Rosh Hashanah

Nehemiah 8

2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

Rosh Hashanah

1 Tishrei

  • Rosh Hashanah, the Head of the Year,
  • Yom Teruah, Day of Blasting (Shofar) and,
  • First Day of Awe, Yamin Noraim, which concludes on 10 Tishrei with Yom Kippur
Days of Awe

T’shuva - Return
(Return to Our Deepest Roots)

Rosh HaShanah is a day of t’shuva (return to our deepest roots). T’shuva is the theme of the Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim), Rosh HaShanah through Yom Kippur. During the Days of Awe one’s personal and communal  relationship is reviewed in relation to the river of God.

Note/Shout to the Church, t’shuva and repentance are not the same. They should be the same, return to loving God and neighbor are the themes of the New Testament. Too often we wallow in regret and despair, and failing to see even a glimmer the hope of God waiting for us to return. I pray this idea would permeate the church.  James alludes to this,  James 2:17 “In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. 18 But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”” It is the hope of returning to flow in God’s river and not the dispair that we need to pursue. In Rosh Hashanah 32b:1 the Gemara cites examples of verses that may not be used in Rosh HaShana prayers because they deal with punishment.  The church needs this, not focusing on our failures but on our return.

The three themes of Rosh HaShanah primarily support t’shuva. First, recognize God as the King. Second, remember what God has done for us, personal but primarily communal. Finally hear the blowing of trumpets. These are metal trumpets, Numbers 10:2 “Make yourself two trumpets of silver, you shall make them of hammered work; and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and breaking camp”, and the shofar (ram’s horn) that signifies our heart’s deepest cry to God.

Suzerain Vassal Treaty

The suzerain vassal treaty was employed throughout the ancient world including kingdoms in the middle east. The Assyrians, Hittites, and Egyptians kingdoms were, at one time or another, all suzerains that made Israel a vassal state.  This treaty form is contained in the Torah, with God as Suzerain. The entire book of Deuteronomy acts as a Suzerain Vassal Treaty, with Chapters 8 and 11 being abbreviated forms.

The Kingship of HaShem (malchuyot) and remembering (zichronot) are clear in these texts.  When we realize we are not flowing in the river of HaShem, we want to cry out from the depth of our hearts. We need  t’shuva but we can find no words to sound the depth of our cry.

In comes the voice of the shofar (Shofaros) with one note crying a yearning call from our hearts to God’s heart. Then, a return call, and with another note we can hear the reply from God’s heart .

Pesach - Passover – Physical Salvation
Shavuot - Weeks – Spiritual Salvation
Sukkot - Tents – Living in Joy Under God
Deuteronomy 11
  • Preamble – Identifies the parties, emphasizing the King
  • Prologue – How the Suzerain has provided
    •  Deuteronomy 11:13 … which He did in the midst of Egypt to Pharaoh ….
    •  Deuteronomy 11:15 and what He did to you in the wilderness …
    • Deuteronomy 11:16 and what He did to Dathan and Abiram … when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them
    • Deuteronomy 11:17 … but your own eyes have seen all the great work of the LORD which He did.
  • Stipulations – Vassal obligation
    • Deuteronomy 11:18 “You shall therefore keep every commandment which I am commanding you today,
  • Remembering
    • Deuteronomy 11:113 “And it shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul,
    • Deuteronomy 11:8 … take these words of mine to heart and to soul; and you shall tie them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets on your forehead. 
  • Blessings and Curses – Deuteronomy 11:26 See, I am placing before you today a blessing and a curse
    • Blessing –  Deuteronomy 11:27  the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am commanding you today;
      • Deuteronomy 11:8 … so that you may be strong and go in and take possession of the land
      • Deuteronomy 11:9 ,,, and so that you may prolong your days on the land which the LORD swore to your fathers….
      • Deuteronomy 11:14 … He will provide rain for your land in its season
    • Curse –  Deuteronomy 11:28 and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today
      • Deuteronomy 11:17 Otherwise, the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you,
      • and He will shut up the sky so that there will be no rain,
      • and the ground will not yield its produce;
      • then you will quickly perish from the good land which the LORD is giving you.
  • Concluding Meal and Sacrifice –
    • Shalosh Regalim
      • Deuteronomy 16:16 Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God at the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths; and they are not to appear before the LORD empty-handed.
Deuteronomy 8
  • Preamble – Identifies the parties, emphasisng the King – Identifying parties –
    • Deuteronomy 8:1 I am commanding you today  …. the LORD swore to give to your forefathers
  • Prologue – How the Suzerain has provided
      • Deuteronomy 8:2 And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you ….
  • Stipulations – vassal obligation
    • Deuteronomy 8:6 Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.
  • Remembering
    • Deuteronomy 8:11 “Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God by failing to keep His commandments,
  • Blessings and Curses
    • Blessing –
      • Deuteronomy 8:18 … God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, in order to confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day
    • Curse –
      • Deuteronomy 8:19 And it shall come about, if you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and serve and worship them, I testify against you today that you will certainly perish.
  • Concluding Meal and Sacrifice –
    • Shalosh Regalim
      • Deuteronomy 16:16 Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God at the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths; and they are not to appear before the LORD empty-handed.

 

Kingship of Hashem
(Malchuyot)

Leviticus 23: 22  … you shall not reap to the very edges of your field … you are to leave them for the needy and the stranger. I am the LORD your God.’”

z

Memories
(Zichronot)

Leviticus 23:24 … ‘In the seventh month on the first of the month you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
Readings

Voice of the Shofar
(Shofaros)

Leviticus 23:24 … ‘In the seventh month on the first of the month you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
kol shofar (Voice of the Shofar) Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah)

Sources and Further Reading

Biblical Sources

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Source Texts and Commentary

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Articles, Books, and Reflections

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