Rosh Hashana, Jewish New Year 5776

Shofar horn for Rosh Hashanah near apples

Just now as sunset is coming on, Rosh Hashana has just begun, the Jewish New Year of 5776.  This holiday is celebrated every year with the blowing of the shofar, even the same as it was done when the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ walked upon the face of the earth.  This was also a time that Israel coronated its kings, and it was also a time that the people prepared for Yom Kippur, a high holy day for repentance.  Rosh Hashana is really just a one day feast day.  ‘However, the Sanhedrin would send out messengers to inform people that the new moon had been seen; but sometimes the messengers would actually be late by an entire day.  So by the time of the 12th century, Rosh Hashana was extended to a two day feast which was considered to be just one incredibly long day’ History.com .

Good food is an integral part of the celebrations; namely, challah (pronounced ‘hollah’) bread and apples dipped in honey which represents a ‘sweet new year’ and as such, the participants bless each other with sayings such as, “Shana Tovah,” meaning ‘A good new year.’  Some participants stand by a body of water and cast the contents of their pockets out onto the water which represents the casting away of their sins.

The next ten days are considered to be ‘high holy days’ in preparation for the culmination of Yom Kippur.  Rosh Hashana is also a ‘serious time to ask oneself if you have strayed from the path of righteousness.  How can one return and be better in the coming new year?  It is a wake-up call to wake up those that are sleeping and could have done better’ History.com.

So light some Shabbat candles and serve some apples and honey for a sweet new year.