Bonjour / Hello [nickname_else_first_name],
Table of contents
1) Perashat Hashavoua - Rabbi Eli Mansour
2) Halakhat Hashavoua (Halakhot related to day to day life) - Hazzan David Azerad
- laws of Rosh Hashana
3) Holy Jokes!
4) FOR KIDS!
Rosh HaShanah (Hebrew: רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, Rōʾš hašŠānā, literally "head of the year") is the Jewish New Year. The biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah (יוֹם תְּרוּעָה, Yōm Tərūʿā, lit. "day of shouting/blasting"). It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days (יָמִים נוֹרָאִים, Yāmīm Nōrāʾīm, "Days of Awe"), as specified by Leviticus 23:23–25,[1] that occur in the late summer/early autumn of the Northern Hemisphere. Rosh Hashanah begins a ten-day period of penitence culminating in Yom Kippur, as well as beginning the cycle of autumnal religious festivals running through Sukkot and ending in Shemini Atzeret.
Rosh Hashanah is a two-day observance and celebration that begins on the first day of Tishrei, which is the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year. In contrast to the ecclesiastical lunar new year on the first day of the first month Nisan, the spring Passover month which marks Israel's exodus from Egypt, Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the civil year, according to the teachings of Judaism, and is the traditional anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman according to the Hebrew Bible, as well as the initiation of humanity's role in God's world.
Rosh Hashanah customs include sounding the shofar (a hollowed-out ram's horn), as prescribed in the Torah, following the prescription of the Hebrew Bible to "raise a noise" on Yom Teruah. Its rabbinical customs include attending synagogue services and reciting special liturgy about teshuva, as well as enjoying festive meals. Eating symbolic foods, such as apples dipped in honey, hoping to evoke a sweet new year, is an ancient tradition recorded in the Talmud.[2]
-Wikipedia
The Fast of Gedalia (/ˌɡɛdəˈlaɪ.ə, ɡəˈdɑːliə/; Hebrew: צוֹם גְּדַלְיָה Tzom Gedalya), also transliterated from the Hebrew language as Gedaliah or Gedalya(h), is a minor Jewish fast day from dawn until dusk to lament the assassination of Gedaliah, the righteous governor of what was the Kingdom of Judah. His death ended Jewish autonomy following the destruction of the First Temple and the fall of King Zedekiah.[1]
-WIkipedia
This Week's Parasha Insight with Rabbi Eli Mansour
Rosh Hashana: The Yom Tob of Emuna
There is a tradition that the Ten Days of Repentance – the period from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur – correspond to the Ten Commandments. Each day of this ten-day period is somehow associated with the corresponding commandments.
According to this system, Rosh Hashanah – the first two days of the Aseret Yemeh Teshuba – corresponds to the commands, "I am Hashem your G-d" and "You shall not have any gods besides Me." In other words, Rosh Hashanah is associated with the fundamental belief in Hashem as the only being who controls the world.
This concept dispels a common misconception about the holiday of Rosh Hashanah. Many people, unfortunately, view Rosh Hashanah as a kind of "shopping spree." They bring to the synagogue a mental list of what they need for the coming year, and they present this list to G-d. Perhaps, they also think a bit about how they can improve themselves, but their primary focus is what they are asking from G-d for the coming year.
It is easy to prove that this is not what Rosh Hashanah is about. We need to look no further than the text of the prayer service. If Rosh Hashanah is a time to ask for our needs, then we should recite the standard weekday Amida prayer, in which we ask for intelligence, forgiveness, health, livelihood, and so on. But none of this appears in the Amida of Rosh Hashanah. Instead, our Rosh Hashanah prayers focus on the theme of Malchut – divine kingship. This is the day when we reaffirm our subservience to G-d and our recognition of His rule. Monarchs would hold a coronation ceremony every year to reaffirm their rule. This is what we do on Rosh Hashanah: we once again proclaim our allegiance to G-d, and we recognize that as we are His subjects, He will judge us on the basis of our faithfulness. Rosh Hashanah is about G-d, not about us. It is a time to renew our acceptance of His unlimited rule. Of course, we are entitled to also plead for what we need. But this is not the essence of Rosh Hashanah.
This renewal of our acceptance of G-d’s kingship includes reinforcing our belief in Providence, that He exerts absolute control over our lives and the world at large. Nothing at all happens unless G-d wanted it to happen. The Baal Shem Tob, the founder of the Hassidic movement, taught that there is a purpose for every leaf that falls from a tree, and for why it fell at that precise time and at that precise spot. On Rosh Hashanah, the Yom Tob of Emuna, we reinforce our faith that G-d controls everything that happens, and even events that appear harmful are actually for our benefit.
