Hiloula

The Hiloula (judéo-araméen הילולא, female substantive formed starting from the הלל root, HLL, whose direction first is " to shout with joy and crainte") of a Jewish habit is the name consistent to go on the tombs of Tsaddik the im ( Justes ) birthday day of their death, and to commemorate this birthday day by means of a festive ceremony during which the pilgrims read psalms and other texts crowned or considered as such (like the Zohar).

Hiloula is strongly connected with the pilgrimages on the tombs of Moslem, and Christian saints.

Special character of the hiloula

It is distinguished from the usual commemorations of the birthday from died of close relations, called yahrzeit (Yiddish ייארצייט) at the Juifs Ashkénaze S, and hazkarah (Hebrew הזכרה) at the Jews Séfarade S, or of the collective commemorations late parents (Yizkor) observed at the time of large the festivals. Indeed, Hiloula is associated with spontaneous demonstrations of joy, whereas in the rites of mourning, any demonstration of joy is prohibited. One hiloula most traditionally celebrated, as well in the Judaism ashkénaze as in the Judaism séfarade, that of Rabbi Shimon bar Yohaï, celebrated with Lag Ba' omer, the 33e day of the month of the 'Omer (18 Iyar) puts precisely fine at one period of mourning , during which one abstained from the baths of approval or from the ritual care corporels.
exact ones differ according to the tzaddik commemorated as well as Minhagim from the community.

During a traditional hiloula, the pilgrims going on the place of the burial there remain sometimes several days, sing, dance, read texts whose Psalms, feast, deposit food or drinks on the tomb stones. Some also deposit liquids there in order to confer a thaumaturgical function to them.

Following the example Zaouïa (religious building) of Moslem saints, the places of burial can be architecturalement elaborate, as it is the case of the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yohaï on the Mont Méron. There still, this practice slices with the discretion which surrounds usually the place of burial in the Judaism (cf the unknown tomb of Moïse on the Mont Nébo).

Others hiloula

the hiloula of the kabbalist rabbi Israel Abehassera, more known under the name of Baba Salted , is celebrated the 4 of the month of Shevat.

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