The Jewish New Year Begins
September 15 2023 at sundown (1st of Tishrei, 5784)
September 15 2023 at sundown (1st of Tishrei, 5784)
While Gregorian calendar days begin at midnight, in the Hebrew calendar, days begin at sunset of the previous day. The Jewish New Year begins at nightfall of Friday 15 September this year, as the Hebrew date turns to the 1st of the month of Tishrei. Happy 5784!
Though Rosh Hashanah
literally means "head of the year," the holiday actually takes place on
the first two days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, which is the seventh
month on the Hebrew calendar. This is because Rosh Hashanah, one of
four new years in the Jewish year,
is considered the new year of people, animals and legal contracts. In
the Jewish oral tradition, Rosh Hashanah marks the completion of the
creation of the world.
Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of the Jewish High Holy Days, or Yamim Noraim (the "Days of Awe"), and is followed 10 days later by Yom Kippur,
the "day of atonement." The Mishnah refers to Rosh Hashanah as the "day
of judgment," and it is believed that God opens the Book of Life on
this day and begins to decide who shall live and who shall die. The days
between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are viewed as an opportunity for
Jews to repent (teshuvah, in Hebrew) and ensure a good fate.
Jews
traditionally gather in synagogues on Rosh Hashanah for extended
services that follow the liturgy of a special prayerbook, called a mahzor, that is used during the Days of Awe. At specific times throughout the service, a shofar, or ram's horn, is blown. The mitzvah (commandment) to hear the shofar, a literal and spiritual wake-up call, is special to this time of year.
The
new year is the only Jewish holiday that is observed for two days by
all Jews (other holidays are observed for just one day within the Land
of Israel) as it is also the only major holiday that falls on a new
moon.
A common greeting on Rosh Hashanah is shana tovah u'metukah, Hebrew for "a good and sweet new year."
Many traditional Rosh Hashanah foods - apples and honey, raisin challah, honey cake and pomegranate - are eaten, in part, for this reason.
Crostini Di Fegatini
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