Table of Contents 

• Countdown to Erev Rosh HaShanah / Rosh HaShanah Eve
• The Days of Awe -- The Penetential Season
• Teshuvah -- The Jewish Way of Repentance
• Rosh HaShanah -- An Overview
• The Shofar (Ram's Horn) -- The Sound of Atonement
• Countdown to Erev Yom Kippur / Yom Kippur Eve
• Yom Kippur -- An Overview
• Yom Kippur & Kol Nidre
• Highlights of the Yom Kippur Service
• The High Holidays & The Prophetic Ideal
• If you NICHE it, they will come ... AND SHOP!
• Hot Tips & Free Gift from NicheMarketplace
• Need some Retail Therapy? ... Visit my Blog!
• Extraordinary Artisan Judaica & Jewish Gifts
• Rosh HaShanah Recipe Favorites
• Wanted: Your Favorite Rosh HaShanah Recipes
• Vintage Photo of Tashlich from the Brooklyn Bridge
• Share the holiday spirit ... We'd love to hear from you!

The Days of Awe -- The Penetential Season 

Let us proclaim the sacred power of this day ...

For Jews, the penetential season begins in the month of Elul (the Hebrew month preceding Rosh HaShanah). At this time, Jews are instructed to begin a process of intense self-examination and repentance. The culmination of this process is the Days of Awe (in Hebrew the Yamim Noraim) the ten day period between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur also known as the Ten Days of Repentance (Aseret Yemei Teshuvah).

According to Jewish tradition, Rosh HaShanah, God opens the Book of Life. After "considering the soul" of every creature, God seals its destiny on Yom Kippur. "On Rosh Hashana, it is written; on Yom Kippur it is sealed. How many shall pass on, how many shall come to be, who shall live and who shall die ..." On Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish people -- individually and collectively -- pray that they will be "remembered unto life" and ask that their names be inscribed in the "Book of Life." On Yom Kippur -- also known as the Day of Atonement -- the penetential period is ending and Jews ask God to "seal" them in the"Book of Life" for another year.

Teshuvah -- The Jewish Way of Repentance 

But Repentance, Prayer, and Righteousness avert the severe decree ...

Although the Jewish High Holy Days are intensely solemn, they are also exceedingly hopeful. The liturgy emphasizes the sovereignty of God, but also portrays God as a loving, nurturing parent. "The Lord God is merciful and gracious, endlessly patient, loving and true; showing mercy to thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, and granting pardon."

Judaism recognizes that repentance -- known in Hebrew as Teshuvah or turning / returning -- involves a threefold process: reaching inward (examining oneself and one's life); reaching upward (seeking a meaningful relationship with God, the source of all life); and reaching outward (rededicating oneself to the service of others). In Judaism, one's intentions are defined by one's actions and those actions have lasting consequences. In the words of the Rosh HaShanah liturgy, Teshuvah (repentance), Tefilah (prayer), and Tzedakah (righteousness or charity) avert the severe decree. The traditional reading of the Book of Jonah on the afternoon of Yom Kippur also reinforces the message that God is willing to forgive those who sincerely repent.

Rosh HaShanah -- An Overview 

This is the day of the world's birth ...

According to tradition, the creation of the world was completed on first of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. For Jews, Rosh HaShanah not only marks the beginning of the New Year, it is the proverbial "birthday of the world."

The holiday of Rosh HaShanah is called by many names. Ironically, nowhere in the first five books of the Bible (Tanach / Penateuch) is the holiday referred to as the New Year. In Leviticus, it is called Yom HaTeruah -- the day of the Sounding of the Shofar / ram's horn. In Ezekial, it is called Reishit HaShanah -- the beginning of the year. The Rabbis called it Yom HaDin (the Day of Judgement) and Yom HaZicharon (the Day of Rememberance). Like the Jewish Sabbath, Rosh HaShanah is a day of rest the activities prohibited on Shabbat are also prohibited on all Jewish holidays.

Like many other Jewish holidays, there are symbolic foods that are eaten on Rosh HaShanah. Traditionally, apples and honey and Honey Cake -- to symbolize a Sweet New Year are served. It is also customary to serve pomegranates on Rosh HaShanah (Jewish tradition says that pomegranates have the same number of seeds as there are commandments in the Torah -- 613). On Rosh HaShanah, the Challah (the traditional loaves that Jews eat on the Sabbath) are baked in a round shape. Some say this is to symbolize the cycle of the year. Others suggest that the shape resembles a crown and is symbolic of the theme of God's Kingship / Sovereignty over the world. In some communities, raisins are added to the dough to give the bread extra sweetness.

