Approved~Løki
Yesterday was Palm Sunday in the Western Christian tradition (and not, as Very Christian President Trump called it, “Easter Palm”). This celebrates the biblical account of Jesus triumphantly entering Jerusalem, feted by the crowds with palms crying “Hosanna to the Son of David!” A few days later, Jesus would be crucified, on or about the Jewish springtime holiday of Passover (Pesach). Passover has always been connected Christologically to the crucifixion: Jesus is said to be the Lamb of God, slain for the sins of the world. His blood is said to cover humanity’s sins, just as the blood Paschal Lamb slain by the Israelites covered them from God’s wrath against the Egyptians. And to this day Easter is called Pascha in some languages.
One problem: palms were not abundantly found in Jerusalem at that time. There would’ve been no reason for the crowd to have them at Passover. But there is a holiday at the opposite end of the year in which palms would have been abundant: Sukkot, or the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles as some Christians call it. Sukkot is a fall harvest holiday. The Torah commands it be celebrated with four agricultural species, one of which is palm fronds (Lev. 23:40). The Mishnah records that it was celebrated in Temple times with processions of the four species; and with the recitation of Hallel, a set of thanksgiving psalms. One is Psalm 118, which John 12 records as being sung by the crowd welcoming Jesus (“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”). These practices are still done on Sukkot today. And while Hallel is sung on all holidays, the term “Hosanna” is particular to Sukkot. In Hebrew it is “Hoshanah,” or “Hoshah na,” meaning “save now.” Part of the Sukkot liturgy is to make processions around the synagogue, chanting “Hoshanah” and waving the four species.
Additionally, John specifically mentions Jesus preaching at the Temple during Sukkot (7: 2-4). “On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” The final day of Sukkot is called Hoshanah Rabbah — the Great Hoshanah. The Mishnah records a Temple practice called Simchat Beit Ha’Shoevah, meaning “Joy of the Water-Gathering House.” It was a water libation ritual, essentially a prayer for rain in the coming winter months, the rainy season in the Middle East. To this day, prayers for rain are said at the end of Sukkot. And while scholars doubt that John the Evangelist is the same John of Patmos that wrote Revelation, Rev. 7:9 mentions the multitude bringing palm fronds and saying “Salvation is of the Lord!”
There’s one more possible connection, maybe a little doubtful. The Talmud encourages reuse and recycling of certain liturgical objects. The willow branches, one of the Sukkot species, can be used to bake matzah for Passover. And there is a more modern practice of using the palm fronds to burn any remaining chametz (leaven) before the holiday begins.
In sum, Passover/Easter makes more Christological sense. But Sukkot/Easter has undeniable textual connections.
What do you think?
Arbustin