A very busy month - when the High Holy Days Occur leading up to
Yom Kippur:
Shabbat Selichot - prayers for forgiveness
ROSH HASHANAH(Tishrei 1) - 2 days - "May you be inscribed and sealed (in the Book of Life) for a good year"
the day on which God completed the creation of the world
we stand in judgment before God
"Repentance, prayer and righteousness avert the severe decree"
Things That Happen:
The blowing of the shofar which:
proclaims the coronation of God as King of the universe
awakens us to repent and return to God
reminds us of the shofar heard at Mount Sinai
represents the cry from the soul
portends the Great Shofar that God will sound with the coming of Moshiach
Eat challah and piece of apple dipped in honey, the head of a fish, pomegranates and carrots; symbolize sweetness, blessings and abundance
Tashlich - the afternoon of the first day:
visit a body of water containing live fish to cast away our sins
fish depend on water, we depend on God's providence
a fish's eyes never close; symbolize God always watching over us
2ND DAY OF ROSH HASHANAH (Tishrei 2)
Fast of Gedalia (Tishrei 3) - commemorates the assassination of Gedalia (Jewish leader during the Babylonian exile)
YOM KIPPUR (Tishrei 10) - the holiest day in the Jewish year - YIZKOR
atone for sins against God; seek forgiveness from people for sins against them
prohibited from eating and drinking, using perfume or lotions, marital relations, washing, and wearing leather shoes
Jonah (the afternoon Haftorah)
SUKKOT (Tishrei 15) - 8 days - "The Season of our Rejoicing" - "In
Sukkahs (tabernacles, booths) shall you dwell for seven days"
to commemorate wandering in the desert for 40 years after leaving Egypt, surrounded by protective "clouds of glory"
the shaking of the etrog (citron) and lulav (palm branch), hadassim (3 myrtle branches) and arovot (2 willow branches) - need all four species; symbolizes the oneness of the Jewish people - waved in all directions; symbolizes God is everywhere
2ND DAY OF SUKKOT (Tishrei 16)
1st intermediate day of Sukkot (Tishrei 17)
2nd intermediate day of Sukkot (Tishrei 18)
3rd intermediate day of Sukkot (Tishrei 19)
4th intermediate day of Sukkot (Tishrei 20)
HASHANAH RABBA (Tishrei 21)
recite the Book of Deuteronomy and the Book of Psalms
circle the bimah (altar) 7 times with the etrog and lulav
recite hoshanas; beat 5 willow branches on the floor
SHEMINI ATZERET (8th day of Sukkot) (Tishrei 22) - YIZKOR
SIMCHAT TORAH (Tishrei 23) - 7 hakofot (circlings) of the bimah (altar), singing and dancing with Torah scrolls
in the morning read final portion of the Torah and start at the beginning again
the sublimity of the Jewish soul, we are all one