Rosh haShana (fwd)
Richard Masoner (richardm@cd.com)
Thu, 28 Sep 1995 19:15:58 -0500
This is from a Jewish guy on another list; Neat stuff...
Richard Masoner
---------------
Forwarded message:
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 1995 11:29:44 EDT
From: Lon Mendelsohn <LDMCC@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Rosh haShana
Monday was Rosh haShanah, or the Jewish New Year. As such,
it was the first day of the Days of Awe, a ten day period
which corresponds roughly to the Forty Days preceding Easter,
and I thought I'd share a few thoughts from a Messianic Jewish
perspective.
Rosh haShanah is referred to in scripture as the Day of Remem-
brance or Yom haTeruah, the Day of Blowing of Trumpets (Num.
29:1ff, Lev. 23:24). It is actually the first day of the seventh
month in the Jewish calendar, the first month being the one in
which Passover occurs. You may ask, therefore, why is it the
Jewish New Year? According to ancient tradition, Passover (in the
first month) is the anniversary of the Jewish people, while Rosh
haShanah is the anniversary of creation.
The focus of the day is the opening of the Book of Life in the
heavenly court of judgement, which will be closed at the
conclusion of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) ten days later.
Many of the prayers therefore refer to God as King or Judge.
There is also a very strong emphasis on God remembering His
people. During the later part of the service, verses emphasizing
God's sovereignty are read (Malchuyot), followed by verses
emphasizing God's remembrace of His people (Zichronot), then
verses having to do with the blowing of trumpets (Shoferot).
It is easier to understand the significance of Rosh haShanah if we
remember that it is the first day of the seventh month. The first
day of every month was a holiday (Rosh Chodesh); what makes Rosh
haShanah special is the fact that it is the first day of the
_seventh_ or sabbatical month (Lev. 23:23-25). Note that the
seventh month is a month of festivals, including Yom Kippur (the
holiest day of the year) and Sukkot (the most joyful of the
feasts). Much of the observance of Rosh haShanah closely
resembles the observance of Rosh Chodesh, such as the blowing of
trumpets and the offering of special sacrifices (Num. 28:11-15).
The offerings on Rosh Chodesh and Rosh haShanah were quite similar
(cf. Num. 29:1-6). Also, Rosh haShanah inaugurates the Days of
Awe, the ten days leading up to and including the Day of
Atonement. These tend to be days of self-examination, similar to
the Lenten period observed in many Christian traditions.
Why did this day come to be thought of as the beginning of the
year? Some possible reasons may have to do with the jubilee
years. The jubilee years began in the seventh month (Lev. 25:8-
9), and it is possible (since the jubilee year was a special case
of the sabbatical year) that the sabbatical years also began in
the seventh month. If these special years began in the seventh
month, it is possible that the first day of the seventh month
represents the real beginning of the calendar.
Why the blowing of trumpets? Throughout the Bible, the sound of
the trumpet represents both the voice of God calling His people
and the voice of the people calling on God. This is one of the
reasons why this feast is called the Day of Remembrance: the
trumpet calls both the people to remember God and God to remember
His people. An especially significant passage on this is Num.
10:1-10, which describes the making and use of two special
trumpets. Also significant is the passage in Exodus 19, where the
blast of a trumpet summons the people to Sinai to receive the Law
(vv. 13, 16, 19). In this case, the trumpet being blown was
probably an angelic trumpet. Finally, the description of the
seige of Jericho in Joshua 6 is relevant to the discussion. The
people march around Jericho once a day for six days; on the
seventh day, they march around seven times, after which they blow
the trumpets.
The Messianic significance of the day has to do with the return of
Messiah and the final judgement, when the Book of Life will be
opened for the last time to determine who will enter into the life
of the Kingdom of God, and who will suffer eternal condemnation.
Many Messianic Jews (myself included) believe that it is likely
that the Lord will return during the Days of Awe. We base this
belief on the statement of Paul in 1 Cor. 15:51-52:
Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we
shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead
will be raised imperishable, and we shall all be changed.
and the statement of John in Revelation 11:15:
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud
voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he shall reign
forever and ever."
