Table of Contents High Holy Day Terms... 1 Rosh Hashanah... 2 Holiday Rituals... 2

Transcription

1

2

3 Welcome to Temple Sholom! We welcome you during this sacred time in the Jewish year known as the Yamim Noraim, commonly translated as the "Days of Awe." The root of the Hebrew word nora, (yod-reish-alef) also has the connotation of "fear." Therefore, we might view this period of time as both days of awe and days of fear. We hope this guide aids you through the process of teshuva, repentance and renewal as you use it for guidance, reflection and meditation. Shavuah tov, happy New Year from the Temple Sholom clergy and staff! May you have a meaningful Yamim Noraim! Table of Contents High Holy Day Terms... 1 Rosh Hashanah... 2 Holiday Rituals... 2 Prayers & Themes... 3 The Shofar Service... 4 Reflection Section... 5 Tashlich Service... 6 Shabbat Shuvah... 7 Reflection Section... 8 Kol Nidre... 9 Holiday Rituals... 9 Reflection Section Yom Kippur The Two Types of Sins Prayers & Themes Yizkor Neilah Havdallah... 13

4 High Holy Day Terms G mar chatimah tovah: May you be sealed for a good year. Greeting which expresses the hope you will be sealed, in the metaphorical Book of Life, for a good year, if you have atoned. High Holy Days: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The days of repentance are divided into two parts: The first is the inscribing which begins on Rosh Hashanah. The second is when the final sealing (chatimah) of our fate takes place, which occurs on Yom Kippur. L shanah tovah tikatayvu: May you be inscribed for a good year. Greeting which expresses the hope you will be written in the Book of Life and granted happiness and fulfillment in the year ahead. Machzor: The name for the High Holy Day prayer-book. The word literally means cycle in Hebrew. Shabbat: Shabbat is the Jewish Sabbath (Day of Rest), which begins on Friday evening at the setting of the sun and concludes on Saturday evening. We greet the Sabbath with Shabbat Shalom (may you have a peaceful Shabbat) as we meet family and friends. The Torah teaches that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. The 4th Commandment (of the Ten Commandments) is to Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. We therefore cherish the seventh day as a day of rest and worship. We share in the spirit of Shabbat with family at home and in our sanctuary for services. Time is also spent in study or doing meaningful and relaxing activities. Our Shabbat service is comprised of prayers, readings and songs as we reaffirm our belief in God, sanctifying God s greatness. Shanah tovah: A greeting wishing someone a good year! Shofar: Made from the horn of a ram, the shofar is a basic instrument that is blown daily, in the month preceding Rosh Hashanah, on Rosh Hashanah, and at the conclusion of Yom Kippur. Tallit: A prayer shawl traditionally used during any prayer service that includes a Torah reading. It is worn for the Yom Kippur evening service, Kol Nidre, even though the Torah is not read at that time, as all of the Yom Kippur services are meant to be a continuation, as if there isn t a break between Kol Nidre and Shacharit the next morning. Teshuvah: Literally means returning, a Hebrew term for repentance. Think of it as turning a new leaf. Yahrzeit candle: Memorial candle lit on the anniversary of a loved one s death, on Yom Kippur, and whenever Yizkor is recited. Yom Tov: Literally a good day in Hebrew, it is often pronounced Yuntiff (the Yiddish pronunciation) and is used as a synonym for holiday. A standard holiday greeting is Gut Yuntiff (Yiddish for good day ). 1

5 Rosh Hashanah (literally Head of the Year in Hebrew) is the celebration of the Jewish New Year. In the Torah we read: In the seventh month (Tishrei), on the first day of the month, there shall be a sacred assembly, a cessation from work, a day of commemoration proclaimed by the sound of the shofar (Leviticus 23:23-25). The Hebrew calendar dates the Jewish New Year according to an ancient rabbinic understanding of when the world was created. Holiday Rituals: The traditional start of the holiday is at the evening meal. Jewish holidays begin at sunset before the day of the holiday. Menus vary from house to house, but two customs are widely followed. Round Raisin Challah: We make or buy a round challah with raisins: the roundness of the bread symbolizes the never-ending cycle of time, and the sweetness of the raisins symbolizes the hope that the coming year will be a sweet one. Apples & Honey: We also eat apples dipped in honey as a symbol of the wish that the entire New Year be a sweet year. 2

