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Rosh Hashanah
The beginning of the Jewish New Year falls on
the first day of the month of Tishri. The month before,
Elul, is a
period for reflecting on all the deeds of the previous year,
and for
acts of repentance that help prepare for the decision God
takes during
Rosh Hashanah about whether a person should live or die.
In the month of Elul, after morning prayers the shofar
(ram's horn)
is sounded. During the week preceding Rosh Hashanah, the
slichot prayer
is said, in which one asks for forgiveness, the absolution
of sins and
for God to pass a merciful judgment.
Blowing the ram's horn has a deeply symbolic meaning.
Its three main
blasts, Tekiah (constant) Shevarim (three short) and Teruah
(nine short
sounds) are a reflection of this holiday's three-fold
meaning: the
anniversary of the creation of the world, the time of
judgment and the
day of renewing bonds between God and Israel. During this
time, the
graves of the dead are visited in order to ask them for
intercession
with God.
Many customs are associated with this holiday. On the
eve (erev) of
Rosh Hashanah, one must have a ritual bath in the mikvah,
thanks to
which one attains a state of spiritual purity. One's hair
must also be
cut, and new, light-colored set of holiday clothing must be
donned.
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The synagogue itself also takes on a holiday
atmosphere: the ark (aron kodesh) is covered with white ark
curtains
(parochet). The covers on the pulpits on the bima and the
Torah mantle
(the meil, usually velvet or silk) are also white, as white
is a symbol
of purity, sinlessness and innocence. The prayers said that
day reflect
the holiday's serious character-their words contain requests
for the
life and health of oneself and one's dear ones. They are
full of
humility and contrition for all sins that have been
committed. One of
the prayers contains the request: "Remember us for life, O
King Who
desires life, and inscribe us in the Book of Life-for Your
sake, O
Living God." These words are repeated many times, because it
is on this
holiday that God inscribes people's fates into the Book of
Life (the
righteous) or the Book of Death (sinners), while judgments
for the rest
of the people are made during Yomim Noraim, the ten days
between Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur. These words have also become the
wish expressed
to friends one meets that day: Leshana Tova Tikatevu ("may
you all be
inscribed for a good year").
Another custom associated with Rosh Hashanah is
tashlich, which
entails tossing the contents of your pockets into the
water-whether it
be a river, pond or spring. This gesture symbolizes the
discarding and
elimination of sins. A passage from the prophecy of Micah is
recited at
the same time: "You will again have compassion on us; you
will tread our
sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths
of the sea."
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After returning home, people sit down to a
holiday meal, comprised of foods symbolizing the beginning
of a new
year-for example a dish made of the head of a lamb or fish,
recalling
the maxim: "begin the year from the head, not the feet".
There is also a belief that the coming year will
resemble the dishes
on the holiday table. As a result, bitter, sour and salty
foods are
banned Rosh Hashanah, since it would mean a year full of
bitterness,
quarrels and tears. This is why this holiday is the only day
of the year
when the challah is not salted before the prayer is said
over it, but
is instead dipped into honey. The table must also have
apples with
honey, raisins and dates. In addition, there are also grapes
and
pomegranates, whose structure (many parts forming one whole)
symbolizes
the spiritual unification of the Jewish people with God.
(kw/cm)
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