LAWS of ROSH HASHANAH

excerpts taken from "The Book of Our Heritage" by Elihayu Kitov

THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT

Rosh Hashanah is the day of judgment for all the world's mortals. On this day Man is judged as to the events of his life during the forthcoming year. "The eyes of the Lord your G-d are upon it (the Land) from the beginning of the year till its end" (Dvarim 11) "From Rosh Hashanah (the beginning of the year) judgment is ren-dered as to the events occurring till its end" (Tractate Rosh Hashanah 8).

Our sages have also spoken about the manner in which G-d scrutinizes His people: At one and the same time He sees them all together and considers the actions of each one separately. "All the world's inhabitants pass before Him like sheep, benei maron (Tr. Rosh Hashanah 16). They pass one by one like sheep coming into their shed, being scrutinized by their shepherd and yet, this is all done in one single survey."

"Rabi Cruspedai said in the name of Rabi Yochanan: Three books are opened on Rosh Hashanah; one of the iniquitous (resha'im gemurim), one of the just (tzadikim gemurim) and one of these who are in the middle" (beinonim). The tzadikim gemurim are immediately inscribed and sealed for life: the reshaim gemurim are immediately inscribed and sealed for death. The beinonim are held over from Rosh Hashanah till Yom Kipur (the tenth of Tishrey). If they merit it (and repent) they are inscribed for life. If not they are inscribed for death" (Tr. Rosh Hashanah 17).

For two basic reasons Rosh Hashanah was ordained to be the Day of Judgment. Firstly, on this day, the world's creation was completed, and it was the original Divine intention to govern the world with the attribute of Justice (midat hadin). Secondly, as stated above, it was on this day that Adam was judged, that he repented and was forgiven.

These two reasons are alluded to in the musaf service of Rosh Hashanah: "For You will bring a statute of Providence that every spirit and soul be visited; that a multitude of deeds be remembered and a throng of creatures without end. From the beginning You did make this known and from aforetime You revealed it. This day is the beginning of Your works; it is a memorial for the first of days." A memorial for the first day of Creation's completion, and a memorial for the first Day of Judgment.

Our Sages have noted: "G-d's way differs from the way of a man of flesh and blood. The way of a man of flesh and blood is to judge a loving friend in an hour of good will, in order to treat him mercifully; and to judge an enemy in an hour of anger, in order to exact strict justice from him. G-d does otherwise: He judges the entire world including those who violate His will only in an hour of good will in the month of Tishrey. This month contains numerous festivals and mitzvoth bringing anew the affinity between Him and His creatures. During this month of reconciliation, G-d wel-comes Man's prayer and repentance and judges him with compassion.

THE FIRST OF TISHREI

Although Tishrei is the seventh month, it is nowadays numbered the first month with reference to the calendar years. Its first day is also the beginning of a new year, "Rosh Hashanah", for applying the laws of sabbatical and Jubilee years, young fruit trees and harvest of grain and vegetables.

DAY OF CONCEALMENT

Rosh Hashanah -the first of Tishrei, is also called yom hakeseh (day of concealment). "Sound of the shofar (ram's horn) at the new mount, at the concealed time for our festival day" (Tehilim 81).

All that transpires on this day is characterized by concealment. All other festival days fall either when the moon is full or near full i.e. approximately at mid-month. Rosh Hashanah however, falls on the first day of the month, when the new moon may not yet have appeared. The People of Israel is symbolically compared to the moon and is radiant on its Sabbaths and Festivals. On Rosh Hashanah, however, Israel diminishes itself and conceals its greatness in awe of the Day of Judgment. The Almighty, too, places a cover of concealment over His People's sins and accords them forgiveness.

DAY OF BEGINNINGS

The first of Tishrei was, according to Rabbi Eliezer, the day on which G-d created Adam, thereby completing the Creation of the world.

According to Rabbi Eliezer, the Patriarchs - who have started a new world after sinful earlier generations -- were also born in Tishrei.

On Rosh Hashanah, Sarah, Rachel and Hannah were granted Divine-Remembrance. They have been childless, and G-d remembered them that day with the gift of children.

On Rosh Hashanah, Yosef was freed from the prison in which he had been kept for twelve years, and thereafter his light began to shine.

On Rosh Hashanah the bondage of our fathers in Egypt ceased, and their redemption began.

The very first Rosh Hashanah of the world -- on which Adam was created -- was already marked with the values of Judgment and Forgiveness. On that very day said our Saves -- Adam violated the commandment G-d had given him (concerning the Tree of Knowledge), was judged and then forgiven, by G-d. Whereupon G-d said to him: You are a sign unto your children; as you were judged before me this day and emerged forgiven, so will your children be judged before me this day and emerge forgiven.

A YOM TOV ON WHICH HALLEL IS NOT SAID

Since Rosh Hashanah is the Day of Judgment, each person should feel anxiety and awe; he should guard against levity, and against anything which distracts him from the awe of judgment.

