The Shacharit Service
After arising in the morning and reciting Modeh Ani, we proceed as usual to the Morning Blessings.
- One should not eat anything in the morning before the prayer services until after the shofar has been sounded. After the shofar blasts, it is permissible to drink.
- Men customarily immerse themselves in a mikveh before the morning prayers in order to cleanse themselves and enhance their purity on this sacred day.
The Shacharit Service
The beginning of the Shacharit service on Rosh Hashanah is similar to that of the morning of Shabbat.
We begin with Korbanot, Pesukei Dezimrah, and Barchu.
Before Barchu, we recite Hamelech, just as on any Shabbat, but on Rosh Hashanah special emphasis is placed on this passage. In general, it is at this point that the prayer leader for the Shacharit service approaches the lectern to lead the congregation in prayer until the Torah reading.
Rabbi Aharon of Karlin was once serving as the prayer leader for this portion of the services. When he began to chant Hamelech, “The King,” he collapsed in a faint. When he revived, he was asked why he had fainted and he explained, “I remembered that Talmudic account of the incident in which Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai greeted the Roman general Vespasian as if he were a king. Vespasian, who was not yet aware that he had been declared the new emperor of Rome, challenged him, ’If I am a king, why did you not come to me until now?’
- Before Barchu, we recite Psalm 130, “A Song of ascents, from the depths I have called out to You, G-d.”
We then more on to the Shema and its blessings, followed by the Shemoneh Esrei, which is identical to the Shemoneh Esrei of the previous night. In the Shemoneh Esrei, we place particular emphasis on anything related to G-d’s Kingship over His world, and we pray to Him that every creature on earth will have faith in Him, fulfill His commandments, and serve Him wholeheartedly.
The chazzan’s repetition of Shacharit on Rosh Hashanah is known as the “Yotzer of Rosh Hashanah.” It is a very lengthy service that is enhanced by many additional passages and lyrical poems. Some portions of this service are recited while standing, while others are recited while sitting. The Ark is opened for certain passages and closed for others. The customs pertaining to this portion of the service are clearly delineated in the machzor.
Passages of Crucial Importance in the “Yotzer”
- “You are our G-d in heaven and on earth … Who dwells in the heavens and suspends the earth on nothingness.” This passage, which consists of a series of phrases arranged in the order of the Hebrew alphabet, speaks about the exalted greatness of G-d.
- “G-d is King; G-d has reigned; G-d will reign for all eternity.” This passage also follows the order of the Hebrew alphabet and describes how the Heavenly angels raise their voices to declare that G-d is their King.
- “To the G-d Who arranges judgment; to He Who tests hearts on the day of judgment … to He Who guards those who love Him in judgment, to He Who supports His innocent ones on the day of judgment.” This passage depicts G-d’s actions, as it were, over the course of the Day of Judgment, as He remembers His nation’s deeds and forgives them for their sins. This passage also follows the order of the Hebrew alphabet.
“Our Father, Our King”
After the chazzan’s repetition of the Shemoneh Esrei, the Ark is opened and we recite the special prayer of Avinu Malkeinu, “Our Father, Our King,” while standing.
This unique prayer contains a large number of statements and supplications, each of which begins by directly addressing the Master of the World as “our Father, our King.” In this prayer, we beseech G-d for many of our primary needs, both on an individual and on a communal level.
The prayer concludes with the entreaty, “Our Father, our King, have mercy on us and answer us for we have no [good] deeds. Perform charity and kindness with us and save us.”
When Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, Avinu Malkeinu is not recited. (Sephardim, however, do have the custom of reciting it.)
The Prayer Service Continues
The next portion of the prayer service is the Song of the Day for the particular day of the week, followed by Psalm 27.
Unlike on other Rosh Chodesh or festival days, we do not recite Hallel on Rosh Hashanah. On a day when G-d sits, so to speak, with the books of life and death open before Him, it is not appropriate to recite Hallel, a prayer of joyous song and praise.
The Torah Reading
When the Ark is opened to take out a Torah scroll for the Torah reading on Rosh Hashanah, a different procedure is followed than that with which we are familiar on a regular Shabbat.
