Ceremony & Celebration: Introduction to the Holidays

by Jonathan Sacks

When did Rosh HaShana, the anniversary of creation, become a day of judgement? How does Yom Kippur unite the priest's atonement with the prophet's repentance? What makes Kohelet, read on Sukkot, the most joyful book in the Bible? Why is the remembrance of the Pesah story so central to Jewish morality? And which does Shavuot really celebrate the law or the land?
Bringing together Rabbi Sacks's acclaimed introductions to the Koren Sacks Mahzorim, Ceremony & Celebration reveals the stunning interplay of biblical laws, rabbinic edicts, liturgical themes, communal rituals and profound religious meaning of each of the five central Jewish holidays.

Genres: Judaism, Jewish, Religion, Nonfiction, Judaica, Cultural

336 pages, Hardcover

Published August 7, 2017

About the author

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Henry Sacks was the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. His Hebrew name was Yaakov Zvi.

Serving as the chief rabbi in the United Kingdom from 1991 to 2013, Sacks gained fame both in the secular world and in Jewish circles. He was a sought-after voice on issues of war and peace, religious fundamentalism, ethics, and the relationship between science and religion, among other topics. Sacks wrote more than 20 books.

Rabbi Sacks died November 2020 after a short bout with cancer. He was 72.

Reviews

[Michael Lewyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a moderately scholarly guide to the major Jewish holidays: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Pesach and Shavuot. I say "moderately scholarly" because this is not a book you need a yeshiva education to appreciate; however, he does discuss the Torah and major commentators in some detail. This book is full of insights; for example:
*How do we know Rosh Hashanah is tied to the kingship of God? Because the Torah says to sound the shofar on that day, and shofars were usually (in ancient Israel) blown when a king was crowned.
*How did Rosh Hashanah become associated with teshuva (return to God, often translated as
repentance)? Partially of course because it is ten days before Yom Kippur. But Rabbi Sacks points out that when the Jews returned from Babylon to Israel to begin construction of the Second Temple, Ezra and Nehemiah began a kind of national rededication ceremony on Rosh Hashanah.
*Why do Jews read the book of Kohelet (aka Ecclesiastes) on Sukkot? First, Kohelet often mentions joy, a central theme of Sukkot. Second, Kohelet emphasizes the transitory nature of life's joys, and the sukka is meant to be a temporary dwelling. So "Sukkot is the festival of insecurity."
*In his essay on Passover, Sacks focuses on the differences between Egypt and the Jewish kingdom proposed by the Torah. While the Egyptian king is a god, the Jewish king is governed by Divine law. And although later rabbis discussed the afterlife, Jews have always been less focused on death and burial than ancient Egyptians. For example, while Egyptian kings had magnificent tombs, the site of Moses's tomb is unknown.
*In discussing the Counting of the Omer (which occurs between Passover and Shavout) Rabbi Sacks mentions the tradition of mourning based on the death of Rabbi Akiva's disciples. While the Talmud hints at a plague, Sacks discusses a 10th-c. letter by Sherira Gaon discussing religious persecution by the Romans after the Bar Kokhba war (which occurred in the 130s), and mentioning Rabbi Akiva's disciples in that context. Sacks therefore infers that they died not because of a plague, but because of Roman oppression. Thus, those of us who mourn during this period may really be mourning the Roman near-genocide.
*In discussing the so-called "parting of the Red Sea", Rabbi Sacks mentions that the Egyptians' own technology was used against them. Their major military advantage was their horse-drawn chariots that could outrun infantry. Why did the Egyptians drown? Because their horses got stuck in the mud!
*Why do Jews read the Book of Ruth on Shavout? Shavuot memorializes the giving of the Torah- so one might say that Jews converted to Judaism by receiving it. Similarly, Ruth converted to Judaism. If Passover was the Jews' elopement with God, Shavuot was our marriage- and Ruth culminates in marriage.
*Shavuot is also to some extent a proto-Zionist festival. While Passover celebrates Hebrews' departure from Egypt, and Sukkot celebrates their years of wandering, Shavout celebrates their entry into the land of Israel. How so? Because on Shavout, Jews brought first fruits to the Temple and declared their gratitude for the Land
Sometimes, Rabbi Sacks's desire to be a cheerleader for Judaism gets in the way of clear analysis. He emphasizes that many Jewish laws are explained in the Torah- but of course, many aren't.