6 Prayers & Themes Zochreinu l chaim (Recall us for life): This prayer asks God to renew us in the Book of Life. It asks God to grant us another year of life. The last words of the prayer are l maancha Elohim chaim, meaning for your sake, living God or God of life. We are not just asking God for life, but to live for the sake of God. The Book of Genesis tells us that we are all created b tzelem Elohim, in the image of God. On Rosh Hashanah, this line is a reminder for how we should live. It is a reminder to act in the image of God, to continue God s work, to be God s hands on earth, and to make the world a better place. Unetaneh tokef (Let us proclaim the sacred power of this day): This is a poem which speaks about God s power to judge us on this day. The Hebrew word nora is used, which is defined as both awe and fear. The poem speak to God s awesome power over us which invokes fear of death if we do not repent for our sins. It recognizes that life is too short, life is fragile and that it can end when we least expect it. While it describes the painful truth of life and death, it should provoke us to make the best choices in our lives, for we only live once. Sefer Chaim (Book of Life): The Book of Life refers to the belief that God has a book of those considered righteous. This central High Holy Day theme stems from the Book of Exodus 32:32 which states: "Now, if You will forgive their sin [well and good]; but if not, erase me from the record which You have written!" During the High Holy Days, Jews seek to be inscribed in the Book of Life through doing the Three T s (see below). Teshuva, Tefillah, u Tzedakah (Repentance, Prayer, and Charity): The Three T s as they are sometimes referred to are the actions required to avert judgment s severe decree. By returning to one's innermost self and starting anew (teshuvah), by attaching oneself to God through prayer (tefillah) and by giving or doing for others from the heart (tzedakah), one can not only be written in the Book of Life but sealed in the Book of Life. Avinu Malkeinu (Our Father, Our King): God is visualized as a parent and ruler in prayers that are sung to special holiday melodies. The most famous of these is Avinu Malkeinu, which translates to Our Father, Our King (or, Our Parent, Ou r Ruler). The shofar, a ram s horn, is blown as a wake-up call to pay attention to the ending of a year and the start of the new one. 3

7 The Shofar Service In the Torah, Rosh Hashanah is called Yom Teruah, the Day of the Shofar Blasts. When you want someone s attention, you make noise, right? Well, with the shofar and with prayer, today is your day to make noise. Today, we call out to God, to each other and to ourselves. We praise and thank God for the past year and wish and hope for the year to come. The Talmud states that God said: on Rosh Hashanah recite before Me (verses of) Sovereignty, Remembrance, and Shofar blasts. Sovereignty so that you should make Me your King; Remembrance so that your remembrance should rise up before Me. And through what? Through the Shofar. The Shofar service highlights these three important themes that all revolve around doing something : 1) Malchuyot (Sovereignty): We take the time to recognize God s greatness, the Maker of all, and we bow in awe and thanksgiving. 2) Zichronot (Remembrance): In the Mishnah, Rosh Hashanah is referred to as Yom Zikaron, the day of remembering. We take this time to recall Creation and Covenant, our everlasting bond to God. And as we recall God and God s deeds, we ask God to remember us and our deeds in light. 3) Shofarot reminds us about God s Revelation of Torah which boomed down like the Shofar blasts on Mt. Sinai. Tekiah (the name of the shofar call)! As you prepare to hear the shofar blasts, allow them to stir your soul. Let it be your wake-up call to reflect on the past year, and let it be your alarm clock for the New Year. Time is of the essence; don t wait to change what you need to in life; act now! We see that only through the blowing of shofar, of physically doing something, we will not just speak words or recite prayers, but confirm them! 4

