The Pilgrim Festivals

The experience of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem highlighted the celebration of the festivals, and imparted to the Jewish people an overwhelming sense of unity and harmony; so many joined together in this holy place for the sake of G-d's commandment.

A vivid eye-witness description of the vast numbers of pilgrims making their way to Jerusalem from the far-flung corners of the Jewish exile is recorded by Philo of Alexandria (circa 20 BCE - 50 CE), a leader of the great Jewish community of Alexandria, Egypt, toward the end of the Second Temple era. He writes: "Multitudes of people from a multitude of cities flow in an endless stream to the Holy Temple for each festival... from the east and west, from the north and south. (On Laws 1:96)

An atmosphere of great joy and camaraderie prevailed all along the way to Jerusalem, imbuing both the travelers and the Jews who awaited their arrival in the holy city itself with a deep feeling of unity. The Mishna (Bikurim 3:2) provides a colorful description of the caravans of pilgrims in procession as they make their way to a way-station in one of the field cities on the road to Jerusalem: "The populace who live in the vicinity of the Assembly Head (who is responsible for the priests and levites, and also for the pilgrimage to Jerusalem) gather together in his home town, and everyone sleeps the night outdoors, in the town's streets. They do not enter into any houses, in order to prevent becoming exposed to impurity. Waking them in the morning, the overseer would cry out: "Arise, and let us go up to Zion, to the House of the L-rd our G-d!" (Jer. 31:5)

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