The rituals and practices of Rosh Hashanah aren’t well-described in the Torah. They come into being in the time of the Rabbis. But we do have an example of a Tishrei celebration from the Tanakh. Although the practices described are slightly different, it captures the wide emotional spectrum of how we observe the New Year.
The passage I’m about to share comes from the book of Neḥemiah, chapter 8. It describes a segment of the Jewish community that had been living in exile since the destruction of the First Temple. Now returned to the Land of Israel, they are reclaiming their identity and relearning the tradition that had been taken from them when they were expelled from the land decades before.
“The entire people assembled as one in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the scroll of the Teaching of Moses with which the Eternal had charged Israel. On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Teaching before the congregation, men and women and all who could listen with understanding. He read from it, facing the square before the Water Gate, from the first light until midday, to the men and the women and those who could understand; the ears of all the people were given to the scroll of the Teaching…
Ezra opened the scroll in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people; as he opened it, all the people stood up. Ezra blessed the Eternal One, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with hands upraised. Then they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the Eternal with their faces to the ground…[Ezra’s entourage] read from the scroll of the Teaching of God, translating it and giving the sense; so [that the people] understood the reading.
Neḥemiah the Tirshatha, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were explaining to the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Eternal your God: you must not mourn or weep,” for all the people were weeping as they listened to the words of the Teaching. He further said to them, “Go, eat choice foods and drink sweet drinks and send portions to whoever has nothing prepared, for the day is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad, for your rejoicing in the Eternal One is the source of your strength.” (Neḥemiah 8:1-10)
This passage speaks of awe, of regret, and of joy. The liturgy of Rosh Hashanah, as we will see in just a couple of days through the words of the maḥzor, focuses heavily on the first two of those emotions. We express awe at standing before God, at approaching holiness. We express sincere regret for our actions that have missed the mark over this past year.
It’s important to remember, however, that joy is also part of this holiday. The joy of reaching a new year, the joy of hearing and singing those melodies that we only get to bring out during this season, the joy of gathering together with family and community.
As we prepare embark on this new year, I offer us a version of the blessing we’ll say around our dinner tables tomorrow night:
יהי רצון מלפניך, May it be Your will, Eternal our God and God of our ancestors, to grant us a year of goodness and sweetness, from year’s beginning to year’s end.
Looking forward to seeing you in shul – Shanah Tovah!
The passage I’m about to share comes from the book of Neḥemiah, chapter 8. It describes a segment of the Jewish community that had been living in exile since the destruction of the First Temple. Now returned to the Land of Israel, they are reclaiming their identity and relearning the tradition that had been taken from them when they were expelled from the land decades before.
“The entire people assembled as one in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the scroll of the Teaching of Moses with which the Eternal had charged Israel. On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Teaching before the congregation, men and women and all who could listen with understanding. He read from it, facing the square before the Water Gate, from the first light until midday, to the men and the women and those who could understand; the ears of all the people were given to the scroll of the Teaching…
Ezra opened the scroll in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people; as he opened it, all the people stood up. Ezra blessed the Eternal One, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with hands upraised. Then they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the Eternal with their faces to the ground…[Ezra’s entourage] read from the scroll of the Teaching of God, translating it and giving the sense; so [that the people] understood the reading.
Neḥemiah the Tirshatha, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were explaining to the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Eternal your God: you must not mourn or weep,” for all the people were weeping as they listened to the words of the Teaching. He further said to them, “Go, eat choice foods and drink sweet drinks and send portions to whoever has nothing prepared, for the day is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad, for your rejoicing in the Eternal One is the source of your strength.” (Neḥemiah 8:1-10)
This passage speaks of awe, of regret, and of joy. The liturgy of Rosh Hashanah, as we will see in just a couple of days through the words of the maḥzor, focuses heavily on the first two of those emotions. We express awe at standing before God, at approaching holiness. We express sincere regret for our actions that have missed the mark over this past year.
It’s important to remember, however, that joy is also part of this holiday. The joy of reaching a new year, the joy of hearing and singing those melodies that we only get to bring out during this season, the joy of gathering together with family and community.
As we prepare embark on this new year, I offer us a version of the blessing we’ll say around our dinner tables tomorrow night:
יהי רצון מלפניך, May it be Your will, Eternal our God and God of our ancestors, to grant us a year of goodness and sweetness, from year’s beginning to year’s end.
Looking forward to seeing you in shul – Shanah Tovah!