Everybody wants spirituality. To be a good person means to walk in G-d's ways. How does that translate to reality? The only guidebook to spirituality that has stood the test of time is the Hebrew Bible. The Bible says that the Jews will be a light onto the nations. But if you are not a born Jew, you have to convert, which is not so easy!! If you do convert, it is a lot of work to be a Jew (three times a day prayer, keeping kosher, observing the Sabbath).
This blog will show you how to be Jewish without the work!!
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
My new letter to the Jerusalem Post "Support overwhelming" when you fix the survey to come out the way you want and During 2023, Rosh Hashanah will begin on Friday evening, September 15, and end at sundown on Sunday, September 17. and 17 Rosh Hashanah Facts Every Jew Should Know By Menachem Posner and We are ALL Signatories to Israel’s Declaration of Independence By Yaakov Hagoel
Yehuda Lave is an author, journalist, psychologist, rabbi, spiritual teacher, and coach, with degrees in business, psychology and Jewish Law. He works with people from all walks of life and helps them in their search for greater happiness, meaning, business advice on saving money, and spiritual engagement.
My new letter to the Jerusalem Post "Support overwhelming" when you fix the survey to come out the way you want
"Lies, damned lies, and statistics" is a phrase describing the persuasive power of statistics to bolster weak arguments, "one of the best, and best-known" critiques of applied statistics. Mark Twain popularized the saying in Chapters from My Autobiography, published in the North American Review in 1907. "Figures often beguile me," Twain wrote, "particularly when I have the arranging of them myself; in which case the remark attributed to Disraeli would often apply with justice and force: 'There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.
In Wednesday Sept 13th "News" on page three, a survey done by a non-independent organization, "Hiddush" mixes two questions, transportation on Shabbat and IDF conscription in the armed forces. Since the country is "overwhelming" for conscription in the armed forces, naturally you can get your survey to "prove" the country is for transportation on Shabbat. They fix their own questions and get the answers they want! They then manipulate the survey by putting the loaded questions together.
Everyone wants the Haradi's to serve, but they put it together with the Shabbat question so they can manipulate the results!!! The "Hiddush" organization is not independent and pushes surveys to get the results they want. When you publish their "statistics" you push non-truthful agendas.
Since we live in a democratic country, if an issue is controversial, it should be put to a vote and when the vote is taken, the other side should respect the vote until the next election. That is what democracy is all about. Publishing fixed surveys is what Mark Train complained about.
The Three Musketeers at the Kotel
The Three are Rabbi Yehuda Glick, famous temple mount activist, and former Israel Mk, and then Robert Weinger, the world's greatest shofar blower and seller of Shofars, and myself after we had gone to the 12 gates of the Temple Mount in 2020 to blow the shofar to ask G-d to heal the world from the Pandemic. It was a highlight to my experience in living in Israel and I put it on my blog each day to remember.
The articles that I include each day are those that I find interesting, so I feel you will find them interesting as well. I don't always agree with all the points of each article but found them interesting or important to share with you, my readers, and friends. It is cathartic for me to share my thoughts and frustrations with you about life in general and in Israel. As a Rabbi, I try to teach and share the Torah of the G-d of Israel as a modern Orthodox Rabbi. I never intend to offend anyone but sometimes people are offended and I apologize in advance for any mistakes. The most important psychological principle I have learned is that once someone's mind is made up, they don't want to be bothered with the facts, so, like Rabbi Akiva, I drip water (Torah is compared to water) on their made-up minds and hope that some of what I have share sinks in. Love Rabbi Yehuda Lave.
We are ALL Signatories to Israel's Declaration of Independence By Yaakov Hagoel
During 2023, Rosh Hashanah will begin on Friday evening, September 15, and end at sundown on Sunday, September 17.
Rosh Hashanah in Israel is one of the most special and meaningful times of the year – Happy New Year to those who celebrate! The Jewish New Year is called Rosh Hashanah and usually falls during September or early October. Rosh Hashanah is a two-day holiday which celebrates the start of the new year according to the Jewish calendar. Businesses across Israel will be closed on both days, so bear this in mind if you are in Israel during the period.
BEING IN ISRAEL DURING ROSH HASHANAH
If you are in Israel during the Rosh Hashanah holiday, one of the best ways to experience the holiday is by visiting the Western Wall to hear the prayers. Jewish people attend special holiday services at synagogue and recite special prayers and liturgical songs written over the centuries. These vary between Jews who have developed different prayers based on where they were living for hundreds of years.
The blowing of the shofar (ram's horn) is an iconic symbol of Rosh Hashanah, remember it is not blown on Shabbat, so this year it will only be blown on the second day. In the Jewish tradition, 100 (or 101) shofar blasts are sounded in the synagogue to symbolize God's sovereignty over the world and remind Jews of the giving of the commandments on Mt. Sinai and of Abraham and Isaac's devotion to God. They arouse people to repentance and to herald the Day of Judgment and the coming of the Messiah. If you aren't able to attend a Jewish house of worship, it is special just to hear the sound of the shofar. Often, it can be heard from outside the synagogue. You may see crowds gathered outside the synagogue, this is a special time to hear the shofar.
SYMBOLS OF ROSH HASHANAH IN ISRAEL
Other symbols of Rosh Hashanah in Israel include apples and honey. They are customarily eaten along with other sweet foods to symbolize a sweet new year. During Rosh Hashanah, and just before the holiday begins, you will see round challah (braided sweet bread), often with raisins, inside in many bakeries. The round shape of the bread is symbolic of the circle of life and the yearly cycle. Along with other sweet baked goods, one of the most popular treats for Rosh Hashanah is honey cake. This can also be found in many bakeries. It is also traditional to eat fruit, like pomegranates, that have not yet been eaten during the season. Since they are ripe this time of year, they taste extra sweet and delicious.