Because the Days of Awe precede Yom Kippur, many Jewish people
tend to examine and evaluate their lives before God during this
season; thus, I would invite you to join me in praying for my
brothers and sisters after the flesh, that God would bring them to
saving faith in the Messiah of Israel.
Below are the readings from the Tanakh (Old Testament) for Rosh
haShana, and one of the more important prayers from the liturgy of
The Days of Awe:
First day of Rosh haShanah
Torah readings:
Genesis 21 (God remembers Sarah: the birth of Isaac, the expulsion
of Hagar and Ishmael and God's care for them, the conflict between
Abraham and Abimelech).
Numbers 29:1-6 (Biblical instructions for the observance of Yom
haTeruah).
Haftarah:
1 Samuel 1:1-2:20 (God remembers Hannah: the birth of Samuel).
Second day of Rosh haShanah:
Torah readings:
Genesis 22 (The binding of Isaac).
Numbers 29:1-6.
Haftarah:
Jeremiah 31:2-20 (God's promise to restore Judah and Israel).
Avinu Malkenu
Our Father, our King, we have sinned before You.
Our Father, our King, we have no king except You.
Our Father, our King, deal kindly with us for the sake of Your
name.
Our Father, our King, renew unto us a year of good.
Our Father, our King, annul every evil decree against us.
Our Father, our King, annul the designs of those who hate us.
Our Father, our King, frustrate the counsel of our enemies.
Our Father, our King, destroy the power of every oppressor and
adversary.
Our Father, our King, silence the mouths of our adversaries and
those who accuse us falsely.
Our Father, our King, remove pestilence, sword, famine, captivity,
destruction, and plague from the children who obey Your
covenant.
Our Father, our King, withhold the plague from Your people.
Our Father, our King, forgive and pardon our iniquities.
Our Father, our King, blot out our transgressions, and cause our
sins to pass away from before You.
Our Father, our King, efface in Your abundant mercy all record of
our guilt.
Our Father, our King, may we return to You in perfect repentance.
Our Father, our King, send a perfect healing to the sick among
Your people.
Our Father, our King, repeal the evil sentence that may be decreed
against us.
Our Father, our King, remember us for our well-being.
Our Father, our King, inscribe us in the book of happy life.
Our Father, our King, inscribe us in the book of freedom and
salvation.
Our Father, our King, inscribe us in the book of sustenance.
Our Father, our King, inscribe us for a meritorious life.
Our Father, our King, inscribe us in the book of forgiveness and
reconciliation.
Our Father, our King, cause salvation speedily to spring forth for
us.
Our Father, our King, bring glory to Israel, Your people.
Our Father, our King, exalt the majesty of Your Messiah.
Our Father, our King, provide us with Your abundant blessings.
Our Father, our King, fill our storehouses with plenty.
Our Father, our King, hear our voice, have pity and compassion
upon us.
Our Father, our King, receive our prayer with merciful favor.
Our Father, our King, open the gates of heaven to our prayer.
Our Father, our King, O turn us not away from You unanswered.
Our Father, our King, remember our frailty for we are but dust.
Our Father, our King, let this hour be an hour of mercy and a time
of favor before You.
Our Father, our King, have mercy upon us and upon our children.
Our Father, our King, do this for the sake of those who were slain
for Your holy name.
Our Father, our King, do this for the sake of those who were
slaughtered for Your unity.
Our Father, our King, do this for the sake of those who went
through fire and water for the sanctification of Your name.
Our Father, our King, bring to judgement those who have shed the
blood of Your people.
Our Father, our King, grant our supplication for Your sake, if not
for ours.
Our Father, our King, accept our prayer for our sake and save us.
Our Father, our King, do this for the sake of Your abundant
mercies.
Our Father, our King, do it for the sake of Your great, mighty,
and revered name.
Our Father, our King, be gracious to us and answer us, for behold,
we are unworthy; deal with us in charity and loving-kindness and
save us.
AMEN.
*************************
Shalom,
Lon Mendelsohn
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