…In the seventh month, on the first of the month, there shall be a sabbath for you, a remembrance with shofar blasts, a holy convocation. (Leviticus 16:24)
Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first and second days of Tishri. In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means literally “head of the year”.
Rosh Hashanah is commonly known as the Jewish New Year. This name is somewhat deceptive, because there is little similarity between Rosh Hashanah, one of the holiest days of the year, and the Christian New Year.
The committee of the Oudtshoorn Hebrew Institutions this week at the local synagogue in Baron van Reede Street are from left Messers Geoff Wilck, Marc Freedman, Clifford Miller (president), John Marcus, Stan Lipschitz and Bernard Herman.
There is, however, one important similarity between the Jewish New Year and the Christian one. Many Christians use the New Year as a time to plan a better life, to make “resolutions”. Likewise, the Jewish New Year is a time to do introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to make in the new year.
The name “Rosh Hashanah” is not used in the Bible to describe this holiday. The Bible refers to the holiday as Yom Ha-Zikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (the day of the sounding of the shofar). The holiday is instituted in Leviticus 23:24-25.
The shofar is a ram’s horn which is blown somewhat like a trumpet. One of the most important observances of this holiday is hearing the sounding of the shofar in the synagogue. A total of 100 notes are sounded each day. There are four different types of shofar notes. The shofar’s sound is a call to repentance. The shofar is not blown if the holiday falls on Shabbat.
No work is permitted on Rosh Hashanah. Much of the day is spent in the synagogue, where the regular daily liturgy is somewhat expanded. In fact, there is a special prayerbook called the machzor, used for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because of the extensive liturgical changes for these holidays. Religious services for the holiday focus on the concept of G-d’s sovereignty.
Another popular observance during this holiday is eating apples dipped in honey, a symbol of our wish for a sweet new year.
The ten days starting with Rosh Hashanah and ending with Yom Kippur are commonly known as the Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim) or the Days of Repentance. This is time for serious introspection, a time to consider the sins of the previous year and repent before Yom Kippur.
Among the customs of this time, it is common to seek reconciliation with people you may have wronged during the course of the year. The Talmud maintains that Yom Kippur atones only for sins between man and G-d. To repent alone for sins against another person, you must first seek reconciliation with that person, righting the wrongs you have committed against him or her if possible.
Work is permitted as usual during that week.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish the Jewish community of Oudthoorn a L’shanah tovah tikatev v’taihatem which means: “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year”.
On behalf of the Jewish community of Oudtshoorn, I would like to thank the Greater Oudtshoorn community for all their good wishes and support during the year.
May we all be blessed with peace and happiness.
Clifford Miller, President United Hebrew Institutions, Oudtshoorn