8 Reflection Section We all have transitions in life, some good and some bad, but it is up to us to choose how to handle them. On Rosh Hashanah, we encounter Judaism s most important transition as we begin the Days of Awe or the Days of Repentance, in Hebrew, Yamim Noraim. With Rosh Hashanah, we will take the time for reflection and introspection. We will attempt to come to terms with the people we have been this past year, so we can look forward. The Days of Repentance can lead us to believe that beginnings are difficult, especially when we have to face our innermost selves. It is up to us to evaluate who we have been and what we need to do now, but we only need to remember that we are not alone. God is with us. Take a moment to reflect upon the past year. Here are some guiding reflection points for you to ponder: Ø Who have you truly been this past year? Did you live up to the expectations for yourself? Were you the person you hoped to be? Ø What are the challenges that have occurred within the past year? o A decrease in your health or the health of a loved one? o An experience of loss in your life, which can come in many forms. o A disagreement that weakened a relationship? o A regret for something done or said or for something not done or said? Ø Are there restorative measures you can take? o Is there something you can mend? o Is there an apology needed? o Is there strength to be prayed for? o Is there a thank you necessary? Ø Have you gained anything from the challenges you have faced? o A helping hand by someone unexpected? o A new friend? o A new perspective on life? o strength within that you didn t know you had? Now, take a moment to think about the good in your life from this past year. Too often we don t think about the good until we no longer have it, or we get so caught up in the negatives that we don t realize what we truly have. Ø Ask yourself if you have: o Had a year of good health? o Had a year of good fortune? o Gained a new grandchild or member in the family? o Celebrated a positive life-cycle event? o Reconnected with someone from the past? o Found a new favorite hobby or skill? o Discovered something or someone that makes you happy? o Found a cure for the suffering you have been experiencing? o Received a new opportunity that has come your way? Take a moment to reflect upon what you are thankful for. Think about the good that has occurred this past year and what you would like to carry with you into the new year. 5

9 Tashlich Service Tashlich is the Hebrew word for send off or cast away. On the afternoon of the first day of Rosh Hashanah, it is traditional to go to a body of moving water for a ceremony in which we symbolically cast away our sins into the water. Bread crumbs are used to symbolize our sins. The ceremony holds roots in Micah 7:19 You will cast [tashlich] your sins into the depths of the sea a verse that is customarily recited, along with Psalms 118:5-9, Psalm 33 and Psalm130, during the ceremony. Needless to say, the actions of Tashlich fulfilled at the water are not what grant us atonement. However, if we pay attention to the symbolism and apply the sincere desire to heal our relationship with God, as portrayed in the physical demonstration of Tashlich, then the service serves as a crucial part in the process of repenting and returning to God in purity. In this way, the service can stand as a symbolic reminder that our actions speak louder than words. May we all shake ourselves from sin and be written and sealed in the Book of Life for a good and sweet new year! 6

10 Shabbat Shuvah (Shabbat of Return) Shabbat Shalom! Tonight marks an important turning point in our Days of Repentance. The Shabbat that falls during the week between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is called Shabbat Shuvah. Shabbat Shuvah, meaning the Shabbat of Return, received its name from the first words of its Haftorah Portion Hosea. The prophet Hosea urges the Jewish people saying, Shuvah Yisrael, "Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God," encouraging them to repent sincerely and ask for God's forgiveness. Hosea urges the Jews to put their trust in God. And at that moment, God promises to help Israel blossom. With Yom Kippur, and the Book of Life foremost on everyone's minds, the services this Shabbat and the atmosphere are solemn and focused. Other than a special Haftarah, the service on this Shabbat is not any different from a regular, Saturday morning Shabbat service. *The name Shabbat Shuvah is a reminder that it is your job to shuvah, to return. Strive to return to your best self. Realize that in order to shuvah, to return, one must teshuva, repent. Meditation: On this Shabbat Shuvah, this Shabbat of Return, return us to You, God, and we will return. Renew our days. 7

11 Reflection Section Teshuva is a process of self-evaluation and self-improvement. The Jewish philosopher Maimonides enumerated four primary steps to the teshuva process: 1. Recognize your wrong doing and promise to discontinue the improper action. 2. Verbally confess the action, thus giving the action a concrete form in your own mind. 3. Feel true sorrow and regret: evaluate the negative impact this action may have had on you as well as on others. 4. Plan the steps you will take to correct your sin or change your ways. Remember, there are two different types of transgressions: those between a person and God and those between one person and another. Meditation: Search me, Oh God, and know my heart! Try me, and know my thoughts. See if I have a troublesome way in me, And lead me the way, everlasting! (Psalm 139:23-24) 8

