This started out as a simple thing. My husband and I were blessed with the opportunity to visit Israel recently. Several weeks before the trip, I noted on a Jewish calendar that Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, would occur (Sept 11-12) during our stay. So, I wanted to learn more about it and thought others might, too. Simple, I thought. A pleasant evening's cruise into the the WorldWide sea of Websites...

Almost twenty websites and a handful of books later, that one-evening cruise has been more like being set adrift in a churning sea of chaos. I found myself treading water, riding crashing waves of biblical references, Judaic tradition, legend, and history, and eschatological theories. What follows is my prayer-bathed attempt to share my findings. Since I'm not really attempting to be scholarly,(just informative and entertaining, I hope.) there are no footnotes. I will, for those who are insatiably curious, list the best of the websites I visited in my research.

I am ever mindful of Titus' admonition about the avoidance of 'foolish controversies and arguments.' I really struggled to present this material in such a way as to not embroil myself in that perennial hotbed of doctrinal controversies, eschatology/endtimes. To do that, I would have to rip the very soul out of the subject matter. So, allow me to start with this position:

Whichever of the myriad viewpoints you choose to espouse, there IS a 'blessed hope' for us all. One day, we will behold the face of the One we love above all others. One day, whether He comes for us or we go to Him, we will be with Him. Without this hope, the hope of resurrection, Paul says our faith is in vain and we are 'of all men, most miserable.'(I Cor. 15:12-19) Furthermore, we are encouraged, by the precious promise of a 'crown of righteousness', to 'long ('love, yearn for, and welcome' in the Amplified Bible ) for His appearing.' (II Tim. 4:7-8)

There are many(particularly in Christian and Messianic Jewish circles)that believe there is prophetic significance to all of the feasts/holy days that God ordained in Leviticus and Numbers.(Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Weeks, Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Tabernacles) According to most of these sources, the spring festivals were fulfilled by Jesus Christ's ministry, death, and resurrection, and by the coming of the Holy Spirit/birth of the Church on Pentecost. The fall festivals, according to the same people, are to be fulfilled when Christ the Messiah returns...sometime soon.

In the Church, there are denominations. Similarly, Jewry is composed of movements. This can get really complicated, but a very brief overview might be helpful.

Orthodoxy : There are several variations here, but generally, they believe that God gave the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai. The Torah is absolute truth, the unchanging, inviolate Word of God. (carved in stone...literally!!) In the Torah can be found 613 mitzvot(God's commandments) which they must observe.

Reform : This group, the majority of Jews, does not accept the Torah as the Word of God. They do not consider themselves bound by mitzvot. Agnostic and atheist Jews generally fall into this category, as well.

Conservative : These believe the truth of the Torah originated with God but that there is a human voice to it, as well. They believe in following the Law, but they also believe that the Law should change and evolve to reflect our changing culture. The wide middle ground of Conservative Judaism runs from the almost Orthodox to the virtually Reform.

It will be helpful to understand a little bit about what the Jews (at least the Orthodox and like-minded Conservatives) look forward to, some of the basic elements of their eschatology.

Time of Jacob's Trouble/Birthpangs of the Messiah : This is an upcoming time of great hardship and persecution said to usher in the end of the age and the coming of Messiah.

A New Temple : Some believe it will be built by human hands. Others believe God Himself will place it on the Temple Mount. Either way, the hope of a new Temple and the restoration of the system of sacrificial worship is dear to the heart of Jews. Interesting controversy: Since writing the bulk of this piece in late August, I have heard from a friend who is a very learned, well-informed Jew, that the vast majority (95% or more) of Jews are not only disinterested in, but would actually oppose the rebuilding of the Temple and the reinstatement of the system of animal sacrifice. This seems so out-of-place, since much of Jewish liturgy, passed down from generation to generation, involves mourning for the destruction of the Temple and praying for its rebuilding. My friend claims that the people most interested in a new Temple are...evangelical Christians.

