Did you know that the day we celebrate as Rosh Hashanah does not commemorate the creation of the universe?
Wait for it... watch until the end, we blew it out of the park! Rabbi Chaim talked Rosh Hashana with Melissa Wilson and Denise Middleton of FOX26 and this years campaign to light candles in honor of the speedy recovery of our dear niece, Chava Guta bas Henya Chasya. She is in a coma and can not begin to light herself, as she would otherwise, for her third birthday. Please light in her honor and if you light already, consider taking in the holiday by lighting 5 minutes early.
As I mentioned in the interview, according to the Talmud, the world was created on the 25th of Elul, and Rosh Hashanah – the 1st of Tishrei – was Friday, the sixth day of creation. And, as the Torah describes, the final creature that G-d created on that sixth day was humankind, Adam and Eve.
The purpose of creation was for us, and thus the world was not considered complete until humans were created. It is for this reason that Rosh Hashanah is considered the beginning of the world. True, all of creation—including the skies and the seas, plants and trees, animals and insects—already existed. But with the arrival of Adam and Eve, the world began to function.
Humans are the highest of G-d’s creatures. The lowest being the inanimate, one step up is vegetation, and the third level is the animal kingdom. Humans are greater than all these, because we maintain a level of intellect far beyond that of animals, which we utilize not merely for survival. We are also the only creations with the gift of free choice. G-d created us to fulfill His commandments, which requires both intellect and free choice, and thus, until humans were created, in G-d’s eyes creation itself was not yet complete.
Although the world was full, complete with its natural beauty and efficiency, it lacked quality. The world required a being whose life represented a purpose greater than itself: us.
Wishing you a most fulfilling 5784, both qualitatively and quantitatively!
Kesiva Vachasima Tova, L'Shana Tova Umesuka, May you be inscribe and sealed for good and sweet year,
Rabbi Chaim & Chanie
P.S. Lulav and Etrog set: Don't wait until the last minute! Please order here. Be sure to put "UPTOWN" in the note field.
P.P.S. Of course everyone's mind is on Rosh Hashana, but, tomorrow, Sept 15 is the last day for early bird tickets for Sukkah Smoke Shack! Don't snooze and save some cash for the best authentic Kosher BBQ in the Wild West!
RSVP at www.yjphouston.org/shack
LAWS & CUSTOMS
- Erev Rosh Hashana Selichot - Tomorrow, Friday, is the last day of the Jewish year, and a day of preparation for Rosh Hashana. A more lengthy version of the Selichos prayers are recited in the early morning hours, before the morning prayers. In the morning prayers we omit Tachnun.
- No Shofar Friday morning - The Shofar is not sounded on the day before Rosh Hashana, to separate between the shofar soundings of the month of Elul (which are a minhag), and the Rosh Hashana soundings, (which are a biblically ordained mitzvah, divine commandment).
- Annulment of Vows - Following the morning services Friday morning, Hatarat Nedarim, the annulment of vows, is performed (the text for this procedure is found in most prayer books).
- Visiting the Cemetery - It is customary visit the the graves of the righteous on this day and pray there, as the resting place of a righteous person is an opportune place to beseech the Almighty.
- Friday Light Shabbos & Holiday Candles Combo - Make the combination Bracha of "Shel Shabbos v'Yom Hazikaron" & Shehechiyanu.
- Good Wishes - Upon the conclusion of the Rosh Hashana evening prayers in the shul on Friday night, we extend to one another greetings of Leshana Tovah Tekatev Vitechatem, "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year."
- Traditional Foods - In the evening meal of Friday night, we a special section of Shabbos to the kiddush, eat apple dipped in honey, the head of a fish, pomegranates , tzimmes (sweet carrots) and other foods signifying a sweet and successful year.
- Shehecheyanu (New Fruit) - On Saturday night when lighting candles and making kiddush on the eve of the 2nd day of Rosh Hashana, a "new fruit" (i.e., one that has not yet been eaten this season) is placed on the table; the fruit is then eaten after kiddush. This is to enable us to make the Shehecheyanu blessing praising G-d for "granting us life, sustaining us, and bringing us to this season" (because the two days of Rosh Hashana are regarded as "one long day", the Shehecheyanu blessing, recited on the festivals by the women when lighting the candles and by the men in kiddush, requires an additional source of rejoicing).
- No Shofar/Tashlich on Shabbos - Because it is Shabbos, the shofar is not sounded on the first day of Rosh Hashana this year, nor is the "tashlich" ceremony performed; both these observances are done on the second day only.
- Saturday Light Holiday Candles After 8:01 - only from pre-existing flame . Make the Bracha of "Shel Yom Hazikaron" & Shehechiyanu. The candles should be in view of the dinner table when making kiddush and looked at for the Havdalla bracha for the special "Yaknahaz" special Kiddush / Havdalla combo.
