HIGH HOLIDAY HANDBOOK TABLE OF The Month of Tishrei 4 Calendar 5 CONTENTS Rosh Hashanah 6 Rosh Hashanah Foods 7 10 Sweet Facts about Rosh Hashanah 10 Shabbat and Holiday Candles 12 Evening Prayer 14 Evening Meal 15 Rosh Hashanah Morning Prayer 16 Second Night and Day 18 Avinu Malkeinu 20 The Shofar 22 Tashlich 24 Yom Kippur 25 Teshuvah 26 Preparing for Yom Kippur 27 Kol Nidrei 30 The Clay and the Potter 32 The Confessional 33 Morning Prayer 34 Shema Koleinu 35 Yizkor 36 Jonah and the Whale 40 Ne'ilah 42 The Sukkot Festival 44 The Sukkah 46 The Four Kinds 47 Shemini Atseret and Simchat Torah 50 The Month of Tishrei “The month of Tishrei is saturated with holiday-related mitzvah opportunities.” Midrash, Yalkut Shimoni, Emor 645 The Jewish New Year is approaching. Rosh This year, many Jews around the globe Hashanah, which begins the evening of will celebrate the holidays differently Friday, September 18, will inaugurate the from previous years, with many being Jewish calendar year of 5781. unable to participate in synagogue services or other communal events. The Torah (Leviticus 23:24) characterizes As you prepare to celebrate these Rosh Hashanah as the first day of the special days in a more personal way, seventh month. (The counting of Jewish this booklet presents you with some months begins with Nisan). The Hebrew of the most noteworthy teachings word for “seventh,” shevi’i, shares the about these holidays, along with same root as the word sova, which means some practical guidance, geared to satiation. Indeed, we are satiated this month delight, inform, and inspire, and thus with physical and spiritual goodness: Rosh enhance your holiday experience. Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atseret, and Simchat Torah. This plethora This booklet, prepared by JLI of auspicious dates provides a full range expressly for these unique times of experiences that allows us to stockpile and needs, was personalized, the physical and spiritual energy to live printed, and distributed in over 600 productively throughout the coming year. communities around the world. The etymology of shevi’i is also related Globally, humanity is very much in to the Hebrew “shevuah,” which means need of a release from the hazards “oath.” The Midrash explains that G-d and hardships of the past year and the swore to Abraham that He would forgive initiation of blessing and renaissance. and be merciful to Abraham’s descendants Indeed, let us pray that 5781 be marked by during this month. Indeed, our sages health and happiness, and that we all be note that the word Tishrei, the Hebrew inscribed for a good and sweet new year. name of this month, means “release,” indicating that G-d releases, acquits, and With wishes for a meaningful and atones for the failings of His people. joyous holiday experience, Tishrei Holidays 5781 September 19–October 11, 2020 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SHABBAT 18 Sept. 29 Elul 19 1 Tishrei Rosh Hashanah 18 mins. before sunset after nightfall 20 2 Tishrei 21 3 Tishrei 22 4 Tishrei 23 5 Tishrei 24 6 Tishrei 25 7 Tishrei 26 8 Tishrei Rosh Hashanah Holiday ends at nightfall 18 mins. before sunset Shabbat ends at nightfall 27 9 Tishrei 28 10 Tishrei 29 11 Tishrei 30 12 Tishrei 1 Oct. 13 Tishrei 2 14 Tishrei 3 15 Tishrei and fast begins Yom Kippur Sukkot 18 mins. before sunset Fast ends at nightfall 18 mins. before sunset after nightfall 4 16 Tishrei 5 17 Tishrei 6 18 Tishrei 7 19 Tishrei 8 20 Tishrei 9 21 Tishrei 10 22 Tishrei Sukkot Hoshana Rabah Shemini Atzeret Holiday ends at nightfall Chol Hamoed Chol Hamoed Chol Hamoed Chol Hamoed 18 mins. before sunset after nightfall 11 23 Tishrei Simchat Torah Holiday ends at nightfall Visit www.chabad.org/zmanim for halachic times specific to your city. 5 ROSH HASHANAH Introduction “Adam and Chavah were created on Rosh Hashanah. On that day they transgressed, and on that very same day they were forgiven.” Midrash, Vayikra Rabah 29:1 Rosh Hashanah marks the creation of Adam unsuccessful in adhering to the task given and Chavah, the beginning of the human to them by G-d. The Midrash notes that they story. The Zohar (1:221b) relates that upon committed their transgression on the very first being created, Adam said to the various day of their existence. It states further that creatures around him, “Join me in accepting G-d extended forgiveness to them on that very G-d as our king.” On this anniversary each same day. We tap into the unique possibilities year, we reenact this bid for transcendence by of forgiveness that are embedded in this day rededicating ourselves to the principle that by celebrating Rosh Hashanah in a spirit of G-d created us