Hi everybody,
This blog is an assembly of descriptions about the Jewish holidays.
For my first entry I thought of starting with the very beginning - Rosh Hashana. (although Passover is right around the corner).

Rosh Hshana

Rosh Hashana (in Hebrew: ראש השנה) “beginning of the year” is celebrated the first and second day of Tishrei (month in the Hebrew calendar). It is the New Year of the spiritual Jew.

For the beginning of the Hebrew year there are two criteria’s: According to the bible at Shmot [12,2] the month of Nissan (March-April) will be the first month of the year, but later the Jewish tradition has changed the first moth of the Hebrew year to the month of Tishrei (September-October) to celebrate the month in which G-d created the world.

According to today traditions Adam is the first man created by g-d. The celebrations begin at dusk of the eve with the sound of Shofar, a horn created from sheep. It is the first of days of oration, penance and charity that finish with Yom Kippur (Day of the Pardon) – Also known as the Day of Judgment because on that day, according to tradition, g-d judges each men and open three books: one - the book of men bad deeds, the second – the book of men good deeds, and a third one for those who will be judged in the Yom Kippur.

Rosh Hashana (Head of the Year) along with Yom Kippur (Day of the Pardon) forms a Jewish tradition unit called “Yamim Noraim” (afoul days), days of repentance and introspection, balance of the acts and the conducted battles, of special plegaria and sensitivity.

1st of Tishri is not only the first day of the year but also its “Head”. And just like the head is to the rest of the body this day act the same. Whatever happens in that day predestine all the facts that will happen during the year.

In order to publish traditions and customs During the Yamim Noraim many religious orations of penance (called selihot) and poems (called piyuttim) are added to the normal orations. Special books for the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur exist, like the Mahazor (singular), or Mahazorim (plural).

The traditional greeting of the Rosh Hashanah is the “Shana Tova” (in Hebrew, “Good Year”). During Rosh Hashana it is custom to eat different kind of food, each is a symbol of desire towards the coming year. For example, one eats apples with honey or sugar to symbolize a sweet year.