Biblical Feasts

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Martha Zimmerman

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Celebrating

Biblical Feasts

In Your Home or Church

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183

Special Helps

Calendar for Celebrating Biblical Feasts

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our

hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12,

KJV

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Passover Apr.

Mar.

Apr.

Mar.

Apr.

Shavuoth May

May

June

May

June

Rosh

Hashanah

Sep.

Oct.

Sep.

Yo m

Kippur

Sep.

Oct.

Sep.

Oct.

Sep.

Oct.

Sukkoth Sep.

Oct.

Sep.

Oct.

Sep.

Oct.

This calendar is based on the Hebrew Calendar with adjust-

ments for Christian Holy Days.

Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday night and ends when

the ﬁrst three stars appear in the evening sky on Saturday.

Published by Bethany House Publishers

11400 Hampshire Avenue South

Bloomington, Minnesota 55438

www.bethanyhouse.com

Bethany House Publishers is a division of

Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Originally published as Celebrate the Feasts

ISBN 978-0-7642-2897-1

Printed in the United States of America

transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the

prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

The Library of Congress has cataloged the original edition as follows:

Zimmerman, Martha

[Celebrate the feasts of the Old Testament in your own home or church]

Celebrating biblical feasts in your own home or church / by Martha Zimmerman.

p. cm.

Originally published: Celebrate the feasts of the Old Testament in your own home or

church. Minneapolis, Minn. : Bethany Fellowship, c1981.

ISBN 0-7642-2897-8 (pbk.)

1. Family—Religious life. 2. Worship programs. 3. Fasts and feasts in the Bible I. Title.

BV4526.3.Z56 2004

249—dc22 2003023569

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations

are from the New American Standard Bible, ©

1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975,

1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used

by permission.

Scripture quotations labeled NIV are from the

Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®.

Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights

reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Scripture quotations labeled KJV are from the

King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations labeled NKJV are from the

Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All

rights reserved.

Scripture quotations labeled THE MESSAGE

are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson,

Used by permission of NavPress Publishing

Scripture quotations labeled TLB are from The

sion of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton,

Scripture quotations labeled NRSV the New

Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright

of the National Council of the Churches of

Christ in the United States of America. Used

Scripture quotations labeled MLB are from The

Modern Language Bible: The New Berkeley

1959, 1969 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.

Scripture quotations labeled NEB are from The

1989 by The Delegates of Oxford University

Press and The Syndics of the Cambridge Uni-

versity Press. Reprinted by permission.

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This book was written to honor my parents,

MARGARET and DICK GADSKE.

It has been

taught with love and diligence to our children—

JOHN, RICHARD, and SARAH.

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About the Author

Martha Zimmerman was taught to love Jewish people and

their celebrations as a child. She and her husband passed along

this tradition to their three now-adult children. Martha has an

honorary doctorate from Carey Theological College in Van-

couver, British Columbia, and is an adjunct faculty member

there. Martha is a frequent speaker at churches and conferences

and a guest on radio talk shows throughout North America.

She and her husband make their home in Washington. She is

the author of Celebrating Biblical Feasts and Celebrating the Chris-

tian Year.

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Foreword

I welcome the republication of Celebrating Biblical Feasts by

Martha Zimmerman.

We Christians owe a great deal to our Jewish heritage. In

the early church a ﬁerce battle was waged against the Gnostics

who repudiated the Jews, their faith and worship. But the

Fathers of the church were right in insisting that Hebrew faith

and Christian truth were continuous.

Using the pictures of Christ in the Old Testament, early

interpreters of the faith saw that all the events, ofﬁces, and feasts

of Hebrew faith found their fulﬁllment in Jesus Christ. Today

the study of the feasts of Israel will lead Christians to a greater

appreciation and deeper devotion to Jesus who is the fulﬁllment

of them all.

Also, the practice of a rhythm of time that shapes and forms

the spiritual life is a great contribution of Israel. Following in

their footsteps Christians mark time with the fulﬁllment of all

of Israel’s feasts in the incarnation, the death and resurrection of

Jesus, and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Read Celebrating Biblical Feasts and see Jesus, the incarnate

Son of God, redeemer of the world.

Robert Webber

Myers Professor of Ministry

Northern Baptist Theological Seminary

Lombard, Illinois

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Preface

‘‘Hey, Mom! You’re right! Habakkuk is in the Bible.’’

Sure that I was hearing things, I called back to our twelve-

year-old son, ‘‘What did you say?’’ His response was a surprise.

‘‘Well, the other day I heard you talking about some book

in the Bible called Habakkuk, and I just found it.’’

My response still shocks me; the words are burned into my

memory! ‘‘Richard, haven’t ‘they’ taught you the books of the

Bible yet in Sunday school?’’

God prepares us in amazing ways for His new lessons. His

timing is perfect. I had just ﬁnished writing a paper for one of

my seminary courses on Deuteronomy 6:1–9 which says, ‘‘And

you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with

all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which

I am commanding you today shall be on your heart, and you

shall teach them diligently to your children....’’ I knew it

didn’tsay‘‘Sunday school teachers’’ or ‘‘fellowship leaders’’ or

‘‘the great staff at our church’’ (all of those people are glad to

help)—but the command is to parents. You shall teach them. If

God gives us something to do, He will enable us to do it!

At that moment I didn’t know where the next step would

take us; but I knew from experience that when His instructions

are followed, the end for which they are given will be accom-

plished. The results are God’s business. He was calling me to be

faithful.

Many questions followed, such as: How? When? Are you

sure?—Me, God? We talked about it as a family. The children’s

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suggestions were helpful and encouraging. It was obvious they

were eager and ready to begin a new adventure.

When I started looking for materials to teach ‘‘Christian

Education in the Home,’’ my search led to the best possible

source! Since God said ‘‘do it’’ in the Bible, I reasoned the Bible

would tell us what to do. And it did!