So great is the fear of judgment among Israel on Rosh Hashanah, that they do not recite the "Hallel" (Psalm 113 - 118, recited on New Moon and festivals as a Song of Praise) although "Rosh Hashanah is a "Yom Tov" (a festival). For the People of Israel utter the Halel before G-d only when their hearts are filled with joy, whereas during the days of judgment there is more fear and trembling in Jewish hearts, than rejoicing.

Nevertheless, a person ought not be saddened by fear of judgment; one should cut his hair and wash in honour of the festival, and dress in his Yom Tov clothing, thereby showing trust that G-d would vindicate us in judgment. For the same reason, we do not weep on Rosh Hashanah.

THE FIRST NIGHT OF ROSH HASHANAH

The first night of Rosh Hashanah after prayer, greetings are exchanged. One says to each other: "Leshanah tovah tikatev vetchatem l'alter lechayim tovim" (may you be inscribed and sealed immediately for a good life).

After the first night, it is considered improper to continue extending this greeting. Our Sages of blessed memory, have said: "A sign has reality". We therefore perform symbolic acts as a sign for good -- an expression of prayer that we emerge meritorious in judgment and that the new year may be a good one for us. These symbolic acts are performed during the first evening meal of Rosh Hashanah, and in the Sephardic custom, the second night as well. A morsel of the "chalah" (festival bread) is dipped into honey, and when there is no honey, in sugar. Some follow the custom of dipping the morsel both in salt and honey. After a "kazayit" (the equivalent of an olive in size of the morsel has been eaten), a sweet apple is dipped in honey, the "brachah" (benediction) for fruit of the tree is uttered over it, and the following prayer is said "May it be your will to renew in our behalf a good and sweet year" (This last prayer however, is not to be said between the "brachah" and the eating of the fruit).

It is likewise the custom to partake the head of a sheep or a fish, and to say: "May it be your wish that we be as a head and not as a tail." Hence also, some particularly eat fish as a mark of hope for blessing.

On Rosh Hashanah nuts are not eaten, since they increase phlegm and saliva, and distract one during prayer. Another reason: The numerical value of the Hebrew term for nut, "egoz", is the same as that of "chet" (Hebrew for sin) and we refrain from alluding to sin on Rosh Hashanah.

THE SOUNDING OF THE SHOFAR

We are bidden by the Torah to sound a "shofar" (a ram's horn) on Rosh Hashanah: "And in the seventh month, on the first of the month, you shall have a holy convocation; it shall be a day of "tru'ah" unto you" Bamidbar 29).

Rav Se'adiah Gaon recounts ten symbolic meanings in the sounding of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah:

1. The day marks Creation's beginning; thereon G-d created the world and became its Sovereign.. And at the beginning of a reign, it is customary to sound trumpets before the newly crowned king, and to proclaim his ascent to sovereignty throughout the realm., Similarly do we accept the Creator's sovereignty upon ourselves.

2. Rosh Hashanah is the first of the Ten Days of Repentance, "asseret yemei teshuvah", and shofar is sounded thereon to proclaim and to warn: Whoever wishes to repent -- let him repent; if not, let him have remorse later. And this is the way of kings; first they forewarn the people through decrees, and whoever transgresses has no complaint.

3. To remind us of the stand at Mt. Sinai, of which it was said, "And the sound of the shofar was exceedingly strong." So that we might accept upon ourselves what our fathers accepted when they said, "We will do and we will hear (understand and accept)."

4. To remind us of the words of the "Nevi'im" (the prophets), which were compared to the sounding of a shofar: -- "And whoever hears the sound of the shofar (i.e. the call of the Prophets) and takes no warning -- if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head; whereas, if he had taken warning, he would have saved his soul" (Yechezkel 33).

5. To remind us of the destruction of "Beit Hamikdash" (the Sanctuary in Jerusalem) and the trumpet blasting of the enemy attack. When we hear the shofar's sound, we are to pray to G-d for the rebuilding of the Sanctuary.

6. To remind us, through the sounding of a ram's horn, of the binding of Itzchak (the "Akedah"), who offered his life to G-d, and of the ram slaughtered in his place. Likewise, are we to offer our lives for the sanctification of His Name, so that our remembrance may ascent before Him for the good.

7. When we hear the sound of the shofar, we are to feel fear and trembling, and are to humble ourselves before the Creator. For this is the effect of the shofar -- that is arouses fright and trembling, as it is written: "If a shofar is sounded in the city, shall the people not tremble?" (Amos 3).

8. To recall in fear the forthcoming great Day of Judgment, as it is said: "Near is the great day of the Lord, near and exceedingly soon is the day of shofar and shouting" (Zephaniah 1).

