Meaning and celebration of the Feast of Rosh Hashana, השנה ראש or the Feast of Trumpets, a call for repentance and discernment! Rosh Hashana, ראש השנה means "Head of the year" or "Beginning of the year". According to Jewish tradition, it's the anniversary date of Creation, the day when Adam and Ch'ava worshipped the L-rd and acknowledged His mightiness. It is also the day of divine judgment for the rain and events to come for the coming year. This is a special time to ask for mercy and make Tchuva תשובה a turning back to G-d, repentance. We celebrate this feast on the first of the month of Tishrei, which is the seventh month of the calendar. This seventh month is a G-d chosen month for the celebration of three feasts: Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Sukkoth. The first of Tishrei is the starting date for the counting of the sabbatical and Jubilee years, and also for the planting of trees. It is the only feast where the moon is dark, invisible; unlike all the other feasts when the moon is bright and visible. Yisra-El ישראל is compared to the moon, shining and rejoicing at each feast, but who humbles herself and disappears in front of the Creator on the day of His divine Judgment. It is the day when the shofar is blown: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work; it is a day of blowing the shofar for you. Numbers 29:1 The shofar is a call to wake up and to listen to what the L-rd has to tell us: Now if you will pay careful attention to what I say and keep my covenant, then you will be my own treasure from among all the peoples, for all the earth is mine Exodus 19:5 On the morning of the third day, there was thunder, lightning and a thick cloud on the mountain. Then a shofar blast sounded so loudly that all the people in the camp trembled. Mount Sinai was enveloped in smoke, because ADONAI descended onto it in fire–– its smoke went up like the smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently. As the sound of the shofar grew louder and louder, Moshe spoke; and God answered him with a voice. Exodus19:16-19 This feast is a calling for the Jewish people to commemorate the Covenant concluded at Mount Sinai, and to get ready for the future deliverance which will occur at the sounding of the shofar of the Mashiach משיח (" anointed"). It will take but a moment, the blink of an eye, at the final shofar. For the shofar will sound, and the dead will be raised to live forever, and we too will be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:52 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a rousing cry, with a call from one of the ruling angels, and with God’s shofar; those who died united with the Messiah will be the first to rise; 1 Thessalonians 4:16 Different sounds are blown with the shofar:
On that day a great shofar will sound. Those lost in the land of Ashur will come, also those scattered through the land of Egypt; and they will worship ADONAI on the holy mountain in Yerushalayim. Isaiah 27:13 He will send out his angels with a great shofar and they will gather together his chosen people from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Matthew 24:31 The Weekly Torah portion read on that day is the sacrifice of Yitzchaq יצחק, a prophetic image of the image of the Mashiach. The shofar reminds us of the horn's ram which was offered instead of Yitzchaq. The portion of the Prophets read is the story of Chana and of Shmuel. Both Yitzchaq and Shmuel were consecrated to G-d. For the Kehila the Messiah’s Body, this feast is a call to listen what the G- d of Yisra -El (prince of G. d, fighter for G. d) wants to tell us about the coming times and how His plan must be fulfilled through Yisra -El, and through the Gentiles! After these things, I looked; and there before me was a door standing open in heaven; and the voice like a trumpet which I had heard speaking with me before said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after these things. Revelation 4:1 It is a time for listening and repentance. The L-rd calls us to listen to His heart and to discern the times we are in. The sound of the shofar for the coming back of the exiled of Tzion will soon be heard. Let’s be ready to have a part in this divine plan. It is time to wake up and take position as the body of the Mashiach, to stand with His people in those times of persecution and rising Anti-Semitism and intercede for the revelation of Yeshua ישוע Then the sacrifice of Yitzchaq will have its full meaning in the heart of the Jewish people! Celebration of the feast Bake or buy two 'chalot", special Shabbat bread. There is a tradition to make one in the form of a crown to remind us of G-d's monarchy. Light two candles such as for Shabbat Slice an apple to dip it in honey. Honey plays an important role for Rosh Hashana. It symbolizes Grace. The children can make some arts and crafts: they can decorate a plastic plate and glue in the center of the plate a plastic glass filled with honey to dip the apple in. Make a lot of sweet desserts to bring sweetness to the coming year. Lentils or peas are also cooked, symbolic of the abundance of blessings (many grains) You can also put on the table a fish head to symbolize that we are the head and not the tail. Prepare a nice white table Prayer:
"Blessed are You, Adonai, our G-d, King of the universe Who created the fruit of the vine “ "Blessed are You, Adonai, our G-d, King of the universe, who brings forth the bread from the earth”
Chag Sameach to all and Shana Tova ! לכולכם ושנה טובה חג שמח Happy feast and Happy New Year!
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