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Author: Holy Branches
I’m a Gentile Believer, a devoted mother of five wonderful children, and the wife of an amazing husband. Nature, gardening, and dance bring joy and inspiration to my life. In my spare time, I play the piano, care for my garden, or study the Bible in Hebrew. And I’ll drop just about anything for a game of cards.
My unwavering quest for a genuine relationship with the God of the Bible has driven me to delve deeply into His Word, which guides my journey and shapes my life's path. This exploration, combined with dedication to living out my faith, is at the heart of my writing. I seek to share my insights and discoveries with readers, encouraging them to embark on their own spiritual journeys.
Yom Kippur: Fasting for Christians
Observing the Biblical Holy Days is a rich experience for Christians, and Yom Kippur is no exception. Most of us are familiar with the themes of atonement and repentance of this Feast Day.
But what about fasting? Traditionally, Yom Kippur is observed with a 25-hour fast. Do we have to fast to celebrate it? What are the benefits of fasting?
How is Fasting Related to Yom Kippur?
Yom Kippur is also known as the Day of Atonement. In the time of the Temple, it was a time to bring a sacrifice to atone for, or “cover,” sin. As Christians, we know that Jesus was the sacrifice that atoned for our sin once and for all! On Yom Kippur, we can both focus on repentance for sin and on our Savior, who took that sin upon himself on the cross.
The command for Yom Kippur in Leviticus 23:26-32 says to “humble your souls.” Humble can also be translated as “afflict.” While the Hebrew word used here could be translated a few different ways, all of them are unpleasant and uncomfortable, to the degree that even your soul is somehow involved in this significant discomfort.
So, while fasting isn’t directly commanded. It is an affliction that humbles and can even affect your soul. If you haven’t done it before, I’ll tell you – fasting is challenging! You have to set your mind against what your body desperately wants. It takes much discipline and is not much fun at all.
So that brings us to the question – why fast?
Benefits of Fasting for Christians
Despite how difficult and uncomfortable it is, there are significant benefits to our faith through fasting. While there are notable health benefits to fasting, that shouldn’t be the goal of a fast on Yom Kippur. The goal should be to achieve a state of humility and repentance, not to focus on the body but on the state of the heart.
It makes us want to cry out to God.
In our comfortable lives, we don’t often happen upon the times that make us desperately cry out to God. This lack of need is a blessing, of course, but it also keeps us in a state where we may not come before God in a weakened, humble state of need. Fasting removes one of the comforts we take for granted, and we can turn each hunger pang into a reminder to go before God in humble prayer.
It can improve our relationship with God.
As we respond to our hunger with prayer, we open a conversation that may have previously been one-sided, brief, inconsistent, or non-existent. The feeling of an empty stomach is a constant reminder of why we’re fasting and brings our focus back to God. Twenty-five hours of turning our attention toward Him humbly makes us better listeners. It can remove what was previously in the way of hearing what God wants to say to us so we can listen to Him more clearly.
It reminds us who our provider is.
Since most of us don’t regularly go without food or other necessities, we can forget where it comes from or credit ourselves with providing it. Fasting brings to mind just how blessed we are to have the option to eat when we’re hungry. God provides above and beyond what we need, and denying ourselves for a while puts that in perspective. Fasting is a humbling reminder that we come before a mighty God who always has our lives in His hands.
It brings out our spiritual side.
Throughout each day of our lives, we tend to our physical needs and wants. We bathe, rest, brush our teeth, apply lotions, etc. But an entire day of fasting causes us to turn on the physical and focus on the spiritual. One wise Jewish source said that we become like angels for a day since they don’t have physical needs like eating. Our stomachs tell us we need food, but we quiet them, acknowledging that we need God more.
Fasting on Yom Kippur can cause us to shift our focus from ourselves and our physical needs to our God and Savior. This Holy Day allows us to take a break from everyday life to humble ourselves before our great Provider. We use that time to repent of our sin and express gratitude for a Savior sacrificed to pay for it.
If you plan to observe Yom Kippur this year, check out the Holy Branches Calendar for the correct dates.
Atonement and Repentance: Why Celebrate Yom Kippur?
Yom Kippur is considered a primarily Jewish holiday and is even called the Holiest Holy Day of the year on the Hebrew calendar! Yet the number of Christians celebrating Yom Kippur (the day of atonement for sin) is growing. What does this biblical Holy Day have to do with the Christian faith?
Through our Biblical roots, Christians can bring the Biblical Holy Days into their faith and make these traditions their own. We can further follow our Rabbi Jesus and enrich our faith by obeying the Biblical commands of his Father, which he obeyed, including the observance of Yom Kippur.
A Biblical Holy Day
In Leviticus 23, commands for observing seven Feast Days are listed. This list is also found in Numbers 29:7-11.
”The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the Lord. You shall not do any work on this same day, for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the Lord your God. If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people. As for any person who does any work on this same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. You shall do no work at all. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath.’”
Lev. 23:26-32 (NASB)
Yom Kippur is to be observed on the 10th day of the month of Tishrei on the Biblical calendar. Biblical days are from evening to evening instead of morning to morning (Gen. 1:5), so Yom Kippur starts on the evening of the 9th day of Tishrei. It occurs in September or October on our Gregorian calendar. It comes ten days after Rosh Hashanah (Yom Teruah in Hebrew). The ten days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur are called the Days of Awe.
Called Yom HaKippurim (literally, the day of coverings, cancelings, pardonings, or reconcilings) in Hebrew, the command includes a holy convocation, humbling or afflicting the soul, offering sacrifices, and taking the day as a Sabbath. In the Old Testament, it was the one time of the year when the high priest offered a sacrifice to atone for his sin and that of the people of Israel. You can find the detailed procedure for this in Leviticus 16.
Blood Sacrifice
Throughout the Bible, it’s clear that all sin separates us from God and leads to death. A blood sacrifice is the only way to pardon or atone for our sin.
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.”
Lev. 17:11 (NASB)
“And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
Heb. 9:22 (NASB)
These verses show just how vital this Day of Atonement was in the days before Jesus! Yom Kippur was the only day the priest could offer this type of sacrifice and the only time throughout the year that the Israelites could have their sins forgiven on a corporate level.
Yom Kippur Observation Today
Orthodox Jews consider the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur a time of judgment. The belief is that on Rosh Hashanah, God writes the names of the righteous in the Book of Life, and those that are evil are listed in the Book of Death. Whether or not one’s name will be recorded in the Book of Life can be affected by their actions during this 10-day period.