After the recitation of the verses of “You have shown” and “When the Ark traveled,” the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are recited three times consecutively. We then recite a personal prayer that begins with the words, “Master of the Universe, fulfill the requests of my heart for the good.” We then move on to the usual prayer of “Blessed is the Name,” and we remove two Torah scrolls from the Ark.
The chazzan and the congregation recite the first verse of the Shema, “Hear O Israel, G-d our Lord, G-d is One.” The next verse is altered somewhat from its usual form; on Rosh Hashanah, we recite, “One is our G-d; great is our Master; holy and awesome is His Name.” (The phrase “and awesome” is added to the usual text.)
The first Torah scroll is opened on the reader’s table, and five honorees are called up to the Torah. The Torah reading for the first day of Rosh Hashanah is drawn from the Torah portion of Vayeira and describes how G-d granted our matriarch Sarah a son after many years of barrenness. Tradition teaches us that both Sarah and Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel, were redeemed from their barrenness on Rosh Hashanah, and that is why we read this portion on the holiday.
The second Torah scroll is used for the Maftir reading, for which one honoree is called up. A passage from the Torah portion of Pinchas is read, which deals with the sacrificial offerings of Rosh Hashanah.
The Torah reading of Rosh Hashanah is chanted in a special, stirring melody.
After Hagbahah, when the Torah scroll is raised for all to see, the person who was called up for Maftir recites the blessing over the Haftarah and reads a passage from Samuel, a book in the Prophets, that describes the birth of the prophet Samuel.
At the conclusion of the Haftarah, the honoree recites the concluding blessings over the Haftarah, followed by a special blessing, “On the Torah and on the service,” which is uniquely composed for the Day of Remembrance.
When Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, the weekly prayers of Yekum Purkan and Mi Shebeirach are recited at this point.
The Shofar Blasts
Background
The most crucial and significant moment on Rosh Hashanah is the time when the shofar is sounded.
As we mentioned earlier, a shofar is a type of instrument that is usually made out of a hollowed-out ram’s horn in order to allude to the incident of the Binding of Isaac. In that Biblical account, G-d led Abraham to believe that he should sacrifice his beloved only son Isaac on an altar, but at the last moment G-d prevented him from doing so. In place of his son, Abraham offered up a ram that was hiding in a nearby thicket, and we use a ram’s horn for the shofar in memory of that event.
The sound of the shofar has the ability to arouse those who hear it and cause them to tremble, instilling in them a drive to repent. In addition, there are two more reasons for the shofar blasts of Rosh Hashanah:
- The purpose of the shofar blasts on Rosh Hashanah is to indicate that we declare on this day that G-d is the King of the entire world. Historically, it was customary for kings to mark the day of their coronation by sounding a shofar.
- The sound of the shofar reminds us of the Revelation at Sinai, when G-d first appeared to the Jewish people and gave them the Ten Commandments. On Rosh Hashanah, we remind ourselves of that momentous occasion, and the thought spurs us to accept the Torah anew just as our forefathers did, committing to do whatever it demands of us even if we are not aware of what it says.
The holy Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Chassidut, taught that the sound of the shofar is similar to the cries of a child pleading with his father. The child’s emotions are so strong and his need so urgent that he is unable to properly verbalize his request. Instead, he simply bursts into tears and protracted crying.
The Shofar Blasts
We are Biblically obligated to hear only nine shofar blasts, but since it is not exactly clear what is the Torah’s definition of the blast we are obligated to hear, the Sages ordained that we should hear a series of 30 blasts that will certainly include the required nine.
The Biblical commandment to sound the shofar on Rosh Hashanah is conveyed with the words, “It shall be a day of teruah for you.” Onkelos, the author of the Aramaic translation of the Torah, renders the Hebrew word teruah as yevava, an Aramaic term that denotes weeping and wailing. Our Sages inferred from this verse that the shofar blasts of Rosh Hashanah are required to mimic the sounds of a person weeping.
There are three types of blasts that are sounded on the shofar:
Tekiah: a long, flat sound that mimics the sound of a person crying at length.
Shevarim: a series of three shorter blasts that resemble the sounds of stifled sobs.
