Rosh
Hashana Guide for the Perplexed
Yoram
Ettinger, September 8,
2010
Based
on Jewish
Sages
1. Rosh Hashanah –
unlike all other Jewish holidays – is a universal (stock-taking, renewal and
hopeful) holiday. It is celebrated on the sixth day of The
Creation,
which produced the first human being,
Adam. Rosh (Hashanah) means in Hebrew "beginning," "first," "head," "chief."
The Hebrew letters of Rosh constitute the root of the Hebrew word for
Genesis,
"Bereshit", which is the first word in
the Bible. Just like The Creation, so should the New Year
and our own actions, be a thoughtful – and not a hasty - process. Rosh Hashanah
is celebrated at the beginning of the Hebrew month of
Tishrei, which means beginning/Genesis in
ancient Akkadian. The Hebrew spelling of Tishrei is
included in the spelling of Genesis. Rosh Hashanah is referred to as "Ha'rat
Olam" (the pregnancy
of the world), and its prayers highlight Motherhood, Optimism
and the pregnancies of Sarah and Rachel, the Matriarchs, and
Hanna, who gave birth to Isaac, Joseph &
Benjamin and Samuel the Prophet respectively. Sarah (the root of the Hebrew word, Israel)
and Hanna (the root of the Hebrew words Pardon, Amnesty and
Merciful) were two of the seven Jewish
Prophetesses: Sarah, Miriam, Hanna, Deborah, Huldah, Abigail,
Esther. Hanna's
prayer has
become a role-model for God-heeded-prayers which are recited by the
"non-privileged". Noah
– who led the rebirth of
humanity/world – also features in Rosh Hashanah
prayers.
2. The
transient/tenuous nature of human beings is highlighted by
the celebration of Rosh
Hashanah
(the beginning of
a New
Year) and the end of the previous year.
Recognizing human fallibility, Rosh Hashana highlights humility,
soul-searching, responsibility, renewal/rebirth and the need for systematic
education.
3. The
Shofar (ritual horn) is blown on Rosh Hashanah as a wake-up call to mend
human behavior. Rosh Hashanah is also called "Yom
Te'roo'ah" (the day of blowing the
Shofar). Shofar is a derivative of the Hebrew word for Enhancement/Improvement
(Shipur), which is constantly expected of human beings. It
requires humility,
symbolized by the Shofar, which is bent and is not supposed to be decorated.
The Shofar is the epitome of Peace-Through-Strength:
It is made from the horn of a
ram,
which is a peaceful animal equipped with strong horns, in order to fend off wild
animals. The numerical value of the Hebrew word,"ram", is 41, equal to the value
of "Mother."
While the blowing of the
Shofar is a major virtue, listening to the Shofar is at least as pertinent a
virtue.
The Hebrew root of "listening"
is Ozen, ear,
which contains the balancing
mechanism in our body. Ozen is also the root for
"Scale"
and "Balance",
which is the zodiac sign of the
month of Tishrei. Both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
(when people balance their good deeds vs. bad deeds) are observed during the
month of Tishrei.
4. The three ways of
blowing the Shofar express the inner constant values (Te'kiyah), the tenuous nature of
human actions (She'va'rim) and the determined pursuit of faith-driven long-term
vision (Troo'ah). The last, and very long, blow of the Shofar (Te'kiyah
Gedolah) represents long-term steadfastness capability in face of challenges and
threats.
The
three series of blowing the Shofar highlights the liberty of human-beings
under G-D's Kingdom (Malkhooyot), the centrality of history/memory/roots
(Zichronot) and enhancement (Shofarot).
The blows of the
Shofar represent the three
Patriarchs, the three parts of the
Bible and the three types of human
beings on judgment day (pious, evil and mediocre).
Rosh Hashanah
services include 101 blows of the Shofar. It is the
numerical value of the Hebrew spelling of Michael, a Guardian Angel, which was one of the names
of
Moses.
5.
The
pomegranate - one of the seven species blessing the Land of Israel - features
during Rosh Hashanah meals and in a key blessing on Rosh Hashanah:
"May you be credited with as many rewards as the seeds of the pomegranate." The
pomegranate becomes ripe in time for
Rosh Hashanah and contains - genetically - 613
seeds, which is the number of Jewish laws (of Moses). It
was employed as an ornament of the Holy
Arc, the Menorah
(candelabrum) and the coat of the High
Priest. It is employed as an ornament for the Torah
Scrolls. The first two letters of the Hebrew word for
pomegranate, Rimon
– which is
known for its crown
- mean
sublime
(Ram). The pomegranate (skin and seeds) is one of the
healthiest fruit: high in iron, anti-oxidants,
anti-cancer, decreases blood pressure, enhances the quality of blood and the
cardiac and digestion systems. Rimon is a metaphor for
a wise
person: Wholesome like a
pomegranate.
6. Commemoration
Day ("Yom Hazikaron" in Hebrew) is one of the names of
Rosh Hashanah. One can avoid - rather than repeat - past mistakes by learning
from history. The more one
remembers, the deeper are the roots and the greater is one's
stability
and one's capability to withstand storms of pressure and
temptation. The more stable/calculated/moral is the beginning of the year (Rosh
Hashanah), the more constructive will the rest of the year.
Rosh Hashanah
commemorates:
Faith in – and Awe of
G-D;
Optimism in the
face of daily adversity;
The first
human-being, Adam, who was created on the sixth day of the
Creation;
The
cycle
of nature - seed planting
season and the equality of day and night;
The opening of
the Ark of
Noah following the Flood;
The almost-sacrifice of
Isaac (thou shall not sacrifice human beings);
The three
Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were conceived/born during
the month of Tishrei, which is called "The Month of the Strong Ones" - Nature
and the Patriarchs;
The release of
Joseph
from Egyptian jail;
The receipt of
the Ten
Commandment and the Torah;
Deliverance from
spiritual and physical slavery (which inspired
the
Abolitionist
movement);
The Prophet Samuel (who
inspired the early Pilgrims,
US Founding
Fathers and the rebellion against the British) was conceived in
Tishrey;
Reconstruction of the Second
Temple and destruction of both Temples;
The ingathering of the Jews to the
Land of Israel;
The first of the Ten Days of Personal, Annual
Self-Examination
(similar to a full
service of one's car).
7. A Hebrew
word for atonement/repentance
is Te'shuvah, which also means spiritual and physical Return to core
values and to the Land of Israel. On Rosh
Hashanah one is expected to plan a "spiritual/behavioral
budget" for the entire year. The prerequisite for a
wholesome "budget" is humility, a pre-condition for an effective "stock taking."
The three Hebrew words, Teshuvah
(Repentance/Atonement), Shivah (Spiritual and Physical Return) and Shabbat
(Creation concluded) emerge from the same Hebrew root.
They constitute a triangular (personal, national
and spiritual) foundation, whose strength depends on the
depth of Education and
Commemoration. According to King Solomon, "The triangular cord
cannot be broken."
May the New
Year (5771 according to the Jewish calendar) be top heavy on Truth, Realism and
Endurance and low on misrepresentations, delusion and
vacillation,