Annual Festivals in the Hebrew Bible I: Theoretical and Methodological Concerns

Abstract

Taking into account recent developments in the historical studies of ancient Israelites the article raises questions regarding the continuing use of the old theoretical platforms and the validity of source criticism as a method in searching for the origins of biblical festivals. Using different arguments it attempts to invalidate the widely held view of Pentateuch’s annual cycle of festivals as a more or less random collection of heterogeneous celebrations. Instead of focusing on the confusing picture presented by the biblical books, which the author sees as a result of the unfinished process of historicisation, the article suggests a different approach to reading the biblical texts and advocates application of the ritual studies findings and methods as a way towards a better understanding of the origins and the pre‐biblical functions of Pentateuch’s annual festivals.

Writing ritual and calendar together: The biblical cultic calendars in ancient Near Eastern context

“…Similarly, some of the Hebrew Bible cultic calendars utilize nuanced ritual categorization. The most complete cultic calendar in the Hebrew Bible, found in Leviticus 23 (see below), lists a number of calendrical events that could easily qualify as festival (and are treated as such by Milgrom, 2001, p. 1964; Prosic, 2010, p. 717). But the texts themselves distinguish among these events, which are labeled as “appointed time” ( mô‘ēd ), “sacred occasion” ( miqrā’ qōdeš ), “memorial day” ( zikkārôn ), or “festival” ( ḥag ) 8 .…”