This book has been growing ever since. We have learned a

lot, known God’s blessing, and had many fun and funny times

together! We want to share our adventures, not as a model to

copy but as guidelines to encourage you in creatively teaching

the marvelous truths of the Old Testament with New Testament

understanding.

I want to thank Homer Goddard, whose vision brought

Fuller Seminary Extension to Richland, Washington; David

Stoop, adjunct professor of the seminary class on Creative

Teaching, who encouraged me to write this book; Judy Moy,

Christian Education Director, who met with me once a week

to pray and share; the William Markillie family and the Roger

Johnson family, who spent three years celebrating these festivals

with us, giving their support; many friends who joined us and

shared in prayer; Sharynn Freiheit, who found helpful ways to

care for our family; Terry Sullivan for technical support; Joanne

Fankhauser, Betty Phillips, and Sally Rossello, who did all of

the typing; John, John Jr., Richard, and Sarah for suggestions

and constant encouragement. I want to thank the many

churches who have taken up the challenge to prepare parents

for their God appointed task.

Habakkuk is in the Bible. So is Leviticus. Chapter 23 is

where we started. It was our outline for the family times pre-

sented on the following pages.

Martha Zimmerman

Blaine, Washington

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Contents

Introduction.......................................... 15

Chapter 1: Sabbath

A Weekend Celebration for the Family ............. 21

What is Sabbath? Activities for the family, Friday, Saturday, and

Sunday. Why is this celebration important? Meaningful explana-

tions through simple visual aids.

Chapter 2: Passover

In Order That You Should Remember ............. 49

What is Passover? Its history in Scripture. What will you need for

the Seder? Explanation of symbolism. A Passover Haggadah for

Christians.

Chapter 3: The Omer

An ‘‘In Between’’ Time............................. 99

What is the Omer? Count ﬁfty days. First on stone, then on

human hearts.

Chapter 4: Shavuoth

Fifty Days Counted, Now Celebrate! ...............107

What is Shavuoth? What will you need for the celebration? The

Night Watch. Festival of First Fruits.

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Chapter 5: Rosh Hashanah

A Day of Blowing ..................................127

What is Rosh Hashanah? What is Tashlich? Why is the ram’s horn

signiﬁcant? Apples dipped in honey and other symbolic foods. A

time of preparation.

Chapter 6: Yom Kippur

A Day of Returning ................................147

What is Yom Kippur? Biblical basis. Fasting and feasting. Blessing

the children. Putting things in order.

Chapter 7: Sukkoth

A Family Fort Festival ..............................157

What is Sukkoth? Simhat Torah? Directions for building a Suk-

kah. Children learn what they live.

A Last Word..........................................179

Special Helps .........................................183

Appendix: Bible Reading Plan .........................187

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And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets,

He [Jesus] explained to them the things concerning

Himself in all the Scriptures.

(Luke 24:27)

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Introduction

Beginning an Adventure

Puzzles are a challenge. They are also lots of fun. It always

feels good to ﬁnd a piece that ﬁts. Having found one, you want

to ﬁnd ‘‘one more.’’ When my dad began to work a jigsaw puz-

zle, he located all the border pieces ﬁrst. Jesus is like the frame

or border around the entire Bible. His life draws all the pieces

together. One of the miracles of God’s Word is that all the

pieces ﬁt! Every person, place, event, and story adds to the

completed picture. The Old and New Testaments belong

together! Once you understand and believe that Jesus is central

to all truth (‘‘I am . . . the truth’’—John 14:6), even some odd

shapes ﬁt.

An essential border piece, Matthew 1:1, reminds us that

Jesus was Jewish: ‘‘The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ

the son of David, the son of Abraham.’’ Some other border

pieces are bits of evidence found throughout the Gospels: He

obeyed God’s commandments, celebrated each biblical feast,

and regarded all of the festivals as ordained by God to be

remembered, observed, and celebrated. He said, ‘‘Don’t mis-

understand why I have come—it isn’t to cancel the laws of

Moses and the warnings of the prophets.’’ (Don’t throw away

half of the puzzle pieces and expect a ﬁnished picture when you

are through.) ‘‘I came to fulﬁll them, and to make them all

come true’’ (ﬁt together). ‘‘Those who teach God’s laws and obey

them shall be great in the Kingdom of Heaven’’ (Matt. 5:17,

19,

TLB

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ELEBRATING

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EASTS

This book contains suggestions for celebrating the biblical

festivals. I believe that they are key puzzle pieces. Paul had

something to say to us about them: ‘‘Some think that Christians

should observe the Jewish holidays as special days to worship

God, but others say it is wrong and foolish to go to all that

trouble, for every day alike belongs to God. On questions of

this kind everyone must decide for himself. If you have special

days for worshipping the Lord, you are trying to honor him;

you are doing a good thing’’ (Rom. 14:5–6,

TLB

). The sugges-

tions presented here for celebrating the feasts are not to be a

legalistic set of rules to earn God’s favor but are to be used as

teaching tools to help our families honor God.

Let’s go back in time. A very large puzzle piece tucked in

Deuteronomy is called the Great Shema. Just as the Israelites

were about to enter the Promised Land, Moses encouraged

Israel to love God with all their hearts. To impress them with a

deep sense of their need for God and to prepare them for the

inheritance which He had planned for them, this command-

ment is presented in a positive form: ‘‘And you shall love the

LordyourGod....’’Thefollowing is the text of Deuteronomy

6:1–9 (

TLB

The Lord your God told me to give you all these com-

mandments which you are to obey in the land you will

soon be entering, where you will live. The purpose of these

laws is to cause you, your sons, and your grandsons to rev-

erence the Lord your God by obeying all of his instructions

as long as you live; if you do, you will have long, prosperous

years ahead of you. Therefore, O Israel, listen closely to

each command and be careful to obey it, so that all will go

well with you, and so that you will have many children. If

you obey these commands you will become a great nation

in a glorious land ‘‘ﬂowing with milk and honey,’’ even as

the God of your fathers promised you.

