Yom Teruah, 2014. My husband blowing the shofar.
Rosh Hashanah: A Shofar and a Crown
The civil new year is used to count years. For example, every 50 years on the ‘tenth day of the seventh month,’ the shofar was sounded to begin the Year of Jubilee. Property was returned to its original owners and people went back home to their tribal lands to begin the 50-year cycle again. A similar command was given for the ‘year of release’ or shemitah. Every seven years was a shemitah when slaves would be released, debts would be dissolved, and the land would be given rest from planting. This ‘year of release’ began on Rosh Hashanah and ended before sunset the next Rosh Hashanah.
Praise the LORD with your Feet (Video)
This is an informative video I created for praise, worship, and dance using Scripture and dance photos from groups that I have been involved dancing with the past 20 years.
Tisha b’Av (9th of Av)
The events surrounding the 9th of Av began with the account of the ten spies. In Numbers chapters 13 and 14, Moshe sends 12 men into the Promised Land to check out the land. When they return forty days later, ten of the men are discouraged by the ‘giants in the land’ living in fortified cities fearing that they will be destroyed if they even try to go up against them in war. Their fears are passed onto the Israelites who spend the night, the 9th of Av, crying and mourning.