{"id":904214,"date":"2024-09-17T06:08:01","date_gmt":"2024-09-17T10:08:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/colelchabad.org\/?p=904214"},"modified":"2025-08-07T16:55:22","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T20:55:22","slug":"se-acerca-rosh-hashana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/colelchabad.org\/es\/rosh-hashanah-is-coming\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00bfQu\u00e9 es Rosh Hashan\u00e1 y por qu\u00e9 se celebra?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Jews the world over celebrate Rosh Hashanah as the first in a pair of High Holidays. Rosh Hashanah starts off the yearly cycle of holy days and festivals throughout the Hebrew month of <\/span>Tishrei<\/span><\/i>. Though it\u2019s commonly called the \u201cJewish New Year,\u201d Rosh Hashanah has <\/span>distinct significance in Judaism<\/span> aside from just its chronology within the year. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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What is the purpose of Rosh Hashana?<\/span><\/h2>

In a nutshell, Rosh Hashanah centers around three main themes. All the common Jewish <\/a><\/span>prayers<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>mitzvot<\/span><\/i><\/a> and <\/span>customs of the holiday<\/span> reflect these themes:<\/span><\/p>

Affirming G-d\u2019s Kingship<\/span><\/h3>

In the Rosh Hashanah prayer liturgy, we repeatedly reaffirm G\u2011d\u2019s kingship for the coming year.\u00a0 This is how we express our desire for His all-knowing, holistic rulership. In doing so, we refuse to limit ourselves to a fate under any mortal human\u2019s flawed and unbalanced judgment.<\/span><\/p>

Remembrance<\/span><\/h3>

Rosh Hashanah is a day of judgment in the heavenly realms. That\u2019s why we express our wish that He \u201cremember\u201d the good we\u2019ve done in the past year, not just our less-proud moments.<\/span><\/p>

Shofar-Blowing<\/span><\/h3>

On Rosh Hashanah we listen to a <\/span>shofar<\/span><\/i> \u2013 a hollowed and polished ram or sheep\u2019s horn \u2013 being blown, usually in synagogue. It represents our people\u2019s outcry to G-d in our collective desire for his mercy, love and presence as a community.<\/span><\/p>

\"Group<\/p>

Rosh Hashana in the bible<\/span><\/h2>

Rosh Hashanah originates from the completion of G-d\u2019s creation, as in the verse in <\/span>Bereishit<\/span><\/i>; the first book of the <\/span>Torah<\/span><\/i>:<\/span><\/p>

\u201cAnd G-d saw all that he had made, and \u2013 behold! \u2013 it was very good.\u00a0 And it was evening, and it was morning; the sixth day.\u201d \u2013 Genesis 1:31.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Rather than commemorating when G-d <\/span>started<\/span><\/i> creating the world, Rosh Hashanah marks when He completed it \u2013 creating Adam and Eve, i.e. mankind. So rather than the first day of creation, we celebrate the \u201cbirthday\u201d of the world on the sixth day. Afterall, it\u2019s the human race G-d entrusted with a sacred mission: refine the world and make it a suitable place for His presence. <\/span>The Chabad-Chassidic sages<\/span> called this target outcome <\/span>Dirah Bitachtonim<\/span><\/i>, which means \u201ca dwelling in the lowest of places.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

What are other names for Rosh Hashana?<\/span><\/h2>

Head of the Year, Not the New Year<\/span><\/h3>

This holiday\u2019s most commonly used name derives from the <\/span>Talmud<\/span><\/i>, who\u2019s tractate on the subject bears the same: Rosh Hashanah. Literally meaning \u201chead of the year,\u201d it alludes to the spiritual microcosm the holiday is for the coming year. It\u2019s taught that on Rosh Hashanah G-d judges our previous year, and decides the fate of our coming one. So, the name Rosh Hashanah, refers to its spiritual significance rather than beginning a \u201cnew year.\u201d\u00a0 (In fact, Hebrew months are numbered starting with <\/span>Nissan<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>the Hebrew month of Passover.<\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>

First of the Yomim Noraim \u2013 Days of Awe<\/span><\/h3>

As part of the official High Holiday duo with <\/span>Yom Kippur<\/span>, the two together are called the <\/span>Yomim Noraim<\/span><\/i> (lit. Days of Awe). This alludes to the reverence with which we\u2019re expected to look upon G-d\u2019s power, greatness and sovereignty<\/span>.<\/span>It\u2019s during these days that He mulls over our prayers, our sincerity before him, and decides how, and how much, to bless us.<\/span><\/p>

Yom Teruah \u2013 Day of the Shofar Blast<\/span><\/h3>

The Torah also describes this holiday<\/span> by its most central <\/span>mitzvah<\/span><\/i> act: hearing the shofar blasts. <\/span>Yom Teruah<\/span><\/i>, which means Day of [<\/span>Shofar<\/span><\/i>] Blasting, communicates just that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Yom Hazikaron & Yom Hadin \u2013 Day of Remembrance & Day of Judgement<\/span><\/h3>

