B"H

Monday, Elul 22, 5781 / August 30, 2021

Rosh Hashana, the Hebrew New Year, begins next week, Monday night Sept. 6. Rosh Hashana is celebrated on the sixth day of creation – the day in which Adam and Eve were created.

“Shana” in Hebrew is year. Thus, Rosh Hashana meanshead of the year. Shana has the numerical value of 355. The average Hebrew year is comprised of 355 days.  

Rosh Hashana is not only the beginning of the Year, but also the, "Head of the Year."  The reason for being called, "Head of the year" is that just like the “head” controls the entire person, so too, everything that will occur throughout the New Year is determined on Rosh Hashana.

On Rosh Hashana we eat certain foods which allude to blessing. For example, we dip the Challah and an apple into honey and pray for a good and sweet New Year.  It is also customary to eat from the head of a fish or sheep the first night of Rosh Hashana and pray, "May it be Your will that we shall be to a head and not to a tail."

Q.  Why is it significant to add "and not as the tail" after asking to be a “head"?

A.  A person was walking on the street and saw a long line of people. He asked the last one in line what are you standing in line for? The person replied that he had no idea, but when he walked by and saw the long line, he figured it must be worthwhile, so he got into line.  Curious, the man went from one person to another, asking why were they all in line? Each one had the same reply, "We have no idea but we saw the people ahead standing in line so we figured it must be worthwhile."

Finally, he asked the man at the head of the line, why he was in line. The man replied that he also had no idea.  "I was walking and stopped to tie my shoe, but then I saw a line formed behind me!"

The man was shocked.  "I can understand the people behind you, they think that you are waiting for something important, but you know that there is no purpose for this line! So why don't you leave?"

"What! I should leave the line? This is the first time in my whole life that I'm at the head of the line... are you suggesting that I just leave?!"

"May it be Your will that we shall be a head and not as the tail."  There is an important lesson here for the New Year.  As we try so hard to go "forward" and "advance" in life, we must judge whether the things we work so hard to be at the head of the line for, do they really put us "ahead" or are we in a "tail-spin" going nowhere?

Before Rosh Hashana is the time to take stock of our achievements of the past year. Our commitment and time with the family; Our commitment to G-d and to our community and set the proper goals to be truly “a-head” in the New Year!

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & SHANA TOVA