Holidays

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This is the approved revision of this page, as well as being the most recent.

For laws relating to Jewish holidays, see Yom Tov

Jewish holidays, (Hebrew: Yamim Tovim, ימים טובים‎, singular Yom Tov, יום טוב) occur throughout the year. The Halachik status of holidays vary, depending on the origin of the festival.

List of Jewish Holidays

  • Chodesh Elul is the month of repentance heralding the new year, during which the shofar is blown daily and Selichot are recited.
  • Rosh Hashana is the Jewish new year, on which the Shofar is blown in coronation of Hashem over the world.
  • Aseret Yimei Teshuva are the ten days of repentance between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
  • Yom Kippur is the day of atonement, when the judgement for the year is sealed.
  • Sukkot is the holiday when Jews sit in a Sukkah and shake the Arba Minim (Lulav, Etrog, Hadasim, and Aravot).
  • Shemini Aseret is the one day holiday that concludes the Tishrei series of Yamim Tovim.
  • Simchat Torah is the day celebrating the concluding of the Torah.
  • Chanukah is the eight day festival of lights.
  • Tu BiShevat is the new year for the trees.
  • Purim is commemorating the hidden miracles that saved the Jewish people from Haman's plot to annihilate the nation.
  • Purim Katan is the 14th of the first Adar of a leap year.
  • Pesach is the holiday when Jews celebrate the exodus from Egypt with the seder, Matzah, Maror, and no Chametz.
  • Sefirat HaOmer is the counting of the Omer from Pesach to Shavuot.
  • Yom HaAtzmaut is Israeli Independence Day.
  • Lag BaOmer is the 33rd day of the Omer, on which Rabbi Akiva's students stopped dying in a plague.
  • Shavuot is the holiday when Jews celebrate the receiving of the Torah with all night Torah study and dairy foods.
  • Yom Tov means holidays on which non-food related Melacha is prohibited.
  • Chol HaMoed are the intermediate days between the first day of Yom Tov and the last day of Yom Tov.
  • Rosh Chodesh is the beginning of the new month.
  • Three Weeks is the three weeks of mourning over the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, beginning with Shiva Asar BeTamuz and ending with Tisha BeAv.
  • Nine Days is the nine days of the month of Av, from Rosh Chodesh to Tisha BeAv, during which the mourning practices become more intense.
  • Fast Days are days of mourning for specific tragedies in Jewish history.
  • Tisha BeAv, the day of compounded tragedy for the Jewish nation.
  • Tu BeAv (Tu B'Av), the day of much celebration for the Jewish nation.

Jewish holidays by month

Month Jewish holidays and related events
Tishrei
Rosh Hashana - Aseret Yimei Teshuva - Yom Kippur - Sukkot - Chol HaMoed Sukkot - Shemini Aseret - Simchat Torah
Kislev
Chanukah
Teves
Asara B'Tevet
Shevat
Tu BiShevat
Adar
Tanit Ester - Purim - Purim Katan
Nissan
Tanit Bechorot - Pesach - Chol HaMoed Pesach - Sefirat HaOmer
Iyar
Yom HaAtzmaut - Pesach Sheni - Lag BaOmer
Sivan
Shavuot
Tammuz
Shiva Asar BeTamuz - Three Weeks
Menachem Av
Nine Days - Tisha BeAv - Tu BeAv
Elul
Chodesh Elul
Misc.
Yom Tov - Yom Tov Sheni - Rosh Chodesh - Issru Chag

See also