12 Kol Nidre (literally All Vows in Hebrew) is the name of the evening service that marks the start of Yom Kippur, since all Jewish holidays begin at sundown. Kol Nidre is also the name given to the special liturgical formulation chanted by Jews solely on Yom Kippur. It is a legal formula for the annulment of vows, which dates back many centuries. The practice of reciting Kol Nidre probably began in about the 9th century C.E. Recited in a mix of Hebrew and Aramaic, the vernacular language of the time, Kol Nidre cancels and annuls all unintended vows made to God during the previous year. It serves as an acknowledgment of the weakness of human resolution. Traditionally, Kol Nidre is chanted three times, though only once in some Reform congregations. The threefold repetition most likely derives from the ancient practice of reciting all official proclamations three times. Holiday Rituals: Fasting Fasting was originally seen as fulfilling the biblical commandment to practice self- denial. The Yom Kippur fast enables us, for at least one day each year, to ignore our physical desires, focusing instead on our spiritual needs. Throughout the day, we concentrate on prayer, repentance, and self-improvement before returning to our usual daily routine after the holiday. According to tradition, all females from age 12 and all males from age 13 must fast. The traditional fast encompasses a full 24-hour period, beginning sundown following the Erev Yom Kippur meal (the night before Yom Kippur) and extending to the following evening. During this time, no eating or drinking is permitted. Judaism has a deep reverence for life, and though the Yom Kippur fast is of great importance, it is never allowed to jeopardize health. Those too ill to fast (or to fast fully) are prohibited from doing so. Those who need to take medication are allowed, as are pregnant women or women who have just given birth. Wearing White Traditionally, many Jews wear white on Yom Kippur. As white is a symbol of purity and Yom Kippur is a day when we undertake a spiritual cleansing, white is an appropriate color for the occasion. Others interpret white as representative of the white shroud in which Jews are buried, symbolizing our mortality and reminding us of the need for humility and repentance. 9

13 Reflection Section During the High Holy Days, it is customary to say L shanah tovah tikatevu. May you be inscribed (in the Book of Life) for a good year." So where is this Book of Life, and who s inscribing us? Don t you want to know? The Hebrew language is based on different word roots. To better explain, the word לכתוב meaning to write is made up of the root כתב katav with the three letters (caf, tav and vet), katav. This root can be found within tikatevu: to be inscribed or to be written. During the High Holy Days, the prayer-book continuously reminds us that on Rosh Hashanah our fate is written, and at the end of Yom Kippur, as the gates close, our fate is sealed. A scary thought at first glance, but one may ask, where is our fate written? The Book of Life can be thought of as the Torah, or it can be thought of more metaphorically as God s Book of Life. But aren t we the final editors of that book? During these Days of Repentance and especially on Yom Kippur, we are given one last time to atone for our sins, for our wrongdoings. We are the final editors of our own book of life before it goes to God for publishing. Each year, it is us who write another chapter of our book. Here are three questions for you to reflect on: 1. What are you thankful for from the past year? 2. What are you sorry? 3. What are your hopes for the New Year? Tonight, take an index card, and write down your answers. There is something about writing your answers, having them come from your brain, to your hand, to the paper that is a way of confirming them. Even if you don t share your writings with anyone, hold onto them for the next High Holy Day season. Look back, and see if you have done anything to remedy what you are sorry for, ask yourself if you have been appreciative and if you have demonstrated it. Lastly, look back at your hopes and wishes for the New Year. Where are you now? Where do you hope to see yourself in the future? So tonight, before you will be written (tikatevu) in the Book of Life, let us write, ourselves. The Hebrew word hitkatvut also has the root of katav but it means correspondence. The High Holy Days give us our time to correspond with God and with others to change our ways. Only through communication can we mend the broken. The familiar word ketubah meaning marriage contract also comes from this root. Now is the time for us to make our contract to God, to ourselves, and to others, to vow to be the best person we can be. It is up to us to write our own story and then with repentance, to edit each chapter. Just like at the library, may all of our books be renewed this year! L shanah tovah tikatevu. May you be inscribed in the Book of Life and Gemar chatima tovah, may you be sealed for a good year! 10

