Encyclopedia Jane: Days of Awe
So tonight at sundown is the start of Rosh Hashanah and since R.'s family is Jewish we're going out to his mother's apartment on Long Island to celebrate. Celebrating apparently (at least in this case) entails: going to a movie tonight and eating large amounts of food tomorrow night.
Of course I wanted to know a little bit more about the holiday and R. seemed unable to provide anything other than "They blow some horn."
So, a quick internet search turned up the following:
Rosh hashanah is the Jewish new year and the start of the Days of Awe, which end in Yom Kippur. (This year Yom Kippur is October 2.) You're supposed to spend this time reflecting on the past year, particularly your sins, so you can repent before Yom Kippur.
A shofar (a ram's horn) is blown in the temple a total of 100 times each day of the Days of Awe, except for Shabat (or friday, which is tonight.) You're not allowed to work on Rosh hashanah (yay!). Although it's a saturday, so it's not like I was going to work anyway.
You're supposed to say, L'shanah tovah, or Happy New Year.
So tonight at sundown is the start of Rosh Hashanah and since R.'s family is Jewish we're going out to his mother's apartment on Long Island to celebrate. Celebrating apparently (at least in this case) entails: going to a movie tonight and eating large amounts of food tomorrow night.
Of course I wanted to know a little bit more about the holiday and R. seemed unable to provide anything other than "They blow some horn."
So, a quick internet search turned up the following:
Rosh hashanah is the Jewish new year and the start of the Days of Awe, which end in Yom Kippur. (This year Yom Kippur is October 2.) You're supposed to spend this time reflecting on the past year, particularly your sins, so you can repent before Yom Kippur.
A shofar (a ram's horn) is blown in the temple a total of 100 times each day of the Days of Awe, except for Shabat (or friday, which is tonight.) You're not allowed to work on Rosh hashanah (yay!). Although it's a saturday, so it's not like I was going to work anyway.
You're supposed to say, L'shanah tovah, or Happy New Year.
Labels: rosh hashanah
posted by Minerva Jane at
8:03 AM
3 Comments:
Thank you for explaining why my Jewish client had to reschedule his Saturday appt. :)
So, R was right about blowing the horn!
L'shanah tovah to you guys. Have a great weekend and eat, eat, eat as much as you can!
Happy New Year! Does the horn tie in with the idea of cornicopia and horn of plenty, I wonder? It sounds like it does as another crossover between faiths/customs?
I hope you have lots of great snacks...and what movie did you see?
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