[Israel Drazin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks is rightly considered by many Jews and non-Jews as a spokesman for Judaism, a moral voice for our time. His many writings on the Bible, on the prayer books, and others are clear, interesting, and informative. He sprinkles his explanations with delightful stories. He makes Judaism seem pleasant and rational and joyful, even when he quotes sayings by mystical teachers. I have read many of his 23 books and know of none that is not excellent.
He discusses five Jewish holidays in this volume: Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Pessah, and Shavuot. His goal is to make the holidays meaningful for the average reader. His subtitles for the five holidays are: The Anniversary of Creation, Seeking Forgiveness, Season of Joy, Finding Freedom, and The Greatest Gift.
Taking Rosh Hashana as an example, among much else, he writes about the number seven in Judaism signifying holiness. Rosh Hashana is a celebration of the universe as God’s work. The blowing of the shofar on Rosh Hashana is our way of participating in God’s coronation, that God is our king. This holiday is the start of a period of national rededication, a covenant-renewal ceremony. It is a time of national return to God. Rosh Hashana tells us that life is short and we must learn how to make the most of it. It reminds us that every breath we take is a gift from God. It teaches us that we are free and that life is meaningful. These and other ideas are found in the holiday prayer book, the Machzor, which Rabbi Sacks explains.
The book is filled with a wealth of explanations, such as the biblical scapegoat procedure, what happened at Sinai, the difference between Maimonides and Nachmanides in regard to repentance, how does Yom Kippur change us, the meaning of Kol Nidrei, and much more.

[Michael Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ceremony & Celebration: Introduction to the Holidays delves into the meaning and significance of the major Jewish holidays putting each into the context of a broader perspective on Judaism. For those unfamiliar with Judaism or it's holidays, Sacks gives us both theological depth and simple understanding of the meaning of the holidays.

"Pesah, Shavuot and Sukkot are about what it is to be a Jew. Rosh HaShana is about what it is to be human," he says giving us a glimpse into both the particularist and universal aspects of Judaism. In speaking about Teshuvah (literally translated as "return" but more accurately defined as repentance and associated with the ten days of repentance leading up to Yom Kippur) Sacks says "Our teshuva and God's forgiveness together mean that we are not prisoners of the past, held captive by it. In Judaism, sin is what we do, not what we are."

The book is particularly good at framing the significance of the Jewish holidays in a deeper context. For example, in discussing Rosh HaShana, Sacks reminds us that one deep purpose of the holiday is to remind us to feel the human condition and our own mortality directly. The lessons of the holiday, Sacks argues include "life is short", "each day, every breath we take, is the gift of God", "we are free", "life is meaningful", "life may be hard, but it can still be sweet", and "our life is the single greatest work of art we will ever make", among others.

Similarly, Sacks explores the meaning of Yom Kippur in the context of broader issue of humanity and life including (among many other things) the damage that is caused in our modern society by embracing a culture of personal victimhood.

"Blaming others for our failings is as old as humanity, but it is disastrous. It means that we define ourselves as victims. A culture of victimhood wins the compassion of others but at too high a cost. It incubates feelings of resentment, humiliation, grievance and grudge. It leads people to rage against the world instead of taking steps to mend it. Jews have suffered much, but Yom Kippur prevents us from ever defining ourselves as victims. As we confess our sins, we blame no one but ourselves."

There is much to unpack in this overview of the Jewish holidays, but Sacks' eloquent writing and capacity to explain both the theological importance of the holidays and the broader lessons to be found in them are a great introduction to topics of enormous depth.

I recommend reading all of Rabbi Sacks' books because of his eloquence, insight deep faith in humanity and G-d, but if you're looking for a high level dip into understanding the Jewish holidays, this is particularly good.

[Paulo Reimann · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK

Lesli Koppelman Ross and Celebrate The Complete Jewish Holidays Handbook rules. Much superior. Ceremony is not entirely bad. Just too scholarly.

[Santiago Velez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy buen libro para acercarse a las principales fiestas judías. Su historia, sus ritos, su espiritualidad.

[Nechamah Goldfarb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot say enough about the teachings and writings of rabbis Sacks, ztzl. I wish that everyone could read and absorb and live the Judaism that he teaches.
This particular book gives a solid and inspiring way to understand Jewish holidays, with a look for forward living-- not just mental assuaging or informing, but rather always with a message and motive to live and continue to build, and to teach future generations the immense beauty and richness and depth of our heritage.

[Rgusterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A scholarly work - not as accessible as his others. A book to be studied not read.