On this somber day, referred to as a Great Sabbath or High Sabbath, Jewish people practice a 25-hour fast. They also attend synagogue services where specific prayers are said and scriptures are read. They focus on repentance for sin from God and others and examine their life to see where changes need to be made to move toward righteousness.
A Christian Yom Kippur?
As Christians, we have accepted the gift of Jesus as the single, eternal sacrifice that atones for our sin. Because of this, we no longer need to seek atonement as individuals. Instead of making Yom Kippur irrelevant to us, this makes this Holy Day even more meaningful!
On Yom Kippur, we can celebrate because our sins have been atoned for once and for all by Jesus. Yom Kippur also moves us to sadness because there are still those who have not yet turned to him. We should have remorse over our sin and repent it in our lives and communities. Though these are emotions we should have continually as Christians, a day set aside helps us focus on these and discuss them with God and our families.
Celebration and Repentance
What does a focus on sin, atonement, and repentance look like for a Christian family? Here are some things to include in your Yom Kippur to bring out the meaning and weave its concepts into your family’s legacy.
1. Pray
Set aside time to spend with God – alone and as a family. Thank Him for the gift of Jesus and the forgiveness, deliverance, and salvation we have because of his sacrifice. Confess sin in your life and community and commit to turning from it to a better, Godlier path.
2. Humble your Soul
This humbling is usually done in the form of fasting. The Bible doesn’t specifically say to fast on this day, though. Some people practice this humbling or affliction by giving something up, like time or money, instead. Be sure to use whatever you choose only to bring yourself closer to God. Remember when Jesus rebuked those who used fasting as an outward action instead of a way to get their heart focused on God (Matt. 6:16-18)? What they were doing wasn’t honoring God, and neither is anything else we do in His name that brings attention to ourselves and not glory to Him.
If you plan to fast, pray whenever you experience hunger pangs. The Bible often positively pairs fasting with praying, so do them together and, in doing so, bring blessing into your life and glory to God.
Plan for a large meal on the evening of Yom Kippur so that everyone doesn’t start the fast hungry and has some calories to work off of for the next 25 hours. Make the meal that will break the fast ahead of time so it’s ready when the fast is over. I’m guessing that no one in your house will be in the mood to labor over a meal that evening, and everyone will want something to eat as soon as possible!
3. Forgive and seek forgiveness
Colossians 3:13 says that we must forgive others as we have been forgiven. Make this day the day you leave behind that grudge or bitterness you’ve been hanging on to, and let the healing begin in that relationship. On that same note, be honest with yourself about who you may need to ask for forgiveness. Decide to honor God on Yom Kippur by putting your pride aside, humbling yourself, and admitting where you wronged someone else. I do know how difficult this is! Read James 4:6-10 for encouragement.
4. Hear what God has to say to you
Spend some time in God’s word on this Sabbath day. Here are some scriptures to read and meditate on to get you in the right mindset for Yom Kippur.
Leviticus 16, 17:10-13, and 23:26-32
Numbers 29:7-11
Jonah (the whole book – it’s short!)
Isaiah 53 and 58:1-12
Matthew 6:14-15 and 6:16-18
Romans 3:9-26 and 6:20-23
Colossians 1:13-23 and 3:12-17
Hebrews 4-10
James 4:6-10
5. Make it a holy convocation
A convocation is an assembly or gathering. For it to be holy, it needs to be set apart to God. For the Israelites, this meant gathering as a nation before God. Here are a few things you could do to incorporate a holy convocation into your observation of Yom Kippur.
- Find your nearest Messianic Jewish congregation and visit. The UMJC and the Messianic Covenant are some great places to start to find the one closest to you. Also, check out How to Find a Hebraic Congregation.
- Gather together with fellow believers. Plan and discuss Yom Kippur with your believing friends. If they’re interested, invite them over and read scriptures, pray, and fellowship together.
- Gather as a family. Have everyone stop their daily activities and come together to focus on the reason for this Holy Day. Talk about the concepts of Yom Kippur – sin, atonement, salvation, repentance, and forgiveness. Open up and be real with each other about where you are in your spiritual walk. Read scripture and pray together as a family.
6. Wear White
Wearing white on Yom Kippur is an outward expression of our acknowledgment of and gratefulness for the purity we receive through the forgiveness of our sins. It serves as both a reminder and an object lesson throughout the day, especially for children!
More and more Christians are celebrating Yom Kippur because, through it, we can focus on repentance – our own and that of our community – and thank God for providing us a way to atone for our sins through Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. Isaiah 53:6 says that Jesus took all our sins onto himself. Wow. We are so undeserving yet SO loved, Brothers and Sisters!
What’s the Difference Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Teruah?
As Christians who seek to incorporate the Hebrew roots of our faith into our lives, we often have a lot to learn about the Holy Days and how they relate to our faith. Although they occur at the same time of year, there are some significant differences between the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Teruah celebrations.
The Calendar
While Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of a year, the beginning of the cycle of months starts in the month of Aviv (also called Nisan). For example, this year is the year 5780, so this Rosh Hashanah will bring the first of the year 5781.
But the cycle of months, including the Holy Days, starts in the Spring, just 14 days before Passover. That can be unclear since those of us who have followed the Gregorian calendar all our lives are used to a new year and our cycle of months occurring simultaneously, but here’s some background on how that came about.
Perhaps most well-known as the Jewish New Year, the words Rosh Hashanah mean “the head of the year” (rosh = head, ha = the, shanah = year). It’s the first day of the calendar year and is celebrated on the first day of the seventh month of Tishrei.
But in Exodus 12:2, God said that the first month begins fourteen days before Passover, which is in the month of Aviv (Nisan). In the command for the observation of Yom Teruah (also called Rosh Hashanah today) in Leviticus 23:24, it’s to be celebrated on the first day of the seventh month, which makes it not the first month of the year but more than halfway through it. It’s the first month as far as the monthly calendar goes. The Bible doesn’t specifically mention the start of a new year in the command for this or any Holy Day.
The discrepancy is due to Jewish leaders adhering to Babylonian traditions. In developing the Hebrew calendar, Jewish leaders chose Rosh Hashanah as the beginning of the year for counting purposes. The Jerusalem Talmud says that even the names of the months on the Hebrew calendar came from Babylonia (Jerusalem Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 1b, 56d).
A New Year Celebration
Because many celebrate Rosh Hashanah as the beginning of a new year, the focus is on new beginnings and the year ahead. Pomegranates and apples dipped in honey are eaten on Rosh Hashanah to celebrate God’s provision and the sweet new year ahead. Some have a Taslikh ceremony, tossing bread into running water, symbolizing the casting off of sin for the new year.