Tashlich is a Rosh Hashanah custom in the afternoon where Jews walk to a river or another flowing body of water. Here, you shake out your pockets and symbolically cast your sins into the water. If you come to Israel during this period, it is interesting to see religious Jews performing this custom. You can visit many of the beautiful beaches in Israel, where you can practice Tashlich or observe it.
If you want to wish people a happy new year, you can say "Shanah Tovah". This means "Have a good new year" in Hebrew. The period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is called "The Ten Days of Repentance". This is when people have the opportunity to atone for their sins. Yom Kippur is a day when Israel grinds to a halt. Check out this page for information about being in Israel during Yom Kippur, which falls on 24-25th of September 2023.
Rosh Hashanah 2023: A Complete Guide
Rosh Hashanah, also known as the Jewish New Year, is a celebration that begins after sunset on the eve of Tishrei 1 (Tishrei is the seventh month in the Hebrew Calendar followed by the Jewish people). In 2023, it will be observed from September 15 to September 17.
Rosh Hashanah means 'Head of the Year'. Similar to how our human body is controlled by our head, Rosh Hashanah is crucial in determining how the rest of the year turns out for Jews.
Jewish people blow the shofar to welcome Rosh Hashanah or Jewish New Year
Rosh Hashanah History
Although Tishrei is the seventh month in the Hebrew Calendar, the first day of this month has been regarded as the Jewish New Year.
Its mention can be found in The Book of Leviticus or the Third Book of Torah:
"In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest unto you, a memorial proclaimed with the blast of horns, a holy convocation"
-Leviticus 23:23
It was between 597 BCE to 538 BCE that Jews were banished from Judah in ancient Israel and had to stay in Babylon's captivity. It was due to this that Babylonian and Jewish traditions have some overlapping points.
In fact, Babylonians were the ones who observed a 'Day of Judgement' once a year. They believed that on this day, all their gods and supreme beings met to judge and decide the fate of every man. It is believed that Jews took inspiration from this faith in their own celebrations and observances.
Rosh Hashanah commemorates the creation of the world along with Adam and Eve. On this day, God will judge each and every action of man and declare their fate accordingly.
However, it is not too late for those who wish to take the righteous path by repenting and correcting themselves. Starting from Rosh Hashanah, there is a ten-day period up to Yom Kippur known as 'The Ten Days of Penitence'.
Rosh Hashanah Celebration: Traditions and Customs
Blowing Shofar
Rosh Hashanah celebrations kickstart with the blowing of shofar or the ram's horn in the synagogue. This is considered a religious duty or mitzvah among Jewish people. However, if Shabbat falls on the same day, this tradition is not followed through.
After the completion of the Torah Reading during the morning service, the shofar is usually blown around thirty times. A symbolic meaning is attached to this ancient tradition. There is a story in the Torah that speaks of how Abraham, who was willing to sacrifice his son Issac for God, was saved when God replaced his son with a ram.
Lighting Candles
Lighting Candles is an important custom in Rosh Hashanah performed mostly by women and girls. You have to make sure that they are lit in a place where they can be easily seen.
On the evening of the second day or if you are lighting the candles after sundown on the first day, please make sure that it is an existing flame. This implies that although you cannot light a candle with a matchstick, you can light it with a candle that was already burning.
Tashlich
This custom is generally followed on the first day of Rosh Hashanah. However, it is shifted to the next day if Shabbat falls on the same day as Rosh Hashanah.
Tashlich, which is a Hebrew word for 'to cast' is an age-old custom where Jewish people recite religious verses near a water body to cast away all their sins.
However, many do not know that during its origin in the 13th century, Rabbis opposed this custom because they thought that this would prompt people to not work on themselves and rely on superstitions.
Food Consumed on Rosh Hashanah
Round Challah
Round Challah is a traditional bread consumed by Jews on Rosh Hashanah as well as Shabbat. Round Challahs are usually made sweet for this occasion so you might find raisins or honey in them.
Apples and Honey
Challah breads are often dipped in honey and consumed on the first night of Rosh Hashanah. After that, Jews eat apples dipped in honey and pray to God to bless them with a sweet year. Apples have an ancient symbolic relation to Jews because as the quote states:
"As the apple is rare and unique among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved [Israel] amongst the maidens [nations] of the world."
Pomegranate
Pomegranate is another symbolic fruit that is heartily consumed during Rosh Hashanah. It is said that the fruit is significant because it apparently contains 613 seeds which symbolize the 613 commandments or 'mitzvot' of The Torah. A blessing is usually recited over this.
Pomegranates are also considered a 'new fruit' among Jewish people. New fruit implies a fruit that has not been consumed in a long time.
Fish
As already said before, the term Rosh Hashanah means head of the year. Abiding by this, it is a custom to eat the head of a fish, sheep, or rooster on this day. There is an additional symbolic significance of fish as they are considered to bring fertility and abundance.
Other than these, pumpkins, beets, string beans, and dates are also eaten on this day.
Interesting Fact
Rosh Hashanah is not the only new year celebrated by the Jews. There are three more new years as per the Hebrew calendar. This includes Tu Bishevat or the new year for trees, The First of Nisan, and Rosh Hashanah La'Behemot which is the new year for animals.
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