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Preparing
for The Fall Feasts! |
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| Each year in the Jewish month of ‘Tishri’ the Fall Festivals are celebrated with joy or solemnity, depending on the occasion. This year the feasts of Rosh Hashana/Jewish New Year’s, (the biblical Feast of Trumpets), Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement and Sukkot/Feast of Tabernacles will be celebrated a little earlier than usual: Sept. 6-7, 15-16, and 21-29 respectively. Get Ready, Get Set, Pray What many people may not realize is that in traditional Judaism there is a month of preparation for the High Holy Days. It begins in the month of ‘Elul’ , which this year is comparable to August on the solar calendar. One of the customs is the reciting of Selichot, which are special prayers for forgiveness that are usually said on days of fasting. In the Sephardic (Spanish Jewish) tradition, Selichot prayers are recited beginning with the month of Elul, through Yom Kippur. Three Aspects of Forgiveness There is much significance given in Orthodox Jewish circles to these prayers and preparation of the heart because there are three levels of forgiveness to which people hope to attain. These three levels are identified by three Hebrew synonyms: Selichah, Mechilah, and Kapparah, (forgiveness, wiping away, atonement respectively) which are all related to the idea of forgiveness, but each has its own unique shade of meaning. In Israel a common word for “pardon me, or excuse me” is slicha. Similarly, selichah is usually translated as forgiveness. Traditionally, this is the first step taken if someone has committed a sin, whether it is against God or against man. To ‘make Selichah’ (offer Selicha prayers) is to ask for forgiveness and to say to the offended party, “I am sorry for what I did; I sincerely regret having done it, and I will never do it again.” In traditional Jewish circles only a cruel person will not believe the person’s sincerity and accept the person and their apology. Mechilah usually translated as wiping away, responds to the request: “Can we normalize our relationship back as it was before I offended you?” In traditional Jewish circles, this request is considered difficult, but not impossible. Kapparah usually translated as atonement, (as in Yom Kippur) responds to the person’s guilty conscience. In traditional Jewish circles it is recognized that only God can heal and comfort the conscience of a person. Kapparah completes this three-part process on Yom Kippur. |
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Watch Out for Golden Calves! In Exodus 32-34 the Jewish People sinned by creating and worshiping a golden calf. Moses prayed to God for Israel’s spiritual restoration beginning in Elul. God favorably responded to Moses’ prayer, provided a new set of tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments, and renewed His presence in the people’s midst. A traditional Jewish view teaches that when Moses went up the Second Time to receive the Ten Commandments the Jewish people blew the shofar to remind themselves not to fall into idol worship again. |
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| This tradition continues today as many Jewish people blow the shofar to begin the month of Elul, and prepare their hearts to make repentance (Teshuvah) for the approaching High Holy Days. Just as Israel sinned with the Golden Calf, we are reminded how easily we can stumble. Complete Cleansing As we approach the High Holy Days during this month of Elul, not only are we to prepare for the Holidays, but the Holidays are to prepare us to meet with the Lord: “prepare to meet thy God, O Israel” (Amos 4:12). According to the New Covenant, there is only One who can fully prepare us, because only He can fully forgive our sins (Matthew 9:6). Yeshua can cleanse and heal our souls. “How much more will the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14). “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Heb. 10:12-14). Now our prayers are those of praise and thanksgiving. Because of Yeshua’s once and for all sacrifice there is no need for any other offering for sin: “This is the covenant that I will make with them...their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin (Heb. 10:16-18). So let us confess our sins as sins: Messiah’s atonement is enough for us to enjoy the renewal of our souls before God forever (1 John 1:9)! New Covenant, New Relationship |
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