The Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah): Its Traditions and Rituals

Abstract

This study offers a comprehensive study of the Jewish New Year, known as Rosh Hashanah, in terms of its religious, symbolic, and social dimensions. Rosh Hashanah is one of the most important holidays in the Jewish calendar, celebrated on the first and second days of the Hebrew month of Tishri. It is viewed as a day of judgment and remembrance, on which one's deeds are presented to God and the beginning of the ten days of repentance, culminating in the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).

The study focuses on the central rituals associated with this holiday, most notably the blowing of the shofar, a symbolic ritual used for spiritual awakening and a call to repentance. The special structure of prayers that include passages reflecting the awe of divine judgment, such as "Avinu Melkeinu" and "Onitani Tokveh", is also analyzed