Shana tova on this Rosh Hashana

"Shana tova" to all of you and a Happy New Year. No, I have not lost my marbles, although I think I might have misplaced a few or they have gotten glued together. Today is Rosh Hashana, the beginning of the year 5771 on the Hebrew calendar. Actually it begins at sundown this evening. So, if you hear trumpets sounding in your neighborhood, I want you to know what it is all about.

In the Bible this celebration is called the Feast of Trumpets. Leviticus 23:23-25 states: "The LORD said to Moses, 'Say to the Israelites: "On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the LORD by fire."'" Rosh Hashana occurs on the first day of the month Tishri, which is the seventh month in the Jewish calendar. It is a two day celebration. The festival begins with the blowing of the trumpets or shofar, thus the name Feast of Trumpets. One of the traditions for the Rosh Hashana is the dipping of apples into honey, expressing the strong desire that the coming year be filled with sweetness. Also, the bread bakers produce round loaves of the challah bread, representing the circular aspect of time - another year has come.

In the Jewish Talmud - the ancient rabbinical commentary on the Torah - the rabbis suggested that the world was created during the month of Tishri; others taught that man, himself, was created on Rosh Hashana.

The term Rosh Hashana means "head of the year." And the greeting "Shana tova" literally means "the year is good." There is something about the way the Jews express their ideas that I find fascinating. We go around on January 1 and say "Happy New Year." But, will the year be filled with happiness? It usually is not, as problems, heart-aches, and difficulties arise. The Jews are not oblivious to the problems that will come during the year either. But, in their greeting of "the year is good" there is the hint of a purpose, I believe. "The year is good" because it is another year given by God. "The year is good" because we will find purpose during our traversing through it. We may not know what the year will hold, but we do know that important lessons will be learned, friendships will be established, life will become fuller because of the year; thus the "year is good".

So, my friends, "Shana tova" and welcome to the year 5771. May it be a time of renewed commitment to Christ. May you know the goodness that comes from the hand of the Lord.