Fast-Days

The Day of Atonement is the only fast prescribed by the Mosaic law. In commemoration of national misfortunes and calamities a great number of fasts were in the process of time added to the Jewish calendar. The destruction of the Temple alone added one major annual fast, and the custom among the pious of fasting half a day, on Monday and Thursday. As a means of atonement, similar semi-fasts were observed on the day before the beginning of most of the months. Local fasts like local Purims are also to be found in many calendars. The important fasts are:

1. Nisan 14, Fast of the First born.
2. Tammuz 17. Breach of the walls of the inner city of Jerusalem.
3. Ab 9. First and Second Temple destroyed.
4. Tishri 3, Fast of Gedaliah.
5. Tishri 10. Day of Atonement.
6. Tebeth 10. Siege of Jerusalem began.
7. Adar 13. Fast of Esther.

See: ABSTINENCE

Fasting:

Abstinence from all food, solid and liquid, during the period of the fast. Only Atonement and the Ninth of Ab are 24-hour fasts. Half-day fasts are from sunrise to noon; other fasts run from sunrise to sunset.

Fast of the First Born:

Observed by males on the morning of the eve of Passover in remembrance of the sparing of the first-born of Israel when those of Egypt were slain.

Festivals, Days Of

The Bible ordained the three festivals of the pilgrimages, Passover, Weeks, and Tabernacles, and the Day of the Trumpets, now New Year. The accepted calendar, ignoring local observances is as follows:

1. Nisan 15-22. Passover.
2. Iyar 18. 33rd day of Omer.
3. Sivan 6-7. Feast of Weeks.
4. Tishri 1-2. New Year.
5. Tishri 15-20. Tabernacles which continue through to
6. Tishri 21. Hoshana Rabba.
7. Tishri 22. Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly.
8. Tishri 23. Rejoicing of the Law.
9. Kislev 25 to Tebet 2. Feast of Dedication.
10. Shebat 15. New Year of the Trees.
11. Adar 14-15. Purim.

Reform Jews have reverted in the case of Passover and Tabernacles to the seven day festival, and in case of the Feast of Weeks, New Year, etc. to one day, following in this the biblical dates. They ignore 2, 6, and 10, and limit Purim to the first day.

First Born, Redemption of:

The custom is based on the ordinances in Ex. xiii. 1 and 12-15. The first born of unclean animals was redeemed by the sacrifice of a lamb, and by a later provision (Numb. iii) the Levites were consecrated to God instead of the first born, who instead paid the ransom of five shekels. This idea is still preserved in the ceremony of the ransoming of first-born sons, which takes place on the 30th day after birth. The Levite (or Kohan) is offered the choice of the child or of the money, and accepts the latter. Rabbinical law modified the regulation, regarding it as not necessary if the mother of the child was a Levite or Kohan.

Fiscus Judaicus:

"Jewish Tax," the tax of half a shekel which the Jews paid in the Roman era. Vespasian diverted the tax to Jupiter Capitolinus. The coin of Nerva "Fisci Judaici Calumnia Sublata" probably does not refer to this tax but was struck in honor of the removal of the vexations imposed on the Judaizers in Rome, who were fairly numerous at that time.

Flag, Jewish:

The standards of the 12 tribes are mentioned in the Bible, later books mention the ensign of Judah with its lion. The Jewish flag of blue and white with the Shield of David was formally adopted by the Zionists in 1898. Isidor S. Donn of London and Jacob B. Askowith of Boston, Mass., early in the '90's, without knowing of each other's efforts, worked out the same general design.

Flute:

Probably the oldest known musical instrument. Pipe or flute players were employed in the Temple. Pan's pipe or flute is mentioned, and a variety that suggests the bagpipe.

Four Cups of Wine:

"Arba Kosos": The ritual prescribes four cups of wine at the Seder service as illustrative of the four verbs, "bring out," "deliver," "redeem," and "take," used in Ex. vi.6-8, to describe the liberation from Egyptian bondage.

Four Questions:

"Arba Kashos." The arrangement of the Passover Hagadah provides initially for the asking of four questions by the youngest participant in the Seder service. These questions are (a) why only matzos are eaten that evening; (b) why only bitter herbs are offered; (c) why the herbs are dipped twice; (d) and the source of the custom of leaning during the recital of the Hagadah. The recital of the first half of the Hagadah, which relates the story of the Exodus, answers, in various forms, these questions. The Reform liturgy varies the questions slightly, and omits the Zionist elements in the responses.

Friday Evening:

The Sabbath eve. It is ushered in by lighting the candles, sanctified by the recital of Kiddush, and in the winter evenings, zemirot (hymns) are chanted. The synagog liturgy is an enlargement by hymns and chants of the ordinary service. The custom of lecturing on Friday evening is a modern innovation.

Funeral Oration:

"Hesped." There are references to eulogies over the dead in the Bible, but the delivery of funeral orations at the bier of a scholar was introduced in Talmudic times.