Sephardim -- Jews who trace their heritage from the Jewish communities of Spain and Portugal -- conduct a Seder-like ritual meal on Rosh HaShanah in which foods mentioned in the Talmud such as dates, leeks, spinach, gourd or pumpkin, and fish are served. Because Rosh HaShanah is considered the "head of the year," one of the dishes served is either the head of a fish or cheek meat from a cow.

Whenever possible, on the afternoon of the first day of Rosh HaShanah, traditional Jews will participate in the ritual of Tashlich in which the contents of one's pockets (typically bread crumbs) are cast into flowing water -- symbolically representing the casting off one's sins -- while reciting special prayers. In Jerusalem, hundreds of Jews will trek to the Pool of Siloam to conduct this ancient ritual.

The Shofar (Ram's Horn) -- The Sound of Atonement 

Sound the Shofar ...

The symbol most closely associated with Rosh HaShanah is the Shofar. The Shofar is a trumpet-like instrument made from a ram's horn. The blowing of the Shofar is the only biblical ritual associated with the holiday.

Traditional Jews blow the Shofar every morning -- except for the Sabbath / Shabbat -- for the month of Elul (the Hebrew month that precedes Rosh HaShanah). The blast of the Shofar is intended to awaken the individual from his / her slumber and remind him / her that the Days of Awe (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) are coming and it is time to repent one's transgressions.

The Shofar is blown during the Rosh HaShanah Mussaf Service (the Additional Service that is recited on the Sabbath and Holidays in keeping with the additional sacrifice that was conducted in the Temple in Jerusalem on those days). There are four different Shofar blasts: Tekiah, one long straight blast; Shevarim, a "broken," sound of three medium wailing sounds; Teruah, an "alarm," of nine quick blasts in short succession; and Tekiah Gedolah "the great Tekiah," a single unbroken blast, held as long as possible.

Shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah is arranged into three-themed sections: Kingship (Malchuyot), Remembrance (Zichronot), and Shofars (Shofarot). Biblical verses on each of the themes are recited while the Shofar is sounded. It is customary to sound 100 blasts from the Shofar on each day of Rosh HaShanah (some communities have a custom to add an additional number of blasts to ensure that the Shofar is sounded at least 100 times each day of the holiday). In addition, one long blast of the Shofar marks the end of services on Yom Kippur.

It is a Mitzvah -- a ritual obligation -- to hear the Shofar blown on Rosh Hashanah, yet the symbolism of it is not explained in the Bible. Some sources say the Shofar is blown as a reminder of the revelation on Mount Sinai. The medieval Jewish philosopher, Maimonides, viewed the sounding of the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah as a call to repentance. Saadiah HaGaon (Saadiah Ben Joseph, 882-942) was a philosopher, teacher, the translator of the Bible into Arabic, and one of the last of the great Jewish Talmudic masters in Babylonia. He enumerated ten reasons for the sounding of the Shofar on Rosh HaShanah:

The Shofar acknowledges God as King;
The Shofar stirs the conscience;
The Shofar reminds Jews of God's revelation at Sinai;
The Shofar reminds Jews of the Prophets' warnings;
The Shofar reminds Jews of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem;
The Shofar reminds Jews of the ram Abraham sacrificed in place of his son Isaac;
The Shofar reminds Jews to feel humble before God;
The Shofar reminds Jews of the Day of Final Judgement;
The Shofar foreshadows the proclamation of freedom
when the exiled will return to Israel;
The Shofar foreshadows the inauguration of God's reign
of righteousness throughout the world.

Leading Reform Rabbi and thinker Rabbi Harold Schulweis interprets the symbolism of the Shofar as a clarion call to action: "Is Judaism too big? Is it too wide, too broad, to deep, too large? Is God too big? That is its grandeur, its uniqueness, its passion, its excitement, its challenge. To be a Jew is to be an ally with God as co-creators and co-sanctifiers ... [To] blow from the narrow side of ram's horn into the ears of the whole world."

Yom Kippur -- An Overview 

Let us proclaim the sacred power of this day ...

The most solemn and important holiday of the Jewish year is Yom Kippur or as it is called -- The Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur is not a holiday in the sense of joyful celebation. It is a day of fasting and intensive prayer and the culmination of a more than month-long period of introspection and self-examination whose dominant theme is repentance.

Known as the Sabbath of Sabbaths (Shabbat HaShabbatot), Yom Kippur is a strict day of "rest" in the sense that one is obliged to refrain from the work that is prohibited on the Jewish Sabbath and holidays. On Yom Kippur, there are five additional prohibitions. On Yom Kippur, traditional Jews refrain from: eating and drinking, wearing leather shoes or garments, bathing and washing, anointing oneself with perfumes or lotions, and marital or sexual relations.

