Audi, Israël: Jewish Feasts in the Propers of the Traditional Roman Rite

A fascinating look at how the Old Covenant influences the offering of the Sacrifice of the New Covenant.

From Rorate Cæli

By Alisa Kunitz-Dick

Christ unrolls the scroll at the Synagogue at Nazareth [Lk. 4]
James Tissot (c. 1890), Brooklyn Museum

Several weeks ago, Fr Albert Marcello wrote of the commemoration (in the nontechnical sense of the word) of Tisha B'Av within the propers at Mass.  What Fr Marcello noticed is not an isolated incident.  There are a number of commemorations of holidays from the Jewish calendar in the propers of the ancient Latin liturgy, which do not appear in the Novus Ordo.   

I have complied a list of all of the ones that I have noticed, and explain in bold how they correspond to the holiday, if it is not obvious.  Altogether there are commemorations of all the major Jewish Holy Days and feasts, roughly at the same time they occur in the Jewish calendar, with the exception of Chanukkah.  I do not know, from an historical perspective, when each of these entered the Roman rite, but perhaps there is a liturgical historian out there who would be able to explain [1]. 

The feasts are, as follows:

1.  Rosh Hashanah [The New Year]

Feria Quarta Quattuor Temporum Septembris 
Introitus
Ps 80:2; 80:3; 80:4; 80:5
Exsultáte Deo, adiutóri nostro: iubiláte Deo Iacob: súmite psalmum iucúndum cum cíthara: cánite in inítio mensis tuba, quia præcéptum in Israël est, et iudícium Deo Iacob.  [This refers to the blowing of the shofar, a ram’s horn, at Rosh Hashanah.]
Ps 80:6
Testimónium in Ioseph pósuit illud, cum exíret de terra Ægýpti: linguam, quam non nóverat, audívit.
V. Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R. Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.

Exsultáte Deo, adiutóri nostro: iubiláte Deo Iacob: súmite psalmum iucúndum cum cíthara: cánite in inítio mensis tuba, quia præcéptum in Israël est, et iudícium Deo Iacob.

Introit from Wednesday in the September Ember Days                                              Ps 80:2-5
Sing joyfully to God our strength; acclaim the God of Jacob. Take up a pleasant psalm with the harp; blow the trumpet in the beginning of the month; for it is a statute in Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.  .  [This refers to the blowing of the shofar, a ram’s horn, at Rosh Hashanah.]

Ps 80:6
He made it a decree for Joseph, when he came forth from the land of Egypt: he heard an unfamiliar speech.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Sing joyfully to God our strength; acclaim the God of Jacob. Take up a pleasant psalm with the harp; blow the trumpet in the beginning of the month; for it is a statute in Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

Graduale
Ps 112,5-7
Quis sicut Dóminus, Deus noster, qui in altis hábitat, et humilia réspicit in cœlo et in terra?   [God is honoured as King of the Universe, which is an important theme on Rosh Hashanah]
V. Súscitans a terra ínopem et de stércore érigens páuperem.

Gradual
Ps 112:5-7
Who is like the Lord, our God, Who is enthroned on high and looks upon the heavens and the earth below? [God is honoured as King of the Universe, which is an important theme on Rosh Hashanah]
V. He raises up the lowly from the dust; from the dunghill He lifts up the poor.

Communio
Neh 8:10
Comédite pínguia et bíbite mulsum, et míttite partes his, qui non præparavérunt sibi: sanctus enim dies Dómini est, nolíte contristári: gáudium étenim Dómini est fortitúdo nostra.  [It is a custom to eat sweet things, such as an apple dipped in honey or honey-cakes for a sweet New Year.]

Communio
2 Esd. 8:10
Eat fat meats, and drink sweet wine, and send portions to those who have not prepared for themselves: because it is the holy day of the Lord, be not sad, for the joy of the Lord is our strength.  [It is a custom to eat sweet things, such as an apple dipped in honey or honey-cakes, for a sweet New Year.]

