On Friday, September 11, at sundown, Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:23-25), the Jewish New Year (5787), begins. Jewish families and friends gather together, greeting one another with the phrase, "L'Shanah Tova Tikatevu," meaning, "May You be Inscribed for a Good Year."
As they gather around the table for the family meal welcoming the new year, they will have freshly baked challah (a traditional braided Jewish bread) on this occasion, often made with honey. And among the special deserts, are apples and honey for a sweet and happy new year.
In the synagogue, the shofar (ram's horn) will be blown. It will be sounded 100 times with four different types of blasts. The blowing of the shofar is not a performance of a song. Rather, it is a summons to come before the Lord. And while many sages and rabbis over the centuries have provided reasons and purposes for the blowing of the shofar, in essence, there are two: it is a call to repentance; and a reminder of Israel's covenant relationship with God.
The blowing of the shofar begins the Yomim Norarim, "the days of awe." During these ten days, Jewish people are to awake from their spiritual slumber and lethargy, and open their hearts to the living God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
As the shofar sounds tonight, this Rosh Hashanah, let us all consider our relationship with the Holy One of Israel, the God of all creation. And let us pray the Lord would open the hearts of His Jewish people to the truth that Yeshua is Messiah and that by His atoning sacrifice, one can receive the forgiveness of sin and eternal life.
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