Teruah: a series of nine quick blasts, shorter than the three of the shevarim, which are produced in a single breath and sound like a person erupting into brief bursts of wailing.
These three basic sounds are arranged in the following three sequences, each of which is sounded three times:
- 3 times Tekiah – Shevarim – Teruah – Tekiah
- 3 times Tekiah – Shevarim – Tekiah
- 3 times Tekiah – Teruah – Tekiah
On Rosh Hashanah, a total of one hundred shofar blasts are sounded: sixty tekiot, twenty shevarim, and twenty teruot.
Who Blows the Shofar and Who Must Listen?
The person who sounds the shofar is known as the baal tokea. This person is selected by the congregation, and his task is to represent them all, since each individual is technically required to sound the shofar on his own. The baal tokea enables all the people listening to him to fulfill their own obligation by responding “Amen” to his blessings.
- Any Jewish male aged thirteen or more may serve as the baal tokea, but he must be proficient in the laws pertaining to the shofar.
Since the Biblical requirement to hear the shofar can be fulfilled only during the day and not at night, it is considered a “time-related mitzvah” from which women are exempt. Despite this exemption, however, many women do come to the synagogue to hear the shofar.
Question: Should small children also be brought to hear the shofar?
Answer: Yes! It is a mitzvah to bring children, even very small ones, to synagogue. At the same time, of course, one must be sure to preserve the quiet and the atmosphere of decorum that are necessary for a synagogue. One should therefore bring along suitable distractions for young children so that they will not make noise and disturb other congregants.
The Procedure for Sounding the Shofar
After the Torah reading, we prepare to hear the shofar. The shofar blasts sounded after the Torah reading are known as the “seated blasts,” a name that distinguishes them from the blasts sounded during the Shemoneh Esrei, which are known as the “standing blasts.”
The baal tokea proceeds to the bimah along with another man, whose function is to assist him by indicating before each blast which one he should sound. This prevents the baal tokea from becoming confused during the course of the shofar blasts.
Before the shofar blasts, the congregation and the chazzan recite together Psalm 47, “To the conductor, a song for the sons of Korach,” seven times. They then recite a series of additional verses that form a Hebrew acrostic of the words kra satan (literally, “tear up the accuser”). This alludes to the power of the shofar blasts to annul the accusations of the Satan.
- Before the shofar blasts, the baal tokea recites two blessings:
- “Blessed are You, G-d…Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to hear the sound of the shofar.”
- “Blessed are You, G-d… Who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this time.”
- While he recites the blessings, the congregants should have in mind that the baal tokea is reciting the blessings and sounding the shofar on their behalf, and that he is causing them to fulfill their obligations.
- From the time that the blessings have begun, one should not speak at all until the conclusion of the shofar blasts that are sounded at the end of the chazzan’s repetition of Mussaf.
When Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, the shofar is not sounded. Since some skill is required to master the technique of sounding the shofar, the Sages were concerned that a person might want to bring the shofar to someone who can teach him how to use it and might carry it through a public domain. Consequently, they forbade blowing the shofar on Shabbat, when it is forbidden to carry an item through a public domain. Thus, when the first day of Rosh Hashanah is Shabbat, the shofar is sounded only on the second day.
After the shofar has been sounded, we recite a brief prayer in which we ask that the angels that were created by the shofar blasts ascend to the “Throne of Glory” and advocate on our behalf. The chazzan then recites three verses in a special tune—“Fortunate is the nation,” “Let them rejoice in Your Name,” and “For You are the glory of their strength”—and the congregation repeats each one after him.
The Mussaf Service
After the sounding of the shofar, Ashrei is recited and the Torah scroll is returned to the Ark. The chazzan then approaches his lectern in order to begin the Mussaf service.
Before the service begins, the chazzan recites a special prayer that begins with the words, “Here I am, impoverished of deeds, trembling and frightened in fear of He Who is enthroned on the praises of Israel.” In this passage, he beseeches G-d to let him be successful in his prayers and arouse Heavenly mercy for the Jewish nation, as the representative of the entire congregation.
