The Feast of Trumpets - the Jewish New Year

 Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New Year

Tonight, begins the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah. It is the Jewish New Year, actually meaning “Head of the Year.”  The Bible calls it, Yom Teruah (Leviticus 23:24), or the Feast of Trumpets.

The holiday begins at sundown on September 6 and continues through nightfall on September 8. It is the start of the “High Holidays.” Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement – is a week later, with 10 Days of Repentance (or the Ten Days of Return) in between the two holidays. Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) is followed by Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles) and Simchat Torah. (Leviticus 23:26-44).

The central observance of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the shofar, the ram’s horn, on both days of the holiday. (Thus, the Feast of Trumpets). The shofar is blown 100 times each of the two days.

Much of the day is spent in synagogue, saying prayers from a prayer book and hearing readings from the Bible. (Genesis 21:1-34, Numbers 29:1-6, 1Samuel 1:1-2:10. Genesis 22:1-24, Numbers 29:1-6, Jeremiah 31:1-19).

"And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD." - Leviticus 23:23-25 KJV

"Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God." - Numbers 10:10 KJV