The Two Coming Messiahs (messiah ben yosef and messiah ben david) : Observant Jews are actually expecting two messiahs. One is a descendant of Joseph. (the one with the 'technicolour dreamcoat!') He is to be a prophet. (like Elijah or 'the Prophet' mentioned in John 1) He is supposed to come first and prepare the way for, and assist the second Messiah during his reign. This second man is the one most often referred to, the son or descendant of David. When he comes, his arrival will be heralded by the sounding of a shofar.

Resurrection of the Dead : Like most Christians, Jews look forward to a day when the dead will awake to the blast of a heavenly shofar and stand before God and be judged.

Ingathering of Exiles : One day, accompanied by a shofar blast like the one for resurrection, God will cause all living Jews to return to Israel.

The Coming Messianic Age : When Messiah ben David comes, he will be crowned as King in Jerusalem and will reign for a thousand years, according to most of the sources I read. The Talmud mentions a two thousand year reign. Other sources give different figures for this reign, and many don't specify at all. Personally, my favorite position on the subject is the one found in Revelation 11:15..."The seventh angel blew his trumpet and there were mighty voices in Heaven, shouting, 'The dominion (kingdom, sovereignty, rule) of the world has now come into the possession and become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, the Messiah, and He shall reign forever and ever--for the the eternities of the eternities!'" (Amplified Bible...You gotta love it!!!)

Rosh Hashanah is a day which looks forward, unabashedly hopes, and anticipates future events. Consider this a heartfelt invitation, not to strife or controversy, but to adventure, to an unashamed, joyous exploration of the hope He has set before us, the hope of Glory.

The Old Testament speaks only briefly of the day which has become known as Rosh Hashanah.

Leviticus 23 23The LORD said to Moses, 24"Say to the Israelites: `On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. 25Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the LORD by fire.'"

Numbers 29 1"`On the first day of the seventh month hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. It is a day for you to sound the trumpets. '"

The holy day was called by the Lord, 'a memorial of blowing of trumpets.' We are never told what is being commemorated. That is left open, a most tantalizing fill-in-the-blank. We humans have an insatiable desire to fill blanks. Thus, over the centuries many events (both past and future) worthy of commemoration have been ascribed to the date, Tishri 1. It takes no genius to see that it is not likely that all of these events truly occured on the same day. There is certainly
no way to authenticate any of it. Most of these events owe their dating of Tishri 1 to either their innate importance, making them worthy of being memorialized...or to the fact that trumpet blasts figure prominently in them. For your enjoyment, a partial(!!) list...

On Tishri 1...

1st day of creation,
6th day of creation,
the day Adam and Eve sinned and were forgiven,
Noah left the Ark,
Sarah, Rachel and Hannah promised sons and/or conceived,
Isaac's birthday,
the day Abraham offered Isaac,
the blessing of Jacob,
Samuel's birthday,
the Torah given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai,
the Ark of the Covenant brought into the Temple,
Jesus' actual birthday.

In addition, we can look forward to...

The coronation of the Messiah,
the wedding of the Messiah,
the resurrection of the dead,
the rapture(natzal) of the believers,
the ingathering of the Jews to Israel,
the beginning of the Tribulation (the 'birthpangs of the Messiah'),
Judgement Day,
the start of the Messianic Age,
the opening of the gates of Heaven.

As one would expect for a day with so much attributed to it, there are many names, each reflective of underlying themes, for Tishri 1. A few of these are:

Rosh Hashanah (head of the year) God chose Nisan 1 as the start of the year.(Ex 12:1,2; Est 3:7a) Tishri is the seventh month and is considered to be holy and special just as the seventh day of the week is set apart as the Sabbath and every seventh year is considered holy. There seems to be no real consensus on how Tishri 1 became known as the New Year, but the association seems to go back to antiquity. The name, Rosh Hashanah, meaning 'head of the year,' has been in general usage since late 1st or early 2nd century A.D. Many sources compare this duality to our having a New Year on January 1 and a fiscal year starting later in the year, or a schoolyear starting in September.

