Rosh Ha Shana - Head of the Year

Biblical Background:

The LORD said to Moses, “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. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the LORD by fire.’
Leviticus 23:23-25

This verse is the basis for the Holy Day called Rosh Hashana. This Holy day is also known as Yom Ha-Zikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (the day of sounding the Shofar - Feast of Trumpets). Interestingly enough, Rosh Hashana is actually translated as “Head of the Year” and is celebrated on the 1st day of the seventh month known as Tishri. This begs the question “why would one celebrate the new year in the seventh month when the biblical year starts in the spring (Nisan - Exodus 12:2)?

Judaism has several different ‘new years’...it is somewhat like recognizing January 1 as the beginning of the new year; yet the new school year starts in September. There are several ‘new years’ throughout the biblical calendar; Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the civil year. It is the new year for people, animals, and legal contracts.

1. The 1st of Nisan, the Hebrew month of Pesah [Passover], is the new year for Kings and Festivals. [This is what we would call the beginning of the calendar year, with Nisan, identified as the first month].
2. The 1st of Elul, the month preceding Tishrei, is the new year for the tithe of cattle. [This is what we would call the beginning of the fiscal or the tax year].
3. The 1st of Tishrei is the:
* New year for years, that is, Rosh Hashanah.
* New year for Sabbatical years.
* New year for Jubilee years.
* New year for planting trees.
* The new year for tithing vegetables.
4. The 15th of Shevat is the new year for trees (Tu Bi’Shevat).

Rosh Hashana is also known as the time of regathering and repentance. It is a time to look at ones own spiritual condition. It is also the beginning of the “10 days of Awe” which conclude with Yom Kippur - The Day of Atonement.

Although the name “Rosh Hashana” does not appear in the Torah, Numbers 29:1 calls the festival Yom Teruah (see above) and this symbolizes a number of subjects such as “the binding of Isaac” and the ‘animal sacrifices’ that were to be performed. In Ezekiel 40:1 there is a general reference to the time of Yom Kippur as being ‘the beginning of the year’ but does not specifically refer to the holiday of Rosh Hashana. The Talmudic Rabbis conclude that Psalm 81 refers to Rosh Hashanah as the moon is hidden ie: new moon (all other feasts take place during a full moon)

Rosh Hashana is also believed to be the anniversary of the completion of creation, ending with the creation of Man - the 6th day. It is also the only Feast that does not coincide with a miraculous event ie: Passover = exodus from Egypt; Sukkot = providing in the wilderness; Hannukah = victory over the Seleucid Empire.

Although there is not much information specified in the bible about Rosh Hashanah, the Sages acknowledge this day to be one of the Holiest days of the year because of its obscurity. Rabbi Bachayei Ben Asher states: “ For this is the way of scripture; the deeper and more hidden the matter, the more obscure its reference in the Torah.
Traditional Jewish Observances

In the Jewish calendar, all days begin in the evening. The family will sit down and share in many customary dishes, the most enjoyable one being apples dipped in honey. This is done to symbolize our wish for a sweet new year. Then it is off to synagogue for the evening worship service with the reoccurring theme of repentance, turning to G-d, and declaring His sovereignty.

The following day is also spent at the synagogue where we read Genesis 21:1-17 followed by Genesis 22:1-19. These are the stories of Sarah expelling Hagar and her son Ishmael, and Abraham about to sacrifice Isaac. Both of these stories had to do with birth and death, something we have no control over. Also, both children were spared only by the intervention of G-d.
During this time, one would also reflect on the past year, looking back at the mistakes that were made and making changes for the new year. It is also understood that during this time, one would pray that their names be written in the book of life for another year.

One popular practice of the holiday is Tashlich (casting off). One would walk to a place of flowing water such as a creek or river on the afternoon of the first day and empty their pockets into the river, symbolically casting off their sins. Small pieces of bread ore commonly put in the pockets to cast off. This practice is not found in the Bible, but it is a long standing custom.
Micah 7:18-20 is read

At the conclusion of each service, the Shofar (rams horn) is blown. This is one of the most important observances of this holy day. It has been said (in the Talmud) that the sounding of the shofar is to remind G-d of the binding of Isaac, so that G-d considers it as if we ourselves were sacrificed. A total of 100 notes are sounded daily. There are four different types of shofar notes:

Tekiah = a 3 second sustained note - Represents complacency with the status quo. I am a good Jew, I am a good person.
Shevarim = 3 one second notes rising in tone - literally translates to mean ‘broken’ is the sound of the first glance within the self, an awakening, the heartbroken feeling that comes with unflinching self-evaluation.
Teruah = a series of short staccato notes extending over a period of 3 seconds - brings about repentance and growth, bit by bit
Tekiah Gedolah = one large long blast lasting at least 10 seconds - Redemption, Messianic times

The bible gives no specific reason for this practice and Ashkenazic (Jews from East of Jerusalem and Sephardic (Jews from West of Jerusalem) practices differ. However, the Talmudic Rabbis claim that there are several explanations for this;

* Remember your creator.
* Judgment is close at hand
* Repent and wake up!
* It is a call that will gather all the people together for a significant reason.
* It is a call to the King, a coronation.

Prophetic Fulfillment

As we look back in the Old Testament, we can see that there is prophetic meaning woven into every biblical holy day. Many ancient rabbis saw a connection between Rosh HaShanah as the holy day of regathering and the Messiah who would bring all G-d’s people together. The shofar patterns reflects the return of Messiah;

Tekiah - man
Shevarim - humbled and broken
Teruah - repent and turn to G-d
Tekiah Gedol - Our King, Yeshua is crowned king of all the nations and comes for His people

There is a rich prophetic truth associated with this Feast of Trumpets. As it characterizes a time of ingathering and spiritual preparation, a future fulfillment of Rosh Hashana is also eluded to. In speaking of the future gathering of the believers in Messiah, commonly called “the rapture’, Paul reveals an interesting connection to the holy day:

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

This holy day is a perfect picture of the regathering of believers. In the future, all true believers in Yeshua will be gathered to meet him in the clouds; The dead in Messiah will rise first, to be followed immediately by those believers alive at that time. Not surprisingly, the signal of the gathering will be the sound of the shofar. In fact, the reference here is to a particular note sounded at Rosh HaShanah. The word normally translated ‘shout’ in verse 16, comes from the Hebrew teruah, better translated in this context as the ‘alarm’ blasts of the shofar. Similar references to the shofar as the signal of the rapture can be found elsewhere in the New Testament (see 1 Cor 15:50-58 and Revelation 4:1)

Another important fulfillment of Rosh Hashana is the regathering of the Jewish believing remnant at the second coming of Messiah. As far back as the 7th century B.C. E., the prophet Isaiah wrote: Isaiah 27:12-13

In that day the LORD will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, O Israelites, will be gathered up one by one. And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.
Isaiah 27:12-13

This is clearly referring to a latter day regathering of believing remnant. Likewise, Yeshua, when asked about the future, confirmed this as a later day promise in his own teaching:

And he (the Son of Man) will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
Matt 24:31

Believers in Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus the Messiah) should have a fond appreciation for this rich holy day. Rosh HaShanah has served historically as a time of spiritual preparation and repentance, and looking forward to Yeshua’s second coming and the regathering of all believers both dead and alive.

Rosh Hashana is a time for all of us to reflect and prepare for His coming. He will come again, and we will be judged. Is your name written in the book of life?