Rosh Hashanah in 2023 begins at sunset on Friday, September 15 and ends at sunset on Sunday, September 17. The Jewish New Year is known as Rosh Hashanah, meaning “head of the year” in Hebrew. It is a period of spiritual reconciliation and inner rejuvenation.
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What is Rosh Hashanah and when is it?
Rosh Hashanah is a sacred and joyous day when loved ones meet for celebration, worship and spiritual growth. It’s a time to anticipate the year ahead and reflect on the year that just passed, to improve ourselves for the year ahead. Literally translated from Hebrew, this means two-day Jewish New Year’s Eve “head of the year.”
It is celebrated on the first and second days of the first month of the civil calendar, the Jewish month of Tishrei. In 2023, it starts on Friday, September 15 in the evening and ends on Sunday, September 17 at dusk. The name of this holy day in the Bible is Yom Teruah. Teruah is the Indonesian word for a loud cry or horn blowing.
Numbers, an Old Testament book of the Bible, is where it first appeared. The Lord commanded the children of Israel to observe these things.
Traditions of Rosh Hashanah
Candle lighting
During Rosh Hashanah, it is customary for the women or girls to light candles at home to welcome the occasion. When the candles are lit, blessings are pronounced. Read more about blessings and lighting candles.
Best wishes and prayers
Other prayers known as Kiddush (meaning sanctification) are sung before meals, in addition to the blessings said each evening while lighting the candles. Besides saying a blessing over the bread, two blessings are said over the wine.
Festive foods and symbolic meals
For Rosh Hashanah, challah is always made as a round bread and served with honey. The seasons and life cycle are represented by the circle.
- Another use of Rosh Hashanah is eating sliced apples coated in honey. The desire for a sweet, joyful and abundant year is represented by honey. With this holiday meal, avoid items that are sour, bitter, or sour, such as vinegar or horseradish.
- Another traditional delicacy on the Rosh Hashanah table is pomegranates. The huge amount of seeds of this fruit represents the desire for a fruitful and abundant life.
- Attend synagogue services – An important aspect of Rosh Hashanah is gathering in a synagogue for prayer services. The Machzor prayer book is used to recite special prayers and Torah readings during this sacred service. For those unable to attend, some synagogues will broadcast their Rosh Hashanah services live.
- Shofars are trumpets traditionally made from ram horns that have been hollowed out. The shofar was blown in ancient biblical times during temple worship and battles, such as the battle of Jericho (Joshua, chapter 6). Even in modern times, the sounding of the shofar is an important part of the Rosh Hashanah synagogue ceremony. It serves as a sign of the hearer’s obedience to God’s command.
- According to Rabbi Saadia Gaon, hearing the sound of the shofar awakens slumbering spirits who have become complacent in reminding the listener that God is the King of the world.
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- This tradition is known as the Tashlich ceremony and involves pouring breadcrumbs over water. It involves going to a natural body of water outside (such as a river, creek, lake, pond, or ocean) and scattering breadcrumbs on the surface of the water. This action represents throwing away the wrongdoings you have committed. In the Machzor prayer book there is a prayer for this ritual.
- Rosh Hashanah invites you to reflect on the past year to see where you might be “missed the mark.” Examine the positive and negative aspects of your personal life to determine what you should do differently in the future and how you could do it “bull’s eye” in the coming year.
10 days of awe
The “10 days of awe” or “10 days of repentanceare notable days that fall between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Yippur. During this period, further reflection takes place. You can also use this time for spiritual growth by praying, doing good deeds, showing love to others and asking for forgiveness and reconciliation. Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Yippurit is said that one can turn God’s judgments against us into benefits.
Closing
