Rosh Hashanah is a Jewish holiday celebrated on Tishrei 1 on the Jewish calendar, the Jewish year’s first day. This day generally falls in September. Most people are aware that the Jewish new year is one of the most important Jewish celebrations, which include Rosh Hashana gifts, meals, and family gatherings. But what they are unaware of is – this fest has a very deep spiritual meaning.
Today we will share all such interesting things about this fest.
It Celebrates The Relation of God And Humans
Rosh Hashanah celebrates the special relationship that God has with humans and mutual dependence. It is the ideal time to reflect on life, sins, and what has been done well in the last year. It is the time to ask forgiveness from God for all the known and unknown wrongdoings of you from the last year and to ask for his holy blessings for the upcoming year.
Meals Symbolise Somethings
Most of this feast’s foods have deep symbols. Here we mention the main ones:
Honey Dipped Apples: For a new year full of happiness and prosperity and free from bitterness. They are eaten during the main Rosh Hashanah dinner.
Round Challah Bread: To symbolize the cyclical nature of the year.
Raisins: Also for a sweet new year.
Pomegranates: To make us remember the 613 commandments of the Torah that, according to the preachers, have 613 seeds.
Carrots: Cut into slices symbolize coins or an abundance of good works.
Beets: To keep away enemies.
Highest Consumption of Pomegranates
The Land of Israel was known for this fruit in ancient times. Today, Israelis eat about 6,000 tonnes of pomegranate fruit during the holiday, compared to 14,000 in total per year. You will find different varieties of this reddish fruit in Israel, some sweeter and others big in size. Figures show that, on average, every Israeli eats three pomegranates a year, two on Rosh Hashanah.
Tishrei is the Sweetest Month – Thanks to Honey
Do you know that bees need to collect nectar from between five and eight million flowers to fill a pot of honey? Israelis consume 4,000 tons of honey a year. And they consume about 2,000 tons only in the month of Tishrei – the first month of Rosh Hashanah. So, it’s the sweetest month of the Jewish year.
Celebration Include Ram’s Horn
The shofar, or ram’s horn, is an important part of Rosh Hashanah. It represents the sound of the trumpet that you hear when a king is crowned. Also, its sound is a call for repentance to God. The shofar that people use in Rosh Hashanah must not contain any cartilage. Otherwise, it’s not considered appropriate.
Yom Kippur
After Rosh Hashanah, people perform another festival called Yom Kippur for ten days. During which fasting, prayer, abstaining from pleasures, and work are practiced. The Shofar is used these days for repentance.
Shanna Tova – The Greeting
“Shanna Tova” is the greeting that Israelis use at the ewe of Rosh Hashanah, which means something like a good year or have a good year. It’s the same as they say “happy new year” in the USA on new year’s eve. After greeting each other, people exchange their gifts for Rosh Hashana.
That’s it for now. We will soon bring more such posts for you!