A Day of Remembrance
Yom Teruah, as it’s called in Numbers 29:1, also known as the Feast of Trumpets, is commanded in Leviticus 23:23-25 and Numbers 29:1-6. The only specifics given in the command for observation of this Holy Day are that we’re to rest, have a holy convocation, make a teruah, and offer sacrifices at the Temple. The Bible also said we’re to be reminded, but it doesn’t specify what we should remember.
Although it’s most commonly translated as “blowing trumpets,” the word teruah is used in the Bible when a loud noise is made. It can be shouting or blowing trumpets (shofars). A teruah was made when God brought down the Wall of Jericho, and one will be the sound we hear when Jesus returns!
Without a Temple, we observe this day by remembering all God has done for us. We also look forward to Jesus coming and blow shofars to remind us of all God has done for His people and rehearse, looking forward to what it will be like when Jesus returns. Some even believe that Yom Teruah will be the day of the year Jesus comes back to earth.
The Ten Days of Repentance
According to Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashanah sets off the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, known as the High Holy Days or the Ten Days of Repentance. It’s believed that during these ten days, God takes account of each person’s actions and decides whose name is written in the Book of Life. Jewish people take this time to repent of their sins and do good deeds, hoping they’ll be added to the Book and spared from destruction.
As Christians, we believe that our faith in Jesus as the atoning sacrifice for our sin is what allows us to have our names written in the Book of Life; however, we can also use these ten days to reflect on our lives, repent of the many things each of us has done that is against the commands of our God, and re-align our lives with what He wants of us.
Both Rosh Hashanah, the start of a new year, and Yom Teruah, the day to remember and blow trumpets, have themes that can help Christians refocus and remember God’s blessings and provision and the return of our Savior. What a beautiful way to start fresh and look forward to the fulfillment of prophecy in our Bible! L’Shana Tova!
If you’re planning a celebration for Rosh Hashanah and/or Yom Teruah this year, check out 10 Rosh Hashanah/Yom Teruah Traditions for Christians for some ideas!
Rosh Hashanah: Celebrating New Beginnings
More commonly known as the Jewish New Year, this Holy Day is not just a New Year’s Day but much more. It’s based on one of the seven commanded Feasts in Leviticus 23 and is also a time of repentance and proclamation of God as the king of the universe.
The Command
After the Israelites were rescued from slavery in Egypt, crossed the Red Sea, and received the commandments on stone tablets at the foot of Mount Sinai, they were instructed to build the Tabernacle. After its construction, God detailed how the Israelites were to perform sacrifices and offerings there, as well as other Tabernacle functions. After this instruction, God commands seven specific religious feasts and festivals. The Day of Trumpets is the fifth mentioned in the list of feast days and is a two-day festival that marks the beginning of the High Holy Days in Autumn.
Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month on the first of the month you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall not do any laborious work, but you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord.’” Lev. 23:23-25 (NASB)
Although commonly thought to be the same as Rosh Hashanah today, this day went by other names in the bible. “Rosh” means “head” in Hebrew, and “Hashanah” means “the year,” so the modern name Rosh Hashanah is more literally “the head of the year.”
Biblically, it’s called Yom Teruah (Num. 29:1), which can mean “Day of Trumpets” or “Day of Shouting .” This trumpet blowing or shouting wasn’t just random noise. The same type of shouting and trumpet-blowing brought down the wall of Jericho. It is more like a war cry or a victorious, joyful display.
The “trumpets” blown were ram’s horns, otherwise known as shofars. They are still used in this and other traditions today. Their sound is unique and fascinating, as is their appearance. Many Christians own one for use during Rosh Hashanah/Yom Teruah and other events.
A New Year
Rosh Hashanah is the New Year for the purpose of counting years. For example, on Rosh Hashanah 2019, the year, as far as the Hebrew calendar goes, will change from 5779 to 5780. This concept is not biblical but has been agreed upon for counting purposes.
It’s similar to the New Year celebration in America in that it’s considered a day to turn from our old ways and begin anew. Jews also view it as a type of Judgement Day, where God examines His people starting on Rosh Hashanah and over the next ten days. The final verdict of this judgment would then be delivered on the Day of Atonement, ten days later.
The Book of Life
Another thing celebrated on Rosh Hashanah is that our names have been written in the Book of Life. Traditionally, orthodox Jews believe that between Rosh Hashanah and the Day of Atonement, God weighs their actions and decides whether to blot their name from the Book of Life or leave it there throughout the following year.
While Christians view God’s judgment differently, we know that scripture states that the names of the righteous are in the Book of Life and have been there since before creation (Rev. 13:8 and 17:8). It also warns of what will happen to those whose names are not found there and those whose names are blotted out of it (Rev. 3:5, 17:8, 20:15, and Ps. 69:28).
Rosh Hashanah for Christians
If our beliefs about judgment differ and we don’t follow the Jewish calendar, how is Rosh Hashanah relevant to the Christian faith?
The names of the righteous are those written in the Book of Life. Is that us? Are you righteous? Me neither! But we have Jesus! And if you, like me, have accepted him as the one able to bear and pay the price for the sin that made you unrighteous, then you appear before God as righteous as Jesus, who was perfect! So, yes, our names are in the Book, and that’s worthy of celebration!
As a celebration of God being the creator of the universe, we can be excited to participate. Even as Gentiles, Christians desire to give praise and glory to God as the creator and our judge. Our response to His judgment is our repentance and recognition of Jesus as our savior. We can celebrate God’s judgment because we know Jesus’s perfect sacrifice saves us.
The Awesomeness of Trumpet Sounds
As Christians, the sound of the trumpet should remind us of the prophetic promises we’ve been given – of Jesus’s return and the rising of the dead in the last days.
“…in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” 1 Cor. 15:52 (NASB)
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:16-17 (NASB)
Throughout the bible, there are some awesome things associated with trumpet sounds! Whether bad or good, the meanings and stories behind trumpet sounds all point to God’s supernatural glory! God should have the full attention of His people when the topic of trumpet sounds comes up. Big things are about to happen!
Casting Sin Off
One meaningful Jewish Rosh Hashanah custom that I love symbolizes atonement for sin. Called Tashlikh, from the Hebrew word “to cast,” it includes throwing bread into a flowing body of water. The bread represents our sin, and its destruction and removal by the water are reminiscent of the following verse.
“Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity
And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession?
He does not retain His anger forever,
Because He delights in unchanging love.
