Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, a significant holiday in the Jewish calendar. It marks the beginning of the Ten Days of Repentance or the Days of Awe, a period of introspection and preparation for Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

Table of Contents

1. When is Rosh Hashanah?
2. The History of Rosh Hashanah?
3. What Do People Do on This Day?
4. What is the Hebrew Calendar?

When is Rosh Hashanah?

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is observed on the first two days of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar.

The following is the list of Rosh Hashanah from 2020 to 2049.

The History of Rosh Hashanah?

The history of Rosh Hashanah is rooted in Jewish tradition and scriptural references, evolving into its current form over centuries.

The Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, does not directly call Rosh Hashanah the "New Year" but refers to it as a "day of remembrance" (Yom Zikaron) and a "day of sounding the shofar" (Yom Teruah). It was established as a day of reflection and spiritual renewal, marking the beginning of the agricultural year and serving as a time to take stock of one's deeds.

Rosh Hashanah also coincides with the start of the agricultural cycle of sowing, growth, and harvest in the ancient Near East, particularly in Israel.

During the Talmudic era, a transformative era in Jewish history that lasted from 70 CE to 638 CE, Rosh Hashanah evolved to include more than just agricultural and religious implications. It was designated as the "new year for years," the time when the year number increases and the anniversary of the creation of the world.

The liturgy of Rosh Hashanah saw significant development during the medieval period. This includes the incorporation of specific prayers such as the "Unetanneh Tokef," which vividly describes the judgment of humanity.

In modern times, the holiday has retained its dual aspects of joyous celebration and serious introspection. Themes of renewal and reflection are universal, making it a time for personal change and community connection. Throughout its history, Rosh Hashanah has grown and evolved, but its core themes of renewal, moral reflection, and community remain central to its celebration.

What Do People Do on This Day?

On Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, a variety of customs and traditions are observed, each infused with deep symbolic meaning.

Attending lengthy services at the synagogue is central to Rosh Hashanah. These services are marked by special liturgies and the sounding of the shofar (a ram's horn). The shofar is blown 100 times over the course of the service, serving as a call to repentance and a reminder of God's sovereignty.

On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, many perform the Tashlich ceremony, where sins are symbolically "cast" into a flowing body of water, such as a river or ocean, by throwing pieces of bread or stones into the water.

Eating apples dipped in honey is perhaps the most recognized tradition, symbolizing the hope for a sweet new year. Bread is baked in a round shape, often with raisins, symbolizing continuity and the cyclical nature of life. Often, the head of a fish or a lamb is served, symbolizing the desire to be at the "head" and not at the "tail" of events in the coming year.

Many wear new clothes or white garments to symbolize purity and new beginnings. It is customary to send cards or messages wishing friends and family a "Shanah Tovah" (a good year) or "Shanah Tovah Umetukah" (a good and sweet year). Family gatherings are common, where festive meals are shared, and the traditions and customs of Rosh Hashanah are observed together.

What is the Hebrew Calendar?

The Hebrew calendar is a fascinating blend of lunar and solar components, making it a lunisolar calendar.

The Hebrew calendar consists of 12 months during a common year and 13 months in a leap year. The months are based on the moon's cycle, but to keep the calendar in sync with the solar year and agricultural seasons, an extra month is added in seven out of every 19 years. This adjustment is part of a 19-year cycle known as the Metonic cycle.

The months in the Hebrew calendar include: Tishrei, Cheshvan (or Marcheshvan), Kislev, Tevet, Shevat, Adar (In leap years, Adar I and Adar II), Nisan, Iyar, Sivan, Tammuz, Av, and Elul.

The days of the week in the Hebrew calendar are simply numbered as First Day, Second Day, etc., with the exception of the seventh day, Shabbat, which is a day of rest.

Originally, the months were set by observation of the new moon, and extra months were added by decision of a rabbinical court based on agricultural conditions. By the 4th century, Hillel II established a fixed calendar based on mathematical and astronomical calculations, allowing Jews everywhere to follow a uniform calendar without the need for observation.

While the Gregorian calendar is used for civil purposes in Israel and most of the world, the Hebrew calendar remains vital for determining Jewish religious observances and is used extensively in Jewish life for all religious purposes, including prayer books, holiday schedules, and ritual observances.