Rosh Hashanah: Jewish Beginning - Rosh Hashanah  

By Ezekiel Isaac Malekar  

Rosh Hashanah: Jewish Beginning - Rosh Hashanah  

Many important events are believed to have happened on Rosh Hashanah. The six days of creation were completed; Abraham and Jacob were born; Sarah, Rachel and Hannah - after years of wanting and praying for children - conceived Isaac, Joseph and Samuel, and Joseph was freed from prison.

Rosh Hashanah is also called Yom Ha-Din, the Day of Judgment. It is the day people are judged by God, and their fate for the coming year is also decided. The idea of the Day of Judgment produced a special liturgy and special customs.

Rosh Hashanah is one of those Jewish holidays which signify that the idea of the individual should be emphasised. As Ruler and Judge, God makes no distinction between nations and religious groups. On that day, He considers every human being regardless of his nationality. Rosh Hashanah is bound to neither nation nor locality.

In prayers, Jews say, "Teshuva, Tefila and Tzedakah Ma'avereem Es Roah Hagezairah " - that repentance, prayer and charity nullify the evil decree because they together constitute what is necessary for us to live good lives.

Repentance reminds us that we have control over ourselves. We can change. We are not a pawn. We are not a slave to different habits. Prayer says that we can have relationships, a relationship with God and relationship with man. Charity says that we can help the poor. We can alleviate human suffering. We need all three simultaneously, otherwise, we, too, will tend to do evil.

A mystic significance was attached to the custom of blowing the Shofar - Ram's Horn. In ancient times, the blasts of the horn were believed to have the power of driving away evil spirits. The Shofar is blown to remind Jews of the intended sacrifice of Isaac, for, according to Judaism, Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac on that day on the spot where the Jerusalem Temple was later erected.

Since, by the Command of God, a ram was substituted for Isaac (Genesis, 22), the sages explained that the blowing of a ram's horn would remind us of God's providence. The sound of the Shofar has the unique quality of penetrating the human soul and causing the heart to tremble. The sounds are a wake-up call to repentance.

Special items of diet became associated with the Rosh Hashanah meal. Honey was set on the table and bread was dipped into it, while the head of the house pronounced the words: "May it be His will that this year be a sweet one". The special loaves of white bread were formed round and smooth, as a symbol of the desire that the year too be smooth and round.

During afternoon service of the first day of Rosh Hashanah, a prayer of forgiveness, Jews go to the edge of a river, lake, sea or any flowing water there to recite a ritual, Tashlich , which means "casting off", and it is customary to throw bread crumbs into the water, where they are swallowed up in the hope that like the bread, our sins will be swallowed up, too.

Let us all hope that soon wisdom and peace may prevail on this earth and pray that the day will come when God's name will be one and He will be recognised throughout the world as one. When all nations will band together, following the Oneness Principle. Let us hope that day will come soon.

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See also: Rosh Hashanah , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul

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