Rosh Hashana

Lev. 23:24-29 Tishri (September and October) Feast of Tabernacles The Seventh month, the Holy Month starts the New Year 'The day of remembrance’ “Now in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall also have a holy convocation, you shall do no laborious work. It will be to you a day for blowing shofars.” Num. 29:1 Tishri is the seventh month, and because the seventh month is holy, the spiritual New Year begins with this month. In the Scriptures this day is called Yom Teruah, (A day of sounding the shofars). ‘Speak to the sons of Israel, saying the seventh month on the first of the month; you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.’ (Lev. 23:24). It is the beginning of ten days called the ‘High Holy Days’ or ‘Days of Awe’. Because of their meaning these days are also called ‘Days of Repentance, Days of Admitting, Days of Returning’. The observance concludes with Yom Kipper, the Day of Atonement. The name "Rosh Hashanah" is not used in the Bible to discuss this holiday. The Bible refers to the holiday as Yom Ha-Zikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (the day of the sounding of the shofar). The holiday is instituted in Leviticus 23:24-25 The shofar is the Hebrew word for trumpet or horn, a ram's horn which is blown somewhat like a trumpet. This instruction in the Old Covenant to blow the ram’s horn became a significant day of remembrance (Gen. 22:13-14). The shofar was blown to signify important occasions. At the sounding the following words were spoken, ‘you, who are asleep, wake up! You, who are in a trance, arise! Search your doings and repent; remember your Creator….’ Romans 13:11 says, ‘Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you.’ (Eph. 5:14). The bending in the shofar represents a human heart in true repentance bowing before G-d and the blowing was a means of getting G-d’s attention, to be remembered and protected by Him. (Num. 10:9-10). One of the most important observances of this holiday is hearing the sounding of the shofar in the Synagogue. A total of 100 notes are sounded each day. There are four different types of shofar notes: 1. Tekiah, a 3 second sustained note; 2. Shevarim, three 1-second notes rising in tone, 3. Teruah, a series of short, staccato notes extending over a period of about 3 seconds; 4. Tekiah gedolah (literally, "big tekiah"), the final blast in a set, which lasts 10 seconds minimum. The Bible gives no specific reason for this practice. One that has been suggested is that the shofar's sound is a call to repentance. The shofar is not blown if the holiday falls on Shabbat. No work is permitted on Rosh Hashanah. Much of the day is spent in Synagogue, where the regular daily liturgy is somewhat expanded. In fact, there is a special prayer book called the machzor used for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because of the extensive liturgical changes for these holidays. This was the first G-d’s religious practice (the first one: lighting Chanukah candles). The second popular observance during this holiday is eating apples dipped in honey, a symbol of our wish for a sweet new year. They also dip bread in honey (instead of the usual practice of sprinkling salt on it) at this time of year for the same reason. Another popular practice of the holiday is Tashlikh ("casting off"). Walking to flowing water, such as a creek or river, on the afternoon of the first day and empty their pockets into the river, symbolically casting off their sins. Small pieces of bread are commonly put in the pocket to cast off. This practice is not discussed in the Bible, but is a long-standing custom. On this holiday instead of the usual twisted loaves of bread, the challah, for this meal has a different shape. The loaf is rounding, symbolic of our desire for a full and round year. Three strands are braided together to give significance to this celebration. 1. It is a day to honor the kingship of G-d and His authority over creation. 2. It is a day of remembrance, a time to consider one’s place in the universe and one’s personal part in the unfolding of G-d’s plan for the world. It is a time when the past is recalled, memories are aroused, the future is envisioned, and personal inventories are taken. 3. The third thread refers to the revelation of G-d and the sounding of the shofar is a symbolic signal to G-d’s people that it is time for a spiritual awakening. Tashlikh is normally observed on the afternoon of the first day, before afternoon services. When the first day occurs on Shabbat, many Synagogues observe Tashlikh on Sunday afternoon, to avoid carrying (the bread) on Shabbat. Religious services for the holiday focus on the concept of G-d's sovereignty. The Hebrew calendar is very old; it is believed that the counting of years originated with creation. There are a number of ways to count the months. One system begins the counting in the spring. Each month opens with the appearance of a new moon. Every time there is a new moon, a new month begins. Hebrew festivals are calculated on this lunar calendar. In keeping with tradition it is fitting that the seventh month is holy, just as the seventh day is always been honored. Therefore, the calendar begins with the seventh month. Judaism has several different "new years," a concept which may seem strange at first, but think of it this way: the American "new year" starts in January, but the new "school year" starts in September, and many businesses have "fiscal years" that start at various times of the year. In Judaism, Nissan 1 is the new year for the purpose of counting the reign of kings and months on the calendar, Elul 1 (in August) is the new year for the tithing of animals, Shevat 15 (in February) is the new year for trees (determining when first fruits can be eaten, etc.), and Tishri 1 (Rosh Hashanah) is the new year for years (when we increase the year number. Sabbatical and Jubilee years begin at this time). Rosh Hashanah will occur on the following days of the Gregorian calendar: • Jewish Year 5768: sunset September 12, 2007 - nightfall September 14, 2007 • Jewish Year 5769: sunset September 29, 2008 - nightfall October 1, 2008 • Jewish Year 5770: sunset September 18, 2009 - nightfall September 20, 2009 • Jewish Year 5771: sunset September 8, 2010 - nightfall September 10, 2010 • Jewish Year 5772: sunset September 28, 2011 - nightfall September 30, 2011 • Jewish Year 5773: sunset September 17, 2012 – nightfall September 19, 2012 • Jewish Year 5774: sunset September 20, 2013 – nightfall September 22, 2013 • Jewish Year 5775: sunset September 24, 2014 – nightfall September 25, 2014 The Hebrew word Rosh means ‘head or beginning.’ Hashanah means ‘the year.’ The more common biblical name is the ‘Feast of Trumpets.’ It is a time set apart for a new beginning with G-d. The account of Isaac in Genesis 22 is remarkably similar to the sacrifice of Y’Shua: he was his father’s only son; he was freely offered by his father; the wood for the sacrifice was carried on his shoulders, and the place of the sacrifice was on the hill in the land of Mariah which became Jerusalem. ‘Then Solomon began to build the house of G-d in Jerusalem on Mt. Mariah.’ (2 Chr. 3:1). In Gen. 22:1-14 G-d’s provision of a ram to be sacrificed in Isaac’s place, a living picture of what was to come in His greater gift of Y’Shua. Remember this is a time of reflection and preparation. The major emphasis in your family should be: to remember your Creator, go to Him for forgiveness, and He will have mercy. Telling of the story of the High Holy days. (Rev. 6:4-9). The entire story of the exodus – the story of Passover, our first festival – illustrates the salvation of the believers. First there was the blood of the Lamb - which delivered you from death, Then the trip through the Red Sea -baptism, Then the wandering of the wilderness – this life on earth, Finally Jericho – heaven, when the shofar sounds.