New Cycle Begins Next Week

New Cycle Begins Next Week

According to the Jewish calendar, this Sunday evening, October 2nd is the beginning of the Jewish new 5777-year, known as Rosh Hashanah, which translates to “Head of the Year”. According to the Torah, the days are counted from the evening of each day. “God called to the light ‘Day’ and to the darkness He called ‘Night’. And there was evening and there was morning, one day” (Genesis 1:5). Notice that it is written “one day” not “the first day”. The counting of the years started after the sixth day. “So God created Man in His Image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27). And God saw all that He had made, and behold it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day” (Genesis 1:31). Thus, it is actually the birth of the first man Adam, which has been celebrated for 5777 years. Rosh Hashanah signifies the end of the old cycle and the beginning of the new one. Ten days later on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement is observed. Though Rosh Hashanah is also called the Judgment Day, it is a day to evaluate our accomplishments rather than our transgressions, which will come ten days later, on Yom Kippur. Traditionally, Rosh Hashanah is the day when everyone’s fate is determined and sealed in the book of Life for the next year. We all are given ten days, during which there is a chance to change the verdict through prayer and repentance. It is also the day of acknowledgement of the King – God, who is “in the field” and is accessible during those days before his final judgment is rendered. If you do not believe in God or are not Jewish, you might think that all of this is not relevant to you. However, the cycles of nature cycles are not different from the one I described. October is a good time to have a break in our running around and to take a moment to assess our lives, before moving onto the next cycle.

There are a couple of traditional foods to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. We dip apple slices into honey. The Apple is the symbol of the rounds of the year and the honey represents sweetness. We also eat a round Challah, which is shaped differently in this time of year, also to commemorate the round cycle of the New Year.