The Talmud in tractate Avodah Zarah (עבודה זרה - idolatry, literally strange worship) describes the holidays of Rome. Most of them have to do with glorification of the king. The actual idols, used by man as we know him today, are frequently statues of people. It's often believed that they are the images of the nation's patriarchs and distinguished personalities. Many times planets and stars are named after them in their honor. Homage, prayers, and sacrifices were offered to the idols. The sun, moon, and the stars themselves were also objects of worship, but considerably less so.
Two of the holidays, though, Saturnalia and Kalends revolved around the winter solstice which then fell on December 21. Calends was eight days after and Saturnalia was four days before on December 17 and could last seven days until the 23rd. It was a very happy, popular Roman holiday with good and bad points. On the negative side there were raucous parties, excessive eating and drinking, unbridled licentiousness, gambling, and gladiators which were reckoned as human sacrifices. On the positive side there was gift giving, especially to children, community singing, homes were decorated, and candles were lit as a symbol of light. Philosophically it was a yearning for the restoration of an ancient golden age. The holiday was named after the Roman god Saturn, who bears many similarities to Noah.
As Roman paganism died out Saturnalia was changed into the Christian holiday Christmas. The good practices were maintained and the bad ones curtailed. It was celebrated on 25 December which was reckoned as the birthday of Jesus of Nazareth. On the dark side the church would incite violence against the Jews ranting that they were sinners who killed prophets as well as their lord and master, Jesus of Nazareth. Nevertheless its major theme was peace on Earth and goodwill towards man.
The Talmud ascribes its ultimate origin to Adam the first man. When he saw that the days were getting shorter, he thought it was punishment for his sin, and was afraid that the world was returning to chaos and desolation. He then sat and fasted for eight days. When the winter solstice occurred, he saw that the days were getting longer again and realized that this was the natural cycle of the world. He then decreed eight days of celebration. Adam celebrated for the sake of heaven, but subsequent generations turned it into a pagan festival.
Accounts of man before the Flood are sparse. A significant number tunnels in mountains with small rooms at their ends in which the sun only shines at sunrise of the winter solstice have been found. There is a similar design for the massive stone campus at Stonehenge, which was the site of a major pilgrimage. Carnac with thousands of stone blocks weighing many tons adds the three four five right triangle as a theme. There are also very large works that seem to be dedicated and the stars, for example the pyramids in Egypt which replicate Orion's belt. It is speculated that human sacrifice was performed at some of these sights. In any case the huge size of these monuments seems to be an exaggeration and fetish of the things being glorified.
Judaism does not greatly emphasize precision in nature. Passover must be in the spring and Succos must be in the fall, but the precise day is not important. There is no summer holiday in the Chumash. A lunar calendar is used but even that can be adjusted for the convenience of the community. There are schools of thought that ban secular studies including the sciences.
Even so I would think that a holiday started by Adam the first man would have been observed by the Jews. It could be that the excesses and bad experiences of the past caused it to be rejected and forgotten, and left an aversion to the idea of nature in general. Interestingly, though, the winter solstice typically falls during the eight day holiday of Hanuka. Its main observance is lighting candles. The halacha is to give cash gifts to religious scholars. Secular Jews exchange gifts. People bet candies on the dreidel. Parties are held but the food is not elaborate. The fundamental idea is that there is a God that rules over nature.
The insight of Adam was that sin unchecked can return the world to chaos and desolation. That realization alone may be enough to end the lengthening darkness and begin a period of lengthening light. There is reason for joy over this. Unfortunately for the immature laughter comes from gluttony, mania, pornography, and barbarism. This too comes to an end and gives way to a proper feast with family, lovely music, and candles for light and beauty. Also this idea is embedded in nature and the way Hashem created the world. It could be that the sins of the past are no longer very strong and that heaven has started to forgive and rededicated man's first holiday among the Jewish people.
לע"נ האמא מלכה בת חיים ז"ל נלב"ע טז ניסן תשנ"ח
העלון ניתן לקבל בדואר אלקטרוני וגם באתר http://dyschreiber.blogspot.com
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