Rosh Hashanah

Lore & Background

Rosh Hashanah is described in the Mishnah as a day when 'creatures pass before [God] like sheep' (Rosh Hashanah 1:2), receiving their judgment. The Talmud, citing Rabbi Kruspedai who attributes his opinion to Rabbi Yochanan, in Rosh Hashanah 16b:12, states that three books of judgment are opened on Rosh Hashanah. The books are inscribed with the fates of the individuals' names: one for the completely wicked, a second for the wholly righteous, and a third for those in an intermediate moral state, all judged by God. The names of the entirely righteous are immediately inscribed in the book of the living and they are sealed 'for life'. The intermediate group is given ten days until Yom Kippur to reflect, repent, and become righteous; the wicked are 'blotted out of the book of the living,' teaches Rabbi Avin, referencing Psalm 69:29. Some midrashic descriptions depict God sitting upon a throne before open books containing the deeds of all humanity, with each person passing before God for evaluation of their deeds. The Sages in the Talmud have characterized the day of Rosh Hashanah as the day that we so to speak crown God as king anew each year. This is effectuated through the Shofar blasts which symbolize the horns sounded at a coronation.

Reader's Guide

Rosh Hashanah is a two-day observance and celebration that begins on the first day of Tishrei, which is the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year. The holiday itself follows a lunisolar calendar and begins the evening prior to the first day. Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the civil year, according to the teachings of Judaism, and is the traditional anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman according to the Hebrew Bible, as well as the initiation of humanity's role in God's world. It also initiates the ten days of repentance making it an opportune time for repentance. Rosh Hashanah customs include sounding the shofar (a hollowed-out ram's horn), as prescribed in the Torah, following the prescription of the Hebrew Bible to blast a [horn] on Yom Teruah. Eating symbolic foods that represent wishes for a sweet new year is an ancient custom recorded in the Talmud. Other rabbinical customs include attending synagogue services and reciting special liturgy centering around three main themes: Crowning God as king, Shofar blasts, and God remembering us in judgement, as well as enjoying festive meals. 'Tashlich', which means 'to cast' is a ritual performed any time between the first day of Rosh Hashanah and Hoshana Rabbah. Participants recite specific prayers by water, seeking divine forgiveness by symbolically shaking out their garments and casting away their sins into the depths of the waters. In many communities, this is done by throwing stones or pieces of bread into the water.

Did You Know?

• The biblical name for Rosh Hashanah is Yom Teruah, meaning 'day of blasting'.
• Rosh Hashanah is the traditional anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman according to the Hebrew Bible.
• The Talmud states that three books of judgment are opened on Rosh Hashanah: one for the completely wicked, one for the wholly righteous, and one for those in an intermediate moral state.
• The Sages in the Talmud characterize Rosh Hashanah as the day that we so to speak crown God as king anew each year, effectuated through Shofar blasts.
• The term 'rosh hashanah' appears once in the Bible (Ezekiel 40:1), where it has a different meaning—either generally the time of the 'beginning of the year', or possibly a reference to Yom Kippur, or to the month of Nisan.