A CLOSE-UP LOOK AT ROSH HASHANAH PRACTICES
Greetings
It is customary to greet people on Rosh Hashanah with the phrase "have a good new year." In Hebrew the greeting is: l’shanah tovah - (wishes) for a good year.!
Click on the link above to hear the phrase pronounced! Also, this video offers a lively singing of the phrase. |
Prayer
Rosh Hashanah is a Jewish holiday with LARGE synagogue attendance. During the service, congregants read out of a special prayerbook known as a mahzor. The tone of the services is solemn but stately. Some key High Holiday prayers and blessings are shared on this page.
As with most Jewish holidays, the evening observance at the home dinner table begins with candle lighting, though for Rosh Hashanah, this blessing's last words are: v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Yom Tov (“who commands us to light the candles of the holiday”). Kiddush , the blessing over the wine, sanctifies the day. Motzi, the blessing over bread, is recited as well. |
Food
Today, most Jews begin their Rosh Hashanah celebration with a festive family meal. The most popular foods served are apples and honey (for a sweet new year) and a round hallah (symbolizing the cyclical nature of the new year, among other explanations).
Depending on one's family heritage, this meal can include “good luck” or symbolic foods such as fish heads, pomegranates, and carrots. |
Shofar
One of the dominant symbols for this holiday is the shofar or ram’s horn because the festival’s name indicates it’s a day of sounding of the shofar (Yom T'ru-ah; a day of sounding).
There are many explanations for the use of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah:
During each day of the holiday, a total of 100 shofar notes are sounded. They are a combination of three distinct sounds:
Want to hear a shofar and learn how to blow it? Click here. This video offers a little more technical help in getting a sound out. Click here. |
Tashlih
A tradition observed on the first afternoon of Rosh Hashanah (unless it falls on Shabbat when it is postponed until the following afternoon) is tashlih; “you will cast away." This custom dates back to the 14th century and involves Jews gathering around a moving body of water (a river, stream,
etc.) into which they throw bread crumbs. The crumbs represent the sins that are being cast away and hopefully forgiven. This custom stems from a quote in the book of the prophet Micah: And You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins. Micah 7:18 To see Tashlih and hear a student explanation, click on the photo, above, or here. |
Wearing White
White is symbolic of purity. It stems from this quote in Isaiah: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall become as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). In some congregations, the rabbi and cantor wear a traditional white robe known as a kittel; in others, they wear a white robe and/or or prayershawl. The Torah scroll covers are usually changed to white, as are other decorative items in the synagogue.
The ancient Jewish book called the Talmud suggests that Jews wear white to show their festive mood (as contrasted with black worn during a mournful mood). Another commentary states that though one does not wear black, one should also not wear colored clothes. According to this tradition, vivid colors indicate arrogance for one’s fate, whereas the white hue shows reverence and awe. In liberal settings, many Jews today wear whatever color clothing they wish. Want to know more?
Click here for the "My Jewish Learning" webpage with LOTS of links to great articles and information on Rosh Hashanah!Al
Also, check out this quick video by Rabbi Eve Posen: |
Jewish Education Center of Cleveland (JECC)
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