Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, is much more than the celebration of another year's passing. Rosh Hashana is, after all, a celebration of the very creation of the world and a recognition of humankind's relationship to the Creator. Fundamental to Judaism is the belief in an active G-d whois involved in our lives like a caring parent. G-d responds to our needs, but, at the same time, G-d also watches us and assesses our actions. On Rosh Hashana, G-d metaphorically closes out the year by reviewing the records of each person's actions, judging each person's merits and faults, and setting a verdict for the quality of each person's year to come. Rosh Hashana is a day of judgment, we Jews therefore use the holiday to reconnect with G-d and to reassess our own lives.

Rosh Hashanah, which literally means the Head of the Year, is the Jewish New Year. Rosh Hashana is Yom Harat Olam, The Birthday of the World.

According to the Biblical narrative, it took six days to create the world, and on the sixth day G-d created Adam. During the first six days, animate and inanimate objects were formed, but the world was inactive until after the creation of the first human, who could appreciate and use G-d's creations. Rosh Hashana is actually the day that Adam was created; but, even though there was prior creativity, it is nevertheless considered the birthday of the world because on this day the world came to life. With the creation of Adam, time was sectioned into hours, days, years, etc.; and, therefore, we begin counting the years from this day.

Rosh Hashanah is celebrated on the first and second days of Tishrei. In the Torah, Rosh Hashanah is given several names, each of which characterizes the day:

• Yom Teruah - A Day of Sounding - It is the day on which G-d commanded the sounding of the Shofar.
• Yom Hazikaron - The Day of Rememberance - It is the day on which G-d recalls all of humankind's deeds of the past year.
• Yom HaDin - The Day of Judgement - It is the day on which G-d judges the actions of humankind.

What Happens on Rosh Hashanah:

Rosh Hashanah is a Yom Tov, a festival day, which is observed like Shabbat.  Shabbat and all Jewish holidays always begin at sunset on the evening before. On the Sabbath and Yom Tov [festival] candles are lit 18 minutes before sunset to welcome the holiday. On the second night of Yom Tov, candles are lit no earlier than one hour after sunset.  Shabbat and all Jewish holidays always begin at sunset of the evening before. On the Sabbath and Yom Tov [festival] candles are lit 18 minutes before sunset to welcome the holiday. On the second night of Yom Tov, candles are lit no earlier than one hour after sunset.

Because Rosh Hashanah 5763 (2002) begins on Friday night, the Shabbat candle-lighting procedure is as follows :

Two candles (minimum) are lit, then both hands are waved towards the face, symbolically drawing in the light of the candles and the sanctity of the Sabbath/Yom Tov. The eyes are covered and the blessing is recited. On the second night, Saturday night, the blessing is said first, without the Shabbat addition, and only then are the candles lit (from a pre-existing flame).

On Friday night, insert the bracketed words:

Baruch atah Ado-nai, Ehlo-haynu melech Ha-olam, asher kideshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzeevanu l'hadlik ner shel [Shabbat v']Yom Tov.

Blessed are you L-rd, our G-d ruler of the world, who sanctified us through His commandments and commanded us to kindle the lights of [the Sabbath and] Yom Tov (festival).

An additional blessing is said on both nights of Rosh Hashana to acknowledge the good fortune of being able to experience the holiday:

Baruch atah Ado-nai, Ehlo-haynu melech Ha-olam, she'he'che'yanu v'kee'manu, v'hee'gee'anu la'zman ha'zeh

Blessed are you L-rd, our G-d ruler of the world, Who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season

Evening services are held in the synagogue.

The Festive Meal:

• The Festival Evening Kiddush (blessing over wine), found in the holiday machzor (prayer book), is recited.
• Motzeei - After a ritual washing of the hands, the blessing is made over two whole challot.  Traditionally, the challot for Rosh Hashanah are round, symbolic of the cycle of the year, and sweet (often with raisins). The challah is dipped in honey (as well as salt), symbolic of sweetness. The custom of dipping the challah in honey continues until the end of Sukkot.
• The symbolic foods: Since Rosh Hashana is the day of judgement, it is customary to eat foods with symbolic meanings to invoke G-d's blessing. We therefore utter a prayer and then eat these items. (Except for apples and honey, which is universally practiced, the exact items eaten depend on family custom).
• A festive meal is eaten, followed by the Grace After Meals with the addition of Y'aleh V'Yavo, "May there rise and come..." for the holiday.
• On Friday night, the special Shabbat addition, r'tzai, is added before Y'aleh V'Yavo.