Birthday of the World Writings in the Mishna and the Talmud assert that the world was created on Tishri 1st. The esteemed rabbis make this argument: The first three words ('In the beginning') of the book of Genesis ('Bereishit' in the Hebrew) can be anagrammed into 'aleph b'Tishrei,' or, 'on the first of Tishrei.' Therefore, they conclude that the world was created on the first of Tishrei almost six thousand years ago. Okay, so call me a skeptic at heart, but this, in and of itself, is not exactly compelling evidence. But, if you're going to celebrate the birthday of the world, you've got to have a date for it. Tishri 1 works as well as any other day...Happy Birthday, World!!

HaMelech (coronation day) When did God begin to reign on Earth? On the very day of its creation, of course! Thus, Tishri 1st is also the day He was crowned King of the universe, according to rabbinic tradition. The sovereignty of God is a major theme of this day. Psalms used in Rosh Hashanah liturgy are ones dealing with God's sovereignty and kingship. The coronation of a king (this is described in I Kings 1:33-48 and II Kings 11:10-20 in Israel began at the Temple. The priest would, in front of the people, place the crown on his head and anoint him as king. The people would cheer, clap, shout, and sing psalms (Psalm 47 is a coronation psalm) and the shofar would be blown. The rest of the ceremony took place at the palace, where he would take possession of his throne and begin his reign. His officials (and, according to some sources, all the people) would come before the new king and pay homage and swear loyalty to him.

Yom Teruah (feast of trumpets, day of the awakening blast) The sounding of the shofar is the central theme of the Feast of Trumpets. A shofar is a trumpet made from the horn of just about any kosher hooved beast. Goat, antelope, and the most popular ram's horn are all acceptable. The only exceptions to this are the horns of cattle and oxen. These forbidden as shofarim because that would be considered a reminder to God of the Sin of the Golden Calf. The ram's horn is preferred, since it is reminiscent of the time when Abraham offered Isaac. Teruah is a word which translates as 'blowing(a trumpet)' or 'breathing'. It can also be rendered as 'shouting' or 'a loud cry.' Some say there is the connotation of 'breaking' or, perhaps, 'brokenness' to the word. There are, as you can imagine, a whole host of rules, specifications, and symbolism regarding the shofar and its use. Many Jewish sources are every bit as passionate about the shofar as we are about the Empty Tomb or the bread and wine of the Lord's Table. One author translates 'teruah' as 'an awakening blast.' According to him, the theme of awakening in Scripture was understood by Jews to be a reference to the day of Yom Teruah. Some Jews practice the custom of 'tikun laylah,' which involves forgoing all sleep on the first day of Yom Teruah. The time is spent in prayer and meditation. Some synagogues have Selichot services, which are midnight services where prayers for God's mercy and forgiveness are said. The custom of Selichot originated in ghettos and Jewish communities of easter Europe(think 'Fiddler on the Roof' here). Synagogue officials would actually go door-to-door waking people up at midnight to attend the service.

Yom HaZikaron (day of remembrance) According to the Talmud, Sarah, Hannah, and Rachel were 'remembered' by God on this day. In synagogues, the Torah readings for the day include the story of Abraham and Isaac, and the stories of Sarah, Hannah, and Rachel. It is a day to remind God of His love for us and our love for Him and our need of Him. It is a day for us to remember God, His matchless kindness to us, and our commitment to Him.

