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Rosh
Hashana
 THE
TEN DAYS OF REPENTANCE
As
the sun sets on Yom Kippur, the judgment handed down on Rosh Hashana
is sealed. Known as the Ten Days of Repentance, the first ten days
of the Hebrew month of Tishrei (from the beginning of Rosh Hashana
until the end of Yom Kippur) are highlighted by an intensified desire
for teshuva (repentance).
How to Change the Sentence
in Ten Days:
Teshuva, Tefila U'Tzedukah
(Repentance, Prayer and Charity)
Teshuva,
repentance, is the major focus both before and after Rosh Hashana.
During the Ten Days of Repentance, it is customary to scrutinize
one's actions and to review the process of teshuva that was begun
during Elul, the month before Rosh Hashana. Many people make extra
efforts at self-improvement during the Ten Days. For instance:
-
Someone just starting to get more involved with Judaism may
determine that the perfect time to begin eating kosher food
is during the Ten Days.
-
Someone who is farther along in his/her involvement may decide
to use the Ten Days to begin davening (praying) regularly.
- Some
people choose to strengthen themselves during the Ten Days by
designating one hour a day during which they are particularly
careful not to speak Lashon Harah (evil or gossip)
Tefila
Tefila,
prayer, is always an effective way to relate to G-d, the world,
and oneself. During the Ten Days, however, we restructure some
of the daily prayers to focus even more precisely on G-d as King
of the world. Throughout the main prayer, the Shemona Esrei,
(the standing, silent amidah), we amend several blessing (found
in the prayerbook):
- The
concluding words of the first blessing are changed to: Remember
us for life, O King Who desires life, and inscribe us in the
Book of Life -- for Your sake, O Living G-d
- The
conclusion of the second blessing is changed to: Who is like
You, merciful Father, Who recalls His creatures mercifully for
life.
- The
third blessing is amended to end with the holy King instead
of the holy G-d.
- The
ending of the blessing for the restoration of justice is changed
to: the King of Judgement.
- During
the second to last blessing, we insert the line: And inscribe
all the children of Your covenant for a good life.
- The
ending of the final blessing is changed to: In the Book of
Life, Blessing, and Peace, good livelihood, may we be remembered
and inscribed before You – we and Your entire people, the Family
of Israel, for a good life and for peace. Blessed are You, G-d,
Who makes peace
Avinu
Malkenu, "Our Father, Our King," a petitional prayer asking
G-d to intervene for our benefit, is recited during the morning
and afternoon services.
Tzedakah
Tzedakah,
charity, is an additional method one may seek to revise or avoid
a negative verdict.
*Isn't
that bribing G-d? No. The life-long goal of the human being
is to move closer to G-d. While Judaism has mandated laws about
giving charity, these laws are meant to develop a person's sensitivity
to those in need. During the Ten Days, when we seek to show
G-d that we have grown and are striving to be better, giving
charity fortifies our fundamental giving instinct. Rather than
bribing G-d, we are actively reminding ourselves of the direction
in which we should be moving.
The
Fast Of Gedaliah (Tzum Gedaliah)
What
The
Fast of Gedaliah is observed to commemorate of the murder of Gedaliah
the son of Achikam, which is described in the last chapter of
the Second Book of Kings. This murder resulted in the final Babylonian
exile and destruction:
After
the first Holy Temple was destroyed and the Babylonians had driven
the majority of the Jewish people into exile, a small minority
of Jews were permitted to remain in the Land of Israel. Also,
Jews who had fled during the war returned and began to work the
land.
Nebuchadnetzar,
the King of Babylon, appointed Gedaliah to be the governor over
the remaining population.
The
King of Ammon, a neighboring country, was vying for control over
the Land of Israel against the Babylonians. He commissioned Yishmael
the son of Netanyah to remove Gedaliah.
Murder!
Yishmael, who was a descendant of King David, came to the town
of Mitzpeh and murdered Gedaliah and all those that were with
him.
In
fear of retribution for the murder of the appointed governor,
the remaining Jews fled the Land of Israel, thus completing the
exile.
When
The
Fast of Gedaliah is observed on the third day of Tishrei, the
day after Rosh Hashana. The fast begins at the break of dawn and
ends at nightfall .
*
Some people will get up before dawn and have an early morning
breakfast (but this is only permitted if a decision to do so is
verbally expressed the night before).
Do's
and Don'ts
1)
During the duration of the fast, eating and drinking are prohibited.
2) Unlike Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av (The Day of Atonement and
the Ninth of Av), bathing, annointing, marital relations and wearing
leather are permitted.
3)
Pregnant and nursing women, and others with health considerations
may be exempt from fasting (please consult your rabbi). Children
under the age of bar/bat mitzvah (13 for boys, 12 for girls) are
not required to fast.
4) Special prayers are added to the synagogue services:
a)
Selichot (Penitential Prayers) and Avinu Malkeinu (Our Father,
Our King) are recited.
b)
At the morning service, Exodus 32:11-14 and 34: 1-10 are read
from the Torah.
c) The Aneinu prayer asking for special forgiveness is added
to the morning and afternoon services by the cantor. An individual
who is fasting includes Aneinu when saying Mincha.
5)
If the third of Tishrei falls out on Shabbat, the fast is postponed
until Sunday, as it is forbidden to fast on Shabbat (with the
exception of Yom Kippur).
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