Rosh Hashanah signifies the “head of the year”. The celebration of Rosh Hashanah is in the whole month from September 15 to September 17. It is basically celebrated in the month of Tishrei which is the seventh month of the Jewish Calendar. The day has significance relating to the creation of the world. This is the Jewish new year when God created Adam and Eve for the first time. The dates of Rosh Hashanah can definitely vary according to the Gregorian calendar. It is a two-day celebration which is considered as one of the biggest rituals for Jews. The celebration includes the blowing of Shofar and Ram’s horns. There are several facts that one should know about Rosh Hashanah.
The Tradition of Seeking Forgiveness Before
Before the celebration of Rosh Hashanah, all Jews ask for forgiveness for their deed from their friends and family whom they have hurt. We all do it on 31st December and make ourselves ready with a new resolution for the new year to come. In the same way, all Jews do it before Rosh Hashanah. It is also observed as the day of repentance. The idea behind this is that God does not give blessings to those who are not forgiven by the person whom they did wrong.
Lighting Candles
The day is celebrated along with the celebration of yoma arichta and shehecheyanu. On the first evening, women light candles, and then the traditional prayer is offered and then on the second evening, a thanking prayer is offered to God.
TALMUD Belief
According to Talmud, on the day of Rosh Hashanah God inscribes the name of each person on a book where he writes who is to be blessed with what. Here good people go into the Book of Life and the evil ones into the Book of Death.
Blowing Shofar
The blowing of Shofar is one of the most important rituals in the celebration of Rosh Hashanah. It is built of ram’s horns. It makes three sounds and hearing the sound of Shofar is taken as a symbol of repentance meaning one should repent for his bad deeds.
Rosh Hashanah is a Feast
Most of the celebration of Jews involves fasting for the whole day. But the celebration of Rosh Hashanah is a feast. There are traditions to eat some combinations like-
- Apple dipped in honey for a sweet year ahead
- Bread challah represents the cycle of life
- The fish head is a symbol of the way fish cannot survive without water and Jews cannot survive without Torah
- Pomegranate as the number of seeds in it signifies the number of blessings received from God.
The Greeting The Loved Ones
On the day of Rosh Hashanah, people greet their loved ones by saying “May you get inscribed for the good by the god in the Book of Life”. There are more wishes to wish Rosh Hashanah.
Throwing Stones in the Water
There is a ritual that says on this day one should stand near a river and offer prayers. Then should throw a stone and bread crumb in water so that all the sins get washed away. It will cast all the sins deep into the water of the river.
Other Facts
- The celebration of Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the High Holiday with 10 days of penitence that ends with Yom Kippur.
- On Rosh Hashanah, all Jewish people attend the synagogue in the church.
- There is an observance of two days of holidays and Jewish people refrain from working on these two days.
- The day is also known as the Day of Judgement because of the belief of Talmud and also the day of repentance because all people seek forgiveness and repent for their bad deeds in the past.