O Israel, listen: Jehovah is our God, Jehovah alone. You

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NTRODUCTION

must love him with all your heart, soul and might. And you

must think constantly about these commandments I am

giving you today. You must teach them to your children and

talk about them when you are at home or out for a walk;

at bedtime and the ﬁrst thing in the morning. Tie them on

your ﬁnger, wear them on your forehead, and write them

on the door-posts of your house!

God’s Word is life. It is His gift. We are challenged to afﬁrm

life, know the blessing of God, and live long in the abundance

of His love. Jesus said, ‘‘I am come that they might have life,

and that they might have it more abundantly’’ (John 10:10,

KJV

The message is urgent: Hear, therefore, O Israel, nation that

sprang from Jacob, and be careful to do this. People, you really

should listen.... God is to be heard! Give this your careful

attention. If it is performed, the purpose for which it was given will be

accomplished.

The Lord God is a personal God. He is to be loved. The

word for ‘‘love’’ in this passage is from the vocabulary of family

life. Love of God is what life is all about. Love draws us to obe-

dience. Obedience to His Word is the demonstration of your

love toward Him, and this loving response to the Lord’s great

goodness requires giving of yourself to Him. Open your heart

to the living voice of the Divine Teacher.

In Hebrew, the name for the ﬁrst ﬁve books of the Bible is

Torah. It means guidance, direction, instruction, and informa-

tion. Job 36:22 asks, ‘‘Who is a teacher like Him?’’ With the

Psalmist we should say, ‘‘Teach me your way’’ (Ps. 27:11,

NIV

Both the Old and New Testaments present the same prin-

ciple: ‘‘Teach them to your children. Talk about them . . .’’

(Deut. 11:19,

TLB

); ‘‘And, fathers, . . . bring them up in the

discipline and instruction of the Lord’’ (Eph. 6:4). We as parents

need to hear this. The utmost care must be given to help our

children understand. The more they understand, the more they

will believe.

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ELEBRATING

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I call this the principle of familiar things. Remember how

you feel when the picture of a place you have visited ﬂashes on

your TV screen? Familiar things feel good! The word ‘‘teach’’

in the Deuteronomy passage means repeat and re-repeat the

instructions. Excite their attention! Stimulate their interest. The

Word of God is to be kept before their eyes.

But how? The following verbs could be found on a current

list of good teaching techniques: experience, talk, write, and use

visual aids. The adverbs in the scripture passage suggest con-

stantly and diligently. Later, Paul said ‘‘gently.’’ The Living Bible

puts it this way, ‘‘Talk about them when you are at home or out

for a walk; at bedtime and the ﬁrst thing in the morning.’’

There is no better method than this. You should begin and end

the day with the Lord. Include Him in your everyday living

and, therefore, with awareness talk, walk, lie down, get up,

always knowing God’s presence wherever you are. The atmo-

sphere of your home should be saturated with the Lord’s pres-

ence.

God’s words are to be more than just heard or read; they are

to be an affair of the heart. Jeremiah 31:33 says, ‘‘I will put My

law within them, and on their heart I will write it.’’ If God’s

Word ‘‘dwells in your heart,’’ you will be anxious to teach it to

your children. It is your faith and duty. The word ‘‘remember’’

is repeated in the Old and New Testaments over 300 times.

Phrases such as ‘‘remember the deeds of the Lord,’’ ‘‘remember

His marvelous works,’’ ‘‘do this in remembrance,’’ are familiar.

First Samuel 12:24 says, ‘‘Consider what great things He has

done for you.’’

The challenge is: How do we relate the past to the present?

How do we actively ‘‘consider’’ and ‘‘remember’’? Our children

love to look at their baby books. Pictures from birthday parties

and special events in their lives help us to remember these spe-

cial times. An old proverb says, ‘‘Put something where you can

see it so your eye will remind your heart.’’

Reading the great stories in the Bible, the accounts of God’s

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NTRODUCTION

amazing love, provision and protection, is a good, steady ﬁrst

step. But celebrating Hebrew traditions recorded in the Bible

provides visual reminders and encourages awareness of the

Lord’s presence and His blessings. Biblical festivals are living

experiences.

This should help you ‘‘feel’’ the difference. Imagine a typi-

cal Sunday school class. The teacher sits in a circle with her

children. She points to a visual aid as she tells the story of Abra-

ham and his descendants. Now contrast this scene with a living

experience. Lately we have been having grey, overcast days. Last

night the weather changed and the fog lifted. The stars seemed

especially bright and Sarah noticed them with delight. It was

the right time to pick up the ﬂashlight and Bible and go outside

under the stars. There we read the story of Abraham in Genesis

15:5, looked up at the heavens, tried to count the stars, and talked

about God’s unique family of people who have multiplied and

survived down through the generations.

Too often we try to relegate God to a ‘‘time’’ period. One

hour a week in Sunday school is not enough. My goal is to help

you create a learning situation in your home that is constant,

natural, and meaningful. If your child sees, hears, smells, tastes,

and feels the Word of God, profound impressions will be made

on that young life!

Celebrate and remember the deeds of the Lord as a family.

Children learn what they live!

‘‘And the Word became ﬂesh, and dwelt among us’’ (John

1:14).

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Therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath

day and made it holy.

(Exodus 20:11)

Chapter 1

Sabbath

A Weekend Celebration for the Family

What Is Sabbath?

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘‘Speak to the sons of

Israel, and say to them, ‘The Lord’s appointed times . . . are

these.’’’ Following this text of Leviticus, chapter twenty-three,

God’s ﬁrst appointment with us is for Sabbath. It’s ‘‘Number

One’’ on His list of holy days, both in its listing and frequency.

Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word Shabbat, meaning

‘‘rest.’’ It was born in the very beginning: ‘‘Thus the heavens

and the earth were ﬁnished . . . and He rested....Godblessed

the seventh day, and sanctiﬁed it: because in it he had rested

from all his work which God created and made’’ (Gen. 2:1–3,

KJV

). The Sabbath was instituted as a memorial to His creation.

