The Ethiopian Holiday of Sigd
Now Sigd celebrates not just the acceptance of the Torah but also the return to the homeland of Israel, and the hope that the Holy Temple in Jerusalem will someday be rebuilt.This event has ended
Click here to view this week top events >
What is the Sigd Holiday?
“Sigd” is an Amharic word for prostrating oneself, but it is also associated with the word “Mesjid,” or temple.
When the Ethiopian Jews were living in Africa, Sigd was a day of fasting. During the day, they would form a procession and climb to the high point of a mountain, carrying the Ethiopian Torah, or the “Orit.” There they would read portions from the Book of Nehemia and recite Psalms and prayers. This ceremony represented an acceptance of the Torah—the mountain represented Mount Sinai, where the Torah is traditionally believed to have been given by God to the Jewish people.
Upon descending the mountain, they would then break their fast amid music and dancing, with solemnity giving way to joy.
Celebrating the Sigd Holiday in Jerusalem
Today, the Sigd holiday as it is celebrated in Jerusalem has a different identity from that which was celebrated in Ethiopia. Now thousands of Ethiopian Jews gather in Jerusalem, the Holy City of Judaism. Ethiopian rabbis, which are called Kessim, wear ritual white garb as they lead the vast procession to the Armon Hanetziv Promenade which overlooks the Old City and Temple Mount.
A ceremony which was once dedicated to acceptance of the Torah now has an added layer of meaning: it is also a celebration of the Holy City, and a prayer of longing for the return of the Holy Temple to Jerusalem.
2000+ tips and recommendations
Alright, we'll be the first to admit it. Jerusalem's often chilly and often damp winters don't exactly exude...
In a region known for being one of the first in which early humans settled after leaving Africa, and in a city populated...
Looking for a place to begin your morning in luxury and style? Look no further than the American Colony Hotel, which offers...
Jerusalem, the city where kings ruled and sultans sat is no stranger to luxury. Today, even the visiting yeoman can find...
Jewish tradition holds that in the times of the First and Second Temples, all the Jewish people would gather in Jerusalem...
Technically, it's possible to visit Jerusalem without going to the Old City, but it would be hard to say you'd...
Looking for a place to begin your morning in luxury and style? Look no further than the American Colony Hotel, which offers...
The faithful may rhapsodize about the spiritual highs to be reached in the Old City; culture cognoscenti groove on the...
Once upon a time, options for eating out in Jerusalem were limited to local common phenomena such as falafel and schwarma,...
No results to show
|
Text text text
|
||