2.  Yom Kippur [The Day of Atonement]

Sabbato Quattuor Temporum Septembris
Lectio
Léctio libri Levítici.
Levit 23:26-32
In diébus illis: Locútus est Dóminus ad Móysen, dicens: Décimo die mensis huius séptimi, dies expiatiónum erit celebérrimus, et vocábitur sanctus: affligetísque ánimas vestras in eo, et offerétis holocáustum Dómino. Omne opus servíle non faciétis in témpore diéi huius: quia dies propitiatiónis est, ut propitiétur vobis Dóminus, Deus vester. Omnis ánima, quæ afflicta non fúerit die hac, períbit de pópulis suis: et quæ óperis quídpiam fécerit, delébo eam de pópulo suo. Nihil ergo óperis faciétis in eo: legítimum sempitérnum erit vobis in cunctis generatiónibus et habitatiónibus vestris. Sábbatum requietiónis est, et affligétis ánimas vestras die nono mensis: a véspera usque ad vésperam celebrábitis sábbata vestra: dicit Dóminus omnípotens.
R. Deo grátias.

Graduale
Ps 78:9; 78:10
Propítius esto, Dómine, peccátis nostris: ne quando dicant gentes: Ubi est Deus eórum?
V. Adiuva nos, Deus, salutáris noster: et propter honórem nóminis tui, Dómine, líbera nos.

 

 

Lesson from Saturday in the September Ember Days
Lesson from the book of Leviticus
Lev 23:26-32
In those days, the Lord said to Moses, The tenth of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement; it shall be most solemn, and shall be called holy; and you shall mortify yourselves on that day and offer an oblation to the Lord. On this day you shall not do any work, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the Lord, your God. Anyone who does not mortify himself on this day shall be cut off from his people; and if anyone does any work on this day, I will remove him from the midst of his people. This is a perpetual statute for you and your descendants wherever you dwell: you shall do no work, but shall keep a Sabbath of complete rest and mortify yourselves. Beginning on the evening of the ninth of the month, you shall keep this Sabbath of yours from evening to evening, says the Lord almighty.
R. Thanks be to God.

Gradual
Ps 78:9-10
Pardon our sins, O Lord; why should the nations say, Where is their God?
V. Help us, O God our Saviour; because of the glory of Your name, O Lord, deliver us.

 

[The lesson offers a short description of Yom Kippur, and the gradual relates an aspect of Yom Kippur, which is asking pardon for sins.]

3.  Sukkot [The Feast of Tabernacles]

Sabbato Quattuor Temporum Septembris
Lectio
Léctio libri Levítici.
Levit 23:39-43
In diébus illis: Locútus est Dóminus ad Móysen, dicens: A quintodécimo die mensis séptimi, quando congregavéritis omnes fructus terræ vestræ, celebrábitis ferias Dómini septem diébus: die primo et die octávo erit sábbatum, id est réquies. Sumetísque vobis die primo fructus arbóris pulchérrimæ, spatulásque palmárum, et ramos ligni densárum fróndium, et sálices de torrénte, et lætabímini coram Dómino, Deo vestro. Celebrabitísque sollemnitátem eius septem diébus per annum: legítimum sempitérnum erit in generatiónibus vestris. Mense séptimo festa celebrábitis, et habitábitis in umbráculis septem diébus. Omnis, qui de génere est Israël, manébit in tabernáculis: ut discant pósteri vestri, quod in tabernáculis habitáre fécerim fílios Israël, cum edúcerem eos de terra Ægýpti. Ego Dóminus, Deus vester.
R. Deo grátias.

Communio
Levit 23:41; 23:43
Mense séptimo festa celebrábitis, cum in tabernáculis habitáre fécerim fílios Israël, cum edúcerem eos de terra Ægýpti, ego Dóminus, Deus vester.

