Feasts

The Feast of Shavuot, or Feast of Weeks, is celebrated in late spring at the time of the early wheat harvest in Israel. The exact Hebrew date is not specified in Scripture. Shavuot is at the end of a period of counting fifty days, or seven weeks – thus the name Shavuot, a Hebrew word meaning “weeks,” or Pentecost, from a Greek word meaning “fiftieth.”

Counting the Omer is a count “up.” The instructions are clear – count seven weeks “from” the day of the Omer, fifty days “to” the day after the seventh Sabbath.

Not everyone agrees on the timing of the Feasts. Sometimes we’re going to gather on a day that we don’t happen to think is the right one. We’ll get over it.

Given the current situation with COVID-19 (April, 2020) some have suggested that the Passover should be postponed. So how should we approach this Passover?

The Festival of Purim is celebrated on 14 Adar. For the Gregorian year 2025 it is Friday, March 14. Many Jewish congregations will celebrate for two days.

The Festival of Hanukkah (Chanukah) is celebrated for eight days beginning on 25 Kislev. This year it begins Friday night, December 4, and ends Sunday, December 12.

Many Messianic believers will enjoy Hanukkah and Purim. But there is one other celebration that we should not overlook: Thanksgiving Day.

A few days ago on Yom Teruah, also called Rosh Hashanah or the Feast of Trumpets, our family was privileged to be part of a Tashlich service.

Yom Kippur has long been considered the holiest day of the year. You might be surprised to find out just how little the Bible actually says about it.