This memorial is so important that it was included in the

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ELEBRATING

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Ten Commandments given by God to His people on Mount

Sinai: ‘‘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...oryoursojourner 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’’

(Ex. 20:8–11). And in Deuteronomy 5:12, ‘‘Observe the sabbath

day to keep it holy....’’

These two words, remember and observe, help us under-

stand how we are to approach and live out this day. ‘‘Remem-

ber’’ suggests inward thoughts of love and devotion. But that

isn’t enough. ‘‘Observe’’ becomes the expression of our feelings.

Sabbath combines love and law, devotion and obedience, feel-

ings and observances.

Hebrew tradition tells us that as God presented the com-

mandments, He spoke to Moses and said, ‘‘I have a precious gift

stored away in my treasures and its name is Sabbath. I desire to

give this gift to Israel. Go and inform them of it.’’

We so often miss what God intends for our good. It wasn’t

long before the day that God had planned for our good became

ﬁlled with ‘‘thou shalt nots,’’ almost to the exclusion of recrea-

tion. An early prophet reminded Israel to observe the Sabbath

as a delight, not a burden. Jesus taught, ‘‘The Sabbath was made

for man, and not man for the Sabbath’’ (Mark 2:27). ‘‘I desire

compassion, and not a sacriﬁce . . .’’ (Matt. 12:7). ‘‘It is right to

do good on the Sabbath’’ (Matt. 12:12,

TLB

The actions of Jesus were misunderstood on various occa-

sions. He was distressed with the misguided teachings of the

religious leaders in reference to Sabbath—not with the Sabbath

itself. He loved and observed Sabbath. In fact, He declared

Himself to be the Lord of the Sabbath. His life demonstrated

compassion, mercy, and loving respect for God and His crea-

tion, not mere rules and regulations.

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ABBATH

The Pharisees took the commandment ‘‘to rest’’ and carried

it to a ridiculous end which distorted God’s original purpose.

In our day, some overreact against Sabbath restrictions, tending

to neglect or forget the importance of the day and giving it only

a token place in their lives.

So much of life as we know it has become hectic and

exhausting. Important meetings, exciting activities, sports

events and very good causes are pulling families in a thousand

different ways. People everywhere are busy being busy—never

stopping to really rest.

When balanced, our activities during the week become

preparation time for the Sabbath, somewhat like a path leading

us to the gate of a garden. Sabbath was a gift of time in which

to put things in order and allow God to be God in our lives. It

can become a time for us to rediscover places inside ourselves

that are forgotten during the rest of the busy week. No wonder

the week pivots around this special day. A simple diagram lets

us see the progression.

This is to be a day ﬁlled with special joy that draws the

family together. Phrases like ‘‘hurry up’’ or ‘‘I’m too busy’’ have

no place, as we give the gift of time to each other. Our attitude,

whatever it is, toward the Sabbath will be contagious. In the

recovery of this biblical tradition, we have the privilege of ush-

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ELEBRATING

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EASTS

ering peace into our home. It is our responsibility to celebrate

and preserve it.

Sabbath Friday

‘‘And it was the Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was

about to begin’’ (Luke 23:54).

What you will need:

1. pair of candle holders

2. two white candles (with matches close by)

3. cup of wine or grape juice

4. bowl of water and a towel

5. two loaves of braided bread (or two rolls)

6. napkin

7. Bible

8. special dinner

How to celebrate!

There is a lot to do, but with care and planning these activ-

ities, too, will be part of the celebration. A checklist on page 47

will help you to organize. The house should be cleaned, special

foods prepared, the table set (with your best), candles and

matches in place. This probably sounds like normal preparations

for ‘‘company.’’ Think of what these actions will say to your

family since they are the ones who are being honored with this

attention. I know it made an impression on my family. Ques-

tions like ‘‘Who’s coming over tonight?’’ ‘‘You’re doing this for

us?’’ made me know it was worth the effort. Let everyone help!

Part of the purpose is for the family to be together. If everyone

joins in, all of the work will get done and everyone can enjoy

the rest.

At our house, it is customary to pick a ﬂower for the Sab-

bath table, or bring in some beautiful fall leaves, depending on

the season. This is a time to put away artiﬁcial centerpieces and

bring in something special from God’s creation.

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ABBATH

The mood of the evening is gentle and quiet. Peace has

come at last to the home. Never confuse this with long faces

and formality. Approach the table at which this meal is served

as if it is an altar, knowing that we can always meet God and

receive His blessing with joy and personal friendship. This table

should be a place where we can enjoy God’s presence while

having a good time together. ‘‘There you shall eat in the pres-

ence of the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your house-

hold’’ (Deut. 14:26b).

Just before the sun goes down the family gathers. A parent

(traditionally the mother) begins the evening with prayer. (See

pages 36–41 for the details of this special supper pageant.) As

the sun slips away she recites a special blessing and lights the

Sabbath candles. She may pray silently for her children, that

they will grow up with hearts open to understand and appreci-

ate God’s Word. Each child receives a blessing from a parent

(traditionally the father). Couples will enjoy this place in the

service where the husband honors his wife by reading from

Proverbs 31. Softly the family sings a blessing to each other.

These blessings produced all kinds of emotions in us, a little

embarrassed at ﬁrst, but very special. After everyone is seated, a

parent (traditionally the father) recites the Kiddush, a Sabbath

prayer over the wine, and passes the cup for all to sip and enjoy.

(If you are uncomfortable with the use of actual wine, small

individual glasses of grape juice may be set at each place.) A

bowl of water is provided for washing hands. Hamotzi, the

blessing of the bread, is next. Now the meal is served, LEI-

SURELY. The grace after the meal should never be forgotten.

‘‘And on the Sabbath they rested according to the com-

mandment’’ (Luke 23:56). Enjoy this evening. All that is left to

do is rest. A delightful little children’s book, The Jewish Sabbath,

puts it this way: ‘‘Some people rest by closing their eyes and

thinking. Some people rest by walking or visiting, or reading,

or playing. Rest means being free to just be. A person is a per-

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son on the Sabbath.’’* Be assured, ‘‘The Lord will give strength

to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace’’ (Ps.