Unlike the Mussaf services of Shabbat and other festivals, in which the Shemoneh Esrei consists of seven blessings, the Mussaf service of Rosh Hashanah features a Shemoneh Esrei containing nine blessings. The three unique blessings that the Sages added to this Shemoneh Esrei (in addition to the standard three at the beginning and three at the end) are known as Malchuyot (Kingship), Zichronot (Remembrance) and Shofarot.
Malchuyot: This blessing describes G-d’s Kingship over the entire world and relates that in the future, after the final Redemption, the entire human race will recognize G-d as the King of the universe. The blessing concludes, “Blessed are You, G-d, Who sanctifies Israel and the Day of Remembrance.”
Zichronot: This blessing emphasizes G-d’s Providence over all of His creations and the fact that He remembers all of their deeds. The blessing includes a prayer to G-d to remember the merit of the Binding of Isaac. It concludes, “Blessed are You, G-d, Who remembers the covenant.”
Shofarot: This blessing describes the Revelation at Sinai and the sound of the shofar that was heard at the time. In this blessing, we ask G-d to let us soon hear the shofar blast that will herald the final Redemption. The blessing concludes, “Blessed are You, G-d, Who hears the sound of the shofar blast of His nation Israel with mercy.”
The “Standing Blasts”
During the silent Shemoneh Esrei, the shofar is sounded at the conclusion of each of these three blessings.
At the end of each blessing, the baal tokea sounds ten blasts on the shofar, one of each of the three sequences mentioned above: tekiah-shevarim-teruah-tekiah, tekiah-shevarim- tekiah, and tekiah-teruah-tekiah. The congregation then resumes their prayers until the conclusion of the following paragraph. A total of thirty shofar blasts are sounded during the course of the silent Shemoneh Esrei.
The Chazzan’s Repetition of Mussaf
The chazzan’s repetition of the Shemoneh Esrei of Mussaf is quite lengthy and detailed. It contains numerous added passages, in addition to the three main blessings of Malchuyot, Zichronot, and Shofarot. We stand for the recitation of some of these passages, while we sit for others. The Ark is also opened for some of them, while it remains closed for others.
- During the chazzan’s repetition as well, the same sequence of ten shofar blasts is sounded at the end of each of the blessings of Malchuyot, Zichronot, and Shofarot. Thus, another thirty blasts are heard over the course of the chazzan’s repetition.
Crucial Passages Recited During the Chazzan’s Repetition of Mussaf:
- U’netaneh Tokef: This prayer is among one of the most renowned components of the liturgy of the Days of Awe. It is attributed to Rabbi Amnon of Magence (see box), and the Ark is opened for its recitation.
U’netaneh Tokef describes the Day of Judgment in a concise but clear fashion. It depicts G-d as a Judge seated on the throne of judgement, evaluating the deeds of each person, counting their good deeds and their sins, and deciding their fate for the coming year. It is only natural that this passage is recited with a good deal of emotion and inspires a spirit of penitence.
The Source of the Prayer:
During the Middle Ages, a pious Jew named Reb Amnon lived in the city of Magence, Germany. Reb Amnon was one of the most prominent figures in the Jewish world in Europe during that time.
Due to Reb Amnon’s prominent standing, the bishop of his town and the other local officials began pressuring him to convert to Christianity. They felt that if they succeeded in their efforts, it would give rise to a massive chain reaction of other Jews following his example. Naturally, Reb Amnon politely but firmly refused to give in to their demands, but they continued relentlessly pressuring him at every opportunity to forsake his religion.
Once, after they had exerted particularly intense pressure on him, Reb Amnon could no longer withstand their efforts and blurted, “Give me three days to think about it.”
As soon as these words had left his mouth, he understood the gravity of his sin. Was there even the slightest possibility that he might abandon his religion? How could he ever have entertained even the most fleeting thought of betraying G-d?
Reb Amnon fasted for the next three days, weeping and praying from the depths of his heart.
When three days had passed and Reb Amnon failed to return to the bishop, soldiers were sent to bring him by force. The bishop demanded why he had not come with a response, and Reb Amnon replied that his tongue should be cut out for uttering that terrible statement.
