IndigoChild5559
Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
It's the time of year when the Jewish high holy days begin. Many people (not all, but man) are curious. It's written on their calendars. Jews take days off of work. And if you are Christian, or a student of Comparative Religion, you are somewhat familiar with terms like Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles, or their Hebrew terms: Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot.
Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, also called the Feast of Trumpets, will begin this Sunday at sunset, September 9, and will end at sunset September 11. This is the first two days of the month of Tishri on the Jewish Calendar, which is a lunar calendar (that's why this holiday falls on different dates of the Western Calendar each year). Tishri isn't actually the first month of the Jewish Calendar -- that's back in spring. Rosh Hashana is the birthday of the Earth. Although only the Orthodox take it literally, the year number (this year will be turning 5779) means that on the evening of September 9, it will be 5779 years since t:he creation of the Earth.
Jews have been preparing for Rosh Hashana with a month of communal repentance. We all of us should repent any time we "fall off the derech" (stray from God's ways). But especially in the month before Rosh Hashana we as Israel examine our lives, especially the previous year, to see where we have fallen short. In Judaism, we don't go to God for forgiveness until after we have gone to the person we have wronged for forgiveness and attempted to make right what we have done. There are a lot of conversations during this month, trying to reconcile with those we have sinned against.
There are special services the Evening Rosh Hashana begins, and for the two days of Rosh Hashana. Jews that never set foot in a synagogue the rest of the year will show up during the High Holy Days, one of which is this Holy Day. There is special music, much of it sentimental to those who attend. Perhaps the highlight of each service is the BLOWING OF THE RAMS HORN, from which we get the name "Feast of Trumpets."
One of the mistakes Christians often make about Judaism, is that they think Judaism has no concept of God as Father, as if Jesus was the first one to teach this. But Exodus 4:22 presents God as Father, when Hashem says, "Israel is my first born son." On Rosh Hashana, we approach God as a Father. One of the most sentimental songs of this Holy Day is Avinu Malkenu, Our Father Our King. There is also a prayer, which repeatedly calls out to God as Avinu Malkenu.
Perhaps the most important prayer of Rosh Hashanah is the Unetanah Tokef. Here is an artistic interpretation of the prayer made in 2008. It gives me goosebumps every time I watch it. If you watch this video, you will truly understand Rosh Hashanah at its core.
Jews will wish each other, "Shana' Tova' " which means "A good year." We believe it is significant that we wish each other a good year rather than a happy year. A good year might have its troubles, but they will be filled with meaning and growth. There is more to life than being happy. We wish to be givers, not just takers. A good life is one that is rich in meaning, which is interested in the welfare of others, not just me, me, me. There is a lot of commonality between happiness and goodness, but ultimately happiness is about one's self.
There is no time to just go back to normal after New Years. It is immediately followed by the 10 days of awe as we get ready for Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, also called the Feast of Trumpets, will begin this Sunday at sunset, September 9, and will end at sunset September 11. This is the first two days of the month of Tishri on the Jewish Calendar, which is a lunar calendar (that's why this holiday falls on different dates of the Western Calendar each year). Tishri isn't actually the first month of the Jewish Calendar -- that's back in spring. Rosh Hashana is the birthday of the Earth. Although only the Orthodox take it literally, the year number (this year will be turning 5779) means that on the evening of September 9, it will be 5779 years since t:he creation of the Earth.
Jews have been preparing for Rosh Hashana with a month of communal repentance. We all of us should repent any time we "fall off the derech" (stray from God's ways). But especially in the month before Rosh Hashana we as Israel examine our lives, especially the previous year, to see where we have fallen short. In Judaism, we don't go to God for forgiveness until after we have gone to the person we have wronged for forgiveness and attempted to make right what we have done. There are a lot of conversations during this month, trying to reconcile with those we have sinned against.
There are special services the Evening Rosh Hashana begins, and for the two days of Rosh Hashana. Jews that never set foot in a synagogue the rest of the year will show up during the High Holy Days, one of which is this Holy Day. There is special music, much of it sentimental to those who attend. Perhaps the highlight of each service is the BLOWING OF THE RAMS HORN, from which we get the name "Feast of Trumpets."
One of the mistakes Christians often make about Judaism, is that they think Judaism has no concept of God as Father, as if Jesus was the first one to teach this. But Exodus 4:22 presents God as Father, when Hashem says, "Israel is my first born son." On Rosh Hashana, we approach God as a Father. One of the most sentimental songs of this Holy Day is Avinu Malkenu, Our Father Our King. There is also a prayer, which repeatedly calls out to God as Avinu Malkenu.
Perhaps the most important prayer of Rosh Hashanah is the Unetanah Tokef. Here is an artistic interpretation of the prayer made in 2008. It gives me goosebumps every time I watch it. If you watch this video, you will truly understand Rosh Hashanah at its core.
There are special foods, the main one of which is apples and honey. All round foods are especially eaten, such as round Challah (braided egg bread), pumpkin and pomegranates, and gold foods such as carrots.Jews will wish each other, "Shana' Tova' " which means "A good year." We believe it is significant that we wish each other a good year rather than a happy year. A good year might have its troubles, but they will be filled with meaning and growth. There is more to life than being happy. We wish to be givers, not just takers. A good life is one that is rich in meaning, which is interested in the welfare of others, not just me, me, me. There is a lot of commonality between happiness and goodness, but ultimately happiness is about one's self.
There is no time to just go back to normal after New Years. It is immediately followed by the 10 days of awe as we get ready for Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
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