The Falashas: The Forgotten Jews of Ethiopia, by David Kessler
Today's date is: 5/12/2025
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The Falashas: The Forgotten Jews of Ethiopia, by David Kessler
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| of candles or the kindling of fire, the drawing of water, going beyond the limits of the village and (as in the Book of Jubilees)(1) sexual intercourse are forbidden on the Sabbath. From Ethiopian sources it also appears that in ancient times the Falashas observed the Sabbath rest even when at war and only fought when attacked. In the mesgid a section of the Torah, which is in the form of a book not of a scroll, is read in Ge'ez and it is then explained in Amharic. Every seventh Sabbath, from the first Sabbath of the month of Nisan onwards, is known as Lengeta Sanbat (also as yasnabat sanbat, the Sabbath of Sabbaths) and is celebrated with additional ceremony. The Falashas determine their festivals by means of a lunar calendar adapted to the solar year which consists of 12 months of 29 and 30 days alternately; every fourth year is a leap year. In accordance with the biblical injunction (2) the year begins with Nisan, not Tishri as in the western world. The Falashas celebrate the new moons and the Jewish festivals as prescribed in the Pentateuch. On Passover they offer up the paschal sacrifice and eat unleavened bread for seven days. Pentecost is celebrated on the fiftieth day after the last day of Passover. The first of the month of Tishri, which is the religious New Year, is known as Berhan Sarak ('The Light Shone'). The sounding of the ram's horn is no longer customary. On Tishri 10 the Falashas observe the fast of the Day of Atonement (Astasreyo, 'The Pardon'), and from the 15th to the 20th of the month the festival of Tabernacles. They do not, however, build a sukkah (tabernacle) or have the lulav (palm branch) and etrog (citron). In addition, the Falashas have a number of special festivals and numerous fast days. The fast of the month of Av to commemorate the destruction of the Temple is observed from the first to the 17th of the month and the Fast of Esther is also kept. Halevy reported that in his time Purim (Feast of Esther) was not celebrated (3) though Leslau found that it was included in the calendar.(4) It is possible that the feast-day had fallen into disuse and was revived as a result of contact with European travellers like Faitlovitch. Falashas pay meticulous attention to the laws of cleanliness and purity. Their wives stay in a special hut on the outskirts of the village during menstruation and they return to their homes only after having purified themselves by immersion. A special hut is (1) 50:8. |
| 69 Judaism |