መልካም የስግድ በዓል - Melkam Sigd Bahal- Happy Sigd!
“Sigd” means “prostration” in Ge'ez
Sigd is a unique holiday celebrated on the 29th of Cheshvan (חשוון), fifty days after Yom Kippur. This day symbolizes fasting, purification, and renewal, where the Ethiopian Jewish community seeks forgiveness from God, expresses hope for the renewal of their covenant, and longs for Jerusalem. It serves as a public complement to the private reflection of Yom Kippur.
The Rituals of Sigd
Traditionally , preparations for Sigd began days in advance as Jewish communities gathered, staying with relatives for a mass assembly. The day before the holiday was dedicated to purification and preparing festive clothing, with Kesim (leaders) selecting a mountain for the ceremony, creating a stone circle, and setting up a special table for the "Metsaf Kados" (sacred texts).
On Sigd, a day of fasting, community members rose early to immerse in the river and don holiday attire. The Kesim would take the Orit (Torah) from the ark and ascend the chosen mountain, with participants carrying stones or sacred texts on their heads. At the summit, the high Kes entered the enclosed area (symbolic of entering the Holy of Holies) to read from the Metsaf Kados. During the ceremony, community members confessed their sins, bowed, and prostrated, concluding with trumpet blasts expressing the desire to celebrate in Jerusalem the following year. Participants then descended the mountain, singing and dancing, continuing the celebrations for several days.
Historical Origins of the Holiday
Mount Sinai: In Ethiopia, Sigd is celebrated with a mass ascent to a high mountain and a public reading of the giving of the Torah (Exodus 19-20), linking the annual renewal of the covenant to the event at Mount Sinai.
The Covenant Ceremony: The holiday includes customs recalling the Covenant Ceremony from the times of Ezra and Nehemiah. Participants would bow, confess, and express remorse for their wrongdoings as they renewed their covenant with God.
Additionally, Sigd have been established in the sixth century CE after civil unrest between Christians and Jews in Ethiopia, and later formalized in the 15th century by Abba Tsahra to preserve Jewish identity against Christian influences.
Sigd Today: A Living Tradition
Since 2008, Sigd is an official holiday in Israel. Each year, a central ceremony is held at the Armon Hanatziv Promenade in Jerusalem, attended by the Ethiopian community and public figures. While the traditions differ from those in Ethiopia, rituals like the procession and prayers remain, with many observing a partial fast. Later, the celebrations include joyful gatherings for youth, and some visit the memorial on Mount Herzl to honor those who died on their journey to the land
Values of Sigd
Renewal: Sigd invites personal reflection and self-assessment with the hope of growth and a brighter future.
Unity: The gathering of the Jewish-Ethiopian community for a shared celebration reaffirms a communal bond, creating a diverse human mosaic.
Forgiveness: Sigd bridges personal introspection from Yom Kippur with collective reflection on social injustices, serving as a day of communal healing.
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