L’shanah Tovah

courtesy washingtonpost.com

Sunset last night marked the start of Rosh Hashanah, commonly known as the Jewish New Year because Rosh Hashanah means, literally, the first of the year.  However, while New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are dedicated to partying and football, Rosh Hashanah begins the holiest of days in Judaism, the so called Days of Awe, which end ten days later with Yom Kippur.  In Jewish tradition, God writes our names in the Book of Life on Rosh Hashanah, which determines who will live and who will die, who will have a good life and who will have a bad life, for the next year.  Actions we take during the Days of Awe, specifically repentance, prayer and good deeds, can alter God’s written decree, which is why Jews greet each other with the words L’shanah tovah tikatev v’taihatem meaning, May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.