in His image and tasked us with repentance and renewal. the noble mission of partnering with Him to perfect His creation. Rosh Hashanah is not celebrated in (or toward) the middle of the lunar month, when a full moon It is noteworthy that Rosh Hashanah marks is on display in the sky; it is on the first day of the birth of humankind rather than the the lunar month, when the new moon is not yet beginning of Creation. It is true that “G-d saw visible. This theme of invisibility reflects how all that He had made and behold it was very this special holiday carries the potential to render good” (Genesis 1:31), but nothing in existence imperceptible any spiritual blemish that may could reach its ultimate potential without the have attached to our souls. crowning presence of the human being. The same applies, in a microcosmic sense, to our Every Jewish holiday has its special mitzvah own lives. There are many different facets that deserving of special attention. The primary make up the narratives of our lives: family, mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah is to hear the sound friends, career, hobbies, and so forth; but Rosh of the shofar. This mitzvah prompts us to Hashanah reminds us that what’s truly worthy consider the primary themes of this day, as will of celebration is the part of us that is uniquely be explained on pages 22-23. As you prepare human—namely, the drive to live a more to celebrate Rosh Hashanah this year, be sure meaningful and mission-oriented life. It is to include in your plan to hear the shofar in this that suffuses all the other elements of our person on Sunday, September 20, the second existence with enduring value. day of the holiday. (This year, the shofar is not sounded on the first day of Rosh Hashanah The opening chapters of Genesis famously because it falls on Shabbat.) Every effort should describe how Adam and Chavah were be made to fulfill this special mitzvah. 6 THE ROHR JEWISH LEARNING INSTITUTE | HIGH HOLIDAY HANDBOOK Rosh Hashanah Foods “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks. Your joy on this day will give you strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 We celebrate Rosh Hashanah with a number of lavish meals. The traditional meal begins with Kiddush over wine and includes challah, a fish course, and a meat or chicken course. Fish and meat commonly and cross-culturally provide pleasure and are conducive to happiness, which are crucial on the holiday; if these don’t bring you pleasure and joy, feel free to design a different menu. The meal served on the first night of Rosh Hashanah features a rich tradition of foods imbued with symbolic meaning. Here are some famous examples: FOOD SYMBOLIZING OUR WISH . ROUND CHALLAH for a year in which blessings continue without end. APPLE DIPPED IN HONEY for a sweet new year. POMEGRANATE that our merits be numerous as the seeds in a pomegranate. HEAD OF A FISH that we be a head, not a tail. to multiply. (The Yiddish for carrots is merin, CARROT which also means “to multiply.”) that our foes be removed. (The Aramaic word for BEET beets is silka, which also means “to remove.”) that our merits be read and noticed. (The Hebrew word SQUASH for squash is kara, which also means "to be read aloud.”) It is also customary to eat a new fruit—that is, a fruit you have not yet enjoyed since it came into season—for the second night of Rosh Hashanah, as this enables the recitation of the Shehecheyanu blessing on that night (see page 19). Use this opportunity to check out the exotic fruit section at your local supermarket, and try to find something new. ROSH HASHANAH 7 ROSH HASHANAH RECIPE New Year’s Apple Salad By Shifra Klein Fleishigs Magazine www.fleishigs.com This salad truly delivers all of the elements that an excellent salad is known for: sweet, savory, crispy and 4 cups baby arugula crunchy while simultaneously bringing the flavors of 1 Granny Smith apple the Jewish New Year onto a plate. Showcasing the thinly sliced salad on a platter versus tossed in a bowl allows all of 1 Fuji or Honeycrisp apple the ingredients to shine. thinly sliced Peeling the outer layer of the celery completely 3 stalks celery transforms this underrated vegetable. By removing peeled and sliced into thin strips the fibrous outer layer, you are left with a refreshing 1 small red onion crunchy bite. thinly sliced Combine arugula, apples, celery, and red onion on a ⅓ cup green pumpkin seeds serving platter. ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice Top with pumpkin seeds. ¼ cup olive oil Whisk together lemon juice, oil, honey, Dijon mustard, 2 Tbsp honey pumpkin pie spice, and salt and drizzle over the salad.