14 Yom Kippur ( Day of Atonement in Hebrew) It is a day set aside to "afflict the soul," to atone for the sins of the past year. On Yom Kippur, the judgment entered in The Book of Life is sealed. This day is, essentially, your last appeal, your last chance to change the judgment, to demonstrate your repentance and make amends. The Two Types of Sins Yom Kippur atones only for sins between man and God, not for sins against another person. To atone for sins against another person, you must seek reconciliation with that person, righting the wrongs you committed against them. Mishna Yoma 8:9 Ø One who says, "I shall sin and repent, sin and repent" will have no chance to do repentance. Ø One who says, "I will sin and the Day of Atonement will atone" the Day of Atonement does not atone. Ø For transgressions done between a person and the Omnipresent, the Day of Atonement atones. Ø For transgressions between one person and another, the Day of Atonement atones, only if the first one appeases the other. 11

15 Prayers & Themes Vidui means confession. While you may not have committed the transgressions you will recite as a congregation, none of us are perfect. This confessional prayer consists of two parts, Ashamnu and Al Chet, and it the time to admit your faults. Ashamnu ("we have trespassed" or "we are guilty"): is the opening word and hence the name of a formula for a confession of sins. The Ashamnu confession lists trespasses of a moral nature and consists of 24 or more words in alphabetical order, the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet being repeated three times. In the Reform ritual Ashamnu appears in an abridged form. It is an alphabetical acrostic of sins. The Hebrew word Ashamnu is in the plural form for we. While we may not have individually committed all of the transgressions listed, as a community, we take it upon ourselves to atone as a collective. We recognize that we do not stand alone--none of us are perfect. It is the role of all of us to admit our faults, ask for forgiveness and strive to be better. As you declare your faults and failings while reciting Ashamnu, it is customary to tap your chest with your fist. The Torah teaches, V eeneetem et nafshotaychem You shall afflict your souls. With this line, as you recite your sins, tap your chest as a kind of self-imposed punishment for your misdeeds. Al Cheit That is the goal of the "Al Chet" prayer that we say so many times during Yom Kippur services. These 44 statements are not a list of mistakes, but rather identify the roots of mistakes. 12

16 Yizkor ( Memorial Service Yom Kippur Afternoon) We have now come to our Yizkor service. It is at this time, as we begin to approach the end of this sacred day that we take a moment to remember those who have come before us, upon whose shoulders we truly stand today. Names of those who are being remembered are read aloud. Our thoughts turn to those who have departed this earth, yet, our prayer for mourning, the Kaddish, makes no mention of death. Instead, it speaks the praises of God and of life everlasting. Ne ilah ( Closing Service) Pitchu Li! "Open the gates of justice for me, I will enter them and thank the Lord (Psalm 118:19). During the Kol Nidre service, the Torah scrolls are removed from the ark, reminding us of the internal work we must do in order to be sealed in the Book of Life. However, during the Neilah service, the ark is full. In the heavenly courtroom that is the synagogue on this Yom Kippur, Ne ilah is our closing plea. There is a sense of urgency. Soon our verdict will be sealed, and the gates will close. These last few moments are our opportunity to make any last confessions. But our tradition teaches us that our judge on this day is a compassionate one, whose doors never close permanently, as why should today be our only day to repent for our wrongdoings? With God s enduring compassion and forgiveness from one another, Yom Kippur atones. During this service, as we are making our final petitions to God, it is customary to stand for the entire service. We conclude our service now with the formula that was created during the time of the Temple: Ø We sing together the words of the Shema once, proclaiming the oneness of our God. Ø We follow this by blessing God and God s holy kingdom 3 times with the second line of the Shema = Baruch Shem kavod Malchuto l olam vaed. Ø Finally, we exclaim 7 times that Adonai is God! = Adonai Hu HaElohim. Ø After this formula, which praises and extols our Creator, we awaken ourselves to the New Year, one last time, with the sound of the Shofar. Havdallah Our Havdallah service, the service of separation, marks the end of this Shabbat as well as the Day of Atonement. We use the sweetness of the wine, the fragrance of the spices, and the illumination of the candles to remember this holy day into the coming week and into the New Year. 13

17 14

18