He will again have compassion on us;
He will tread our iniquities under foot.
Yes, You will cast all their sins
Into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:18-19 (NASB)
As Christians, we could benefit from a tangible reminder of how our sins have been cast off, forgiven, and taken away, leaving room for growth and renewal. This tradition would help concretize this concept in the minds of Christian believers and even more for our children.
The Binding of Isaac
Another tradition is reading and discussing the “binding of Isaac” at Rosh Hashanah. Remember that story? In his old age, God told Abraham to sacrifice his long-awaited only son on an altar; the son prophesied to give Abraham numerous descendants. Out of obedience to God, Abraham obeys and starts the process of the sacrifice. Before Abe kills Isaac, God intervenes and provides a ram as a substitute (Genesis 22).
So, they celebrate God’s provision of a substitute for the required sacrifice of Isaac. Sound familiar? It should remind Christians of the substitute provided for us in Jesus when our sin required death as punishment. Wow!
Celebrating Rosh Hashanah in a Christian Home
Christians have so many things to celebrate on Rosh Hashanah. How do we put that into action? There are many ways, but here are just a few to get you started.
- Eat apples dipped in honey and pomegranates.
- This tradition encourages us to look forward to a sweet and blessed new year. Pomegranates symbolize righteousness, blessings, or the inner self, visible only to God.
- This tradition encourages us to look forward to a sweet and blessed new year. Pomegranates symbolize righteousness, blessings, or the inner self, visible only to God.
- Find a flowing water body and throw bread into it.
- Discuss how our sin has been paid for and removed by our Savior and Messiah as we confess it to him and put our faith in his ability to atone for it.
- Discuss how our sin has been paid for and removed by our Savior and Messiah as we confess it to him and put our faith in his ability to atone for it.
- Blow a shofar.
- Since most Christian homes don’t already own one and they can be expensive, here is a possible option. It even comes with a guide for help on how to use it. I also found a shofar sound app for my phone in a pinch once, but it’s no substitute for the real thing!
- Since most Christian homes don’t already own one and they can be expensive, here is a possible option. It even comes with a guide for help on how to use it. I also found a shofar sound app for my phone in a pinch once, but it’s no substitute for the real thing!
- Rest.
- The Leviticus command for Rosh Hashanah says it is to be a Sabbath. Prepare food ahead of time, make certain household chores are out of the way, and fill the days with family and time with God.
- The Leviticus command for Rosh Hashanah says it is to be a Sabbath. Prepare food ahead of time, make certain household chores are out of the way, and fill the days with family and time with God.
- Attend a service at your local Messianic Fellowship.
- There are a growing number of both Messianic Jewish and Hebrew Roots Christian congregations around the U.S. Find one in your area and be prepared to worship and learn in a way you may have never experienced before!
- There are a growing number of both Messianic Jewish and Hebrew Roots Christian congregations around the U.S. Find one in your area and be prepared to worship and learn in a way you may have never experienced before!
- Read scriptures relevant to the subjects covered in the celebration of Rosh Hashanah/Yom Teruah. Here are some that I suggest, but there are so many others!
- Genesis 1:1-2:3 and 22
- Leviticus 23
- Psalm 32 and 139:23-24
- Micah 7:7-20
- Isaiah 53
- Jeremiah 31:27-40
- Matt. 26:26-29
- Luke 24
- Acts 2 and 3:19-21
- 1 Cor. 11:26
- 1 Thess. 4:13-18 and 5
- Hebrews 9
- James 5:7-11
- 1 John 1:5-10
- Rev. 22
- Spend time in prayer.
- Confess sin and thank God for His forgiveness and promises – both fulfilled and yet to be. Pray Psalm 139:23-24 and be open to the things that come to mind that God wants you to change in your life.
- Confess sin and thank God for His forgiveness and promises – both fulfilled and yet to be. Pray Psalm 139:23-24 and be open to the things that come to mind that God wants you to change in your life.
- Serve a round loaf of challah bread.
- Straight loaves are eaten for the rest of the year, but a round loaf can signify the cyclic nature of the concept of a new year and crown. The crown is to celebrate God’s kingship over the universe. Need a recipe? Here’s the one I use, and here’s how to braid round challah.
Here’s the link to my printable calendar so you’ll know when to celebrate!
Holidays for Christians to Observe in Honor of Their Hebraic Roots
If you’re just here for the free printable calendar, get yours here!
The celebration of Passover has become more common among Christians in recent years. This celebration is so beneficial because Passover has many elements that point to our Messiah and highlight the greatness of our God and His love for us!
But did you know other holidays celebrate our God and Savior while honoring the Jewish history of our faith? Some of them are Biblical, and others are traditionally Jewish in our culture but also have implications for us as Gentile believers.
Adding these significant days to your family’s legacy can enrich and deepen your faith and help you pass it on to your children and others. It can even bring you and your family closer to God and Jesus as we learn more about them through observation of these meaningful times.
Here are some that are the most directly connected to the practice of our faith as Christians, especially as it relates to our Jewish roots.
Purim (פּוּרִים)
Purim is the celebration of God’s deliverance of the Jewish people through Queen Esther. A man named Haman was plotting their destruction, but Esther bravely approached the king and revealed her identity as a Jew to encourage him to save her people. He did and had Haman executed instead.
As Christians, we’re familiar with persecution and how God orchestrates historical events that affect His people. We can celebrate that Esther was in the place she was because God knew what the need for her to be there would be and made her an instrument for His plan.
Purim is a fun celebration. Both children and adults dress as characters from the story and act it out in dramatic fashion. It is held on the 14th day of Adar on the Hebrew calendar, corresponding to February or March on our Gregorian calendar.
Passover (פֶסַח- Pesach)
This celebration commemorates God’s rescuing the Israelites from slavery under the Egyptians. Its relevance to Christians is very basically two-fold. Firstly, since we are also God’s people, we have a part in this history, and secondly, we have been rescued from the slavery of our sin by the blood of Jesus.
Biblically, Passover is to be celebrated on the “fourteenth day of the first month.” On the Hebrew calendar, it starts on the fourteenth day of the month of Nisan, which corresponds with our Gregorian calendar, which is sometime in March or April.
Holocaust Remembrance Day (יוֹם הַשׁוֹאָה – Yom HaShoah)
This somber observance was established in 1953. It’s a national holiday in Israel to remember the Holocaust in Europe during World War II and the murder of over six million Jewish people, including children. This remembrance occurs on the 27th day of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar, during March or April.
