Rabbi Bonita E. Taylor & Rabbi Dr. David J. Zucker on the Jewish High Holy Days

May It Be A Good Year

The Jewish High Holy Days are a time to repent, seek forgiveness, and change behavior. [1] This time calls for thoughtful reflection of deeds – past and future. None of us is sure about how we are judged but Judaism teaches that God reviews and weighs our deeds on a balance scale. We also believe that we may tip the balance in our favor through reconciliation and deeds of loving kindness, like charity. In Judaism, God can forgive for transgressions committed against God but only other humans can forgive for deliberate or inadvertent transgressions against one another. Therefore, Jewish tradition invites us to approach others to seek forgiveness.

Many think of the High Holy Days as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Technically, this holy time begins with Rosh Hashanah and ends with the celebration of the autumn harvest festival, Sukkot. At Sukkot’s conclusion, we complete the public reading of the Torah (the Pentateuch) and joyously begin it anew. This reminds us that we too, can begin anew.

Some may be familiar with Jews commenting that “the holidays are early” or “late this year.” On a secular calendar, this time may begin and end in September or extend through October. This is because, unlike our “regular” calendar, which follows a solar system, the Jewish calendar follows a combined lunar-solar system. Actually, the High Holy Days are the same time each year – on a Jewish calendar.[2]

Further, following Genesis 1 where God created first evening and then day, the Jewish “day” begins at sundown. Consequently, all Jewish holidays begin “the evening before.” In other words, your “regular” 2004 calendar may mark Rosh Hashanah as Thursday, September 16th, but it begins at sundown on Wednesday, September 15th.

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. On the 1st day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. Jewish tradition teaches that God created the world. This coming Rosh Hashanah, God will have created the world 5765 years ago. Rosh Hashanah is observed for one or two full “days” – depending upon where one is on the Jewish religious spectrum.

Many Jews wish each other “Le-shanah tovah.“ This means “May it be a good year.” Also heard is “Le-shanah tovah tika-tevu.“ It means “May you be inscribed [in the Book of Life] for a good year.” Interestingly, the root of the Hebrew word for “year” is the same as the one for “change.” So in wishing this, we are also wishing: “May it be a good change.”

Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement. On the 10th day of Tishrei (Friday/Saturday September 24th/25th 2004), Jews observe Yom Kippur. On this day, Jews formally seek atonement for past wrongdoings. This is a serious time indeed. On Yom Kippur, God “seals” our destiny for the year to come.

Yom Kippur begins with an evening synagogue service called Kol Nidre. This service begins with the chanting of a time-honored haunting prayer that asks forgiveness for promises inadvertently not fulfilled. Solemn synagogue services continue all the next day until sundown. Of these, the best known is Yizkor. It invites us to remember our loved ones who are with God. During Yom Kippur many refrain from food and drink to afflict themselves, hoping that God witnesses their seriousness. Please note that Judaism treats health as paramount; consequently, if fasting injures one’s health, eating is not only permitted, it is mandated.

The High Holy Days are distinguished with the sounding of a shofar, a ram’s horn. Shofar blasts are filled with depth and power. They remind us of the trumpets that herald a ruler’s coronation. They also startle us. They pierce our complacency and urge us to proceed with the purposeful work of change.

Footnotes:

[1] The High Holy Days have “religious weight” similar to Christmas and Easter
[2] Easter’s date, similarly, is determined by a lunar-solar system and may come in March or April

Rabbi Bonita E. Taylor, MA, BCC, is the Associate Director of the Center for Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) for The HealthCare Chaplaincy in Manhattan. She is an ACPE Supervisor and Pastoral Care Educator. She serves on the NAJC’s Board of Directors as chair of the annual Conference Commission, and also as CPE chair.

Rabbis Taylor and Zucker together have chaired (or co-chaired) the last seven NAJC annual conferences, including the 2003 EPIC Cognate Chaplains’ conference in Toronto.

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