Rosh Hashanah 2023 Significance, Feast, Prayers, And Celebration: Rosh Hashanah is the birthday of the universe. It is the day when Adam and Eve were created on the earth. The first two days of the Jewish new year are termed Tishrei 1 and 2. Rosh Hashanah 2023 will begin on the eve of September 15 and will continue on the next date. The celebration takes place with candlelight in the evening. The festive meal is enjoyed by the people with so many sweet delicacies. The prayer service when held is done including Ram’s horns(Shofar).
Rosh Hashanah Significance
Rosh Hashanah has the meaning of the head of the year. The significance also says that the way the head keeps controlling the whole body, the day of Rosh Hashanah controls the whole year ahead. The prayers in Rosh Hashanah also signify that on this day we humans stand in the heavenly court and God decides who shall live who shall be impoverished who shall be enriched and who shall rise. The day is specifically a celebration of the new year and wishes from God that he should bless us with prosperity and happiness ahead. It has many different names such as Yom Teruah which means the day of Shofar Yom Hazikaron which signifies the Day of Remembrance and Yom Hadin signifies the Day of Judgment.
Prayers and Priorities
The most important thing on Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of Shofar which is Ram’s horn. After the thirty blasts of Shofar, Torah is read which is at the time of offering morning prayers. When the additional 70 are blown then Musaf service is done and eventually, it reaches around 100. For all those who did not attend the synagogue, the shofar may be heard for the rest of the day. The sound of Shofar is just like the sound of a trumpet blown at the king’s coronation. The blowing of Shofar signifies the Binding of Issac which was an event that occurred on Rosh Hashanah when Ram took Issac’s place as God.
There are different kinds of greetings for males as well as females. For males, it is said “Leshanah Tovah tikatev vetichatem” and for females, this is said “Leshanah Tovah tikatevee vetichatemee” . There is a lightening of candles by the girls and women in the evening of Rosh Hashanah and they wish for good blessings from God.
Prayers are offered in the evening just as any regular holiday but the morning prayers are quite long. On the first day, a holy book called Machzor is read. On the second morning, Issac’s story is read who was ready to sacrifice his son for his devotion to God.
Feast And Celebration
On the night of Rosh Hashanah, the same kind of meal is at the dinner which is quite common in holidays. They recite kuddish over wine.
- Bread dipped in honey except salt signifies the sweet wishes for the new year.
- Slices of apple dipped in honey
- Parts of the head of a fish
- Many eat pomegranates on the day with the wish that their merits should be equal to the number of seeds.
Rosh Hashanah is the start of the celebration of Yamim Noriam which is known as High Holidays. The celebration of it starts one week later with a gathering in the synagogue and 25 hours of fasting, prayers, and inspiration.
