As we approach Rosh HaShanah let’s take a look at this Jewish Festival, its meaning and its customs. This year on the secular calendar, Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on Friday, September 11 and ends at nightfall on Sunday September 13. The reason for keeping the festival for two days, even in Israel, is because only the Sanhedrin was able to make pronouncements about the new moon. Diaspora communities could not do this for themselves. The last binding decision of the Great Sanhedrin was made in 358 C.E., with the establishment of a universal Hebrew calendar.
Rosh HaShanah is the beginning of the ‘calendar’ year, not ‘Biblical’ year. (Aviv/Nisan is the first month of the Biblical year).
Rosh HaShanah falls on the first day of the seventh month – Tishri. Rosh HaShanah is a Shabbat – no manner of work can be done:
“Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall you have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of horns, a holy gathering. You shall do no labour in it.”
Whereas all other Festivals fall on a full moon, Rosh HaShanah is the only Festival that falls on the new moon – the first day of a month (Psalm 81:4).
Judaism teaches that Rosh HaShanah is the anniversary of the creation of the world. Thus, we blow the shofar to show that we accept God as our King, as it says in Tehillim (Psalms) 98:6:
“With trumpets and the sound of the shofar make a call out before the King, God.”
There are three names for Rosh Hashana:
Yom Teruah: in the Torah, the name used is Yom Teruah – a day of blowing the shofar.
Yom HaDin: a day of Judgement. On Rosh HaShanah God judges the entire world.
Yom HaZicaron: a day of Remembrance. We remember all our deeds of the past year and pray that God remembers our good deeds.
Sounding the Shofar – The Rams Horn
The Torah commands us to sound the shofar on Rosh HaShanah. We are also commanded to HEAR the shofar sounded.
“Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!” – Nehemiah 4:20
On Rosh HaShanah, the shofar is given a total of 100 blasts throughout the service. Each blast has a specific name:
Tekia – long blast.
Teruah – 9 successive blasts.
Shevarim – 3 broken blasts.
Rosh HaShanah is the beginning of the ‘calendar’ year, not ‘Biblical’ year.
See Leviticus 23:24,25 and Talmud: Rosh HaShanah 34a.
Why is the Shofar Sounded?
We remember the giving and receiving of the Torah. We remember the binding of Isaac. It is a call to teshuvah/repentance.
Rosh Hashana Customs
Mikvah – Immersion in a free-flowing gathering of water.
Many people observe the custom to go to the mikvah in the afternoon before Rosh Hashanah begins. Immersing in a mikvah, is an important part of the teshuvah (repentance) process, as it changes our status.
Food:
At Rosh HaShanah and during all the High Holidays, a round challah (traditional Shabbat bread) is used, symbolising fullness and completion. After making the blessing for bread, it is customary to dip the bread into honey, symbolising our prayer for a sweet new year. The challah is then eaten with a piece of apple. The blessing is said:
“May it be Your will, O God, to renew us for a good and sweet new year.”
Rosh HaShanah Greetings:
It is customary to greet others as follows: Leshanah Tova – ketivah vi-chatima tova: For a good year – may your name be written and sealed in the Book of Life. Or “Leshanah tovah tikatevu” – may you be inscribed for a good year!
Tashlich:
On the first day of Rosh HaShanah, it is traditional to go to a nearby body of water, where a piece of bread is symbolically cast into the water. This is to remind us that God casts our sins away when we repent: “You shall cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” – Micah 7:19.
Aseret Yemeti Teshuvah – The ten days of repentance between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippurt.
The Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are a solemn period devoted to teshuvah (repentance/return). It is a time of reflection and getting ourselves right with God and other people. Another name for these ten days is Yamim Nora’im – the Days of Awe.
Judaism teaches there are three ways to obtain forgiveness:
1. Teshuvah – repentance.
2. Tefillah – prayer.
3. Tzedakah – giving charity.
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