Rosh Hashanah

24 “Tell the Israelites: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a day of complete rest, commemoration, and trumpet blasts—a sacred assembly. 25 You must not do any daily work, but you must present a food offering to the Lord.”

Festival of Trumpets

AKA The Festival of Trumpets (Yom Teruah - Day of Shofar Blowing)

In year 2022 it is celebrated Sunday 9/25-9/27

The original call was for the celebration of a festival for only a day but because of the problems with the calendar and the Diaspora, those who were spread to the winds by exile and persecution, it became a two day event.

The Month is Tishri. Today is Rosh Hashanna Though we are still in the Eve of it. The first day of the month starts tonight at sun down. It gets confusing sometimes, doesn’t it. Remember they follow a lunar calendar which is only 29 to 30 day months. And the day starts as it did in Genesis chapter 1. There was evening and there was morning of day 1. So the day starts at sundown of our day. So the first of the month is tonight a 6:31 PM in Laughlin.

The Festival of Trumpets or Rosh Hashanah, which means Head of the year. Its New year’s celebration happening in line with the harvest year. Think physical year vs school year (august) or fiscal year.

And on this day or days as it is, The Shofar (rams horn) is blown 100 times to serve as a wake-up call for the people of Israel. A call to remember their sins and repent. It is a Shabbat or time of rest.

Rest meaning you do no regular work and trust in God. Trust that you do not have to work on that day of Shabbat.

The shofar blowing contains a series of three types of blasts: tekiah, a long sob-like blast; shevarim, a series of three short wails; and teruah, at least nine piercing staccato bursts.

There are Greetings and candles to be lite as prayers and blessings are given.

Tashlich

On of the observances is Tashlich. On the first afternoon of Rosh Hashanah (provided that it is not Shabbat), it is customary to go to a body of water (ocean, river, pond, etc.) and perform the Tashlich ceremony, in which we ceremonially cast our sins into the water.

Tashlich means “to throw away” and it is a time in which the people symbolically throw their sins into the water.

Pray from Micah 7:18-20 among others

Micah 7:18–20 CSB

18 Who is a God like you, forgiving iniquity and passing over rebellion for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not hold on to his anger forever because he delights in faithful love. 19 He will again have compassion on us; he will vanquish our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. 20 You will show loyalty to Jacob and faithful love to Abraham, as you swore to our ancestors from days long ago.

As they claim God’s promise to his people and rejoice in the fact that God is a Just but also merciful God to those whom serve Him as he is the KING OF KINGS, HAMALEK The KING. Who is the only one who can forgive them for their sins.

Torah Reading

And at the beginning of each of the two days the torah is read.

On the first day, we read about Isaac’s birth and the subsequent banishment of Hagar and Ishmael (Genesis 21:1-34). Appropriately, the reading is followed by a haftarah reading about the birth of Samuel the Prophet (1 Samuel 1:1-2:10). Both readings contain the theme of prayers for children being answered, and both of these births took place on Rosh Hashanah.

On the second morning, we read about Abraham’s near-sacrifice of his son Isaac(Genesis 22:1-24). The shofar blowing recalls the ram, which figures prominently in this story as a powerful display of Abraham’s devotion to G‑d that has characterized His children ever since. The haftarah (Jeremiah 31:1-19) tells of G‑d’s eternal love for His people.

All this to prepare themselves for the year to sanctify the first of the year and give it to the Lord as a representative of the rest of the year, And to get ready for the up and coming high holy days. This month of Tishri is full of holy days. Next week talk about Yom Kippur.

I have always loved the Jewish culture how evolved every day life is with their religion there is no separation in an orthodox Jew. They believe and therefore they do. And the rituals they have involve their everyday life. They act out their faith.

If you are interested in more of the rituals and foods eaten etc Chabad.org is a great place to start (see the show notes).

So What

Picture taken from https://w2.chabad.org/media/images/981/Guky9811646.jpg?_i=_n32DD4A5CE5B405756B86D11830CBE5B1

This is a Jewish ritual one that we don’t do any more. We don’t do it anymore because we don’t need to toss our sins into the water. Jesus has already washed away our sins with his blood. We don’t need to bring sacrifice to the temple, Jesus did away with the need for that.

We don’t need a wake-up call in this since because we have the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit who is God. Leads us to repentance so that we are on a path that leads away from destruction to a full life.

The Holy Spirit is a gift leading you if you are feeling accused and guilty. If you are feeling like, “I am a horrible Christain and can’t do anything right.” That isn’t God Speaking to you. And that isn’t of God. That is HaSatan the accuser.

We don’t need a wake up call to remember our sins. Maybe you need a wake up call to remember your victory in Christ.

Maybe you need a wakeup call to put action to your life in Christ.

Maybe you have been attacked by the devil and you feel like your sins just outweigh your life need to remember that prayer. That God is merciful and that he has thrown you sins to the bottom of the sea. The river has washed them away.

This is a festival time of Rejoicing because God is merciful because he has washed away our sins. And because he himself came down the Son Jesus Christ and Died to take away the punishment of our sins.

Remember the victory: Next Steps

If You have no victory because you have not meet Jesus and would like to come see me it is the most important decision you will ever make

Pray

Bibliography

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4762/jewish/What-Is-Rosh-Hashanah.htm

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