The bishop flew into a rage. “I will not cut out your tongue. Instead, I will cut off your legs, for you failed to come to me in time, and your hands, for your failure to embrace the cross.”
The bishop was quick to carry out his cruel decree, and the crippled Reb Amnon asked to be carried to the synagogue. That day was Rosh Hashanah, and Reb Amnon’s bed was placed at the bimah of the synagogue during Mussaf.
In his terrible condition, Reb Amnon lifted his gaze heavenward and composed this chilling prayer: “U’netaneh tokef kedushat hayom—Let us describe the awesome sanctity of the day.” After he concluded it, his pure soul left his body.
Ever since then, this prayer has become one of the most fundamental components of the Rosh Hashanah services, and it is recited with great fervor and in a special tune.
- V’chol Maaminim (“And all have faith”): This liturgical poem, which follows an alphabetical acrostic, speaks about the faith that G-d is omnipotent, righteous, and just.
The Aleinu Prayer
During the blessing of Malchuyot in the chazzan’s repetition of the Shemoneh Esrei, we recite Aleinu, the prayer that is generally said at the conclusion of every prayer service.
This passage speaks about the vast difference between the Jewish nation and the other nations of the world with respect to their faith in One G-d. While all the other nations worship “vanity and emptiness,” the Jewish people have faith in the King of all kings, G-d, the one and only G-d, Who created the world and continues to control it.
- Before we recite Aleinu, the Ark is opened for a few moments. We close it while reciting the words, “Who has not made our portion like theirs…for they bow to vanity and emptiness,” then reopen it at the words, “And we kneel and bow.”
- When the prayer leader reaches the words, “And we kneel,” the congregation should lower themselves to the floor on their knees, then prostrate themselves with their hands stretched out before them and lean forward until their heads touch the floor.
- A piece of paper, towel, or the like should be placed on the floor, and one should prostrate oneself on top of it, since it is forbidden to bow down on a stone floor outside the Temple.
The Blessing of the Kohanim
During the Mussaf service, it is customary for the Kohanim to bless the people.
During the Blessing of the Kohanim, we recite the prayer beginning with the words “Master of the Universe,” in which we pray that the meanings of our dreams should be only positive. The congregation concludes this prayer while the Kohanim sing the words, “and may He place peace before you.”
The Conclusion of the Prayers
After the blessing for peace, the final blessing of the Shemoneh Esrei, the Ark is opened and the chazzan recites aloud the passage, “Today strengthen us, today bless us… today accept our prayers with mercy and willingness.” The congregation responds “Amen” after each line and recites the following line before the chazzan does. It is customary to sing these lines to an upbeat tune, in a mood of joy, as a sign of confidence that G-d has accepted our prayers.
After the chazzan’s repetition of the Shemoneh Esrei has concluded, the chazzan begins to recite the Full Kaddish. He stops halfway through the Kaddish (at the point at which the Half Kaddish would conclude), and another ten shofar blasts are sounded, to complete the sum of one hundred blasts. The chazzan then recites the remainder of the Kaddish.
We then move on to the prayers of Ein K’Elokeinu (“There is none like our G-d”) and Aleinu, followed by the chapters of Psalms for the first of the month and an additional three chapters (Psalms 88, 89, and 90) as part of the sequence that we began on the first day of Elul.
At the conclusion of the services, an additional thirty shofar blasts are sounded in order to “confuse” the accusing Satan. We then recite the Six Remembrances, just as on every other day, and the service concludes.
After the prayers have ended, we make our way home calmly and in a festive mood, feeling confident that G-d has accepted our prayers.
The Holiday Meal
Upon our return from the synagogue, we recite Kiddush over wine.
When Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, we recite all of the standard passages for the Kiddush of Shabbat in a whisper: Mizmor L’David, Atkinu, V’Shamru, Im Tashiv, and Zachor
During Kiddush, we grasp the cup in the same manner in which it was held at the Kiddush of the night of Rosh Hashanah. We recite the verses, “Sound the shofar on the [day of the] new moon, at the appointed time for the day of our festival. For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance for the G-d of Jacob.” We continue with the declaration of savri maranan and the blessing on the wine. While reciting the blessing on the wine, one should gaze at the wine in the cup. Once the blessing has concluded, the wine should be drunk.
