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Background

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, is a fall holiday,taking place at the beginning of the month of Tishrei, which is actually theseventh month of the Jewish year (counting from Nisan in the spring). It isboth a time of rejoicing and of serious introspection, a time to celebrate thecompletion of another year while also taking stock of one’s life.

The two days of Rosh Hashanah usher in the Ten Days of  Repentance (Aseret Yemei Teshuvah), also known as the Days of Awe (YamimNoraim), which culminate in the major fast day of Yom Kippur, the Day ofAtonement. The Days of Awe represent the climax of a longer process. Startingat the beginning of the previous month, called Elul, the shofar istraditionally sounded at the conclusion of the morning service. A ram’s hornthat makes a trumpet-like sound, the shofar is intended as a wake-up call toprepare for the Tishrei holidays. One week before Rosh Hashanah, specialpetitionary prayers called Selichot are added to the ritual. Rosh Hashanahitself is also known as Yom Hadin or the Day of Judgment, on which God opensthe Books of Life and Death, which are then sealed on Yom Kippur.

The origins of Rosh Hashanah may be sought in a royalenthronement ritual from biblical times, though the Bible itself never mentionsthe "New Year” or "Day of Judgment” aspects of the holiday. Eventhough Rosh Hashanah falls in the seventh month, later rabbinic traditiondecided to designate it the beginning of the year. Although the origin of thistradition may have been adopted from the Babylonians, the rabbis imbued it withJewish significance as the anniversary of the day on which the world wascreated, or of the day on which humanity was created. Another explanation canbe found in the significance of Tishrei as the seventh month, hence the Sabbathof the year.

The challah (traditional bread) that is eaten for the RoshHashanah season is round, symbolizing the eternal cycle of life. The challah istraditionally dipped in honey, symbolizing the hopes for a sweet New Year. Thesame is done with apples, which are made even sweeter with the addition ofhoney. Some people avoid eating nuts at this time, since according to asomewhat convoluted gematria (mystical numerical interpretation) the Hebrewwords for nut (egoz) and sin (het) have the same numerical value.