The Torah, which is composed of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, is the Biblical source for the celebration of the Jewish High Holy Days known as Rosh Hashanah (ROWsh Ha-SHAH-nah), and Yom (rhymes with “home”) Kippur (key-POOR).  Leviticus 23:24 and Numbers 29:1 both command Jews to observe Rosh Hashanah as the New Year of the world.  The importance of observing Yom Kippur as a day of atonement is described in Leviticus 23: 27 and Numbers 29:7.

Rosh Hashanah celebrates the creation of the world, according to the Jewish calendar and the beginning of the New Year.   Although Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, it is celebrated in the seventh month of the Jewish calendar in the month of Tishrei.

It is traditional for Jews to wish one another a sweet year during Rosh Hashanah.  To enhance the sweetness, a typical holiday meal includes a sweet round challah (egg bread) filled with raisins, the drinking of sweet wine or grape juice, and the dipping of apples into honey.  It is also traditional to wear new clothing for the first time and to give donations to charity to thank God for the sweetness in one�s life.

One of the most powerful traditional images of this holy period is that of God as a judge of each human being.  During synagogue services, God is described as looking at an open book that contains the yearly account of each person�s deeds.  Another image is that of God watching over human beings like a shepherd watches over a herd of sheep.

Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Jews ask forgiveness from people they have wronged, contribute to charity, and do acts of loving kindness to demonstrate to God that they wish to repent for their sins and add to their list of good deeds.

The celebration and observance of the High Holy Days requires that Jews abstain from working for the two days of Rosh Hashanah and the day of Yom Kippur.  Traditional Jews fast from sunset to sunset on Yom Kippur.  In addition, these holy days are marked by special services conducted in Jewish houses of worship and by customs and traditions that are special to this time of year.

During services in the synagogue, Jews ask to be “inscribed in the Book of Life.”  An important aspect of the liturgy for both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is the recitation of sins and errors.  Individuals atone for themselves as individuals and for the community as a whole.  This emphasizes the Jewish concept of collective responsibility for the repairing of the world.

In synagogues all over the world, a climactic point in both the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services is the blowing of the shofar, an instrument made from a ram�s horn.  A Jewish tradition teaches that the original shofar belonged to the ram that was substituted as a sacrifice for Abraham�s son Isaac.  On Rosh Hashanah, one of the required Biblical readings is Genesis 22:1�19, which tells this story.

Additions to your bookshelf:

An excellent book for adults: Every Person�s Guide to the High Holy Days by Ronald H. Isaacs; Jason Aronson, publisher. For information and purchase options click here. And for children: Days of Awe: Stories for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur by Eric A. Kimmel; Viking Press, publisher. For information and purchase options click here.