Rosh Hashanah and Following Yeshua

Did you know that today is Rosh Hashanah? It is the Jewish New Year. The name "Rosh Hashanah" is not used in the Bible to discuss this holiday. The Bible refers to the holiday as Yom Ha-Zikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (the day of the sounding of the shofar). The holiday is instituted in Leviticus 23:24-25. In ten days, Yom Kippur, i.e the Day of Atonement, will occur. What do you think Yeshua would be during this time? Where would He be? Would He be lighting candles in the evening? Would He be blowing the shofar? I suggest, He most certainly would. If you are His disciple, that means that you are copying or imitating His behavior. If you were in church yesterday, did the ministers mention the Jewish holiday? If they did not, how can they claim to be a disciple of One who is keeping the Biblical holidays? If they did mention the holiday, but not put actions with their words, how can they claim to be disciples of the One who does keep the holidays?

Have you heard of the Ten Days of Awe? The ten days start with Rosh Hashanah and end with Yom Kippur and are commonly known as the Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim) or the Days of Repentance. This is a time for serious introspection, a time to consider the sins of the previous year and repent before Yom Kippur.

One of the ongoing themes of the Days of Awe is the belief that G-d has "books" that he writes our names in, writing down who will live and who will die, who will have a good life and who will have a bad life, for the next year. These books are written in on Rosh Hashanah, but our actions during the Days of Awe can alter G-d's decree. The actions that change the decree are "teshuvah, tefilah and tzedakah," repentance, prayer, good deeds (usually, charity). These "books" are sealed on Yom Kippur. This concept of writing in books is the source of the common greeting during this time is "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year." Have you heard this before? If not, you might want to consider expanding your knowledge of the religion of Yeshua. During these ten days, we should be most on guard concerning our thoughts, words, and actions.

Yeshua is Jewish. He followed the Torah. We that claim to be His disciples should make it a point to follow Him as He follows the Torah. If not, who are you a disciple of? Hint: It is not Yeshua. It is the one that has turned people away from the true faith in YHVH and His Son Yeshua.

Note: Thanks to www.jewfaq.org for information on Rosh Hashahah and the Days of Awe.