29:11).

Sabbath Symbols and Their Meaning

Candles: In ancient times, before clocks and modern-day

communication systems, a blast from the shofar, a ram’s horn,

signaled the people of Israel to stop working and begin to

observe the Sabbath. Just before the sun went down, lamps were

lit in homes to shine through the dusk and evening hours. The

tradition of lighting candles has continued. The mother of the

family lights the Sabbath candles. She does this because Eve, the

ﬁrst mother, extinguished the light of eternal life by disobeying

God’s command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of

good and evil (Gen. 2:17).

The candles should be placed on the table in the room

where the meal will be served, to spread light over the night.

At least two candles (white) should be lit. One represents ‘‘cre-

ation’’ and the other one ‘‘redemption.’’ They may also be sym-

bolic of ‘‘remember’’ and ‘‘observe.’’ Some say the candles glow

for the harmony of the home. Others believe they encourage

Sabbath joy. In some families a small pair of candles is lighted

by the daughter as she begins to learn this practice from her

mother. In fact, the more candles the better. This idea is taken

from Genesis 1:3–4: ‘‘Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and

there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God

separated the light from the darkness.’’

As the mother lights the candles, it is meaningful to remem-

ber that God chose another woman, Mary, to bring forth Jesus,

‘‘The light of the world’’ (John 8:12). Next, she rests her hands

over her eyes as a covering while saying the blessing. When she

opens them, her eyes are blessed by the lighted candles, fulﬁlling

the blessing and reminiscent of the darkness and light of crea-

*Molly Cone, The Jewish Sabbath (New York: Thomas Y. Crownwell Co., 1966).

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tion. The candles are to burn throughout the evening until they

go out by themselves and should be enjoyed in order that the

blessing not be wasted. They were blessed to shine, a reminder

of the Old Testament principle, ‘‘I will bless you . . . and you

will be a blessing to many others’’ (Gen. 12:2,

TLB

). What a

beautiful picture rests on the table each week! Sabbath cele-

brates creation and redemption. The candles remind us of Jesus,

the Light of the world (John 1:1, 12).

Wine: A goblet of wine is placed near the candles on the

table. A sanctiﬁcation prayer called the Kiddush is recited by the

father (or parent) over this symbolic cup. The wine symbolizes

life! The wine symbolizes joy! The cup is full! It is held at the

base by the ﬁngers, causing them to point upward. They rep-

resent the children of God, reaching up and longing for Him.

It also symbolizes Christ’s shed blood.

Wine had never been a part of our family’s tradition before

we began this celebration. The ﬁrst time this cup was passed,

one child made a face while swallowing it down. Another

wanted two swallows. Now none of us would pass it by or skip

a turn. As has been explained, if your family is unable to use

wine and wishes to substitute grape juice, this can easily be

done in order that the prayer may be spoken.

This prayer is an inauguration, a special ceremony of intro-

duction, a time when Sabbath and family meet. Each member

gives full attention, listening to the words of the leader. Every-

one present takes a sip as the cup is passed, after the Kiddush

has been spoken.

Washing: The blessing which we recite before washing our

hands is intended to show gratitude to God for His sanctiﬁca-

tion of us. The prayer is a ‘‘dedication’’ of our hands and,

through them, of ourselves to God. There is another signiﬁ-

cance. We also acknowledge that as we wash our hands and lift

them up to God, our real needs are on a higher level.

One time, in my preparation for a Sabbath, I forgot to ﬁll a

bowl with water and put out a towel. But, let me be quick to

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add, our son, whose job it was to pass the bowl, didn’t forget.

This ceremony had become very important to him.

Bread: Sabbath bread is called challah (pronounced ‘‘hal-la’’

with a guttural ‘‘ch’’), a term used in the Old Testament for

new dough, which was a requirement to be presented as a ‘‘gift

to the Lord’’ (Num. 15:17–21). May I encourage you to take

the time, if at all possible, to bake your own bread for Sabbath.

Traditionally, the mother prays for each member of the family

as she stirs the mixture, kneading in her love. Imagine how

much better it tastes when the children know that their mom

was praying for them as she made the bread during the day!

Children love to ‘‘punch’’ newly risen dough. Taking turns

helping Mom shape and braid the loaf provides a good

‘‘together’’ time in the warm atmosphere of the kitchen. Just

the fragrance that permeates the whole house is enough to

make it worth your time. The unique shape, your own artistic

touch, the aroma—and that’s not all! Wait until you taste it! The

loaves commonly braided or twisted are called ‘‘berches,’’ which

stems from the Latin word bracellus, meaning ‘‘arm.’’ This sug-

gests the type of loaf shaped like folded arms. When your arms

are folded, you are at rest. You can’t work. Try folding your

arms tonight and really rest.

In Leviticus 24:5–9, you will discover the law that loaves of

bread be placed on the altar before the Lord. According to verse

8, this was to be done on the Sabbath as a sign of the everlasting

covenant between God and His people. Symbolic of that early

offering, a small piece of dough, about the size of an olive,

could be broken from the loaf before it is baked. Gather your

children around you; toss it into the ﬁreplace or oven and watch

it burn. As you demonstrate this ancient Hebrew practice, you

can use this as an opportunity to discuss Old Testament sacriﬁce

and explain the sacriﬁce of Christ on the cross, ﬁnishing the

work which allows us to enter into a permanent Sabbath rest.

Two loaves appear on the Sabbath table, symbolic of the

double portion of manna which God provided on Fridays for

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the children of Israel during the years they wandered in the wil-

derness. Fulﬁlling His requirement for a rest, no manna fell on

Sabbath. Read the story in Exodus 16.

