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MOTHERLODE JEWISH COMMUNITY
Message
From Rabbi
From Rabbi
August 28, 2007
Personal Note to Mother Lode Jewish Community
By Rabbi Ruth Adar
When you hear the sound of the ram’s horn in a synagogue, you know that Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish
New Year is near. As the sun sets on Wednesday, September 12, Jews all around the world will begin to
celebrate the New Year of 5768, and will continue to celebrate for two days.
Celebrations of Rosh Hashanah, which means “Head of the Year,” go back to ancient times. The Bible
records a Rosh Hashanah celebration in Nehemiah 8, when Ezra the Scribe read the Torah before all the
people of Jerusalem. Today Jews celebrate with special religious services, with the blowing of the
shofar, the ram’s horn, and with a festive meal featuring sweets, to express the hope for a “good and
sweet year.” Apples and honey are traditional ingredients, for their sweetness and for their association
with the Garden of Eden, when the world was young and new.
Every Jew is commanded to listen to the sound of the ram’s horn on Rosh Hashanah. The horn wakes up
our souls and reminds us of the passage of time and the judgment of God: that there is still time for
prayer, acts of charity, and good deeds. Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, ten
days of soul-searching leading up to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. During this time, we examine
our hearts and our lives, looking for relationships that need mending and behaviors that need to change.
We do not know what the year ahead will bring, but we are determined to begin it well, in harmony with
our neighbors and in keeping with the Torah, the Law of Moses.
Another name for Rosh Hashanah is the Day of Remembrance. We remember the year past and the
sovereignty of God, and in anticipation of God’s judgment, we make every effort to correct the faults in
our lives. We remember, too, the miracles of daily life. The Baal Shem Tov, a medieval rabbi, once said:
“The first time an event occurs in nature it is called a miracle. Later it comes to seem natural and we
take it for granted.” Every year on Rosh Hashanah, Jews remind themselves and one another to take
nothing for granted: to be grateful for the wonders of creation and to bring our best selves to life.
