Rosh Hashanah
Also known as the "Jewish New Year", and one of the most important holidays
in the Jewish calendar, Rosh Hashanah is a festive celebration which also begins
a ten-day period of self-reflection and penitence—the Ten
Days of Awe, culminating on Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah is also known as
the Day of Remembrance, when Jews commemorate the creation of the world.
As it often does, food plays an important symbolic role in this
holiday. Traditional foods include round challah sprinkled with
sugar and apples with honey, representing wholeness and sweetness
for the new year.
The Torah actually states that the month of Passover, Aviv, is
really the "beginning of months". Everything begins with
the Salvation by God. In the same way, Life with God begins with
Messiah'a sacrifice, provided at Passover. Yom T'ruah, the Biblical
name for Rosh HaShanah,begins the time of reflection, the ten days
of awe, leading to the Day of Atonement. Reconciliation to God must
include repentance and atonement.
In the synagogue, the shofar is sounded. The blasts of this horn,
traditionally made from an actual ram's horn, are meant to wake
us up from everyday routine and make us think about our lives, hopefully
motivating us to rededicate ourselves to making the world a better
place.
Everywhere, friends and family wish each other a sweet new year,
literally: “Shana Tova.” It's traditional to dip challah
and apples in honey, or to cook sweetened carrots, to express this.
Rosh Hashanah Links
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views of the Congregation Sha'arey Yeshua, and we are not responsible
for the contents of those sites.
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