Why should Gentile (non-Jew) Christians observe Holocaust Remembrance Day? Romans 1:16 tells us that salvation came first to the Jew and then to the Greek (Rom. 1:16). Christians are the Gentile believers that are “grafted in” to the promises to God’s people described in Romans 11.
Throughout the Old Testament, God clarifies that the Jewish people are His chosen people. He made a covenant with Abraham concerning their lineage throughout history and brought the Savior to the world through the Jewish line. God also says that He will never abandon the Jewish people.
If the Jewish people are this important to God and are the roots of the tree we’re grafted into; we must be concerned with their well-being in our day and throughout history. The tragedy that struck as the Holocaust brutally and senselessly extinguished the lives of so many people precious to God (Jews and others) must never be forgotten, and its horrors never repeated.
Pentecost and Shavuot (שָׁבוּעוֺת)
I combine these two celebrations because they’re similar in meaning and history. Before the Holy Spirit appeared as tongues of fire and inhabited the Apostles in Acts 2, this time was known as Shavuot or the Feast of Weeks.
It was commanded in Leviticus 23 and was a type of harvest festival that was to occur 50 days after the Passover. Also recognized on this date is the gift of God’s Laws being given to His people on Mt. Sinai. Shavuot is what the Apostles were celebrating when they were “gathered” when God’s Spirit was given to them.
They would have realized the significance of the gift of God’s Spirit being given specifically on this day during a celebration of the gift of God’s Word being given as well. Jesus also foretold it when he said they’d be baptized by the Spirit in Acts 1:4-5.
The command says it is to take place on the 6th and 7th of the month of Sivan. It is to be observed 50 days (or 7 Sabbaths and one day) after the Day of Firstfruits during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (when the Passover and Exodus from Egypt occurred).
Rosh Hashanah (רֹאשׁ הַשִּׁנִה)
This holiday is commonly known as the Jewish New Year and is called Yom Teruah in the Bible. It was designated the first day of the new year primarily for year-counting purposes, but it’s also one of the commanded Feasts in Leviticus 23. It was a two-day festival during which trumpets (shofars) were blown and sacrifices were performed.
Today, it marks the beginning of the High Holy Days in Autumn. It’s a time when people examine their lives, seek to rid them of their old, sinful ways, and make a change for the better. In this way, it’s a lot like the American New Year, but it’s also a type of Judgment Day or the beginning of a season of judgment for the Jewish people.
Christians can remember on Rosh Hashanah that we will be judged with Jesus as our substitute. We can also examine our lives and see whether we’re living in a way that expresses the joy of this salvation. The command to blow a trumpet on this day should cause us to look forward to the day when Jesus has returned and the dead are raised (1 Cor. 15:52).
The Feast of Trumpets occurs on the 1st and 2nd days of the month of Tishrei on the Hebrew calendar and in September or October on the Gregorian calendar.
Day of Atonement (יוֹם כִּיפּוּר – Yom Kippur)
This Holy Day is another of the commanded Feasts in Leviticus 23. It’s observed ten days after Rosh Hashanah and is a day of confession and repentance. Biblically, it was a day when sacrifices were offered for the people’s sins. As Christians, this is a day we can celebrate the mercy we have been given in having our sins fully atoned for by Jesus!
The date is the 10th of Tishrei, which occurs in September or October.
Feast of Tabernacles (סֻכּוֺת- Sukkot)
Another Holy Day from Leviticus 23, Sukkot, is a seven-day celebration, five days after the Day of Atonement. Also known as the Feast of Booths, it is a time when people leave the comfort of their homes and live in temporary shelters.
This celebration serves to appreciate God’s provision for us and to celebrate God being among His people on earth. Christians can be even more thankful at the time of Sukkot for Jesus, who, as God, came down to earth to be with us.
Eighth Day (שְׁמִינִי עֲצֶרֶת – Shimini Atzeret)
This day is the day just following the last day of Sukkot. It’s on the 22nd day of Tishrei, which falls in September or October. It is the final commanded Feast in the List in Leviticus 23.
It’s a day to remain with God and rest in His provision, even after the previous seven have been focused on Him. This day is more spiritual and considered greater than the 7 of Sukkot. A formal prayer for rain is often said, and it’s said to be a time to store the memories of what God has provided in our hearts.
Simchat Torah (שִׂמְחַת תּוֺרָה)
This celebration is not in the Bible but is a great way to thank and praise God for giving us His Word! It’s held on the 22nd day of Tishrei and is also known as “rejoicing in the Torah.”
Jews and Christians enjoy the immense blessing through the words and commands God Gave us in the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) and the rest of His Word. Simchat Torah’s joyful celebration marks the end of the annual Torah reading cycle and the beginning of a new one. When celebrated in a synagogue, there is dancing and singing, and it’s a beautiful time of worship.
Hanukkah (הֲנֻכָּה)
Although not a commanded Holy Day, Jesus celebrates it in the Book of John. It commemorates the dedication of the rebuilt temple after the Babylonians destroyed Solomon’s temple.
The story of Hanukkah is miraculous. The Jewish people were vastly outnumbered as they decided to fight against the destruction of their people and culture and the blasphemy of God. God was with them as they fought, and they were victorious!
Celebrated from the 25th of Kislev to the 2nd or 3rd day of Tevet on the Hebrew calendar, Hanukkah falls in late November or December.
Christians can celebrate God’s power displayed in His people and the victory over persecution. We are also interested in this day as we can see Jesus having shown up in Jerusalem for its celebration, translated as the Feast of Dedication. At this time, Jesus said that his sheep would never perish and that no one could snatch them out of his or His Father’s hand.
Here’s a calendar of the dates of these important days. Print out the free PDF version to keep handy in planning for these days.
Having a Jewish calendar to see what holidays are approaching and plan for them is helpful. Many are out there, but I like the First Fruits of Zion calendar best!
I hope observing these holidays brings you joy, deepens your Christian faith, and provides yet another way to pass your faith on in your family’s legacy, as they have for my family. I’ll continue to post ways for Christian families to observe these meaningful days on the Hebrew Roots Mom website, so stay tuned!
Torah for Christians: Unlocking the Bible
Of the 66 books of the Bible, why do Hebraic Believers focus so heavily on the Torah – the first five books of the Bible? What about Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy makes people study them over and over each year (or more!)? Is the rest of the Bible less important? Aren’t we missing out on a lot by studying these five books?
I had these questions when I first started practicing a Hebraic Roots type of faith. I noticed that many focused much of their study of the Bible on the first five books. I’d previously been in many different kinds of Bible studies on various topics and books of the Bible, and I couldn’t help but think I would be missing out on so much by repeating study after study on the first part of the Bible.
