3. Rosh Hashanah

You're in range. You're tuned into the signal. At this point, home base asks that you identify yourself.

It's Rosh Hashanah, a day for saying, "I am a Jew, I belong with this people, I connect, I identify." Once that's established, you can go to the next step, taking on more, learning more, getting yourself into better shape. But everything starts with your idea of who you are.

Shofar

Rosh Hashanah is called "the birthday of the universe." It's the day that the Grand Programmer of All Things sits back to consider whether this universe is really worth playing and then reboots the system. In fact, "Rosh Hashanah," actually means, "Head of the Year": Like a head contains all the switches for every part of the body, Rosh Hashanah is the time when every day of the year is initialized into the system. It's a crucial stage, when every moment must be filled with good thoughts, words and deeds.

Rosh Hashanah is the time when every day of the year is initialized into the systemPrecisely when is reboot? You guessed it: At the first blast of the shofar.

Rosh Hashanah has a unique mitzvah: To hear the shofar, a simple ram's horn. After the Torah reading —usually around noon—30 blasts of the shofar are sounded in a prescribed pattern. Later come another 70 for a total of 100 blasts.

Often, volunteers will visit those confined to home or hospice to blow shofar for them. Speak to your local Chabad rabbi if you know of someone who is in need of this service.

[On years when the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, the shofar is blown only on the second day. On the first day, Shabbat itself takes the place of the shofar.]

Synagogue

When the Master of the Universe is dealing with global issues, why bother Him with our prayers?

Without our prayers, He directs the universe as a king, with strict, impersonal judgment. Our job is to bring a two-way dimension into that relationship, closer to a warm and healthy parent-child model. In fact, the sounds of the shofar are meant to emulate the pleading cries of a child.

That's what's behind the prayer, "Our Father, Our King!"

If you're not familiar with the services, check if your local Chabad House has an introductory service.

There are always prayer books with translation. G‑d is fluent in all languages, as long as it comes from the heart.

Click here for more about the Rosh Hashanah prayer services.
Click here to find a friendly Rosh Hashanah services in your area.

Festive Meal

We're so solid about our relationship with The Boss that we start celebrating a good year even before it's begun. Each day of Rosh Hashanah, we make both lunch and dinner a festive meal.

The strategy is simple: When a father sees his children have confidence in him, he usually follows suit. The same applies to our Father Who Runs the Universe.

We're so solid about our relationship with The Boss that we start celebrating a good year even before it's begunThese feasts are rich with symbolism. We start with kiddush and sweet challah. On the first night, the meal begins with an apple dipped in honey, as we say, "May it be Your will that this year be good and sweet." All the foods are sweet, nothing bitter.

On the second night, we eat a new seasonal fruit right after kiddush.

Click here for more about the Rosh Hashanah meals.

Work

As with every Yom Tov, we don't go to work, drive, write or switch on or off electric devices. We are permitted to cook and to carry outdoors.

Tashlich

On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, late in the afternoon, we walk to a body of water containing live fish and recite a prayer that G‑d, out of His great compassion, will toss our past failures into the sea.

For many, Tashlich is a community-wide event, with a picnic-like atmosphere to it. Often, the shofar will be blown again, for the benefit of those who couldn't make it to the morning services.

Click here for more about Tashlich.