What is Rosh Hashanah?
First, it marks the start of the Jewish New Year.
While some ancient cultures, such as the Celts, celebrated the start of a new year during the spring equinox because it was the time of planting, Semitic cultures in the Near East celebrated the new year in the fall, after the harvest was gathered. The name of Rosh Hashanah can be translated as “first” or “head of the year.” It is also sometimes called “The Feast of Trumpets.”
Secondly, Rosh Hashanah is a celebration of creation. It is sometimes called the “birthday of the world” and is considered to also be the time when God made his covenant with man by creating Adam and Eve.
Lastly, Rosh Hashanah marks the start of the Jewish High Holy Days leading up to Yom Kippur. It marks the beginning of the 10 “Days of Awe,” in which Jews focus their attentions on repentance and reflection leading up to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, considered to be holiest day of the Jewish year. Traditionally, the blood of an animal was sacrificed as a way to remove sin or defilement.
According to tradition, the names of the righteous are written in the Book of Life and names of the wicked are written in the Book of Death. For everyone else – most people – you have 10 days to repent before your fate is sealed in one of the two books.
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