There is a Jewish custom to wear white clothing on Yom Kippur (white symbolizes purity). Some Orthodox and Hassidic Jewish married men (mostly those of Eastern European / Ashkenazic descent) wear a Kittel -- a white robe-like garment. Traditionally, Yom Kippur is the only time when a Tallit / Tallis -- a Jewish prayer shawl that is worn by Jewish men during prayer -- is worn at night. There is also a custom among some Jewish communities for men to immerse themselves in the Mikvah (the Jewish ritual bath) on the morning before Yom Kippur.

The Yom Kippur fast begins 30 minutes before sundown and ends at nightfall (star rise) the following day. All healthy Jewish adults are obliged to fast (although the obligation may be waived for those with certain medical conditions and for pregnant women). For traditional Jews, this includes all post Bar / Bat Mitzvah aged youngsters (boys greater than age 13 and girls greater than age 12). Before the fast, Jews engage in a ritual feast. Traditionally, the Fast also ends with a festive ritual meal.

Even among secular Jews, Yom Kippur is still observed. Many Jews who do not regularly observe other holidays will fast or attend synagogue on Yom Kippur (where the number of worshippers attending services is often double or triple the norm). Even in Israel (which is overwhelmingly secular), virtually all shops and businesses are closed on Yom Kippur. There are no radio or television broadcasts. No public transportation. It is considered bad form to eat in public or drive a car on Yom Kippur and, in Jerusalem, the only traffic one sees on the roads are ambulances and emergency vehicles.

Yom Kippur & Kol Nidre 

May all the people of Israel be forgiven ... for all the people are at fault

In Judaism, the making of a vow has serious religious and legal consequences. Unfulfilled vows to God -- whether they are made unintentionally, rashly, or without cause -- create religious and ethical difficulties not only for the individual, but for the community at large. This is especially true on Yom Kippur when the entire Jewish people comes before the Almighty to beg forgiveness and atone for their sins.

Kol Nidre -- which translated means All Vows -- is not a prayer per se, but an ancient legal formula which when recited releases one from all vows made to God during the period from the last Yom Kippur till the present Yom Kippur. In it, the individual asks the Almighty for absolution from all vows, oaths or pledges, requests that such vows be made null and void as if they had never existed, and entreats the Lord to grant pardon and absolution.

Kol Nidre relates only to those vows and oaths that a individual voluntarily makes for himself / herself alone and which do not involve any other persons or interests. It refers exclusively to vows between man and God and has no effect on vows made between one person and another. No vow, promise, pledge, or oath which involves another person or group of people is affected by the saying of Kol Nidrei. According to the Rabbis, the sole purpose of Kol Nidre is to provide protection from divine punishment in case of violation of the sacred vow.

It is important to note that the recitation of Kol Nidre occurs at the very beginning of the Yom Kippur (Kol Nidrei is recited before sunset, since dispensation from a vow may not be granted on the Sabbath or a festival). It is also significant that it is recited in Aramaic, not Hebrew. Aramaic was the Lingua Franca -- the common spoken language of the Talmudic period. The prayer is recited in Aramaic (rather than Hebrew) because it was decided that understanding the meaning of the prayer took precedence over saying it in the sacred tongue. (It is also interesting to note that the adoption of Kol Nidre into the Yom Kippur liturgy evoked considerable controversy among the Rabbis.)

Although Kol Nidre may be a legal formula, its recitation is not without emotion. On the contrary, before sunset on the eve of Yom Kippur, the entire community gathers in the synagogue. The Ark is opened and a number of Torah scrolls are removed (the exact number of scrolls depends on the custom of the community). The prayer leader or Cantor / Hazzan then recites the Kol Nidre declaration three times in succession.

In many communities the custom is that on the first repetition, the Cantor / Hazzan recites the prayer very softly "like one who hesitates to enter the palace of the king to ask a gift of him whom he fears to approach." Each time the prayer is repeated, the volume of the Cantor's / Hazzan's song gets louder, "as one who is accustomed to dwell at court and to approach his sovereign as a friend (Machzor Vitry)."

The leader and congregation then respond by saying three times: "May all the people of Israel be forgiven, including all the strangers who live in their midst, for all the people are at fault." Then the Torah scrolls are placed back into the Ark and the evening service formally begins. For many Jews, the recitation of Kol Nidre on Yom Kippur are among their most dramatic and emotionally powerful religious memories.

