This year Jewish communities throughout the world are observing the High Holy Days from the eve of September 15 through sundown, September 25. Starting with the celebration of Rosh Hashanah, the traditional anniversary of the birth of the world, foods with honey were eaten as we wished each other a sweet New Year.
In the bible, Rosh Hashanah celebrated the beginning of the fall season. As we moved into the cities, our rabbis changed Rosh Hashanah’s emphasis from fall harvest to the beginning of personal introspection leading to change. In Hebrew this concept is called teshuvah – repentance or return. It begins an annual ten-day period known as the Yamim Nora’im – Days of Awe or High Holy Days.
On Rosh Hashanah God opens the Book of Life and records what kind of year we deserve in the year to come based on our behavior in the previous year. It recognizes a balance of God controlling our lives while allowing us free will. For example, our eating and exercise habits play a factor in determining our health, while genetics and other factors beyond our control also determine our health.
The High Holy Days end with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. By the end of this 25-hour period, God will have traditionally recorded in the Book of Life what kind of year we will have in the following year. We are reminded, however, that our actions can change the outcome.
This is all about how we treat each other. If we mistreat each other, we create tears in the fabric of our community; good treatment creates a healthy community where each of us can rely on our neighbors and friends. Knowing that we offend each other unknowingly, we know there are bad feelings that exist within any group; God calls upon us to make teshuvah – to apologize and correct any wrongs we can. We pray to God for the strength and ability to improve ourselves and work to improve the community. By doing this, we repair those tears in the fabric of our community, increasing the odds for a good new year, not only for ourselves, but for all of us.
L’Shana tova – Here’s to a good year!
Rabbi Joe Mendelsohn
Spiritual Leader of the Reform Temple of Laguna Woods
President of the Interfaith Council of South Orange County
