Rosh Ha-Shanah and the Book of Life
Monday, September 14th, 2015September 14, 2015
On Monday, Jews throughout the world celebrate Rosh Ha-Shanah, the New Year. The solemn religious festival actually began at sundown Sunday evening and for most Jews continues for a second day, ending at sundown Tuesday. Rosh Ha-Shanah are Hebrew words that mean “Beginning of the year.”
The holiday does not commemorate any historical event in Jewish history but rather the creation of the world. Jews believe Rosh Ha-Shanah is the start of God’s annual judgment of humanity. At that time, God decides who will continue to live and who will die during the coming year. The traditional greeting on the holiday is “May you be inscribed in the Book of Life for a good year.”
Rosh Ha-Shanah usually begins in September on the first day of the Hebrew month of Tishri. Jews attend synagogue services that emphasize the themes of judgment, penance, and forgiveness. Worshipers pray for God’s forgiveness, for a good year, and for long life. A ram’s horn, called a shofar, is blown to call the people to repentance and to awaken Jews to the service of God.
Rosh Ha-Shanah begins the Ten Days of Penitence, which end on the holiday of Yom Kippur. Three special groups of prayers are recited during Rosh Ha-Shanah. The first group reminds the people that God rules the world. The second group tells them that God responds to the sound of the shofar, and the third group that God remembers people’s deeds.