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What is Rosh Hashana? Print E-mail
Written by Web Master   
Thursday, 29 April 2004

 

 

What is Rosh Hashana? The Jewish New Year is on 1st and 2nd days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei (September/October). It begins with the festival of Rosh Hashanah (Head of the Year). This starts the ten days of penitence, which end with the Day of Atonement. At Rosh HaShanah, people have a chance to look back to the year just gone and forward to the year to come. It is a time for reflection and resolve. It is a happy, though solemn holiday, with the eating of honey cake and apples dipped in honey - symbolising a sweet year to come. A distinctive feature of Rosh HaShanah is the blowing of the shofar (ram’s horn) and the central theme in the synagogue services and prayers is the appeal for a good year

Is Rosh HaShanah Biblically based?
In a sense it is. The book of Leviticus (23:24-25) declares ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of rest, a memorial proclaimed with the blowing of the shofar, a holy convocation’. This day eventually became Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year, but it was not known as such at that time

How could the first day of the seventh month become the new year?
In ancient times there were four ‘new years’ with different functions. The first of Tishrei was the agricultural new year. The Torah refers to Nisan as the first month of the Jewish year. Despite this, however, the first of Tishrei emerged as what we now know as Rosh HaShanah. The Jews living in Babylonia took on the Babylonian belief in a day of Judgement and the custom began of allowing ten days in which to repent their sins before their deeds were sealed into the Book of Life for another year. In addition, the first of Tishrei was associated with the anniversary of the creation of the world.

Customs and Symbols
In the home, on the eve of the holiday, the blessings for candles, wine and chalah (special bread) are recited. The chalah is usually round to symbolise the continuing cycle of years and seasons. Just before the Rosh HaShanah meal, apples dipped in honey are eaten in the hope that the new year to come will be sweet.
During the service the shofar (ram’s horn) is blown. Throughout the Bible, the shofar is mentioned as a central element in ritual observance. For example, the shofar was sounded at the new moon and at solemn feasts. The story of the binding of Isaac in Genesis 22 is read during the Rosh HaShanah service. In the story the sacrifice of Isaac is averted through the substitution of a ram for the boy. Although the key message is a statement against human sacrifice, the story also became a basis for blowing a ram’s horn on Rosh HaShanah.

This material has been taken from the Kesher Festival Books produced by LBC-CJE's Department of Education and Professional Development with their kind permission.

 

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