A very busy month - when the High Holy Days Occur leading up to Yom Kippur:

Shabbat Selichot - prayers for forgiveness ROSH HASHANAH(Tishrei 1) - 2 days - "May you be inscribed and sealed (in the Book of Life) for a good year" the day on which God completed the creation of the world we stand in judgment before God "Repentance, prayer and righteousness avert the severe decree"
Things That Happen:

The blowing of the shofar which:

  • proclaims the coronation of God as King of the universe
  • awakens us to repent and return to God
  • reminds us of the shofar heard at Mount Sinai
  • represents the cry from the soul
  • portends the Great Shofar that God will sound with the coming of Moshiach Eat challah and piece of apple dipped in honey, the head of a fish, pomegranates and carrots; symbolize sweetness, blessings and abundance
  • Tashlich - the afternoon of the first day:
  • visit a body of water containing live fish to cast away our sins
  • fish depend on water, we depend on God's providence
  • a fish's eyes never close; symbolize God always watching over us
  • 2ND DAY OF ROSH HASHANAH (Tishrei 2)
    Fast of Gedalia (Tishrei 3) - commemorates the assassination of Gedalia (Jewish leader during the Babylonian exile)
    YOM KIPPUR (Tishrei 10) - the holiest day in the Jewish year - YIZKOR
  • atone for sins against God; seek forgiveness from people for sins against them
  • prohibited from eating and drinking, using perfume or lotions, marital relations, washing, and wearing leather shoes
  • Jonah (the afternoon Haftorah)
  • SUKKOT (Tishrei 15) - 8 days - "The Season of our Rejoicing" - "In Sukkahs (tabernacles, booths) shall you dwell for seven days"
  • to commemorate wandering in the desert for 40 years after leaving Egypt, surrounded by protective "clouds of glory"
  • the shaking of the etrog (citron) and lulav (palm branch), hadassim (3 myrtle branches) and arovot (2 willow branches) - need all four species; symbolizes the oneness of the Jewish people - waved in all directions; symbolizes God is everywhere
  • 2ND DAY OF SUKKOT (Tishrei 16)
  • 1st intermediate day of Sukkot (Tishrei 17)
  • 2nd intermediate day of Sukkot (Tishrei 18)
  • 3rd intermediate day of Sukkot (Tishrei 19)
  • 4th intermediate day of Sukkot (Tishrei 20) HASHANAH RABBA (Tishrei 21)
  • recite the Book of Deuteronomy and the Book of Psalms
  • circle the bimah (altar) 7 times with the etrog and lulav
  • recite hoshanas; beat 5 willow branches on the floor
  • SHEMINI ATZERET (8th day of Sukkot) (Tishrei 22) - YIZKOR

    SIMCHAT TORAH (Tishrei 23) - 7 hakofot (circlings) of the bimah (altar), singing and dancing with Torah scrolls

  • in the morning read final portion of the Torah and start at the beginning again
  • the sublimity of the Jewish soul, we are all one