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7
ROSH HOSHANAH by Len Freedman
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
The High Holidays, also known as The Days of Awe.
(Thank you to Len Freedman for this article)
Rosh ha-Shanah (beginning o f the year) is also known as Yom ha-Din (Day of Judgement), Yom
ha-Zikharon (Day of Memorial), and Yom Teruah (Day of sounding the Shofar). In the Liberal
community this is celebrated on the first of Tishri only, whilst the Orthodox community celebrate it
on the first and second of Tishri.
Rosh ha-Shanah begins the observance of the Ten Penitential Days, a period ending with Yom
Kippur. It is believed that on Rosh ha-Shanah it is decreed and written in the Book of Life, who
shall live and who shall die, who shall see ripe old age and who not, who shall be in peace and who
in torment, who rich and who poor etc. etc. (see the prayer Unetaneh tokef kedushat hayom page
176 Gates of Repentance) and on Yom Kippur the Book is sealed “but Penitence, Prayer and
Charity can avert judgements severe decree”. So all is not necessarily lost, one still has time
between Rosh ha-Shanah and Yom Kippur to change ones ways, to repent, to pray and give
charity.
The Torah portion that is read on Rosh ha-Shanah deals with God instructing Abraham to sacrifice
his son Isaac. As an angel tells Abraham that God has spared Isaac, a ram appears, caught by its
horns in a bush, and it is duly sacrificed. The rams horn has become a perpetual reminder of this
episode of Abrahams willingness to serve God, and at various times during the service it is blown.
On Rosh ha-Shanah it is the custom, after Kiddush and ha-Motzi, to eat apple dipped in honey
accompanied by the prayer for fruit (borei p’ri ha-eitz) and the request “May it be Your will, God and
God of our fathers to renew on us a good and sweet year”. It is also customary to eat a fruit that
that we have not eaten that season, over which we make the prayer “She-he-chi-onu” in which we
thank God for permitting us to survive to this season.
Between Rosh ha-Shanah and Yom Kippur, it is customary to visit the graves of relatives.
In the evening of the 10th of Tishri, Yom Kippur commences with the Service of Kol Nidrei – “All
vows and Obligations” – a plea to God to annul all the oaths and vows we made to Him, and which
we were unable to fulfil after honest effort. At the very beginning of the service it is made clear that
it is only promises to God that the Day of Atonement atones for. Transgressions of one human
against another can only be atoned for by asking forgiveness from the injured party.
The service starts with a very moving appeal by the reader, in front of the open Ark, that though he
considers himself unfit, because he is a sinner, for the great task he is about to perform, he should
be judged as though he was entirely fitting for the task of being the representative of the
congregation, that God should not blame the congregation for his sins, nor he for theirs.
The Ark is opened and the Scrolls are taken out. The Reader asks permission for the congregation
to pray with sinners – this is from the time of the Spanish Inquisition when Jews were forced into
converting to Catholicism (Marrano Jews) but inwardly were still Jews.
The reader then reads Kol Nidrei, asking absolution for the congregation for their broken promises
to God and their sins. The Scrolls are returned to the Ark.
The Fast starts an hour before sunset and continues until the evening of the next day – when 3 stars
are visible in the sky. It is customary not to wear leather or furs on Yom Kippur – shoes should be
of cloth or plastic – trainers, gym shoes, slippers etc. The chazzan or reader should wear a white
kittel in place of the normal black one, the Scrolls are covered in white and the curtain on the Ark
also is changed to white for the High Holy Days.
The Fast is brought to a close by the sounding of the Shofar – Tekiah Gedolah – a very long blast as
long as the lungs hold out!
An interesting fact – in Temple Times the High Priest would place his hands upon the head of a goat
as he confessed the peoples sins; the goat was then taken into the wilderness and thrown over a
precipice. This act was symbolic of expiation and God’s forgiveness. Thus we have the concept
of a scapegoat, someone who bears the blame for the faults of others.
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