However, after a few months of studying the Bible through the weekly Torah portion, I realized why studying the Torah is so important for Christians. Here are a few reasons.
The Torah is the Root of the Bible
Tom Bradford (of Seed of Abraham Ministries’ Torah Class) once said that studying the New Testament without a solid understanding of the Old Testament is like walking into a movie halfway through and trying to make sense of it. The Torah sets the foundation for the rest of the Bible and provides a filter through which we should interpret the rest of the Bible.
When interpreting verses, we often look to the New Testament to see what a verse or concept means and how to apply it. But this is backward. When a verse from the New Testament requires clarification, we should instead look to the first place where that concept was addressed and begin our interpretation there.
For example, look at Matthew 22:34-40 and Mark 12:28-31, where Jesus answered a question about the greatest commandments. We may conclude that he was telling his followers to ignore all the other commandments in the Torah and “love God and love people”. But those familiar with the Torah recognize that he’s instead pointing his audience back to the most important commands given in the Torah, found in Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.
When we take Jesus’s words in light of the Torah, we see that he’s not only enforcing the commands given in the Torah but also telling us that all of the commands, if followed, will lead to a proper love for God and people.
This quote from Jesus is just one example, but there are so many! Try this: The next time you’re studying a concept or verse in the New Testament, delve into what it says about it in the Old Testament. Spend some time digging and include the original Hebrew of the Old Testament in your search. Blue Letter Bible is an excellent resource for this. I guarantee Bible study done in this way will deepen your understanding of the entire Bible and your faith!
The Bible’s Authors Speak Highly of the Torah
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Psalm 1:1-2
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his delight is in the law [“Torah” in Hebrew] of the Lord,
And in His law [“Torah”, again] he meditates day and night.
And here’s another example:
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Here, Paul refers to “Scripture” in the New Testament. Since the New Testament wasn’t yet written, we know he was only referring to the Old Testament. And, with some exceptions, the Torah is part of the Old Testament containing material for “reproof,” “correction,” and “training in righteousness.”
The above verses are a couple of examples, but there are many places in the Bible where the Torah is held in high regard. Psalm 119, Proverbs 4:2 and 6:20-23, Luke 11:28, and James 1:22-25 are just a few more. As Believers who base our faith on the truth of Scripture, we should likewise “delight” in the Torah.
Much of the New Testament is Quoted From the Old Testament
There are hundreds of direct quotes from the Old Testament in the New Testament and thousands of references to the Old in the New. Since many of these come from the Bible’s first five books, studying the Torah will reveal so much about both the New Testament and our Savior!
If you’d like to find out where the Old Testament is referenced in the New, this is another aspect of Bible study that Blue Letter Bible will significantly help you with. The footnotes may have some of these valuable cross-references depending on your Bible. The Scriptures Bible has quoted phrases from the Old Testament in bold print. Whatever tools you use to find out where the Old Testament is referenced, look into them and see where your studies lead to put some oomph in your Bible study!
Jesus Taught from The Torah
Of the references to the Torah in the New Testament, those from Jesus himself are the most interesting. Above, I referred to when Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 as the two greatest commandments. Here are a couple more:
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:17-19
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Luke 24:27
“The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.
Luke 16:16-17
Our Savior upheld the authority of the Torah. As his followers, we should place the same importance on it. Here are more incidents of Jesus quoting the Torah.
Jesus’s Followers Practiced a Torah-Based Faith
After Jesus ascended into heaven, his followers on earth practiced their faith based on how the Torah said to practice it. Here are some situations in which the apostles adhere to the Torah post-Jesus.
- Paul circumcises Timothy (Acts 16:3).
- Paul supported the stoning of Stephen because Stephen was reported to have been preaching against the Torah (Acts 6:11-14). But Stephen was falsely accused.
- The Jerusalem Council determined Gentiles new to the faith needed to adhere to some of the commands in the Torah (Acts 15).
- Paul is then falsely accused of preaching against the Torah (Acts 18:12-13).
- Paul takes a Nazarite vow from Numbers 6:1-21 (Acts 18:18).
- Paul kept the Feast Days from Leviticus 23 (Acts 18:20-21).
- Paul was arrested twice when accused of teaching against the Torah but said in Acts 24:14 that he didn’t preach anything other than the Torah. He then helps 4 others take the Nazarite vow (Acts 21:18-24 and 21:27-28).
- Paul appeals to the Torah, accuses Ananias of breaking it, and then apologizes for mistakenly breaking it in speaking out against Ananias (Acts 23:3-5).
- Paul says he believes all that was laid down by the Law and Prophets (Acts 24:13-14).
- Paul says he didn’t do anything against the Law of the Jews (Acts 25:8).
- Paul says he didn’t do anything against the customs of his people (Acts 28:17).
- Paul tried to convince them from the Law and the Prophets (Acts 28:23).
For more on the faith of the apostles, check out The Pauline Paradox by 119 Ministries. It’s an eye-opening explanation of Pauline scripture, interpreted within the context of the entire Bible!
It Shows Us the Temple and Sacrifices
When the New Testament references the Temple, the priests, and the sacrifices to teach us about Jesus, it’s helpful to know what those were and their functions to understand what’s being said. Here’s an example.
And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.
Matthew 27:50-51
How would we know the function and the placement of the veil, let alone what that has to do with Jesus’s death, without a knowledge of God’s description of the Temple in Exodus 26? The more solid our Old Testament understanding, the more we get out of the references to it in the New Testament.
For a more thorough understanding of the sacrifices, I recommend the book What About the Sacrifices by John Lancaster at First Fruits of Zion.
It Teaches Grace and Salvation
The concepts of grace and salvation are introduced in many situations in the Torah. God showed grace to Adam and Eve when he spared their lives and banished them from the Garden of Eden. Those who were with Noah in the ark were saved through faith in God’s warning of destruction to come. God saved His people from slavery in Egypt when He sent plagues that eventually resulted in their freedom.
The examples go on and on in the stories of the Torah most Christians know. Before we even reach the New Testament, we’ve studied so many stories showing us how much grace and salvation are a part of God’s character!
It Teaches the Importance of Obedience to God
From the very beginning of the Torah, we see how disobeying God can have devastating consequences. When God said not to eat the fruit in Genesis 2, He meant that. We don’t have a record of Him explaining the whys of this command or laying out precisely what “eating the fruit” meant. He just said it, and they were expected to obey because God knew what was best for them, and they were expected to trust Him. We know the rest of the story – they didn’t, and the consequences were so severe they continue to affect us today!
