Shabbat shalom everyone! And a happy new year to you all! l’shana tova tikateyvu, which translates to: “May you be inscribed [in the Book of Life] for a good year”.
While we Jews typically celebrate the new year in a festive manner, it’s not quite the same as the countdown in Times Square kind of celebration with champagne popping and bingeing on some kind of inebriant. It’s referred to as one of the “High Holidays” for a reason, and that reason has nothing to do with achieving any altered state of mind through the use or abuse of any edibles or alcoholic libations. No siree. Our new year may be festive but it also deals with some serious stuff, which is why it is also considered “Judgement” day. According to the good Jews at Chabad.org, three ledgers are opened on Rosh Hashanah: one for those who are entirely wicked, one for those who are entirely righteous, and one for those who are in the middle. The entirely righteous are immediately inscribed in the Good Book and sealed to live. That is certainly cause for celebration! The entirely wicked, however, are immediately inscribed and sealed to die. Yikes! They too, might as well celebrate since this will be their last new year! The fate of those in the middle is held in balance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Holy brisket batman! Better start repenting now and for the next 10 days, or this may be your last Rosh Bowl! Skipping shul this year? Not a good thing.
What is a good thing, and a family favorite tradition, is ringing in the new year at Dan and Ruth’s house for an amazing evening of fine food, crazy Rosh Bowl games invented by Daniel, and of course, some serious kibitzing. The host and hostess with the mostest will surely be inscribed in the Good Book, and we attendees hope we get a proximity pass along with them. This year includes a new attendee, which provides me with another shameless opportunity to share celebrating the birth of our 3rd grandchild, Cameron Sonny Worgaftik.
Rosh Hashanah is associated with only one Biblical commandment – the blowing of the shofar. The mitzvah of shofar is so deeply connected to the essence of Rosh that the Torah refers to Rosh Hashanah as “Yom Teruah” (Day of the Blowing). The mitzvah of shofar is steeped in symbolism – for centuries, the Jewish people risked their lives to hear the call of the shofar.
Jewish law requires that the shofar be blown 30 times on each day of Rosh Hashanah, although by custom it is blown 100 or 101 times on each day. If you Google “how many times is the Shofar blown”, you will get a slew of differing answers with Talmudic references and guidance on the proper way to blow. Of course there are many rules on the “how”, including one that says if your shofar is facing downward, the blow doesn’t count. I couldn’t resist re-posting this video demonstrating the proper form for blowing the Shofar:
Another tradition of Rosh is to perform “Tashlich”, literally “casting away” the sins of the year by throwing small pieces of bread into a nearby body of water (although some orthodox decry the use of bread). Hence, to be properly prepared, I have purchased several large loaves of challah for my personal use and will be spending a considerable amount of time at Lake Massapaug this weekend.
Whatever your form of celebration, Sandy and I wish you all a healthy, happy, and fun new year! Good yontif!
And remember, be safe out there.
Brad out.
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