Fall comes this week! Many activities that were on hiatus for the summer are now set in motion once again. The change of season may or may not be felt, depending on where you live. I am so thankful that the weather where I live has finally gone below triple digits. My own schedule has more items added to it these days and I find myself checking my calendar frequently to make sure I have appointments, events, and activities on it, so I don’t forget anything! I am also thinking and planning for the High Holy Days that are rapidly approaching.
I got my Rosh Hashanah decorations out and will soon add more fall décor. Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown September 25th (Tishri 1). Ten days later is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and five days after that begins the week-long celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles – Sukkot.
In Leviticus 23 verses 23-24 the Eternal One is speaking to Moses and says, “Go, talk with the Israelites, and tell them to observe a day of Sabbath rest in the autumn on the first day of the seventh month. Commemorate this day and call together a sacred assembly by sounding the trumpets.”
Rosh Hashanah is a celebration of the new year on the civil Jewish calendar. But it also has a spiritual significance. Rosh means ‘head’ or ‘beginning’ of the new year. The Hebrew word for year is ‘shanah’. So Rosh Hashanah means ‘beginning of change’. It is a day on which it is thought that God created the world. The focus for this celebration is on God being the King of the world. It is a time to reflect on re-commitment. For the Jew, this means trying to live a better life and looking for ways to serve others. For the Christ-follower this feast is a time to reflect on the goodness of God, find joy in His presence, joyfully serve others, and pray for His imminent return.
The symbols of Rosh Hashanah are round challah bread shaped into crowns. As one year ends and another one begins, we come ‘full circle’. Also, the round shape has no beginning and no end. Foods that are eaten are symbolic of the land of Israel and the promise God gave to the children of Israel that they would find the land “flowing with milk and honey” (Lev 20:24). Apples dipped in honey, pomegranates, dates, figs, challah dipped in honey – these are all sweet foods that reflect the prayer for a sweet, good year!
The blowing of the shofar, a ram’s horn, is a very significant part of the celebration. Blowing of trumpets is a call to action. Trumpets are sounded at coronations and other important ceremonies of state. In biblical times it was a call to battle (1 Sam 17:47; Josh 6) or to gather at the front of the Tabernacle (Num 10:7). We are also compelled to heed the call to action. To live life so that others will see the light of Christ within us; find joy and excitement that at the end of days a trumpet will sound and all those who are dead in Christ will be raised to new, eternal life (1 Cor 15:22; 1 Thess 4:16).
“This is a good life – my heart is glad, my soul is full of joy, who could want for more? You will not abandon me to experience death and the grave or leave me to rot alone. Instead, You direct me on the path that leads to a beautiful life. As I walk with You, the pleasures are never-ending, and I know true joy and contentment."(Psalm 16:9-11).
L’Shana Tova!
Have a good, sweet year!
Comments