Yom Hadin (day of judgment) Talmudic tradition says that God has three books; the Book of Life, the Book of Death, and the Book of Remembrance. On Tishri 1 God's Heavenly court is in session and He opens the books. The names of the uncompromisingly righteous are written in the Book of Life. The names of the irredeemably wicked are written in the Book of Death. Those who are at neither extreme (most people) are given ten days to repent, to pray for mercy, to perform acts of charity. Ten days to tip the scales of God's justice in their favor. These ten days are called,'the High Holy Days' or the 'Days of Awe.' Abraham argued with God for the handful of righteous in Sodom. So God spared Lot and his family. Jacob wrestled with God and recieved a blessing, and the new name, 'Israel,' which literally means 'he strives with God.' Moses argued with God on the behalf of his 'stiffnecked people.' The New American Standard Bible says, 'So the Lord changed His mind.' Perhaps because of this precedent, Jews perceive their God as Someone Who can be approached, argued with, reasoned with, and even persuaded to change His mind. So this is what they do during the Days of Awe: everything in their power to convince God that their name belongs in the Book of Life, that they merit a sweet and prosperous time in the coming year. Many of them, I hope, come through all that introspection, repentance and Torah study to the place where they realize or are impacted anew with how very, very deeply they are in need of an act of atonement, a pure and spotless sacrifice, the heart and focus of fast-approaching Yom Kippur. On Tishri 10, or Yom Kippur(the Day of Atonement) the decision is made. The average person's name is written in the appropriate book and all three books are sealed. Sources I read dealt not only with an eternal Judgment Day, but also with a lesser annual judgment day, wherein Israel was judged as a nation (to determine whether God would bless Israel with 'the former and the latter rains' so that the harvest would be bountiful) and Jews as individuals were judged, the events(either favorable or unpleasant) of the coming year determined for them. The traditional Jewish greeting for Rosh Hashanah is the phrase,' L'Shana tovah tika tay vu.' This translates roughly to 'May you be inscribed and sealed for a happy year!' or 'May your name be written in the Book of Life.' Interesting Note:This greeting is specifically appropriate on the first evening of the holiday. Some of the stricter orthodox Jews may actually be offended if greeted in this fashion later, during the Days of Awe. The basic rationale is that the righteous are immediately written into the book of Life. To use the traditional greeting later than the first evening implies that you don't consider them righteous! Many Jews perform the ritual of Tashlich('you shall cast') on the first afternoon of Yom Hadin. This involves going to a body of water(preferably a body of water with fish living in it) and emptying the contents of your pockets into the water. The observant Jews would be sure to have either breadcrumbs or small stones(symbolic of sins) in their pockets.(and presumeably NOT their billfold and car keys!!!) They base this practice on the verse, Micah 7:19, where it says that God will 'cast their sins into the depths of the sea.'

Yom Hakeseh (hidden day) One not-often-discussed theme for Tishri 1 is hiddenness or concealment. Part of this is the idea of hiding the proceedings of Judgment Day in the heavenly court from satan, the accuser (of the Jews, as well as the brethren). Another aspect of this has to do with rosh chodesh, the new moon. The Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar. Each month is defined as starting with the new moon. Nowadays, we have pinpoint accurate astronomical calculations with which to determine precisely when the new moon for each month starts. In biblical times, the priests relied on the testimony of 'reliable witnesses,' who would scan the sky looking for the barest, most subtle sliver of waxing moon. When two or three witnesses concurred, rosh chodesh was declared, sacrifices were made, and the new month , or, in the case of Tishri, the new year, was officially begun. Because of the uncertainty of the exact timing of the new moon and the extreme importance of the appointed Feast, Yom Teruah is celebrated for two days, called 'yoma arichta,' or one long day, for ceremonial purposes. All of the other Feasts take place when the moon is full or nearly full. Rosh Hashanah, alone, takes place on the new moon, at the rosh chodesh for Tishri. Talmud sages render Psalm 81:3 this way:'Blow the shofar at the new moon, and when the moon is covered, for our feastday.' So, when speaking of Yom Teruah, one could literally say, 'No man knows the day or the hour.'

Though the tone of the Feast is a serious one (Face it. It's nearly impossible to stand in a courtroom before a judge and giggle), the observant Jew is expected to mingle reverence, awe, and solemnity with an attitude of joy and a confidence in the enduring love and infinite mercy of God. Some of that joy is reflected in the symbolic holiday foods. (you gotta love a celebration that involves edible puns!)

The most-often mentioned of these are apple slices dipped in honey. This, along with all manner of foods sweetened with honey and sweet wine, carries with it the wish for a sweet, happy year. It is not unusual for Jews to eat challah(a type of white bread) for Sabbaths or Feasts. Usually the loaves are braided. For Rosh Hashanah, however, the loaves are made in the shape of a crown to celebrate God's kingship. Some people put raisins or other fruit in the Rosh Hashanah challah; and at many tables, the challah is dipped in honey. Again, the hope is for a sweet, fruitful year to come.

