Philo’s Explanation of Yom Kippur
The next feast held after the “Trumpets” is the Fast. Perhaps some of the perversely minded who are not ashamed to censure things excellent will say, What sort of a feast is this in which there are no gatherings to eat and drink, no company of entertainers or entertained, no copious supply of strong drink nor tables sumptuously furnished, nor a…
Philo’s explanation of Yom Kippur focuses on the fast and other penitential aspects of the day.
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Yom Kippur in Early Judaism
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Ancient Jewish Festivals
The Israelite annual festivals originated as agricultural celebrations marking seasonal cycles. Over time, these observances were mythologized into a nation-forming narrative centered on the Exodus from Egypt and the revelation of the Torah at Mount Sinai.
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Jewish Daily Life in Roman-Era Palestine
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