“Blow the shofar at the new moon, in the time appointed of our party.”
— Psalm 81:4

1) Names, meaning and sources

• Names biblical-rabbinic:
  • Yom Truah (Day of the touch/cry of the shofar). Source: Leviticus 23:23-25; Numbers 29:1.
  • Zikaron Truah (Commemoration of truah). Source: Leviticus 23:24.
  • Yom HaDin (Day of Judgment), and Yom HaZikarón (Remembrance day): names rabbinical (e.g., Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 1:2; Talmud Rosh Hashanah 16a).
  • Rosh Hashanah: literally “head of the year”, institutionalised in the rabbinic literature (Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 1:1).
• Central Idea: crown God as King (Maljuyot), stand trial (annualDin) and wake up with the shofar to the teshuvah (return). Topics developed in Rambam, Hilchot Teshuvah 2-3; Rosh Hashanah 16a-b.

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2) Calendar and halachic status

• Date: 1 (out of the Land of Israel, and today even in Israel by custom extended) 2 Tishrei. The Mishnah lists four “new years”; the of Tishrei is for years, shmita, yovel, and judgment (Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 1:1-2).
• Two days of “yom arijá” (a long-day halachic): Beitzá 4b; Shulchan Aruch Orach Jaím 600:1.
• Lo Adu Rosh: Rosh Hashanah does not fall on a Sunday, Wednesday or Friday; rule of fixation calendrical post-biblical (dejiot), encoded by the geonim/rishonim and assumed in the calculations of the fixed calendar.

3) Prohibitions, and permissions (dinim of Yom Tov)

• Prohibition of melajá as on Yom Tov (creative work). Allowed to cook/transfer fire to that day (Ex 12:16; Shulchan Aruch OJ 495, 529).
• Candles on Yom Tov, Kiddush and Seudot: Shulchan Aruch OJ 271, 487, 599-600.
• Eruv Tavshilín if Rosh Hashanah connect with Shabbat in order to prepare for Yom Tov to Shabbat (Shulchan Aruch OJ 527).
• Electronic and transport: follow the general rules of Shabbat/Yom Tov according to the authority halachic.

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4) The shofar: essence, halachot and practice

• Commandment: “The day of truah will be for you” (Num 29:1) / “commemoration of truah” (Lev 23:24).
• Material and shape: preference for ram's horn (allusion to the Akeidah) curved; other horns valid except bovine (Rambam Hilchot Shofar 1:1-2; Shulchan Aruch OJ 586:1).
• Types of sound: Tekiá (long) Shevarim (three breaks), Truah (groans shorts); for doubt talmudic touch the three structures: Tashrat (T-Sh-R-T), Tashat (T-Sh-T), Tarát (T-R-T) (Rosh Hashanah 33b-34a).
• Amount: minimum 30 touches to cover the combinations; custom extended up to 100 (or more), according to the rites (Rema OJ 590:1).
• Intention and hearing: the listener must have kavaná meet; the baal tokeá also (Shulchan Aruch OJ 589).
• If it falls on Shabbat: do not touch the first day outside the Temple, by decree of the rabbinical order to avoid moving the shofar (Rosh Hashanah 29b; Shulchan Aruch OJ 588). On the second day itself.
• Those who are exempt or with adaptations: sick, and seeks to engage them when it is possible. People with hearing aids/implants require consultation halachic specific.

“On Rosh Hashanah all the creatures of the world pass before Him like herds, and the Creator will judge each one.”
— Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 16a

5) Liturgy: structure and key texts

• Selichot Elul:
  • Sephardi: all Elul.
  • Ashkenazíes: from the Saturday night prior to Rosh Hashanah, with at least four days of selichot (Rema OJ 581:1).
  • Habit: playing the shofar every day in Elul (except eve of Rosh Hashanah) as “spiritual alarm clock”.
• Tefilot of Rosh Hashanah (Machzor):
  • Arvit: Le-Dovid Mizmor (Ps 24 in several traditions), piyyutim according to nussaj.
  • Shacharit and Musaf: center of theology in Maljuyot, Zikhronot, and Shofrot (10 verses of each section from the Torah, Neviim and Ketuvim; Rosh Hashanah 32a-34b; Rambam Hilchot Tefillah 13).
  • Unetané Tokef (piyyut medieval) emphasizes judgment, teshuvah, tefillah and tzedakah.
  • Avinu Malkeinu: recited in many communities (except when it coincides Shabbat as usual ashkenazi).
• Bible readings:
  • Day 1: Torah: Genesis 21 (birth of Yitzchak, and the judgment of Sarah/Hagar); Haftará: 1 Samuel 1-2 (Janá).
  • Day 2: Torah: Genesis 22 (Akedat Yitzchak); Haftará: Jeremiah 31:1-19 (Rajel and the return).
  • Reason: memory, mercy and merit of the patriarchs (zjut avot).
• Tashlich: prayer next to running water in the afternoon of the first day (or second if the first is Shabbat), based on Micah 7:18-20; Rema OJ 583:2 (minhag spread).

“Three books are opened on Rosh Hashanah: one for the righteous, one for the wicked and one for the intermediate.”
— Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 16b

6) theological Issues, and spiritual

• Teshuvah, Tefillah, Tzedakah: axles, to “mitigate the decree” (Unetané Tokef; Rambam Hilchot Teshuva).
• Coronation divine (Maljut): recognize sovereignty and reorder the life around that axis (verses of Maljuyot).
• Memory and merit: Zikhronot stresses the divine memory of covenants and deeds.
• Shofrot: revelation (Sinai), prophecy and the future redemption (Isa 27:13).
• Mystical: Zohar and school of the Ari see Rosh Hashanah as a reboot of flows spiritual; customs, dress white (purity) and an emphasis on kavanot (according to the circles of kabbalistic).

