Rosh Hashanah [which literally means Head of the Year] is the Jewish New Year. We learn from the Mishanh and the Babylonian Talmud that the world was created on the last five days of the month of Elul. Adam and Eve were created on the sixth day of creation, which was the 1st day of the month of Tishrei - Rosh-Hashanah. Thus, on Rosh Hashanah we celebrate and commemorate the anniversary of the creation of the world and of humanity. Furthermore, the Mishnah (tractate Rosh Hashanah) is teaching us that the world and human beings are judged on Rosh Hashanah: "all creatures pass before Him like sheep, as it is stated: “He Who fashions their hearts alike, who considers all their deeds” (Psalms 33:15).
The Talmud (tractate Rosh Hashanah) is discussing the 'Day of Judgment': "Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Three books are opened on Rosh Hashanah before the Holy One: One of wholly wicked people, and one of wholly righteous people, and one of middling people whose good and bad deeds are equally balanced. Wholly righteous people are immediately written and sealed for life; wholly wicked people are immediately written and sealed for death; and middling people are left with their judgment suspended from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement". Rosh Hashanah is always celebrated as two sacred days which are the beginning of the ten days of awe - days of repentance and forgiveness which culminate on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
One of the traditions of the day is to wear white garments to symbolize the purity from sins. The Holy days include services and liturgy in synagogues in which we declare God's sovereignty over the world. The main law and theme of the day is the blowing of the Shofar, the ram's horn which reminds us of the binding of Isaac, son of Abraham and Sara, in whose stead a ram was sacrificed. The Shofar also reminds us of the covenant between God and human beings, carrying with them the message of sacrifice, Judgment, hope, forgiveness and continuity. At the end of the synagogue services, it is customary to wish each other for a good healthy year and that we will be sealed into 'Book of Life'.
There are various customs and traditions related to celebrating Rosh Hashanah at home especially for the festival's meals. Sweet foods are popular, to symbolize the sweet year we hope will follow. The most famous is eating apples dipped in honey. The traditional Challah bread that is eaten for the Rosh Hashanah season is round, symbolizing the eternal cycle of life. The Challah is also dipped in honey. Each of the chosen foods —generally a pomegranate, date, string bean, beet, pumpkin, leek, and fish head — symbolize a wish or blessing for prosperity and health in the coming year.
From the Holy City of Jerusalem, I wish and pray that God will bestow us all with a peaceful sweet and healthy NEW YAER!
About the Author
Rabbi Oded Peles is the Rabbi of 'Shevet Achim' Conservative congregation in Jerusalem.
Cantor, musicologist and Israeli educator, Rabbi Peles was born in Israel to a Dutch-German Jewish family. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, a renowned cantor in the Netherlands, Oded has served and performed as a Cantor in communities worldwide. He specializes in the unique musical traditions and liturgy of Western European Jewry.
For over twenty years Rabbi Peles has been active in interfaith dialogue both in his work and through his academic studies. For many years, he is leading the Christian-Jewish Hebrew learning group in Jerusalem, which studies the Bible, Old and New Testament.