Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah is not merely the start of a new year on the Hebrew calendar; it is the day on which God determines the fate of every person for the coming year. The Sages called it the Day of Judgment and the Day of Remembrance — God remembers all creatures and examines their deeds. According to tradition, the first human was created on this day, and thus it also became the day of judgment for the entire world.

Rosh Hashanah looks not only backward but also forward. The sounding of the shofar is a proclamation — God's sovereignty is renewed by the people of Israel. The days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are called the Ten Days of Repentance, a period set aside for reflection, correction, and change.

• Sounding the shofar — a sequence of thirty blasts each day, with additional blasts customary in Israel.
• Eating symbolic foods — apple dipped in honey for a sweet year, pomegranate for an abundance of merits, head of a fish or sheep to be at the head and not the tail.
• Round, sweet challah — symbolizing a complete and sweet year.
• Tashlich — a symbolic ceremony beside a body of living water, shaking out pockets as a symbol of casting away sins.
• Seasonal greeting — wishing others to be inscribed for a good year.

Rosh Hashanah is a biblical festival, and the prohibitions of labor apply as on any Yom Tov. One is obligated to pray the Musaf service, which includes three special blessings: Malchuyot, Zichronot, and Shofarot. The mitzvah of shofar is biblical, and one must hear at least nine blasts. Women customarily light Yom Tov candles and recite the Shehecheyanu blessing.

Rosh Hashanah prayers are rich in liturgical poetry and special blessings. The blessings of Malchuyot, Zichronot, and Shofarot form the heart of the Musaf service. Famous piyyutim include Unetaneh Tokef, El Melech, and Hineh Mah Tov. Sephardic and Ashkenazi communities follow different liturgical traditions, but all share the central theme of God's sovereignty and His proclamation as King of the universe.