Highlights of the Yom Kippur Service 

On Rosh HaShanah, it is written; on Yom Kippur, it is sealed.

The Yom Kippur liturgy is unique and designed to reinforce the overall solemnity of the day. It is replete with confessions of sin (Viddui) and petitions for forgiveness (Selichot). Ten times during Yom Kippur, the congregation stands, beats their breasts, and recite the Ashamnu (sometimes translated as "we are culpable") and Al Chet (often translated as "for the sin") prayers. Together the two prayers enumerate 67 different types and categories of sins, mistakes, and errors in judgement for which Jews are accountable before God. As observed by Rabbi Debra Orenstein of Makom Or Shalom congregation (Tarzana, CA): "It's as if to say ... God, we know our shortcomings run from A to Z; please forgive us." It is significant to note that the Yom Kippur confessional is written in the plural, not the singular (we sinned, as opposed to I sinned). The purpose of this wording is purposeful and intentional. It is not merely designed to prevent individual embarassment and personal denial, on Yom Kippur Jews come together not only as a community, but as a people, to atone for their sins and ask God for forgiveness.

The Yom Kippur liturgy also includes a detailed description of the sacrificial service in the Temple of Jerusalem called the Avodah. The core of the Avodah is a threefold recitation of the activities of the High Priest in the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur (Leviticus 16:30). In many Orthodox synagogues, the entire congregation will bow and prostrate themselves at the point in the recitation where the High Priest (Kohen Gadol) pronounces the Tetragrammaton -- the ineffable name of God -- in a symbolic reenactment of the climax of the sacrificial rite conducted in the ancient Temple. There are only a handful of times when traditional Jews engage in full body prostration and they all take place during the High Holidays. (To the average American, this practice may sound somewhat strange, but it can be extraordinarily powerful and deeply spiritual.)

Jews pray three times a day on weekdays. On Shabbat and Holidays (including Rosh HaShanah) a fourth service called Mussaf is added in memory of the additional sacrifices offered in the Temple in Jerusalem on festivals. On Yom Kippur, a fifth service is added. This extra service which is only recited on Yom Kippur is called Neilah. Neilah is recited as the sun is going down and literally translated means closing or locking. While the name may have originally referred to the closing or locking of the Temple gates after the day's sacrifices had been completed in Jerusalem, the image also refers to the closing of the Gates of Prayer.

The Holy Ark that holds the Torah scrolls is kept open for the Neilah service and the congregation -- as much as humanly possible -- remains standing throughout the entire service. There is a great deal of emotion in prayers of the Neilah Service. This is the last opportunity for atonement before God seals his judgement in the Book of Life. Even the melodies of the prayers are haunting and empassioned. Like the end of the Temple service in Jerusalem, the Neilah service ends with a single long blast on the Shofar / ram's horn -- a Tekiah Gedolah -- which is held as long as possible followed by exclamations of Shema Yisrael (Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One) and L'Shanah HaBa B'Yerushalayim (Next Year in Jerusalem).

The High Holidays & The Prophetic Ideal 

Open for us the Gates of Righteousness ...

In the Bible, the Hebrew Prophets warned repeatedly that spiritual and ritual acts alone are meaningluess, unless accompanied by concrete acts of social justice. This theme -- which recurs throughout the High Holidays liturgy -- is expressed most poignantly in the Haftarah (prophetic reading) on Yom Kippur. On this day devoted to prayer, meditation, and fasting, Jews throughout the world read: "Is this what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this the fast I look for: to unlock the shackles of injustice, to undo the fetters of bondage to let the oppressed go free, and to break every cruel chain? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and never to ignore your own kin? ... Then, when you call, the Lord will answer; when you cry, God will say: Here I am" (Isaiah 58:5-9).

Leading Reform Rabbi and thinker Rabbi Harold M. Shulweis wrote: "Is homelessness a Jewish concern or a human concern? Is poverty a Jewish concern or a human concern? Is hatred of other minorities a Jewish concern or a human concern? ... 'Am I a Jew or a human being?' The dichotomous either / or [proposition] is untrue to the noblest character of the Jewish tradition. There is a Jewish response to homelessness, a Jewish response to prejudice, a Jewish response to hatred. These responses derive from a unique sacred and secular literature, from four millennia of uniquely lived life. Like the Bible itself, authentic Jewish universalism begins at home, but ends by 'becoming the treasure of the world' ... To be a Jew requires moral courage. To be a Jew is to be involved with one's own people and through one's own people with the world ... A believing Jew cannot be disengaged from the world which God has created. We cannot engage in everything, but we must do everything we can."

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