March) - The Feast of Purim: Remembrance of Esther and functioned as a national holiday.
