Search results for: ""Jewish festival""

Jewish Festival: Item from outside Techum Shabbat
You may not use, on a Jewish festival, any item that was outside the techum Shabbat when the Jewish festival began--even if a non-Jew brought it to you.
SITUATIONYou arrive on a flight but your luggage is delayed and delivered on Shabbat or a Jewish festival. Or, a package is delivered to you then.
WHAT TO DO  If the airport or delivery warehouse is within techum Shabbat, you may use whatever is brought to you. If the airport or warehouse is outside techum Shabbat, you may not use the items until enough time has passed after Shabbat (or the Jewish festival) for them to have been delivered from the airport or warehouse.

Jewish Festival: Inviting Non-Jews to Meal
You may not cook food specifically for a non-Jew on a Jewish festival. You may only invite a non-Jew for a meal on a Jewish festival if you inform him or her ahead of time that you will not cook something special for him or her.
Jewish Festival: Hair Cuts/Shaving
You may not have your hair cut and you may not shave on Jewish festivals (and Shabbat).
 
Jewish Festival: Weight-Lifting
You may change weights on barbells or on a completely mechanical (no electrical parts; no timers or indicators) weight machine on Jewish festivals but only for enjoyment, not for exercise.
Jewish Festival: Swimming
You may not swim on Jewish festivals.
Jewish Festival: Riding Escalators
You may ride escalators on Jewish festivals if they run constantly and are not controlled by a foot treadle or an electric eye.
Jewish Festival Havdala at Night or Next Day
Say Jewish festival havdala at night.  If this is impossible, say it the next day but only until sunset on the day after the Jewish festival.
Note This is different from havdala after Shabbat!
Jewish Festival Day: When To Say Yizkor
Yizkor is not required to be said at all, but it is the custom in most places. Yizkor is normally said on Yom Kippur (and the final day of Passover, the second day of Shavuot and on Shmini Atzeret), when many people attend the synagogue prayer services.
Yizkor may be said anytime you wish—even when it is not a Jewish festival--and does not require a minyan.
Jewish Festival Day: Reason for Yizkor
Yizkor on Yom Kippur serves as a type of elevation for the souls of dead people.
Jewish Festival Night Kiddush Beverage
Wine (or grape juice) is the only drink permissible for Jewish festival (or Friday) evening kiddush. See Challot for Kiddush, below, if you do not have wine or grape juice with which to make Jewish festival (or Shabbat) evening kiddush.
Jewish Festival: One Day for a Year Plus in Eretz Yisrael
If you are living in Eretz Yisrael for one year and might stay longer, ask a rabbi if you must keep one or two days of the Jewish festival.
Jewish Festival: One Day in Eretz Yisrael
To keep one day only of a Jewish festival in Eretz Yisrael, you must live most of year in Eretz Yisrael and fulfill certain other requirements. Consult a rabbi for details.
Jewish Festival: One Day or Two
Outside of Eretz Yisrael, Jewish festivals are observed for two days instead of one.
Reason In ancient Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin declared the new month based on testimony of at least two witnesses.  Since Jews who lived far from Jerusalem did not find out when the Jewish festivals began until as much as two weeks after the fact, a two-day festival was declared and we continue to observe that two-day holiday outside of Eretz Yisrael.
Situation You are in Eretz Yisrael for any of the Jewish festivals.  You want melacha done for you on the second day of the festival.
What To Do You may ask a resident of Eretz Yisrael to do melacha for you. (You may not ask a non-Jew to do melacha for you!)
Reason It is no longer a Jewish festival for him/her.
Note If you are outside of Eretz Yisrael, you may not ask a resident of Eretz Yisrael (who is visting you) to do melacha for you on the second day of the Jewish festival, even though he/she is no longer observing the festival.
Reason He/she may not do any melacha d'oraita even in private and not even for him/herself.
Jewish Festival: Dateline Considerations
If unsure which day to start the Jewish festival because you are near the International Dateline, follow guidelines for Shabbat; see Introduction to Shabbat, IDL, and Region of Safek/Doubt.
Women: Jewish Festival Havdala
For women and saying/hearing Jewish festival havdala, see Baruch HaMavdil Bein Kodesh L'Chol To Do Melacha.