Interestingly, that’s how many of God’s commands throughout the Bible are. He gives them and expects us to trust Him and obey them, even if they seem irrelevant or don’t make sense to us. This story in the Garden of Eden is just one, but many in the Torah teach the importance of obeying God’s commands.
Although often translated as “law,” the word “Torah” in Hebrew would be better translated as “instruction” or “teaching.” Instead of merely showing us where we go wrong, the Torah teaches us how to live God’s way – the way that’s best for us because our Creator chose it!
We Learn from God’s Calendar
Perhaps the most obvious explanation of God’s calendar comes from Leviticus 23, where God commands the Holy Days to be observed. He says which days to observe and exactly when they’re to be observed. Leviticus 23:4 says: “‘These are the appointed times of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim the times appointed for them” and then lists them with explanations.
The Holy Days or appointed times (Moedim in Hebrew) in Leviticus 23 are:
- The Sabbath
- Passover
- The Feast of Unleavened Bread
- First Fruits
- Shavuot (Pentecost)
- Yom Teruah (Rosh Hashanah)
- Yom Kippur
- Sukkot
But this calendar was established well before Leviticus. It was in Genesis during creation that God put bodies in the sky for the purpose of allowing His people to follow His calendar.
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for appointed times and for days and years”
Genesis 1:14
Interestingly, God set His calendar in the beginning, at creation, but what’s even more interesting is that He tends to ensure that the pivotal events in history correspond with His calendar and have meaning through that.
For example, Jesus died on Passover and rose again on the Feast of First Fruits! This indicates that he is indeed our Passover Lamb and is the First Fruits of those with eternal life!
On Shavuot, the Hebrew people received the Torah at Mount Sinai. Then, in Acts 2, when the apostles were celebrating Shavuot, God chose that day to send His Holy Spirit – the Torah written on their hearts! Isn’t that mind-blowing?!
I’ve heard Christians describe the Old Testament as irrelevant in this day and age, but this is so far from the truth! The Torah reveals to us the character of the God of the Bible, the identity of our Savior, and even gives us pointers on how to live as God’s people here on earth.
Interested in studying the whole Bible through a study of the Torah? Chances are, Torah Club has a group near you! Find a Club in your area here!
Havdalah: Separation Between the Holy and the Common
I’ve previously written about the importance of the Sabbath (Shabbat) and how to observe it. We light candles and say blessings to set the Sabbath apart from all other days.
In addition, there’s a tradition that reminds us when the Sabbath is over, and we return to our regular week. It’s called Havdalah. In Hebrew, Havdalah means “separation” and celebrates what a blessing the Sabbath is. It’s a way of both saying our goodbyes to it and looking forward to next week’s Sabbath. As our God has asked of us, Havdalah is another way to remember the Sabbath. It’s also how we can keep it holy and set it apart from the other days.
The three essential elements of the Havdalah service are a cup of wine, a braided, multi-wick candle to light, and fragrant spices. Held on Saturday evening, just after sundown, the Havdalah service is typically held at home instead of in a congregational setting.
Like other traditions, the order of a basic Havdalah ceremony varies among households.
Click here for a printable Step-by-Step Havdalah Guide
The Blessing Over the Wine
This blessing is the same one we say when we bring in the Shabbat called the HaGafen. Fill the cup to the very brim with wine. It’s okay if it overflows – that signifies our overflowing blessings. Recite the blessing, but don’t drink the wine until after the Havdalah service concludes.
In English:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine. (Response: Amen)
In Hebrew:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱֹלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן
Transliteration of the Hebrew:
Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu me-lech ha-olam, bo-rei pe-ri ha-ga-fen. (Response: “Amen”)
The Blessing Over the Spices
At the Havdalah service, we smell pleasantly fragrant spices to remind everyone of the blessing we’ve been given in the Sabbath. Cloves and cinnamon are the most often used spices, but hyssop, anise, and other spices can also be used. A blessing is then said over the spices.
In English:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, creator of different types of spices.
(Response: Amen)
In Hebrew:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱֹלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי בְשָׂמִם
Transliteration of the Hebrew:
Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu me-lech ha-olam, bo-rei mee-nei ve-sah-meem.
(Response: “Amen”)
The Blessing Over the Havdalah Candle
By lighting the havdalah candle, we remember two things – that light was the first thing created by our God and that the Sabbath is over, and we begin our work, our “creating.” Lighting the candle represents our first act or work of the week, as many don’t light candles on the Sabbath due to Exodus 35:3.
In English:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, creator of the light of the fire.
(Response: Amen)
In Hebrew:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱֹלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ
Transliteration of the Hebrew:
Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu me-lech ha-olam, bo-rei meh-or-ee ha-esh.
(Response: “Amen”)
The Blessing of Separation
The final blessing brings it all together. Havdalah is to distinguish the sacred from the common, the holy from the unholy. It states that the holy Shabbat has ended, and the work week has begun. This blessing praises God for separating. While this may seem strange, think of all the separating God does. He separated the light from darkness, the waters from the heavens, the seas from the dry land, the Sabbath from the rest of the week, His people from among the nations, etc.
In the command to keep the Sabbath, we must keep it holy. Keeping it holy means we’re to set it apart from the rest of the days of the week. Havdalah is one way to keep the Sabbath holy – we’re deliberately separating it from the other days of the week. Here’s the blessing over separation, called the Hamavdil.
In English:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who distinguishes between the holy and the profane, light and darkness, between Israel and the nations, between the seventh day and the six days of work. Blessed are you, Lord, who separates between the holy and the profane. (Response: Amen)
In Hebrew:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱֹלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קדֶשׁ לְחוֹל
, בֵּין אוֹר לְחֹשֶׁך, בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאַםִּים, בֵּין יוֹם הַשְׁבִיעִי לְשֶׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַםַּעֲשֶׂה
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קדֶשׁ לְחוֹל
Transliteration of the Hebrew:
Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu me-lech ha-olam, ha-mahv-dil ben ko-desh leh-chol, ben or leh-cho-shech ben yees-ra-el la-a-meem ben yom hash-vee-ee leh-sheh-sheht yeh-mei ha-mah-ah-seh. Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai ha-mahv-dil ben ko-desh leh-chol.
(Response: “Amen”)
The End of the Shabbat
After the blessings, take a drink of the wine. The havdalah candle is then extinguished in the wine that overflowed from the cup, symbolizing that the Shabbat is now over. Everyone can now wish each other a “Shavua Tov” – a good week!
