Tishrei is the first month of the Jewish year. Every new year is marked by the holiday of Rosh Hashanah. Throughout the entire month of Elul, we blow the Shofar as a reminder to start doing Teshuva (repentance). This month is used as a time of reflection on the past year.
Rosh Hashanah literally translates to “head of the year”. On this day, Hashem “sits on his throne” and looks over a person's good and bad deeds of the year. Hashem marks all of their actions and decides how their new year will look. It’s up to every individual whether their new year will be full of blessings or condemnations. These judgments made by Hashem are completed on Yom Kippur. In between these two holidays, we focus on fixing our mistakes of the past year by completing all the steps of Teshuva. These ten days are called Aseret Yemei Teshuvah.
Rosh Hashanah is the anniversary of the creation of Adam, the first man, and it indicates a fresh start. When Adam and Chava were put in Gan Eden, they were naked and felt no embarrassment. Once they sinned by eating from the Tree of Knowledge, their eyes opened and they realized they were naked. Once Hashem confronts Adam by asking “where are you?”, Adam responds that he hid “because he was naked”. We were sent to this world to work it and guard it while following the Torah and its commandments. When this task is accomplished, we will receive a place in Gan Eden in the world to come.
Shana Tova!
By: Miriam Cohen (9th)