Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is celebrated the first and second days of Tishri. It is a time of family gatherings, special meals and sweet tasting foods. On the first night of Rosh Hashanah, after prayer services, a special greeting which is only said on this night “For a good year, may you be inscribed and sealed”. Everyone is judged by God on his or her actions during the previous year. The resulting judgement is inscribed by God and a person’s future is determined for the following year. Though that judgment is inscribed, it is not yet sealed and can still be changed at least for another ten days. God waits until Yom-Kippur to seal the book for the year. The essence of Rosh Hashannah, however, is not Teshuvah. Indeed, you will barely find the idea of Teshuvah or confession in Rosh Hashannah prayers at all. Rather the focus is on something perhaps even more basic - more complete understanding of our relationship with God. Realizing that God is the one and only King to which we owe our lives and allegiance.