Click here for a printable Step-by-Step Havdalah Guide
A Havdalah service is important because it separates the holiness of the Sabbath from the other days of the week. Instead of just being another day, the Sabbath is separated with the Shabbat service on Friday evening and the Havdalah on Saturday evening. This clear separation is not only one way we can honor God’s command to keep the Sabbath holy. It’s also a way to align our week with His calendar and receive even more blessings by living according to His ways!
What DO We Do on the Sabbath?
What does keeping the Sabbath look like? The fourth commandment is clear, and numerous other places throughout the Bible make it evident that God finds observation of the Sabbath something all His people should do. Keeping the Sabbath means, in part, refraining from work on that day. We are to refrain from our vocation as well as other work.
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.”
Exodus 20:8-11, (NASB)
What we’re not supposed to do on the Sabbath is clear, but what isn’t exactly clear is what we DO on that day. When we don’t work, do we just lay around and watch TV all day? Should we take a vacation? Run errands? Go to church?
There are several places we can look to find these answers. We can read the Bible and determine what Sabbath observance should look like. For practical application, we can learn from Orthodox Jews, who have been observing the Sabbath since Old Testament times. Learning from both leads to a more solid understanding of many Biblical customs, and the Sabbath is one of them.
What does a Jewish Sabbath look like?
They observe the Sabbath on Saturday.
When God commands that the Sabbath should occur on the seventh day, the Jews take Him at His word and keep the Sabbath to the seventh day of the week, Saturday. Jewish days start around sundown, so the Sabbath is from Friday evening to Saturday evening.
They rest.
They take the command not to work as a declaration of their freedom from slavery, as slaves don’t usually get days off. When God freed them from slavery to the Egyptians, he took them as His people, establishing His covenant with them. The sign of this covenant is the Sabbath (Ex. 31:16 and Lev. 24:8).
They attend synagogue services.
They attend services as a family on either Friday evening or Saturday morning, or both.
They study God’s word.
The Torah is read during Friday evening and Saturday morning services. Orthodox Jews also study Torah as a family on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons.
They spend time with family.
The Sabbath is a leisurely affair, with taking walks, playing games, and hanging out together making up much of the day. They have meals together, with blessings for the food, the Sabbath, and each other.
There’s a definite beginning and end.
They light two candles when it begins, indicating that the family should remember and observe the Sabbath. A small ceremony called Havdalah marks its end, separating it from the other days of the week.
What the Sabbath Looks Like at My House
My family has adopted many of these customs to our Sabbath. When we first began, it wasn’t easy to implement. Not working on Saturdays was difficult, but once I figured it out, having a day of free time was a welcome change! We gradually changed our focus to fill our Sabbath with bible study, family time, and rest.
Keeping the Sabbath has been such a blessing to my family. Our culture is nonstop. While this allows us to be very productive, many American Christians struggle to find time for what they claim are the most important aspects of their lives—their family and faith. True Sabbath observation helps properly align our priorities. When done correctly, the Sabbath becomes a day in one’s schedule where the top priorities stay on top—every week, every year, for generations.
Here are a few things my family does on the Sabbath:
- Bible study (individual and as a family)
- Attend synagogue
- Watch live streams from Beth Yeshua International or Founded in Truth Ministries
- Have special meals together
- Light candles to mark the beginning of the Sabbath
- Say specific blessings like this one, this one, and this one, which is my favorite!
- Eat challah bread
- Take naps
- Sleep in
- Hike or take a walk in nature
- Go swimming
- Eat simple snacks and meals that we prepared in advance
- Have a family outing, such as going to the zoo or botanical gardens
- Wish each other and others a “Shabbat Shalom!” or peaceful Sabbath
Our Friday evenings are getting more organized as Sabbath observation becomes routine. Each family member has specific roles on the Sabbath and looks forward to participating.
Shabbat Prep
Although we have activities and school that day, Friday is Preparation Day. We spend most of the day preparing for the Sabbath (Shabbat in Hebrew), the day’s focus. Without Preparation Day, preparing everything for a peaceful Sabbath is tough.
Each child (over 5) receives a Shabbat Prep Checklist on Friday morning. Their schoolwork, daily activities, and the chores they’re responsible for are on it. They have chores such as cleaning their rooms, selecting clothes for the next day, showering, and cleaning bathrooms. Doing these things on Friday allows for an evening and the following day, free to relax and enjoy family time.
My Shabbat Prep Checklist includes making meals for that evening and the next day, making challah bread, laying out clothing for the younger children and myself, cleaning the house, finishing laundry, and other tasks. I also ensure the table is set for our Sabbath meal and the necessary items are out (candles, candleholders, challah cover, decorative platters, etc.).
Here are the type of candles we usually use and a pretty cover for the challah bread similar to the one below.
Welcoming the Sabbath
We light our Sabbath candles and say blessings around dinnertime. Usually, this is done just after sunset at the start of the Sabbath, a job commonly reserved for the woman of the house. My oldest daughter says the prayer after I light the candles. She covers her head with a headscarf to say the blessing, which is a sign of respect for God.
Click here for a Step-by-Step guide to welcoming the Sabbath!
After the blessing over the candles, my husband blesses the children and me. The blessings are our favorite part of the Sabbath! My kids wait expectantly for their turn to be blessed. It’s touching when my husband says Proverbs 31, a blessing over me. There’s so much value in my kids watching him do this week after week! You can find out more about the blessings here and here.
After this, my husband says a prayer, and we eat. My husband usually has a subject to discuss related to the Sabbath, that week’s parsha, or just life in general. I try to choose a family favorite for the Friday evening meal to avoid any struggles over the little ones eating their dinner! Afterward, we always watch a movie as a family, complete with popcorn.
During the Day
On Saturday mornings, we either attend our Messianic Jewish Synagogue or do something recreational as a family. Saturday mornings are usually slower than mornings of other days, allowing time for bible study and rest. The Sabbath afternoon is often more leisurely than others, with naps and more study time being common activities.
We have an evening meal, then clean up after our restful day. We even include a Havdalah ceremony to mark the end of our Sabbaths.
Although our Sabbaths are free of work, we have plenty to do on Saturdays – the most important things! With the week’s work out of the way, we fill the day with much-needed rest, study of God’s word, and family time. What used to be an extra workday or a day to catch up on chores and household projects has become our most treasured day of the week. The best part is that keeping the Sabbath shows we’re in a covenant with the God of the universe, and we’re His people! What a marvelous blessing!