According to Jewish belief, on Rosh Hashanah God determines a person’s fate for the next year. However, this decision is not final and can be changed over the next ten days.
Rosh ha-Shan, or the Jewish New Year, occurs on 21 September and the celebration lasts for two days. This period is called “yom ha-arichtah” (“one long day”), and Rosh ha-Shan translates as “the head of the year.”
Unlike the New Year, fireworks, alcohol and loud festivities are not inherent in this holiday. It is a time of reflection on past mistakes and planning for the next year.
What should not be done on Rosh Hashanah
- It is forbidden to eat bitter and sour food, so that the next year will not bring misfortune.
- It is also forbidden to eat nuts, because the numerical value of the word “nut” in Hebrew is equal to the numerical value of the word “sin”.
- It is forbidden to take photographs on these days.
- Itis forbidden to do any work except cooking for the festive table.
The dates of Jewish New Year celebrations vary because the traditional Jewish calendar is lunar-solar. Rosh Hashanah occurs on the new moon of the seventh month of Tishrei, the month of the beginning of the Jewish calendar year, which falls in September-October.