Similarly, the prayers of the day also refer to the holiday as both <\/span>Yom Hazikaron<\/span><\/i> (Day of Remembrance) and <\/span>Yom Hadin<\/span><\/i> (Day of Judgement) in several spots. These two names implore G-d to remember our positive acts, simultaneously reminding us to prepare ourselves as he metes out judgments, both positive and negative.<\/span><\/p>

\"A<\/p>

Spiritual significance of Rosh Hashana<\/span><\/h2>

Rosh Hashanah centers around an opportunity for self-reflection. We take into account our attitudes, actions and accomplishments of the prior year, and set goals to do better in the coming one.<\/span><\/p>

Simultaneously, G-d makes His accounting and drafts decisions about each one of His people.\u00a0 As it says in the Rosh Hashanah <\/span>Machzor<\/span><\/i> (the holiday prayer book), He decrees<\/span> \u201c…who shall live, and who shall die … who shall be impoverished and who shall be rich; who shall fall and who shall rise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

When is Rosh Hashana?<\/span><\/h2>

Rosh Hashanah takes place on the 1st and 2nd of the month of <\/span>Tishrei<\/span><\/i> each year.\u00a0 Like all days on the Colel Chabad luach or Jewish calendar<\/a>, it starts at sundown and<\/span>\u00a0continues through the following day.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Rosh Hashana traditions and customs<\/span><\/h2>

\"A<\/p>

Rosh Hashanah, like most other Jewish festivals, mimics <\/span>Shabbat<\/span><\/i> in its basic \u201cday of rest\u201d elements. This includes lighting candles before sundown, attending prayer services if available, public Torah readings, and hosting or attending festive meals. It also includes refraining from doing any <\/span>melacha <\/span><\/i>(certain acts that were involved in constructing the <\/span>Mishkan <\/span><\/i>in the desert, or related tasks).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Rosh Hashanah\u2019s distinctly unique customs, however, relate to the three themes mentioned above. They vary slightly from one community to another, but here are the most prevalent ones:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Tzedakah \u2013 Before Rosh Hashanah<\/span><\/h3>

In preparation for the Day of Judgement, giving a Chabad donation<\/a> to support a Jewish cause in Israel helps the poor in Israel<\/span>.\u00a0 A great time to do this is either right before candle-lighting, or any time leading up to the holiday.<\/span><\/p>

Extra Prayers\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>

Compared to weekdays, or even <\/span>Shabbat<\/span><\/i>, Rosh Hashanah prayers last far longer and are more extensive. Perhaps most well known is <\/span>Avinu Malkeinu<\/span><\/i>, which means \u201cOur Father, Our King.\u201d\u00a0 It\u2019s a song sung in verses, imploring G-d to have mercy on us, whether as His subjects or His children.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Some others are <\/span>Malchiyot<\/span><\/i> (proclamations of G-d\u2019s kingship), <\/span>Zichronot<\/span><\/i> (remembrances, recalling positive acts of various biblical figures) and <\/span>Piyyutim<\/span><\/i> (poetic supplications). These all represent the duality of our relationship with G-d; of fear and reverence, respect and love, both communal and personal.<\/span><\/p>

The <\/span>Musaf<\/span><\/i> prayer for Rosh Hashanah is also much longer than on <\/span>Shabbat<\/span><\/i>. <\/span>Musaf <\/span><\/i>is a second <\/span>Amidah<\/span><\/i> (personal meditation, recited standing) added on <\/span>Shabbat<\/span><\/i> and many holidays. On Rosh Hashanah, the middle blessing of this prayer is broken into three sections delineating the holiday\u2019s three themes of kingship, remembrance, and <\/span>shofar<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>

Hear (or Blow) the Shofar<\/span><\/h3>

Shofar is not just a custom for Rosh Hashanah, it\u2019s the holiday\u2019s main <\/span>mitzvah<\/span><\/i>. The <\/span>shofar\u2019<\/span><\/i>s startling blasts grab our attention \u2013 shake us up a little \u2013 like a siren awakening us to do <\/span>teshuvah<\/span><\/i><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

However, its majestic call also symbolizes a coronation trumpet, harkening to the concept of crowning G-d as our King once again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Further still, the shofar\u2019s cries somewhat resemble the cries of a child for their parents. A shofar isn\u2019t a shiny, brass instrument, it\u2019s a rough-hewn horn producing a less sophisticated, more raw sound. Almost reminiscent of primal screams, its message penetrates deeper than words. This contrasts the complexity and calculated nature of the extensive prayers surrounding it in the service.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

In these ways, the shofar\u2019s sounds and symbolism artfully remind us of our multifaceted relationship with G-d. Traditionally, there are three types of shofar sounds:<\/span><\/p>