After Kiddush, we perform the ritual washing of the hands for the meal and recite the blessing of hamotzi over two whole loaves of challah. The pieces of challah are dipped in honey. We then move on to the remainder of the meal.
At the end of the meal, we recite the Grace After Meals, preceded by the washing of mayim acharonim, as well as a zimun in the event that three males thirteen years of age or older are present. In the Grace After Meals, we give thanks to G-d for the delectable foods that He has given us.
The passage of Yaaleh V’Yavo is added to the Grace After Meals, using the phrase “this Day of Remembrance” in reference to Rosh Hashanah. At the end of the prayer, we also add a special line beginning with Harachaman (“the Merciful One”) that refers to Rosh Hashanah.
When Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, the passage beginning with the word Retzeh is also added to the Grace After Meals
Using the Day Properly
During the 48 hours of Rosh Hashanah, one should endeavor not to sleep or to be idle during the daytime, in order to prevent one’s good fortune from being “sleepy” over the course of the year.
It is advisable to recite Psalms as much as possible. One should endeavor to recite the Book of Psalms in its entirety at least twice over the days of Rosh Hashanah.
There are 150 chapters in the Book of Psalms. When we recite the entire book twice, we have recited 300 Psalms, the numerical value of the Hebrew word kaper, “atone.”
The Minchah Service
The afternoon prayer service begins like that of any Shabbat, with the reading of the daily sacrificial service, followed by Ashrei and Uva Letzion.
When Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, a Torah scroll is removed from the Ark and the weekly Torah portion— Haazinu, from the Book of Deuteronomy—is read.
The Shemoneh Esrei of Minchah is identical to that of Shacharit and Maariv, and the chazzan repeats it after the entire congregation recites it silently.
The Ark is then opened, and the congregation recites Avinu Malkeinu in unison.
At the conclusion of the service, we recite Psalm 27, followed by Aleinu and Al Tira.
Tashlich
Tashlich is a brief prayer that contains verses corresponding to G-d’s Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. In this prayer, we express our desire to cast away all of our sins, to repent and to be cleansed.
Part of this prayer is the verse, “Cast away all of our sins into the depths of the sea.” The Hebrew word tashlich, “cast away,” is the source of the name of this prayer.
When and Where Is Tashlich Recited?
Tashlich is recited after the Minchah service on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, before sunset. It should be recited at a riverbank or seashore, alongside a pool containing fish, or at least in a place where such any such body of water is visible. Most importantly, the body of water must contain fish.
- Since Tashlich is recited outside the synagogue, near a river or on the shore, it is imperative to ensure complete separation between men and women throughout the service.
Question: Can Tashlich be recited beside a fish tank?
Answer: It is preferable to recite it beside a river, a sea, or a pool containing fish. When this is impossible, however, it is sufficient to recite it in the presence of some sign of water: a fish tank, a bowl of water, or even a sink with an open tap.
Why Is Tashlich Recited in the Presence of Water and Fish?
- G-d’s kindness is compared to water, and the purpose of Tashlich is to evoke Heavenly mercy.
- Fish have no eyelids; consequently, their eyes are always open. This symbolizes G-d’s constant Providence over us, as in the verse, “Behold, the Guardian of Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers.”
- Just as fish are not vulnerable to the evil eye, since they are always covered by water, we pray that G-d will protect us from the evil eye.
- Fish are symbolic of fertility, and we hope to be fruitful and multiply like fish.
- After reciting the verses of Tashlich, one should shake out one’s pockets and the fringes of one’s tzitzit. These actions hint that we are divesting ourselves of our sins and seeking ways to return to G-d.
Preparing for the Second Day of Rosh Hashanah
Since each day of Rosh Hashanah is considered a festival in its own right, it is forbidden to cook, to light candles (even in a manner that is permissible on the holiday), or to perform any other form of labor that is permissible on the holiday when one’s express intent is to prepare for the second day of Rosh Hashanah.
No preparations for the second day may take place until the emergence of three small stars at the end of the first day. This includes cooking, removing food from the freezer for the second day’s meal, and, of course, lighting candles.