 

Communio
Lev 21:41, 43
In the seventh month you shall keep this feast, as I made the Israelites dwell in booths, when I led them out of the land of Egypt. I, the Lord, am your God.

 

Lesson from Saturday in the September Ember Days
Lesson from the book of Leviticus
Lev 23:39-43
In those days, the Lord said to Moses, On the fifteenth day, then, of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate a pilgrim feast of the Lord for a whole week. The first and the eighth day shall be days of complete rest. On the first day you shall gather foliage from majestic trees, branches of palms and boughs of myrtles and of valley poplars, and then for a week you shall make merry before the Lord, your God. By perpetual statute for you and your descendants you shall keep this pilgrim feast of the Lord for one whole week in the seventh month of the year. During this week you shall dwell in bowers; every native Israelite among you shall dwell in booths, that your descendants may realize that, when I led the Israelites out of the land of Egypt, I made them dwell in booths. I, the Lord, am your God.
R. Thanks be to God.

4.  Purim [Esther’s Feast-day.  At Purim there is the custom of the reading of the Megillah, which is the book of Esther, and this is also what is done here.]

Feria Quarta infra Hebdomadam II in Quadragesima

Lectio
Léctio libri Esther.
Esth 13:8-11; 13:15-17
In diébus illis: Orávit Mardochǽus ad Dóminum, dicens: Dómine, Dómine, Rex omnípotens, in dicióne enim tua cuncta sunt pósita, et non est, qui possit tuæ resístere voluntáti, si decréveris salváre Israël. Tu fecísti cœlum et terram, et quidquid cœli ámbitu continétur. Dóminus ómnium es, nec est, qui resístat maiestáti tuæ. Et nunc, Dómine Rex, Deus Abraham, miserére pópuli tui, quia volunt nos inimíci nostri pérdere, et hereditátem tuam delére. Ne despícias partem tuam, quam redemísti tibi de Ægýpto. Exáudi deprecatiónem meam, et propítius esto sorti et funículo tuo, et convérte luctum nostrum in gáudium, ut vivéntes laudémus nomen tuum, Dómine, et ne claudas ora te canéntium, Dómine, Deus noster.
R. Deo grátias.

 

Lesson from Wednesday in the Second Week of Lent
Lesson from the book of Esther
Esther 13:8-11; 15-17.
In those days, Mardochai prayed to the Lord, saying, O Lord, Lord, almighty King, for all things are in Your power, and there is none that can resist Your will, if You determine to save Israel. You have made heaven and earth, and all things that are under the cope of heaven. You are Lord of all, and there is none that can resist Your Majesty. And now, O Lord, O King, O God of Abraham, have mercy on Your people, because our enemies resolve to destroy us, and extinguish Your inheritance. Despise not Your portion, which You have redeemed for Yourself out of Egypt. Hear my supplication, and be merciful to Your lot and inheritance, and turn our mourning into joy, that we may live and praise Your Name, O Lord, and shut not the mouths of those who sing to You, O Lord our God.
R. Thanks be to God.

 

Graduale  [Reiterates the theme of the epistle]
Ps 27:9; 27:1
Salvum fac pópulum tuum, Dómine, et bénedic hereditáti tuæ.
V. Ad te, Dómine, clamávi: Deus meus, ne síleas a me, et ero símilis descendéntibus in lacum.

 

Gradual   [Reiterates the theme of the epistle]
Ps 27:9, 1
Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance.
V. To You, O Lord, I call; O my God, be not deaf to me, lest I become one of those going down into the pit.

 

5. Pesach [Passover]

There is, of course, a correlation between Pesach and Easter.  The texts of the Easter Vigil, among other places, are self-explanatory.  These correspondences also occurs in the Novus Ordo.

