Regalim

Regalim is a Hebrew term referring to the three biblical pilgrimage festivals in ancient Judaism: Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Feast of Weeks), and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). Historically, these were the times when Israelites were required to ascend to Jerusalem and offer sacrifices at the Temple.

The word derives from regel, meaning “foot” or “to go up,” reflecting the customary ascent to the Temple in Jerusalem. The commandment appears in several biblical passages, notably Exodus 23:17 and Deuteronomy 16:16, which instruct that three times a year all male Israelites should appear before the Lord.

Each festival has distinct ritual and agricultural significance. Passover centers on the exodus narrative and the Paschal sacrifice, with the Seder commemorating liberation and redemption. Shavuot marks the offering of the harvest’s first fruits and, in rabbinic tradition, the giving of Torah at Mount Sinai; it is celebrated with special prayers and, in some communities, the ritual of baking and eating sweet dairy foods and grain offerings like two loaves from the new grain. Sukkot is the autumn harvest festival, observed by dwelling in temporary booths (sukkot) and, in many traditions, waving the lulav and etrog as part of its rites.

With the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, the legal obligation to ascend to Jerusalem and bring offerings ceased, and the pilgrimage to the Temple is no longer possible. In modern Judaism, Regalim persists as a scholarly and cultural concept describing the historical pilgrimage cycle, while the festivals are observed through ritual, prayer, education, and family celebrations, keeping alive the social and agricultural dimensions of the ancient practice.