Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, actually means “Head of the Year.” Just like the head controls the body, our actions on Rosh Hashanah have a tremendous impact on the rest of the year.
As we read in the Rosh Hashanah prayers, each year on this day “all inhabitants of the world pass before G-d like a flock of sheep,” and it is decreed in the heavenly court “who shall live, and who shall die ... who shall be impoverished and who shall be enriched; who shall fall and who shall rise.”
It is a day of prayer, a time to ask the Almighty to grant us a year of peace, prosperity and blessing. But it is also a joyous day when we proclaim G-d King of the Universe. The Kabbalists teach that the continued existence of the universe depends on G-d’s desire for a world, a desire that is renewed when we accept His kingship anew each year on Rosh Hashanah.
The central observance of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the shofar, the ram’s horn, on both days of the holiday, except if the first day is Shabbat, in which case we blow the shofar only on the second day.
The first 30 blasts of the shofar are blown following the Torah reading during morning services, and as many as 70 additional blasts are blown during and immediately after the Musaf service, adding up to 100 blasts over the course of the Rosh Hashanah morning services. Some communities sound another round of 30 blasts after services as well. For someone who cannot come to synagogue, the shofar may be heard the rest of the day. If you cannot make it out of your home, please contact your closest Chabad center to see about arranging a “house call.”
The shofar blowing contains a series of three types of blasts: tekiah, a long sob-like blast; shevarim, a series of three short wails; and teruah, at least nine piercing staccato bursts.
The blowing of the shofar represents the trumpet blast that is sounded at a king’s coronation. Its plaintive cry also serves as a call to repentance. The shofar itself recalls the Binding of Isaac, an event that occurred on Rosh Hashanah in which a ram took Isaac’s place as an offering to G-d.
Much of the day is spent in synagogue, where we pray that G-d grant all of His creations a sweet new year. The evening and afternoon prayers are similar to the prayers said on a regular holiday. However, the morning services are significantly longer.
The holiday prayer book, called a machzor, contains all the prayers and Torah readings for the entire day. The most significant addition is the shofar blowing ceremony. However, there are also other important elements of the prayer service that are unique to Rosh Hashanah.
Rosh Hashanah is the start of the Yamim Nora’im, or High Holidays. The holy day of Yom Kippur, when we gather in synagogue for 25 hours of fasting, prayer and inspiration, is just a week later. The days in between, known as the 10 Days of Repentance or the Ten Days of Return, are an especially propitious time for teshuvah, returning to G-d. Yom Kippur is followed by the joyous holidays of Sukkot and Simchat Torah.
The season of the High Holidays is a time for an epic journey for the soul, and Rosh Hashanah is where it all begins.
Please join us for our user-friendly services, which will be held at 119-19 230th Street, side entrance, Cambria Heights, NY 11411.
All are welcome. Please email Rabbi Blachman at Rabbi.ejc@gmail.com for details.
With our best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year,
Rabbi Blachman
Elmont Jewish Center