- "Yaknahaz" Special Kiddush / Havdalla Combo - When the 1st day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, the kiddush for the eve of the second day includes these five elements, in order: blessing on the wine, blessing on the sanctity ("kiddush") of the day, blessing on fire (as we do each week after Shabbos ends), Havadalah ("separation" blessing marking the close of the Shabbos), and the Shehecheyanu blessing. ("Yaknahaz" is an acronym for the Hebrew words for "Wine, Day, Candle, Separation, Season"). No smelling of spices are used.
- SHOFAR SUNDAY ONLY - The most important part of Rosh Hashana is that in the course of the morning and musaf service, the shofar (ram's horn) is sounded one hundred times, in various combinations of tekiah (a long blast), shevarim (a trio of broken sobs) and teruah (a staccato of short notes), in fulfillment of the primary mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah. The shofar serves to trumpet our coronation of G-d as King of the Universe, as a call to repentance, and to evoke the memory of the Binding of Isaac. Link: The Cry of the Shofar: Two Parables. Because the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat this year, the shofar is sounded on the 2nd day only.
- Tashlich - On Sunday afternoon, the Tashlich prayer service, in which we ask G-d to "cast away our sins in the depths of the sea", is recited at a body of water (sea, river, lake, pond, etc.) containing fish. Tashlich is postponed this year to the 2nd day of Rosh Hashana because of Shabbos. We will have a community 15 minute walk to Tashlich after the afternoon service at 6:00 pm.
- Fast of Gedalia - Monday is a fast day mourning the killing of Gedaliah, we abstain from food and drink from dawn to nightfall; selichot prayers are included in the morning prayer.
Upcoming Events:
DAYS OF AWE
- Fri.-Sun., Sept 15-17 - Rosh Hashana Services, Dinners and Luncheons - RSVP. Special Children's program lead by Elana Loftspring!
- Sun. Sept. 17, 6:00 pm - Rosh Hashana Mincha & Tashlich Walk
- Sun-Mon, Sept 24-25 - Yom Kippur Services and Break Fast - RSVP. Special Children's program lead by Elana Loftspring!
DAYS OF JOY
- Fri.-Sun., Sept. 29-Oct. 1 - Sukkos Services www.chabaduptown.org/joy
- Friday, Sept 29 & Sat. Sept. 30, 8 pm - Community Sukkos Dinner Under the Stars - RSVP
- Saturday, Sept 30, 8 pm - Moishe House & YJP Houston - Micasa Sukkasa Sukkot Holiday Dinner Under the Stars - RSVP
- Tues., Oct. 3, 12-1:30 pm - Community Lunch & Learn: Spiritual Shelter: Finding Purpose in the Sukkah - RSVP
- Wed. Oct 4 - YJP & J-Hype Sukkos Smoke Shack Party - Young professionals Sukkah BBQ party with Authentic Texas Smoked Meat BBQ by the Kosher Smoke Shack, Open Bar, Great Music, Great People and Lulav & Etrog Shaking. Early Bird (till September 15) - $15 Use coupon code "smoke", Regular Ticket - $30, Can't wait to see you! - RSVP
- Friday, Oct. 6, 6:45 pm YJP First Fridays Shemini Atzeres Pink Edition www.yjphouston.org/pinkatzeres
- Fri.-Sun., Oct. 6-8 - Simchas Torah www.chabaduptown.org/joy
- Sat. Oct. 7, 6:45 pm Saturday Night Alive! Dance Like a Star!
Shabbos & Rosh Hashana Schedule
Friday, September 15, 29 Elul
Special Selichot for Erev Rosh Hashana
No Tachanun, No Shofar
Hataras Nedarim, Visit Graves of Righteous
Rosh Hashana 5784
Friday, September 15
Light Holiday Candles at 7:09 pm
Community Evening Service 7:00 pm
Children's Program 7:00-8:30 pm
Community Holiday Dinner - RSVP required
-- Eat apples dipped in honey, head of a fish, pomegranates, Tzimmes and more
Shabbos, September 16, Rosh Hashana Day 1
Sefardi Sunrise Minyan 6:30 am
Community Morning Services 9:30 am
Children's Program 11:30 am-1:00 pm
No Shofar Service on Shabbos
Holiday Lunch Kiddush - RSVP
Evening Service 7:00 pm
Light Holiday Candles AFTER 8:01 pm
Community Holiday Dinner - RSVP required
-- Eat new Fruit fo Shehechiyanu
Sunday, September 17, Rosh Hashana Day 2
Sefardi Sunrise Minyan 6:30 am
Community Morning Services 9:30 am
Children's Program 11:30 am-1:00 pm
Shofar Service 12:30 pm
Holiday Lunch Kiddush - RSVP
Mincha Service 6:00 pm
Community Tashlich Walk 6:30 pm
Havdalla & Holiday Ends 8:00 pm
Monday, Tzom Gedalia, September 18, 3 Tishrei
Fast begins at 5:53 am
Shacharis with Torah Reading at 6:45 am
Mincha with Torah Reading at 7:00 pm
Fast Ends at 7:48 pm
Shana Tova and Good Shabbos!