The end of September and early October are special times for Jews, when they celebrate the High Holidays.
Rosh ha-Shanah–the New Year—is Sept. 29-30 and Yom Kippur–the Day of Atonement—is 10 days later.
Rosh ha-Shana and Yom Kippur are cycles in the Jewish New Year, marked by self-reflection, Shofar horn blasts, Tashlikh, and spiritual battles.
The readings for the first day of Rosh ha-Shanah include the binding of Isaac followed by reading the Akedah on the second day. Themes of the birth after being barren, deliverance after exile and rescue from sacrifice encompass this sacred time.
The oft-used phrases Rosh ha-Shanah, Yom Kippur and High Holidays, in Hebrew are known as “Yamim Noraim” Days of Awe or Awesome Days. Both are key festivals within Judaism, one regarding the beginning of a New Year and Yom Kippur, the pursuit of atonement for misdeeds from the past year.
The cycle begins with Rosh-ha-Shanah, and is observed the first two days in the month of Tishri, which is Sept. 29 and 30. Yom Kippur begins 10 days later. On the afternoon of Rosh ha-Shanah, it is customary to cast away sins in the ceremony of Tashlikh. “You will cast (Tashlikh) your sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19) The month of Elul begins the traditional greetings of Shanah tovah (A good year) or Le-shanah tovah tikatevu (May you be inscribed for a good year in the Book of Life.)
This custom originates in a Talmudic passage (Rosh ha-shanah 16b). Jewish customs decree that “Three books are opened before the Lord on Rosh ha-Shanah.” One book inscribes the names of the truly righteous who are assured another year of life. The second book includes the names of the truly wicked, who are inscribed for instant death. For those whose life records are evenly balanced between good and bad, their destiny stands in abeyance until Yom Kippur, when it is sealed.
Before a person’s fate is set, they strive to become aware of how they have not achieved their goals with family, friends, community and Hashem.
This period defines the Jewish community and guides people to regret and demonstrate remorse for any harm they have caused. People turn away from their negative passion, (yetzer ha-ra) and embrace their passion for good, (yetzer-tov) by “turning around” to their higher consciousness.
This period places us in direct spiritual warfare with the adversary, Satan whose purpose is to condemn and deny us one more year of life. For Jewish Theology mandates during Rosh ha-Shanah every human give an accounting of their past year before the heavenly Beit Din, a Jewish court. A verdict is then rendered whether one will be written in the Book of Life or the Book of Death.
Yamim Noraim-Days of awe encapsulates this sentiment a period in every synagogue distinguished by ancient prayers, chants and thoughtful introspection of who we are in our connection with humanity and the universe. As social creatures, the Days of Awe teaches; we cannot enhance our inner lives unless we improve our behavior and relationship to those who share this world with us, L’ Shana Tova tikatevu.