The challah waits for its blessing on the table under a special

covering. This cloth is symbolic of the dew that was around the

camp when the Israelites woke up in the desert and were

reminded again that God does provide. When the dew evapo-

rated, behold, there on the ground lay the manna, God’s pro-

vision of bread. This is even more meaningful when we

remember God’s provision of His Son, who said, ‘‘I am the

bread of life’’ (John 6:48).

The covering for the bread is up to you. It could be just a

paper napkin. If you want to make it special, the following are

some suggestions:

A. textile paints on paper or cloth napkin

B. woodblock or potato printing on the napkin

C. a linen napkin

D. your own embroidered masterpiece—see pages 42–43

Before breaking and eating the bread, the challah are

blessed. At this time knives that are on the table for the upcom-

ing meal should be covered, symbolic of Isaiah 2:4, ‘‘And they

will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into

pruning hooks.’’ Christians deplore violence and long for peace.

Instruments of war are to be put aside. Don’t be surprised if, as

you cover your knife and explain this tradition, lots of questions

and a lively conversation follow. Your family should also be

aware of Exodus 20:25, ‘‘And if you make an altar of stone for

Me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your

tool on it, you will profane it.’’ Remember, your table tonight

is like an altar. On this night the bread is broken not cut, sym-

bolizing Christ’s body broken for us.

After blessing the bread, another tradition is to sprinkle a

little salt on it, recalling Genesis 3:19 (

NEB

): ‘‘You shall gain

your bread by the sweat of your brow.’’ Finding daily bread

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never ceases to be a miracle, even to the farmer who works hard

to produce the grain. He recognizes its ultimate source to be

God’s loving care for all His creatures. It is God who brings

forth bread from the earth. It is customary for each person to

break off his own piece, remembering that God gives us our

daily bread. Jesus taught us to pray to the Father, saying, ‘‘Give

us this day our daily bread’’ (Matt. 6:11). Each person expresses

a ‘‘thank you’’ to God while receiving this gift. It says in Eccle-

siastes 9:7 (

NKJV

), ‘‘Eat your bread with joy.’’

Grace: The grace after the meal is important. Deuteronomy

8:10 says, ‘‘When you have eaten and are satisﬁed, you shall

bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given

you.’’ The chapter warns that when everything is going well

there is a tendency for your heart to become proud and you

forget the Lord. I’m surprised at how many times we have for-

gotten to say ‘‘thank you,’’ even after some super dessert! Verse

18—‘‘But you shall remember the Lord your God.’’

Sabbath Saturday

‘‘Joy comes in the morning’’ (Ps. 30:5,

NKJV

What you will need:

1. pair of white candles twisted together (page 45) and

matches

2. small jar or box containing a fragrant spice (page 45)—

whole cloves are great

3. small glass placed in a little bowl

4. wine or grape juice

5. Bible

How to celebrate!

Wake up Saturday morning remembering that you are in

the very presence of God: ‘‘Be glad in the Lord and rejoice...

shout for joy’’ (Ps. 32:11). Whatever you do today, do it ‘‘all to

the glory of God’’ (1 Cor. 10:31). In the Hebrew tradition,

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God’s Word is central to this day. Read it! Study it! Meditate on

the teachings of the Lord. Some families combine reading a pas-

sage from the Bible and a discussion at mealtimes (#15, page

45). In contrast to the busyness and preparations on Friday, this

special Saturday should be free from pressure. Our family’s pur-

pose is not to drum up more to do, but to arrange life so that

there can be a good rest from the stress and strain of the work

week. All of our efforts are based on providing an enjoyable way

to live out the principles found in ‘‘Remember the Sabbath day

and keep it holy.’’

As the sun begins to go down on Sabbath afternoon, the

family gathers around the table again. This meal is a simple one,

something that can be prepared and served easily. It could even

be just salad, dessert, and tea or coffee. After the light refresh-

ments, the children and all grown-ups who still like to have fun

go outside and watch, each wanting to see the ﬁrst three stars

in the evening sky, which means Sabbath is coming to a close.

Help each other ﬁnd them! In the twilight, Mother’s (or other

leader’s) prayer is a farewell to the day (page 46).

The ceremony of Havdalah, which means separation, con-

cludes the Sabbath and introduces the new week. The candles

are twisted together for the service, linking symbolically the

two candles of the Friday night Sabbath table which represented

Creation and Redemption. They are lighted and held by one

of the children. Another child holds the spice box, called the

bessamen. Cloves are a nice spice to use in your little box. Pause

now and read together from God’s Word. Some suggestions:

John 1:1–17; Luke 23:54–56; Luke 24:1–8.

Place a small glass in a little bowl. Pour wine (or grape juice)

into the glass until it overﬂows as a visual sign of the fullness

and completion of the week. As the wine spills, Sabbath

departs. With head bowed, a parent (usually the father) leads

the family in prayer, a benediction ﬁlled with thanksgiving to

God. The twisted candle is then extinguished by dipping its

ﬂames in the spilled wine. The spice box is passed from person

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to person. It signiﬁes the fragrance of life which has just been

experienced in the Sabbath. The intention is that this last fra-

grance will carry you through the pressures of the week until

you are able, once again, to celebrate Sabbath.

The symbolism in this is strikingly beautiful. When Jesus

had received the sour wine on the cross and said, ‘‘It is ﬁnished’’

(John 19:30), He bowed His head and breathed His last. One

of the soldiers pierced His side, and immediately there ﬂowed

out blood and water. During the Last Supper He said, ‘‘This

cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My

blood’’ (Luke 22:20). When you celebrate the weekly holy day

Sabbath, when you eat the bread and drink the cup, ‘‘do this in

remembrance of Me’’ (Luke 22:19). Praying in the garden He

had said, ‘‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet

not my will, but yours be done’’ (Luke 22:42,

NIV

). The light

of the world went out for three days, as His blood was spilled

for us. Then the women prepared spices to anoint His body

(Luke 23:56). Remembering that the spices signify the fra-

grance of life experienced in Jesus, think of His words, ‘‘I came

that they might have life, and might have it abundantly’’ (John

10:10).

