The Mosaic Law, as given to the Israelites, instituted several feasts that were integral to the religious and communal life of the nation. These feasts were not only times of worship and remembrance but also occasions for communal gathering and celebration. Women, alongside men, played a significant role in these feasts, participating in the religious and social aspects of these sacred times.

1. The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover):
The Feast of Unleavened Bread, which begins with the Passover, is one of the most significant feasts instituted by Moses. It commemorates the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt. Women were actively involved in the preparations for this feast, particularly in the removal of leaven from their homes, as commanded in Exodus 12:15: "For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day, you are to remove the leaven from your houses." Women participated in the family-centered Passover meal, which was a time of teaching and remembrance for all generations.

2. The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost):
The Feast of Weeks, also known as Pentecost, was a harvest festival occurring fifty days after the Passover. It was a time of thanksgiving for the firstfruits of the wheat harvest. Women, as part of the agrarian society, were involved in the harvest and the preparation of offerings. Deuteronomy 16:10-11 instructs, "And you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with a freewill offering... And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God—you, your son and daughter, your male and female servants, the Levite within your gates, and the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow among you."

3. The Feast of Tabernacles (Booths):
The Feast of Tabernacles was a time of great joy and celebration, commemorating the Israelites' journey through the wilderness and God's provision. Women, along with the entire community, participated in dwelling in booths and celebrating before the Lord. Leviticus 23:42-43 states, "You are to live in booths for seven days. All the native-born of Israel must live in booths, so that your descendants may know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt."

4. The Day of Atonement:
While not a feast in the celebratory sense, the Day of Atonement was a solemn day of fasting and repentance. Women, like men, were called to afflict their souls and participate in this day of national atonement. Leviticus 16:29-31 emphasizes the communal aspect: "This is to be a permanent statute for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month, you must humble yourselves and not do any work... It is a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls."

Role of Women in the Feasts:
Women were integral to the observance of these feasts, contributing to the preparation, participation, and teaching of the next generation. Their involvement underscored the communal and inclusive nature of these sacred times, reflecting the unity and shared faith of the Israelite community. The feasts provided an opportunity for women to express their devotion to God and to engage in the spiritual life of the nation.

In summary, the feasts instituted by Moses were not only religious observances but also communal events that included the active participation of women. These feasts served as a reminder of God's faithfulness and provision, fostering a sense of identity and continuity among the people of Israel.1 Samuel 1:3,9
And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.
Nave's Topical Index

Luke 2:41
Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
Nave's Topical Index

The Second Homily. On the Annunciation to the Holy virgin Mary.
... might be exhibited, and life eternal instituted in the ... prophet says: "I will turn
their feasts into afflictions ... death reigned from Adam to Moses." [527] But ...
/.../the second homily on the.htm

The Morality of the Gospel.
... But since the calculation cannot be instituted concerning each ... Pharisees) love the
uppermost rooms at feasts, and the ... no books but the works of Moses and the ...
/.../paley/evidences of christianity/chapter ii the morality of.htm

Confessio Augustana.
... The Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat,' and ... Church; such as are set holidays,
feasts, and such ... all the ceremonies, all the things instituted of old ...
/.../the creeds of the evangelical protestant churches/confessio augustana.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1820 to the Beginning ...
... good book the way,) by our feasts, rattles, and ... Their request was granted, and Moses
Hinkle, senior, was ... A numerous concourse of people attended, and much good ...
/.../chapter 6 from the close.htm

Period iv. The Age of the Consolidation of the Church: 200 to 324 ...
... For they are taken thence and spent, not on feasts and drinking ... Alexander, was under
the influence of the women of the ... no other gods beside me" [ie, of Moses, cf ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period iv the age of.htm

[Endnotes]
... Warburton has adduced evidence to prove that this doctrine was imparted to the
initiated in the heathen mysteries. "Divine Legation of Moses," i.224. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/killen/the ancient church/endnotes.htm

The Iranian Conquest
... the Trojan war,*** one thousand before Moses, and six ... asserted that his conception
was attended by supernatural ... by fifteen men and fifteen pure women, who have ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm

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