7) Customs house (minhagim)

• Simaním of the table: apple with honey (“we have a good year-and-sweet”), granada (abundance of merits), dates, carrots, porro/leek, head (of a fish or lamb: “to be the head and not the tail”), etc; Rosh and Tur OJ 583; Shulchan Aruch OJ 583.
• Greetings: “Shaná tov umetuká”; from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur, add “Ketivá veJatimá Tov” (good inscription and seal).
• Avoid nuts (gueuzím) by equivalence gemátrica with “sin” (jet) and because thicken the voice (minhag ashkenazi classic; Rema OJ 583:2).
• Round loaf of bread (challah) symbolizing annual cycle; raisins and honey.
• Letter/postcard new year (minhag modern extended).
• Do not sleep on the morning of Rosh Hashanah according to some customs (symbol does not “sleep” the mazal of the year).

“The shofar screams where words are not enough.”
— Midrash Tehillim

8) Differences of rite (Ashk./Sef./Edot Mizraj/Yemeni)

• Selichot and melodies differ; the structure of Musaf with Maljuyot-Zikhronot-Shofrot is common, but piyyutim vary (Machzor Romaniot, Ashkenaz, Sefarad, Edot Hamizraj).
• Touches of shofar: order and times (during the Amidá vs. after) change by nussaj.
• Tashlich: widely practiced; not universal in all-time/historic places.

9) Reading of history and evolution

• Bible: origin in the holy convocation of the “day of truah” (Lv/Nm).
• Second Temple: emphasis on Mussaf/kóbanot (Nm 29:2-6), and the shofar in the Temple.
• Period talmudic: conceptualization of Yom HaDin universal (Rosh Hashanah 16a: “all creatures pass before Him as children of Maron”).
• Middle ages: piyyutografía (Unetané Tokef), encoding halachic (Rif, Rosh, Rambam; then Shulchan Aruch).
• Modernity: fixed calendar, the dissemination of family traditions and machzorim printed; zionism and the State of Israel incorporated greetings/laicizaciones cultural, but the standard halachic is maintained in communities observant.

“The sound of the shofar awakens the man of the dream of his vanity.”
— Maimonides (Rambam), Hilchot Teshuvah 3:4

10) Ten Days of Teshuvah and the bridge to Yom Kippur

• Aseret Iemei Teshuvah: 1 to 10 of Tishrei; intensification of practice, charity and examination of conscience.
• Liturgical changes: aggregates in Amidá (e.g., HaMelej haKadosh, HaMelej haMishpat), and behaviors of mercy high (cf. Shulchan Aruch OJ 602-603).
• Shabbat Shuvá: between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur; derashá special rabbi (Hosea 14:2-10).

11) Halachot selected cases and practical

• Fasting: there is no fast; it held seudot festive with Kiddush (OJ 597-600).
• Women and shofar: forced rabínicamente according to many authorities (meet and bless according to local custom).
• People who can't attend: it is valid to meet the shofar heard out of the synagogue if they guarantee conditions halájicas (intent, without echo, etc).
• Climate/noise: avoid places with eco; outdoor is valid if it is clearly heard.
• Shulchan Aruch, OJ 582-603 it is the compendium main regulatory practice sinagogal and home.

“Rosh Hashanah is not only the beginning of the year, is the reboot of the soul.”
— Rabbi Yitzchak Luria (Ari HaKadosh)

12) recommended Reading (primary sources, and codes)

• Tanakh: Leviticus 23:23-25; Numbers 29:1-6; Genesis 21 and 22; Jeremiah 31; 1 Samuel 1-2; Micah 7:18-20.
• Mishnah/Talmud: Treaty Rosh Hashanah (caps. 1-4); Beitzá 4b; Rosh Hashanah 16a-b; 29b-34a.
• Rambam (Maimonides): Hilchot Shofar veSuká veLulav caps. 1-3; Hilchot Teshuvah caps. 1-3; Hilchot Tefillah 13 (order of Musaf).
• Tur and Shulchan Aruch (Orach Jaím 581-603) with glosses of the Rema.
• Machzor Rosh Hashanah (any annotated edition, according to nussaj, with Unetané Tokef, Avinu Malkeinu, etc).

13) practical Guide summary

1. Before: Selichot (according to the rite), shofar journal in Elul, charity, forgiveness, plan of teshuvah.
2. Erev Rosh Hashanah- do not touch shofar, prepare candles/seudá; visit " mikveh (custom).
3. Day(s) of Rosh Hashanah: no melajá; Kiddush and seudot; tefilot with Machzor; shofar (except if the 1st day falls on Shabbat); Tashlich in the afternoon (if applicable).
4. Between both days: continuity of festive mood; keep a spiritual focus.
5. After the feast: Aseret Iemei Teshuvah until Yom Kippur; raise tefillah and tzedakah.

“Rosh Hashanah teaches that the time to not only passes; the time is reborn with us.”
— Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

Bibliography minimum and verification criteria

• Primary: Tanakh (Lev 23; Num 29; Gen 21-22; Jer 31; 1 S 1-2; My 7), Mishnah/Talmud (Rosh Hashanah), Rambam (cit. above).
• Encoding: Shulchan Aruch Orach Jaím 581-603 and Rema.
• Exegesis and practice: Mishnah Berurah to OJ 581-603; Aruch HaShulján OJ 581-603.
• Machzorim listed (Ashkenaz/Sefarad/Edot Mizraj) for variants of the liturgical.

“There is echo the most powerful being in the sky that the heart returns.”
— Teaching hasidic