 

6. Shavuot [or Pentecost, which in the Jewish calendar celebrates the tithing of the first-fruits, and the giving of the law at Sinai]

Dominica Pentecostes

Offertorium
Ps 67:29-30
Confírma hoc, Deus, quod operátus es in nobis: a templo tuo, quod est in Ierúsalem, tibi ófferent reges múnera, allelúia.  [see the readings about the first-fruits below: another reiteration of the theme]

 

Offertory from Pentecost 
Ps 67:29-30
Confirm, O God, what You have wrought in us; from Your temple, which is in Jerusalem, kings shall offer gifts to You. Alleluia. [see the readings about the first-fruits below: another reiteration of the theme]

 

Feria Sexta Quattuor Temporum Pentecostes

Lectio
Léctio Ioélis Prophétæ
Ioël 2:23-24; 2:26-27
Hæc dicit Dóminus Deus: Exsultáte, fílii Sion, et lætámini in Dómino, Deo vestro: quia dedit vobis doctórem iustítiæ, et descéndere fáciet ad vos imbrem matutínum et serótinum, sicut in princípio. Et implebúntur áreæ fruménto et redundábunt torculária vino et óleo. Et comedétis vescéntes et saturabímini, et laudábitis nomen Dómini, Dei vestri, qui fecit mirabília vobíscum: et non confundátur pópulus me us in sempitérnum. Et sciétis, quia in médio Israël ego sum: et ego Dóminus, Deus vester, et non est ámplius: et non confundétur pópulus me us in ætérnum: ait Dóminus omnípotens.

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Lesson from Friday in the Pentecost Ember Days
Lesson from the book of Joel
Joel 2:23-24; 26-27
Thus says the Lord God: O children of Sion, exult and rejoice in the Lord, your God! He has given you the teacher of justice: He has made the rain come down for you, the early and the late rain as before. The threshing floors shall be full of grain and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. You shall eat and be filled, and shall praise the name of the Lord, your God, because He has dealt wondrously with you; My people shall nevermore be put to shame. And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel; I am the Lord, your God, and there is no other; My people shall nevermore be put to shame, says the Lord almighty.

 

Sabbato Quattuor Temporum Pentecostes

Lectio
Léctio libri Levítici
Lev 23:9-11; 23:15-17; 23:21
In diébus illis: Locútus est Dóminus ad Móysen, dicens: Lóquere fíliis Israël, et dices ad eos: Cum ingréssi fuéritis terram, quam ego dabo vobis, et messuéritis ségetem, ferétis manípulos spicárum, primítias messis vestræ ad sacerdótem: qui elevábit fascículum coram Dómino, ut acceptábile sit pro vobis, áltero die sábbati, et sanctificábit illum. Numerábitis ergo ab áltero die sábbati, in quo obtulístis manípulum primitiárum, septem hebdómadas plenas, usque ad álteram diem expletiónis hebdómadæ séptimæ, id est, quinquagínta dies: et sic offerétis sacrifícium novum Dómino ex ómnibus habitáculis vestris, panes primitiárum duos de duábus décimis símilæ fermentátæ, quos coquétis in primítias Dómini. Et vocábitis hunc diem celebérrimum atque sanctíssimum: omne opus servíle non faciétis in eo. Legítimum sempitérnum erit in cunctis habitáculis et generatiónibus vestris: dicit Dóminus omnípotens.

 

Lesson from Saturday in the Pentecost Ember Days
Lesson from the book of Leviticus
Lev. 23:9-11; 15-17, 21.
In those days, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you come into the land which I am giving to you, and reap your harvest, you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest, who shall wave the sheaf before the Lord that it may be acceptable for you, and shall sanctify it. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall do this. Beginning with the day after the Sabbath, the day on which you bring the wave-offering sheaf, you shall count seven full weeks, and then on the day after the seventh week, the fiftieth day, you shall present the new cereal offering to the Lord. For the wave-offering of your first fruits to the Lord, you shall bring with you from wherever you live two loaves of bread made of two tenths of an epha of fine flour and baked with leaven. On this same day you shall by proclamation have a sacred assembly, and no sort of work may be done. This shall be a perpetual statute for you and your descendants wherever you dwell, says the Lord almighty.

