The first and the second days of Tishri are kept as New-year.[102] In accordance with the command, “The first of the first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the Lord thy God” (Exod. xxxiv. 26), we devote the first ten days of the year as an offering to the Lord; they are days of increased devotion, earnest self-examination, and new efforts to lead a good, virtuous, and godly life. They are called עשרת ימי תשובה “ten days of return” to God, or “ten penitential days.”
We greet and congratulate each other on New-year, using the phrase, לשנה טובה תכתב—or לש׳ ט׳ תכחבי, תכתבו, תכתבנה according as a male, a female, several males, or several females are addressed—“May you be inscribed for a happy year.” It is a figurative expression, borrowed from the writing and signing of decrees by earthly judges. [[403]]
In the Bible the Festival is not called New-year,[103] but יום תרועה “Day of blowing the shofar” (Num. xxix. 1); and זכרון תרועה “Memorial of the blowing of the shofar” (Lev. xxiii. 24); in our prayers the names יום הזכרון and יום הדין “Day of Remembering” and “Day of Judgment,” are also used.
The first of these four names implies, according to the traditional interpretation, the commandment of blowing the shofar. As a rule the shofar is blown during the Morning Service before the sefer is returned to the Ark, and during Musaf.[104] The blowing of the shofar is expressed by תרועה, which denotes the sound of an alarm; hence we learn that the shofar is intended to awaken us, and to call us forth to range ourselves under our banner. It is an ideal banner, the worship of God and faith in Him, that we are called upon to protect and to defend from enemies without and within.[105] Prominence is therefore given in our Service for New-year to the proclamation of God as King of the universe, and to our longing for the time when all mankind will unite in the worship of the One God. [[404]]
The name “Memorial of blowing the shofar” indicates that we are to remember some historical event suggested by the sound of the shofar. We are reminded of the period when the Israelites, encamped round Mount Sinai, on hearing the Divine message, “Ye shall be my peculiar people,” “a kingdom of priests,” and “a holy nation,” joyfully replied, “All that the Lord hath spoken we will do” (Exod. xix. 8). The shofar thus awakens us to greater watchfulness and activity in the purification and sanctification of our heart.
The third name, “Day of Memorial,” seems to be a modification of the second; but it has a more general meaning. The second name, that reminds us of our duty as God’s peculiar people, suggests also the idea that God, who declared us to be His people, watches over us; that what we do, we do in His presence. He perceives, notes, and remembers all our deeds, words, and thoughts. When, therefore, we appeal to the goodness of Him, who remembers all His creatures and provides for the wants of every one of them, we must not forget that He is also just. This idea, again, suggests the fourth name, יום הדין “Day of Judgment,” the day on which we are judged according to our deeds, both our merits and our shortcomings being taken into account.
The essential elements in our Service are the three sections in the Amidah of Musaf: מלכיות, זכרונות and שופרות. They chiefly refer to the three fundamental principles of our religion: (1) Existence of God, a Being that is King of the universe; (2) Divine Justice, and (3) Revelation. Ten passages are quoted [[405]]from the Bible in support of each of these principles.
Tradition has fixed the 1st of Tishri as the date of several events in the history of Israel, e.g., the birth of Isaac, the binding of Isaac (עקדה), and the birth of Samuel (B. T. Rosh ha-shanah 10b). Hence Gen. xxi. and xxii. are read on the two days of New-year, in addition to the paragraph on the sacrifices of the Festival (Num. xxix. 1–6).
From the Prophets, we read on the first day 1 Sam. i. 1 to ii. 10, on the birth of Samuel, and the prayer of Hannah praising the justice of God; on the second day, Jer. xxxi. 2–20, a prophecy concerning the restoration of Israel.[106]
The Sabbath between New-year and the Day of Atonement is called שבת שובה because the haphtarah, taken from Hosea (xiv. 1 seq.), commences with the word שובה and is an exhortation of Israel to return to God.