Thus, Rosh Hashanah is not a time for making requests; it is a time to reaffirm our belief that even when our requests are not granted, everything is for the best, because Hashem knows far better than we do what we need.
This perhaps answers a question that one might have asked concerning the Torah reading on Rosh Hashanah. On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, we read the section of Akedat Yishak, the story of how Abraham Abinu was prepared to offer his beloved son as a sacrifice in fulfillment of G-d’s command. However, we conclude the reading with a series of verses that tell of the birth of children and grandchildren to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. We might, at first glance, wonder how these Pesukim are relevant to Rosh Hashanah. Why is it important for us read of Nahor’s children and grandchildren on this day?
The answer, perhaps, is that this section essentially completes the test of the Akeda. Abraham and Sara finally had a child after decades of praying and waiting, and then Abraham nearly had to kill him with his own hands. Meanwhile, his brother begot numerous children and grandchildren without any delay or trouble. Abraham devoted his life to kindness and to the serve of G-d, whereas his brother was an idolater. What more difficult test could there possibly be for Abraham than seeing his brother succeed and prosper while he struggles? The Akeda was certainly a very difficult test, but no less difficult was the test that came afterward, when, immediately after demonstrating his unbridled devotion to G-d, Abraham heard about his idolatrous brother’s success.
And so this section, too, is vitally important to our observance of Rosh Hashanah. It reminds us of the need to remain faithfully devoted to G-d even if we do not see how it brings us blessing and success. Regardless of what kind of hardship we are enduring, we must continue observing the Torah, trusting that Hashem is kind and gracious, and fulfilling His will is always beneficial.
Of course, we hope to be blessed with a good, sweet year. But on Rosh Hashanah we proclaim that even when our lives are not "sweet," and we face difficult challenges, we will nevertheless remain steadfastly committed to G-d, knowing that everything He does is for the best.
The laws of Rosh Hashanah, according to the rulings of Maran Rabbi Obadiah Yosef ZT”L
In what order should one proceed with the Simanim on Rosh Hashanah night?
Our sages instituted for us to eat on the 2 nights of Rosh Hashanah various kinds of foods as a good sign for the whole year (The Simanim). There is no need to follow the order written in the siddurim.The main thing is that we make the first blessing on the dates, which are part of the seven kinds of fruits that Eretz Yisrael was blessed with.Following the dates one can eat all of the other sweet fruits or vegetables that are in front of him (all of the other Simanim).
The proper Seder (order) of the night is first recite the Kiddush, taste from the wine ,Netilat Yadayim(the ritual of washing your hands) then Hamotzi eat from the bread Kezayit (minimum 29gram) and only then begin with the Simanim.If one starts eating the Simanim after Kiddush before the Hamotzi he is entering a Safek (a doubt)if he should recite or not Bracha Achrona(Al Hamichya) or not.Therefore in order to avoid all doubt the best thing is to follow the latter suggestion Kiddush, Netilah ,Hamotzi then proceed with the Seder of the Simanim.
As for the first blessing one should not start with (Karti)Leek or (Silka)swiss chard or( Kera)long squash/ pumpkin or (Rubia)black eyed peas/beans/sesame nor the head of a lamb since these are things that we can eat during our meal as opposed to dates pomegranates and apples they are considered as dessert.
There are those who have the custum to start the 1st night with the Tamar ( the dates) and the 2nd night with the apple.
One should leave a new fruit for the 2nd night so that they have something to say Shehecheyanu on ,preferably the pomegranate is left for the second night.
What do we recite first , the Beracha for the Siman or the Yehi Ratzon for the Siman ?
One will begin first with the blessing of the fruit or another Siman and taste a bit of it,then proceed with the text of the Yehi Ratzon and then continue to eat the fruit or the Siman.There are different minhagim for the Seder in different households.Some will have all of those who are gathered around the table hold the Siman(fruit or Vegetable etc..) in their hands, and one person designated leading the Seder of the Berachot (Ba’al Habayit or someone else..)) recites the Beracha and has the Kavana (the intention to exempt everyone).All sitting around the table will answer amen and taste from the Siman.The person leading will continue by reciting the Yehi Ratzon aloud for everyone to hear and everyone answering amen. Others have the Minhag to recite all together the Berachot and the Yehi Ratzon.
Bevirkat Shabbat Shalom
Shana Tova Umetuka
David Azerad
3) HOLY JoKeS!!
Selection of funny snippets, loosely related to this weeks parashah or current events, to brighten your day
4) FOR KIDS
Click on the image to open the youtube video
