Holy Days & Holidays

Why We Count The Omer!

Why is the Omer counted? The counting of the Omer establishes a connection between Passover and Shavuot (Pentecost)--holidays separated by seven full weeks.

Passover begins the grain harvest. The first crop (barley) was cut on Passover and a small amount (omer) was brought to the Temple as a sacrifice on the second day as described in Lev. 23:15-16. For the next forty-nine days, each day is marked off (counted). The fiftieth day, Shavuot, the next crop (wheat) was harvested and brought to the Temple. Shavuot is the day we celebrate when the Torah was given and when, thousands of years later, the Holy Spirit was given.

The History Of Rosh Hashanah

The Torah refers to Rosh Hashanah as a sacred occasion starting on the first day of the seventh month of the Jewish calendar. A Jewish law of code called Mishna was the first document to mention Rosh Hashanah in 200 AD. Rosh Hashanah occurred when G-d created the world at the start of Tishrei. G-d condemns the wicked to death on Rosh Hashanah and also inscribes names of the righteous in the "Book of Life" on that holiday, according to Jewish law. 

A subdued and contemplative holiday, Rosh Hashanah marks the Jewish new year and the beginning of the Days of Awe. Those refer to a 10-day period where believers spend their time repenting and introspecting until we reach the Yom Kippur holiday.

Yom Kippur: Facts About The Holiday and Its History

Yom Kippur is the most important Jewish holiday. It comes after Rosh Hashanah following ten days of Awe, the period where believers spend their time in repentance and introspection. On Yom Kippur, Jews ask for forgiveness for sins they committed the past year because God judges each person's fate on that holiday. People fast for 25 hours and attend special religious services on Yom Kippur. 

When the Israelites fled Egypt to Mount Sinai, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. That day marked the first Yom Kippur. When Israelites worshipped a golden calf, Moses caught them and shattered the sacred tablets in anger. The people repented for their sins which God forgave, and offered Moses a new set of tablets.