 

Lectio
Léctio libri Deuteronómii
Deut 26:1-3; 7-11.
In diébus illis: Dixit Moyses fíliis Israël: Audi, Israël, quæ ego præcípio tibi hódie. Cum intráveris terram, quam Dóminus, Deus tuus, tibi datúrus est possidéndam, et obtinúeris eam atque habitáveris in ea: tolles de cunctis frúgibus tuis primítias, et pones in cartállo, pergésque ad locum, quem Dóminus, Deus tuus, elégerit, ut ibi invocétur nomen eius: accedésque ad sacerdótem, qui fúerit in diébus illis, et dices ad eum: Profíteor hódie coram Dómino, Deo tuo, qui exaudívit nos, et respexit humilitátem nostram et labórem atque angústiam: et edúxit nos de Ægýpto in manu forti et bráchio exténto, in ingénti pavóre, in signis atque porténtis: et introdúxit ad locum istum, et trádidit nobis terram lacte et melle manántem. Et idcírco nunc óffero primítias frugum terræ, quam Dóminus dedit mihi. Et dimíttes eas in conspéctu Dómini, Dei tui, et adoráto Dómino, Deo tuo. Et epuláberis in ómnibus bonis, quæ Dóminus, Deus tuus, déderit tibi.

 

Lesson
Lesson from the book of Deuteronomy
Deut. 26:1-3; 7-11.
In those days, Moses said to the Israelites: Hear, O Israel, the things that I command you today. When you have come into the land which the Lord, your God, is giving you as a heritage, and have occupied it and settled in it, you shall take the first of all your fruits, and putting them in a basket, you shall go to the place which the Lord, your God, chooses for the dwelling place of His name. There you shall go to the priest in office at that time and say to him, Today I acknowledge the Lord, your God, Who heard our cry and saw our affliction, our toil and our oppression. He brought us out of Egypt with His strong hand and outstretched arm, with terrifying power, with signs and wonders; and bringing us into this country, He gave us this land flowing with milk and honey. Therefore, I have now brought you the first fruits of the products of the soil which the Lord has given me. And having set them before the Lord, your God, you shall bow down in His presence. Then you shall make merry over all these good things which the Lord, your God, has given you.

 

7.  Tisha B’Av [a fast-day commemorating the destruction of the first and second temples]

            Dominica IX Post Pentecosten

Evangelium

Luc 19:41-47
In illo témpore: Cum appropinquáret Iesus Ierúsalem, videns civitátem, flevit super illam, dicens: Quia si cognovísses et tu, et quidem in hac die tua, quæ ad pacem tibi, nunc autem abscóndita sunt ab óculis tuis. Quia vénient dies in te: et circúmdabunt te inimíci tui vallo, et circúmdabunt te: et coangustábunt te úndique: et ad terram prostérnent te, et fílios tuos, qui in te sunt, et non relínquent in te lápidem super lápidem: eo quod non cognóveris tempus visitatiónis tuæ. Et ingréssus in templum, cœpit eiícere vendéntes in illo et eméntes, dicens illis: Scriptum est: Quia domus mea domus oratiónis est. Vos autem fecístis illam speluncam latrónum. Et erat docens cotídie in templo.

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Gospel from the 9th Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 19:41-47
At that time, when Jesus drew near to Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it, saying, If you had known, in this your day, even you, the things that are for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a rampart about you, and surround you and shut you in on every side, and will dash you to the ground and your children within you, and will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you have not known the time of your visitation. And He entered the temple, and began to cast out those who were selling and buying in it, saying to them, It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of thieves. And He was teaching daily in the temple.

[1] All of the quotations have been taken from divinumofficium.com, from the 1960 rubrics.