Shana tovah u’metukah

One of two shofars my husband has. 

And yes, he can blow it, but not very well. Both the cat and the dog run and hide. It takes a lot of practice and is not easy at all. 

Last night at sundown, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, commenced, signaling the start of the High Holy Days on the Jewish calendar. The period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is known as the ten days of Awe or repentance, during which time people reflect on their actions and seek forgiveness.

Scriptural Background

The Lord said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites: On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the Lord by fire. 

Leviticus 23;23-25

The Jewish "New Year" falls in the seventh month of our Gregorian calendar year, but in the biblical calendar, the new year God ordained begins in the spring with the month of Nisan, signifying the start of the new harvest season.

“This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year."

So what Happened?

Rabbinic TRADITION 

Long ago, the Rabbis decided to give significance to this special Shabbat, changing it to the spiritual new year. The name was changed from the biblical name of Yom Teruah to Rosh Hashanah, which means "the head of the new year." It is also the first month of the civil year of 5785.

Rosh Hashanah holds deep significance for the Jewish community, encapsulating the theme of regathering. It serves as a day of introspection and repentance, as individuals reflect on their spiritual well-being and strive to make positive changes to align themselves with God's will for the upcoming year. It is a time for seeking forgiveness for past wrongdoings and striving to be inscribed favorably in the Book of Life by God before Yom Kippur, when God closes the book for another year.

Here are some additional particulars:

• The shofar, a traditional Jewish instrument made from a ram's horn, is significant spiritually and culturally. During the synagogue service, the shofar is blown as a call to repentance. In some Orthodox communities, it can be sounded up to 100 times. The series of reverberating shofar blasts creates three distinct sounds, with the final one being especially poignant—a long, uninterrupted blast held for as long as possible. Experiencing this in person can be incredibly moving and impactful.

• Rosh Hashanah also celebrates the creation of the world. In modern times, it has been referred to as the Jewish Earth Day.

• Rosh Hashanah is seen as a time to cast off sin and ask for forgiveness, which is called Tashlich. The idea is taken from:

"You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea." Micah 7:19: 

• The ceremony used to be marked by emptying your pockets into the water; today, it is more common to throw breadcrumbs.

• To symbolize the cleansing of sin, some will wear white, and the ark covering hanging in the Synagogue is changed to white.

• No festival is complete without feasting – and this is no exception. Traditional foods include dipping apples in honey, honey cake and raisin challah bread, all symbolizing the hope of a sweet new year. The challah is  round, to represent completeness.

While my husband attended Rosh Hashanah services at our local synagogue, I went to my bible study. The synagogue is conveniently located down the road from my church, so I dropped my husband off and picked him up after the service. There was a large turnout, similar to churches' larger attendance for Easter and Christmas. After their service, they were all planning to go down to the Sacramento River for their Tachlich service.

Shana tovah u’metukah 

(Have a good and sweet year)

Pray for Israel during their Holy Days and the upcoming October 7 anniversary of the Hamas attack.