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Choral Works for the Jewish Festivals (Sh'losh Regalim & Chanukkah) by Michael Reid Winikoff

The Sh'losh Regalim or three pilgrimage festivals are the major festival observances of the Jewish calendar, and include Passover (or Pesah) in early spring, Pentacost (or Shavuot) occuring in late May or early June, and Tabernacles (or Sukkot), beginning just five days after Yom Kippur.  The term "pilgrimage" stems from the biblical commandment that for each of these festivals, the Israelites were called upon to journey into Jerusalem to make their requisite festival offering. 

The nuschaot (chant modes) of the Sh'losh Regalim are often closely related to (and likely derive from) those of the High Holy Days.

Chanukkah (Festival of Dedication, aka "Festival of Lights") is a post-biblical festival commenorating the defeat of the Assyrian Greeks and re-taking of the Temple by the Maccabees.  The defiled temple was purified and re-dedicated, upon which an eight-day festival (possibly a delayed observance of Sukkot and Sh'mini Atzeret) was observed in inauguration of the newly dedicated sancturary. 

On each of these festivals, the liturgy of praise and thanksgiving known as Hallel is recited, which opens with Psalm 113 and features Psalm 117.

A-DONAY RO-I ("The Lord My Shepherd Is")

HAMA-AVIR BANAV
     

HANEIROT HALALU
(Meditation on the Chanukkah Lights)

     

L'DOR VADOR
     

MA-OZ TZUR

     

PIT-CHU LI
     

PSALM 24
(L'David Mizmor)
     

PSALM 113

     

PSALM 117 (Hall'lu et A-donay)
     

SHIVITI A-DONAY
("Before Me I Have Ever Set the Lord")

     

S'U SH'ARIM ("Lift High Your Lintels")