9. To recall our faith in the future in gathering of Israel's dispersed, and to awaken our yearning for it. As it is said: "And it shall be on that day -- a great shooter will be sounded, and those who have perished in the land of Assyria, and those who were dispersed in the land of Egypt will come..." (Yeshayahu 72).

10. To recall our faith in the future resurrection of the dead. As it is said: "All you inhabitants of the world, and you who dwell in the earth; when and ensign is lifted on the mountains you shall see, and when the shofar is sounded you shall hear" (Yeshayahu 18).

TASHLICH (The Casting away of Sin)

"Minchah" of Rosh Hashanah begins with "Ashrei -- Uva Letzion." (On Shabbat, a Torah reading from the weekly portion follows). The silent prayer is the same as that of schacharit, and "Avinu Malkenu" is said after the cantor's repetition. If Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, Avinu Malkenu is not said, and the same applies if the second day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Friday. The Sephardim however, say Avinu Malkenu on Shabbat also.

After minchah, the prayer of "Tashlich" is said near an ocean or river. In the absence of an ocean or river, the prayer may be said near a spring or well, or even an ingathering of rain water. The following verse is recited: "Who is a G-d like You, Who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His chosen people! He does not retain His anger forever, because He desires benevolence. He will again have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; And You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea" (michah 7). Other "verses of compassion" follow, as well as passages from "Tehilim". Some add a prayer composed by Rabbi Chaim David Azulai (known by the acrostic "Chida'"). One's pockets are shaken empty three times to symbolize the heart's intention to cast away sin, and to achieve total purification from its effect. This custom also finds symbolic support in a verse in Nehemiah: "Also I shook out my lap, and said: So may G-d shake out every man from his house and labor, who will not perform this promise... And all the congregation said "Amen," and praised the Lord. And the people did according to this promise" (Nehemiah 5).

ERUV TAVSHILIN

When the second day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Erev Shabbat (Friday), it is necessary to make an "Eruv Tavshilin" before the advent of Yom Tov in order to be permitted to prepare the foods needed for during Yom Tov.

What is an "eruv"? The Sages prohibited cooking on Yom Tov for the ensuing Shabbat, so that a person might not come to cook Yom Tov for an ensuing weekday. If, however, one prepared a cooked food on "Erev Yom Tov" (the day preceding the festival) for the Shabbat following Yom Tov, it is permissible, (to cook Yom Tov for the Shabbat following), since it is as if he had begun to cook on Erev Yom Tov the foods he would need Shabbat, and now he is only completing his work. In preparing an "eruv", he symbolically mixes ("eruv" -- mixture) his cooking for Shabbat with his cooking for Yom Tov, so that both are regarded as one cooking.

The eruv consists of one baked food and one cooked food. Erev Yom Tov, before dark, one takes hold of a "chalah" or "matzah" and a cooked food, such as meat, fish or a boiled egg, at least equal in size to "kazayit" (olive-size). Both foods are put aside in a reserved place and kept for Shabbat. Before the eruv is "concealed," a "brachah" is recited: "...who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the mitzvah of eruv."

SHABBAT SHUVAH

The Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is called Shabbat Shuvah because its "HafTorah" begins with the words "Shuvah Israel!" (Return O Israel! -- Hoshea 14).

The order of prayer is the same this Shabbat as that of the remaining Sabbaths of the year, except that the customary addenda to the silent-prayer for the Ten-Days-of-Repentance are recited Shabbat Shuvah as well. "Avinu Malkenu" is not said. In the prayer "Magen Avot" which follows the silent prayer on Shabbat eve, "hamelech hakadosh" is said instead of the usual "hakel hakadosh." During "shacharit" "Av Harachamim" is said, as is "tzedek" during "minchah."

From "The Book of Our Heritage" by Elihayu Kitov Compiled by Rabbi Yissochar Dov Turnheim Prepared by team of Beth Avraham Yosef of Toronto

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High Holidays resources:

Month of Elul	What is it? (Russian) About Teshuvah (Russian) Fall Holidays (Russian)	Teshuva & Simcha: Can They Coexist? (English) Why Slichoth? (Russian)
Rosh HaShanah	What is it? (Russian) Traditions (Russian) Hearing the Shofar (Russian) Apple in the Honey (Russian)	What is it? (English) Traditions (English) Laws of Rosh HaShanah (English) Rosh HaShanah recipes (English)
Yom Kippur	What is it? (Russian) Preparing to Yom Kippur (Russian) The Jewish Prayer (Russian) Elegy about Yom Kippur (Russian) The book of Yonah (Russian)	What is it? (English) Preparing to Yom Kippur (English) Kol Nidrey & Yizkor (English) Day before Yom Kippur (Russian)
Sukkoth	What is it? (Russian) Themes of Kohelleth (Russian) Shmini Atzereth & Simchath Torah (Russian)	What is it? (English) Arbah Minnim - 4 species (English) Ushpizen (English) Simchas Bais HaShoevah (English)

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Last update: September 1, 2001
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