Other symbolic foods are:

Type of Food	Name(Hebrew)	Prayer/blessing
Fenugreek	'thcur' (Aramaic)...'abundance'	may we have abundance this year
Carrots	'mehren'(Yiddish)...'to increase'	may our merits increase
Leeks	'karti'...'to cut down'	may our enemies be cut down
Beets	'silki'...'to remove'	may our adversaries be removed
Dates	'tamri'...'to consume'	may our enemies be consumed
Squash	'kara'...'to read'	may our merits be read before You
Pomegranate		may our merits be many,(as the seeds of a pomegranate)
Fish		may we be fruitful and multiply like the fish of the sea
Head of a sheep (or, sometimes, a fish)		may we be the head and not the tail

Additionally, nothing sour or bitter should be eaten. Some avoid eating nuts on Rosh Hashanah because the gematria(numerology) of the Hebrew word meaning 'nut' is equal to the gematria of the word for 'sin.' Thus they are symbolically refusing to sin. (pretty clever of those rabbis, huh?) The basic idea is if the logic works, and it's kosher(no honey-baked Ham to remember Noah's middle son!) it's fair game.

Observant Jews will begin with introspection and self-examination on the first of Elul, a full month before the actual day of Yom Teruah.As the feastday nears(or sometimes during the 'Days of Awe') they will attend a Selichot service and pray for mercy and forgiveness. For the Feastday they wear new clothes.(for the new year) They will go to synagogue and hear Torah readings punctuated by memorial shofar blasts. They will recite traditional prayers asking for mercy and recalling God's goodness and His sovereignty. Other prayers anticipate the coming Judgement and Messianic Age. Sometime over the two day celebration they may attend a Tashlich service at the ocean, a lake, pool, or stream. They will light the festival candles and eat meals of sweet and symbolic foods. They will spend much time in meditation and Torah study. During the High Holy Days, they will perform acts of charity, settle any outstanding debts or disagreements, and continue the self-examination/repentance(which underscores the need for, and kindles the passionate desire for atonement and peace with God) until the Day of Atonement.(Yom Kippur) Their hope is in a merciful, loving Father God, Who will hear them when they call.

If you are anything like me, it did not take long for your heart to race ahead to what seem to be obvious correlations between the Talmudic traditions described and verses well known to us as part of the New Testament.

Indeed, it is not hard to see the angelic trumpets of John's Revelation, and the 'trumpet of God' mentioned in I Thess. 4 with new eyes.( hmm, maybe that should be 'hear with new ears'...)

Perhaps(my mind still engaged in irresistable, intoxicating speculation) the Lamb's Book of Life, as mentioned in Revelation is the very one that is opened on Judgment Day, not so that we can be condemned, but so that we might find mercy?

A couple of people writing from a 'Messianic pre-Tribulation Rapture' point of view made the intriguing, but not irrefutable, point that there are seven days(remember the 70 weeks of years mentioned in the book of Daniel...pretty cool comparison, huh?) between the two-day Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement.

A few other sources, those espousing a 'prophetic calendar' concept, drew extensive parallels between the history of God's covenant relationship with Israel and the Church and the process of a traditional Jewish marriage ceremony.( I haven't yet seen enough information on this theory to say I support it or that I don't. More research for another time, perhaps...) This was stunning in concept, breathtaking in beauty, and just for a while, I got to relive the heady, breathless exhilaration of a bride anticipating her impending wedding day. It was fun!!!

So consider this your invitation to selah, to pause for a while and contemplate...just for the moment, allow your heart and mind to dance ahead of what can be proven and what makes sense. Shake the dust of everyday complacency from your soul. Imagine your quiet bedroom as the sun peeks over the horizon. Imagine waking up next Yom Teruah to the clarion call of the shofar of the King of Kings, here to claim you, His beloved.