Repeat together the twenty-third Psalm: ‘‘You prepare a

table before me in the presence of my enemies: You anoint my

head with oil; my cup overﬂows’’ (Ps. 23:5,

NIV

There are many elements in the Sabbath celebration. Each

one teaches us and reminds us of Christ:

The candles—Jesus said, ‘‘I am the light of the world’’ (John

8:12).

The wine—‘‘And He took a cup and gave thanks, and gave

it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is My

blood of the covenant’’’ (Matt. 26:27–28).

The dedication of hands—With His hands outstretched, lifted

up on the cross, He said, ‘‘Father, into your hands I commit

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my spirit’’ (Luke 23:46,

NIV

The bread—‘‘This is My body which is given for you; do

this in remembrance of Me’’ (Luke 22:19).

The grace after the meal—‘‘For of His fullness we have all

received, and grace upon grace. For the law was given

through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus

Christ’’ (John 1:16–17).

The twisted candles—linking Creation and Redemption. ‘‘He

was in the beginning with God. All things came into being

through Him’’ (John 1:2–3). ‘‘The true Light, that illumines

every person, was coming into the world . . . to those who

did receive Him, He granted ability to become God’s chil-

dren’’ (John 1:9, 12,

MLB

The overﬂowing cup—‘‘This cup which is poured out for you

is the new covenant in My blood’’ (Luke 22:20).

Putting out the candle—‘‘It was now about the sixth hour, and

darkness came over the whole land . . . the sun stopped

shining....Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into

your hands I commit my spirit’’’ (Luke 23:44–46,

NIV

The spice box—‘‘And so they took the body of Jesus, and

bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial

custom of the Jews’’ (John 19:40).

As the Sabbath departs, its sweet scent lingers. The fra-

grance of His death and resurrection will carry you through the

pressures of life until, ‘‘I will come again, and receive you to

Myself; that where I am, there you may be also’’ (John 14:3).

This weekly observance represents the cycle of all history.

Christ stands at the center. The Sabbath is symbolic of Christ.

The Old Testament teaches ‘‘get ready to observe.’’ Jesus, our

Sabbath, enters.... The New Testament teaches ‘‘remember

Me’’ with joy!

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‘‘For I, the Messiah, am Master even of the Sabbath’’

(Matt. 12:8,

TLB

First Day of the Week, Sunday

The Lord’s Day

What you will need:

1. big, colorful candle

2. verse cards (#18, page 46)

3. the church of your choice

4. comfortable shoes

This is why!

But on the ﬁrst day of the week, at early dawn, they

came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had pre-

pared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb,

but when they entered, they did not ﬁnd the body of the

Lord Jesus. And it happened that while they were perplexed

about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in

dazzling apparel; and as the women were terriﬁed, and

bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them,

‘‘Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is

not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to

you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of

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Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be

cruciﬁed, and the third day rise again.’’ And they remem-

bered His words (Luke 24:1–8).

How to celebrate!

Sunday morning someone should wake up a little before the

rest of the family and light a big, bright candle. Place it on the

breakfast table. Beside it, prop up a card containing some special

verses for the day. It is the custom of the Christian world to

celebrate this ﬁrst day of the week, Christ’s resurrection, by

going to church to worship Him and to fellowship with His

people. It is helpful to be reminded that, ‘‘as was His custom,

He [Jesus] entered the synagogue on the Sabbath’’ (Luke 4:16).

Enter God’s house this weekend and worship Him.

Reading on in Luke 24, on the very same day that the

angels spoke to the women, the resurrected Jesus joined two

men who were on the road going to the town called Emmaus.

They didn’t recognize Him at ﬁrst. Nearing the village, the men

invited Jesus to stay over. ‘‘And it came about that when He

had reclined at table with them, He took the bread and blessed

it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. And their eyes

were opened and they recognized Him’’ (vv. 30–31). ‘‘He was

recognized by them in the breaking of the bread’’ (v. 35). And, ‘‘Then

He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures’’ (v. 45).

‘‘And He led them out . . . and He lifted up His hands and

blessed them’’ (v. 50).

Candles burn out, ﬂowers fade away, bread gets moldy, and

wine turns sour, but as He dwells in us we become His living

sign to the world. He said, ‘‘You are witnesses of these things’’

(v. 48). Take your own Emmaus walk on Sunday afternoon,

going out from your home together. ‘‘And they were convers-

ing with each other about all these things which had taken

place. And it came about that while they were conversing and

discussing, Jesus Himself approached, and began traveling with

them’’ (vv. 14–15).

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In our family, Sunday night marks the end of the weekend

rest. School, work, and routine activities start again on Monday

morning. Sometimes we gather around the table for Havdalah

service on Sunday night instead of Saturday night. Monday

morning I wake up early before the rest of the family and place

a lighted candle on the breakfast table. It speaks for itself as one

by one family members make their way into the kitchen. Hur-

rying to our various responsibilities, we take with us a visual

reminder that He has risen, that He is going with us through

the week, and that even as the Father sent Him into the world

as a witness, He has sent us to be His witnesses. You may try

several plans and see what works best in your family.

Jesus said to them, ‘‘Peace be with you’’ (John 20:21).

Resources for Celebrating Sabbath

1. Preparation prayer

A prayer spoken by a parent (usually the mother) as the fam-

ily gathers just before lighting the candles on Friday afternoon:

Blessed are you, O Lord our God,

King of the Universe,

you are the Author of peace.

You made the Sabbath holy,

You called us to honor this Sabbath,

enter our home this night.

Almighty God,

Grant us and all our loved ones rest

on this Sabbath day.

May the light of the candles drive out

from among us the spirit of anger,

frustration and fear.

Send Your blessing that we may walk

in the ways of Your Word

and Your light.

Enter our hearts this night.

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Heavenly Father,

We rejoice in Your creation!

It is from you we receive every good

and perfect gift.

