The Festivals of Pesah and Massot
in the Book of Jubilees
Betsy Halpern-Amaru
The book of Jubilees assigns patriarchal origins to all biblical festivals.^1 In
the case of Pesah and Massot, the protofestival is particularly opaque. Pre
sented at the close of the Jubilees narrative of the Akedah, it is described as
"this festival" that Abraham "used to celebrate joyfully for seven days during
all the years." He names it "the festival of the Lord" in accord with the seven
days during which "he went and returned safely" to Beersheba; and its future
commemoration by "Israel and his descendants" is ordained and written on
the heavenly tablets (Jub i8:i8-i9).^2 No dates are given for the celebration; no
sacrifices are prescribed; and no rituals are mentioned. The only require
ment is that the festival be celebrated joyously for seven days (i8:i9).^3
- Shabu'ot (Shebu'ot in Jubilees) was celebrated in heaven from the time of creation.
Noah institutes its earthly celebration, which is observed by each of Israel's patriarchs (Jub
6:18-22; 14:20; 15:1-2; 22:1-5; 46:1-4). Abraham is the first celebrant of Sukkot, to which Jacob
adds an addition (16:20-31; 32:4-7, 27-29). An allusion to an unnamed nfflin DV (Rosh
Hashanah) is evident in Abraham's observation of the stars "at the beginning of the seventh
month" (12:16); and an addendum to the narrative of Jacob's grief over the presumed death
of Joseph has a Day of Atonement ordained for commemoration on "the tenth of the sev
enth month" (34:18-19). - Unless otherwise indicated, all quotations of Jubilees are from J. C. VanderKam,
The Book of Jubilees: A Critical Text, CSCO 510-511, Scriptores Aethiopici Tomus 87-88
(Louvain: Peeters, 1989). - The Ge'ez, sabu'a 'elata bafesseha, reflects nnntPS D'O' n373tP, a phrase used in the
description of the Festival of Massot celebrated by the returning exiles (Ezra 6:22) and in the
account of Hezekiah's fused celebration of Pesah and Massot (2 Chron 30:21). Although the