A time for gathering, a time for blessings. A holiday that stands for new beginnings and good fortune to come in our way. Rosh Hashanah is an amazing holiday, one of the three main holidays celebrated in Judaism. With so many meanings, traditions, rituals and events that happen at the same time; Rosh Hashanah Is a complex holiday, full of rituals and symbols to bring good fortune. In order to explain some of the holiday’s main characteristics, we have gathered ten facts for you, our readers, that you just must know about the holiday that starts the year.
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What is Rosh Hashanah?
Rosh Hashanah is the holiday that marks the beginning of the Jewish calendar. It happens on the first evening of the month ‘Tishrei’ and stands for a new year to come. On Rosh Hashanah, it is common to hear the Shofar only in the morning. This is a way to symbolize the beginning of the ten days of repentance before Yom Kippur. On Rosh Hashanah It is a tradition to eat only “good food”, like sweet and salty and fatty food. No bitter food is allowed according to the Halacha.
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What Are You Supposed To Do on Rosh Hashanah?
On Rosh Hashanah, as a starter, it is the first opportunity for men and women to think and contemplate on their deeds during the past year; since on Rosh Hashanah, according to tradition, god decides how the following year will be for us in accordance to our deeds. Another tradition among the Rosh Hashanah things is to call our friends and family and bless them with a successful year, a good year, a lucky year that will bring goodness upon them.
As you may imagine and think on your own, there are many more traditions and rituals within the holiday. All of these are just a paragraph away.
One good deed we can take on next year is the Mitzvah of charity. Our stunning Tzedakah Boxes are perfect just for that.
How Do You Celebrate Rosh Hashanah Step by Step?
for starters, on Rosh Hashanah You start by lighting up a candle that lasts for 48 hours so there will still be light since electricity is now allowed during the holiday. Following that, in the beginning of the meal, the ladies of the house will light up the candles on their Shabbat Candlesticks like one might do during a regular Shabbat. Then, it is time to start the feast.
First of all, there are many blessings and prayers to say and sing! Blessing on the wine is done with a Kiddush Cup but the main star is the apple and honey. Every guest at the table must take a bite of apple and honey so the following year will be sweet and full of good fortune. It is tradition to serve those in designated tools, like silver honey dishes and as well as aluminum honey dishes. During the meal, it is most common to serve food that is slightly sweet and fatty. The whole point of Rosh Hashanah Is to focus on the positive and not be troubled with negative thoughts. Even walnuts are forbidden to eat during the holiday since they may cause suffocation.
See our full collection of Rosh Hashanah Judaica
What is Forbidden During Rosh Hashanah?
Rosh Hashanah Has a fair amount of shared rulings with the Shabbat. No eating before the kiddush, no bitter or spicy foods are allowed and no hard work as well. Also, it is forbidden while visiting family members who passed away to pray for them for protection and good luck. It is more common to pray to god to give us a good year in the name of our dead.
What Do We Eat on Rosh Hashanah?
As we read earlier, apples and honey, served in silver honey dishes,like this beehive honey dish set are a very big deal during the holiday. For the same reason we eat apple and honey it is also a common ritual to eat the head of a lamb or serve fish with the head. There is a saying during the holiday, blessing that “we will be as a head and as a tail”. It means that we will always lead our path, have good luck and success in whatever we may try to achieve.
More common foods during Rosh Hashanah are leeks, butternut squash, Rubia bean, dates, and pomegranates. These are all related to good luck and are also very sweet. For example, pomegranates are a great deal in Rosh Hashanah. On the pomegranate, we pray that we may gain as many good deeds and fulfill as many mitzvahs as the seed of the pomegranate. We even offer a Pomegranate Honey Dish Set at our website!
Every food that is on the table during the holiday is in fact very meaningful and symbolic.
Can You Eat on Rosh Hashanah?
This question may seem odd, but there is a good reason for it. Some traditional families may fast during the day of Rosh Hashanah As a way to’ earn’ the new year and they do not eat until the last prayer before the holiday enters. Following that, eating is allowed during the holiday and even encouraged. Another logical reason is to have a period of time where there is no food that enters the body on “a regular day” and the following food to enter the body is food and wine from the new year, during the holiday evening.
This is an amazing way that Judaism attempts to show the importance of proper eating as well as pure eating. This short fast allows the body to clean itself and also be ready and clear for new food as the new year begins.
Who Dines at the Table?
Rosh Hashanah is happening just 12 days before the holiday Sukkot. In that same manner, it is most common to have our family members around the table to enjoy the sweet honey and apple, however there is an understanding that some families are a choice. Therefore, friends and close people are always welcome at the table. It is a great deed to bring people in celebration for the new year. In case you were wondering, there is no limit on the amount of guests at the table, and the more – the merrier.
Prepare yourself for your guests with a stunning Rosh Hashanah Serving Tray
Why is it Important to Use Nice dishes?
Since Rosh Hashanah is a very festive holiday, it is very common and customary to use proper dishes. Silver dishes and beautiful Kiddush cups are only a part from the many table pieces you may use as a way to make the feast more festive and fancy.
Where Can You Buy Silverware for Rosh Hashanah?
There are many websites and shops on which you may find silver pieces and dishes to use during the upcoming holiday. However, no matter how hard you look, you will not find a large variety of silver honey dishes and other silver judaica pieces that will enlighten your table like the collection that the Israeli center of Judaica is offering. You will be able to find actual pieces of art that will decorate your table, made by the finest silversmiths and Judaica artists in Israel and Jerusalem. You are always welcome to browse through our collection, you may find any piece that your mind has eyes on.
Come and see our Rosh Hashanah gifts collection
Is Singing Allowed During Rosh Hashanah?
Since in some holidays you cannot sing because it is a day of fasting or a memorial day, this question may be raised; Israeli and Jewish culture has many songs, hymns and prayers you may sing during the whole holiday. Some families even print out in advance a booklet for all of the guests with common songs to celebrate Rosh Hashanah.
There are songs about apples and honey, the positive possibilities in a new year to come, the good fortune we have to celebrate with our families and always blessing that we may be for a head and not a tail.
Not Enough Words to Summarize
Rosh Hashanah Is an amazing holiday. It is considered to be one of the most wholesome and family – related holidays in Judaism. Rosh Hashanah is known to be a holiday that enables “union of hearts”. Because there are so many positive attributes related to the holiday, Rosh Hashanah is an excellent time to try and focus on our wishes and goals for the upcoming year. It may be related to your family, your professional life, social life and really anything else you might come up with. It’s also time to renew, whether it’s a new mezuzah case for the house or a new silver washing cup.
As we all just read and saw, Rosh Hashanah Is full of tradition, values, delicious food and symbolism. It connected so deeply to positive thinking and happy nutrition. It is quite rare that there are so many lessons to learn from a single holiday. How each food we eat is related to greatness and positive emotions. How the traditions of fasting are all about cleansing our body before the Jewish calendar resets and begins a new year.
It is unfathomable that a collection of dishes, Judaica and other Jewish ritualistic pieces are able to blend in the rituals of the holiday with such ease. Sterling Silver candlesticks, stylish honey dishes and even kiddush cups can really brighten up the table and give the ingredients a greater meaning. Have a happy holiday!
