The Ethiopian Sigd (סיגד in Hebrew) festival falls on the 29th of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan, and is a festival unique to the Beta Israel community. Cheshvan ( Hebrew: חֶשְׁוָן, Standard Ḥešvan Tiberian Ḥešwān) short for The Beta Israel (ביתא ישראל Beta Israel, "House of Israel" Ge'ez: ቤተ እስራኤል Bēta 'Isrā'ēl, modern Bēte 'Isrā'ēl The holiday symbolizes the acceptance of the Torah. term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to Some see it as a commemoration of the revelation at Mount Sinai however the Kessim have also maintained a tradition of the holiday arising some time in the 15th Century CE as a result of the persecution of Christian Amhara kings. For other places named Mount Sinai see Mount Sinai (disambiguation Mount Sinai (Arabic طور سيناء, Hebrew הר סיני also The Kessim (plural of Kes) are the elders of the Beta Israel, also known as the Falashas, the Ethiopian Jews The Kessim retreated into the wilderness in order to appeal to God for His mercy. Additionally they sought to unify the Beta-Israel and prevent them from abandoning the Haymanot (laws and traditions of Beta Israel) under persecution. So they looked toward the Book of Nehemiah and were inspired by Ezra's bringing of the "book of the law of Moses" before the assembly of Israel after it had been lost to them due to Babylonian exile. The Book of Nehemiah is a book of the Hebrew Bible, historically regarded as a continuation of the Book of Ezra, and is sometimes called the second book Ezra ( was a Jewish Priestly Scribe who led about 5000 Israelite exiles living in Babylon to their home city of Jerusalem Traditionally in commemoration of the appeals made by the Kessim and consequent mass gathering, the Beta Israel would make pilgrimages to Midraro, Hoharoa, or Wusta Tsegai (possibly marking locations of resting places from Christian persecution) every year to reaffirm themselves as a religious community[1]
The word Sigd itself is from the semitic language Amharic for prostration and the root letters s-g-d are the same as in Mesgid (etymologically related to Masjid in another semitic tongue - Arabic), one of the two Ethiopian Jewish terms for synagogue, or Temple. Amharic (አማርኛ amarəñña) is a Semitic language spoken in North Central Ethiopia by the Amhara. A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger During the celebration, members of the community fast, recite Psalms, and gather in Jerusalem where Ethiopian Rabbis called Kessim read from the Orit. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Rabbi (pronunciation, although in English usually) in Judaism, means a religious ‘teacher’ or more literally ‘my great one’ when addressing any master The Kessim (plural of Kes) are the elders of the Beta Israel, also known as the Falashas, the Ethiopian Jews The ritual is followed by the breaking of the fast, dancing, and general revelry. In February of 2008 MK Uri Ariel submitted legislation to the Knesset in order to establish Sigd as an Israeli national holiday. Uri Yehuda Ariel (אורי אריאל born 22 December 1952) is an Israeli politician and Member of the Knesset. [2]
References
- ^ Ashkenazi, Michael , and Alex Weingrod. Ethiopian Jews and Israel. Transaction Publishers, 1987.
- ^ Israel National News Ethiopian Jewish Sigd Festival to Become National Holiday February 1, 2008
External links
- "The Jewish Agency for Israel page", a brief description of the holiday from the Department of Zionist Education
- "Ethiopian Jewish Culture", from the Israel Association for Ethiopian Jews
- "Photos of Sigd", by Danny Yanai
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