The Service

During Rosh Hashana, a special Rosh Hashana prayer book, called a machzor, is used.  The Torah reading for the first day of Rosh Hashana is the story of the birth of Isaac(Genesis 18). The Torah reading for the second day of Rosh Hashana is the story of the Binding of Isaac. According to tradition, both events occurred on Rosh Hashana. (Genesis 22)

The Festive Lunch

The Festival Day Kiddush (blessing over wine), found in the holiday machzor (prayer book), is recited. Motzeei - After a ritual washing of the hands, the blessing is made over two whole challot, the pieces of which are dipped in honey. A festive meal is eaten, followed by the Grace After Meals with the addition of Y'aleh V'Yavo, " He will go up and he will come...", for the holidays.  On Saturday afternoon, the special Shabbat addition, r'tzai, is added before Y'aleh V'Yavo. Mincha, the afternoon service is recited. (including the weekly Torah reading since it is also Shabbat).

Tashlich - The casting away of sins

It is customary after the afternoon service on the first day of Rosh Hashana, to go to a body of water in which there are live fish (or to a place where one can see the water) and to symbolically cast away one's sins. While standing by the water, several verses from the books of Micha and Psalms are recited expressing the desire for the sins to be carried away.

When the first day of Rosh Hashana is Shabbat, as it is this year, tashlich is postponed until the second day. If one does not perform tashlich during Rosh Hashana, for instance if one is unable to get to a body of water, it may be performed until Hoshana Raba (the seventh day of Sukkot).

The Second Day

The second day of Rosh Hashana begins one hour after sunset.  The rituals and the prayers of the second day are the same as the first day, except for a change in the Torah reading and the Haftorah.  One should try to have a new fruit at the second night meal or wear a new outfit so that the repeated Shehecheyanu blessing will apply to those items and not be in vain.

Sleeping on Rosh Hashana

Some people will not sleep so that they will not be asleep during this crucial judgement period or to insure that they will not have "a sleepy year."

Preparing for the New Year: Elul -- The Month Before Rosh Hashana

Teshuva - Repentance

What is Teshuva?

Teshuva is translated as repentance, but it is actually a process of self-evaluation and self-improvement. The Hebrew month of Elul is the time to look over our weaknesses, see where we have transgressed, and do Teshuva. The Rambam (Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, Maimonides 1135 - 1204) enumerates four primary steps to Teshuva:

• Recognize and discontinue the action, which may be something as drastic as stealing or as common as losing one's temper.
• Verbally confess the action, thus giving the action a concrete existence in one's own mind.
• Regret the action. Evaluate the negative effects this action may have had on oneself or on others.
• Determine not to do the action again. Picture yourself in the same situation and create a positive way to handle it.

Teshuva for a sin between a person and G-d. When one has transgressed a mitzvah that does not affect another person, the Teshuva is purely between the person and G-d; and the four steps listed above are necessary for the repentance process.

Teshuva for a sin between fellow human beings. When one has caused harm to another person, whether by stealing from them, by embarrassing them or anything else, then Teshuva requires that restitution and reconciliation be arranged between those involved. Before G-d can forgive the perpetrator, the victim must express forgiveness. It is customary during the month of Elul for people to seek out those they may have harmed, intentionally or unintentionally, and ask for mechilah, forgiveness.

• One must be sincere in their process of repentance and seek to repair the damage done the person, or at least attempt to do so.
• A person is obligated to ask for forgiveness three times. After three refusals, the person is no longer held accountable for that action as (s)he has proven true regret. The person who will not accept a sincere apology, however, is guilty of bearing a grudge. There are even those who say the transgression transfers to the person who refused to grant forgiveness

Customs of Elul

The Blowing of the Shofar

At the conclusion of morning services, starting on the second day of Elul, the month proceeding Rosh Hashana, it is customary for four "notes" to be sounded on the Shofar each morning.  The Shofar is not blown on Shabbat. The Shofar is not blown on the day before Rosh Hashana.  The blowing of the Shofar during the month of Elul is like a wake-up call to alert everyone that the Days of Judgement are approaching.

Selichot, special penitential prayers, are recited. Selichot are recited just before dawn, except for the first night of selichot, when they are usually said just after midnight. The time to start saying selichot varies from community to community.

• Sephardim generally begin saying selichot on the second day of Elul
• Ashkenazim begin saying selichot on the Saturday night of the Shabbat that immediately proceeds Rosh Hashana. If there are fewer than four days between Shabbat and Rosh Hashana, selichot are begun on the Saturday night of the previous week.

Selichot may be said when praying alone, however, the Thirteen Attributes of G-d, which conclude the Selichot, are only said with a minyan.  Psalm 27 is added to the daily prayer service from the second day of Elul until Shmini Atzeret, the end of Sukkot. (This is an Ashkenazic custom) - It is generally added at the end of Shacharit (morning service) and Maariv (evening service), although some recite it after Shacharit (morning service) and Mincha (afternoon service).