Giver of life and love,

grant us Your peace,

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

2. Mother (or other leader) says the following blessings

before lighting the candles:

Creation (lighting the ﬁrst candle):

This candle represents creation.

Blessed are you, O Lord our God,

King of the Universe,

who brings forth light out of darkness.

Redemption (lighting the second candle):

This candle represents redemption.

Jesus said, ‘‘I am the light of the world.’’

Our Lord said, ‘‘You are the light of the world. Let your

light shine before men in such a way that they may see your

good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven’’

(Matt. 5:14–16). As we light these candles and set them to

give light to all who are in this house, light our lives with

the great love of Your Son, Jesus, in whose name we pray.

3. Parent’s (usually the father’s) blessing (placing your

hands on their heads, bless each child):

Bless your children individually according to their gifts and

abilities. Include a current need (maybe an upcoming soccer

game) and a future goal (the choice of a career).

4. As a compliment to his wife, the husband quotes from

Proverbs 31:10, 27–30:

An excellent wife, who can ﬁnd?

For her worth is far above jewels.

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She looks well to the ways of her household,

And does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up and bless her;

Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:

‘‘Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.’’

A woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.

5. The family sings softly and prayerfully ‘‘Bless Our

Home’’ (to the tune of ‘‘Edelweiss’’) or a similar song

meaningful to your family:

Bless our home, bless our food;

Come, O Lord, and sit with us;

May our talk glow with peace,

May Your love surround us;

Friendship and love, may they bloom and grow,

Bloom and grow forever;

Bless our home, bless our food;

Come, O Lord, and sit with us.

6. The father (or leader) recites the Kiddush, the prayer

of sanctiﬁcation of the Sabbath, over a cup of wine

or small individual glasses of grape juice:

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe,

who creates the fruit of the vine.

7. The blessing before the washing of hands:

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the Universe,

who has sanctiﬁed us through Your commandments

and instructed us concerning the washing of hands.

8. Beginning with the leader, each person in turn repeats

the Hamotzi, a blessing over the bread:

Blessed are you, O Lord our God,

King of the Universe,

who brings forth bread from the earth.

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9. Suggested menu and recipes for Friday night’s Sabbath

dinner:

NOTE: An asterisk in a menu means a recipe will follow.

Wine or juice

●

Challah*

Golden Yoich*

Baked Fish

●

Rice

●

Carrots

Tomatoes & Greens or Candlestick Salad*

Strudel

Tea with Lemon

‘‘A cheerful heart has a continual feast’’ (Prov. 15:15).

Challah

(Sabbath Bread)

2 packages dry yeast

2 cups warm water

⁄

cup sugar

⁄

cup oil

4 tsp. salt

3 eggs, slightly beaten

⁄

cups ﬂour

Take a large bowl and pour in 2 cups warm water. Take

your time testing to make sure it is warm, not hot or cool.

Soften the yeast in the water. Add sugar, oil, salt. Blend in the

eggs (reserve 1 tbsp. of white for brushing). Add 3 cups ﬂour—

beat well to avoid lumps. Let it rest about 5 minutes. Gradually

add the rest of the ﬂour (4

⁄

cups). Oil the table or board you

will use and your hands and knead the dough about 10 minutes.

Put the dough back into the bowl, cover with a clean cloth

and leave in a warm place. Let rise about 1

⁄

hours. Shape.

Braid on cookie sheet. If you sprinkle cornmeal on the bottom

of the pan, the bottom of the loaf comes out textured. Brush

top with egg. Sprinkle with poppy seeds or sesame seeds. Let

rise 1 hour. Bake at 375⬚ for 30–45 minutes. Tap the bottom of

each loaf. When there is a hollow sound the bread is done.

This makes two very large loaves or three average size

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IBLICAL

EASTS

loaves. I braid two for the Sabbath table and make one loaf in a

regular bread pan.

Variations: Take three smaller strands and braid them

together. Lay them over the top of the large braided loaves. This

makes a very impressive loaf of bread.

If you have sons, make several small loaves and put them at

their places. Let the boys help Dad with the blessing of the

bread.

Golden Yoich

(Golden Chicken Soup)

1 large boiling chicken

10 cups water

2–3 tsp. salt

3 carrots, sliced

1 onion, minced

3 stalks celery, sliced

1 parsnip, sliced

dash of dill weed

Place chicken in a large kettle, cover with water, add salt,

and bring it to a boil. Lower the temperature, and simmer the

chicken until it falls off the bones. Remove, cool, bone it, and

return the chicken to the broth. Add the vegetables and any

others you think might taste good. Be sure to use parsnips for

an especially good ﬂavor. Cover and cook gently. This is the

basic soup. You may strain the broth and serve it with noodles.

We like it thick—vegetables and all.

Candlestick Salad

(Something the children can make to help with the Sabbath

preparations.)

Directions for making one salad: Put a washed piece of let-

Martha Zimmerman, Celebrating Biblical Feasts in Your Home or Church

Name /CelebratingBiblicalFeasts/text 07/02/2009 11:10AM Plate # 0 pg 41 # 27

ABBATH

tuce on a plate. Place a slice of pineapple on the lettuce. Cut a

banana in half in such a way that it will stand in the hole. Put

half of a toothpick in the top of the banana and poke a cherry

on it for the ﬂame.

10. Grace after the meal:

Blessed are you, O Lord our God,

King of the Universe,

who provides the fruit of the earth for our use.

We bless you for fulﬁlling continually

Your promise that while the earth remains,

seedtime and harvest shall not fail.

Teach us to remember that it is not by bread alone that we

live.

Grant us evermore to feed on Him who is the true

bread from heaven, even Jesus Christ our Lord.

O God, our Heavenly Father, look in favor

upon the homes of Your people.

Defend them against evil and supply all their needs

according to the riches of Your wonderful grace.

Make them sanctuaries of peace, love, and joy.

Help us to follow You every step of our daily lives.

May we always abide under the safe shadow of Your love,

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Martha Zimmerman, Celebrating Biblical Feasts in Your Home or Church