Rosh HaShana Through the Years
A bounty of teachings on how to prepare for Rosh HaShana and how to direct one's intentions on the day itself. Teachings about teshuva, prayer and shofar.
The Transmutation of Shame though Teshuva
Rosh HaShana 2016 / 5777 Based on R. Tsadok HaKohen, Tikanat HaShavin 5:10-12, Tsidkat HaTsadik [40] Sarah Yehudit Schneider There are three categories of tikunim, says the Leshem, and every [...]
Sisera’s Mother Sets the Tone for our Rosh HaShana Shofar
Rosh HaShana, 5775 / 2014 Sarah Yehudit Schneider And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month…it is for you a day of teruah(sounding the shofar).[1] : וּבַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּאֶחָד [...]
Sweetening the Dinim – Rosh HaShanna
Rosh HaShana 2013/5774 Sarah Yehudit Schneider Our Rosh Hashana avoda—its soul-searching, lengthy prayers, and special mitzvot—is all directed toward one mysterious aim called “sweetening the [...]
Yom HaZikharon–Our Holiday of Remembrance
Rosh HaShana, 5773 / 2012 אמר רבה, אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא: אמרו לפני בראש השנה מלכיות זכרונות ושופרות. מלכיות ־ כדי שתמליכוני עליכם, זכרונות ־ כדי שיבא לפני זכרוניכם לטובה, ובמה ־ בשופר. HaShem [...]
Three Levels of Prayer — Rosh HaShana
Rosh HaShana 5772 / 2010 Sarah Yehudit Schneider Eliyahu Dessler teaches that there are three levels of prayer, which can be reformulated as three ways to approach Rosh Hashanna.1 The first level [...]
What Exactly IS This “Book of Life”
Rosh Hashana 2010 / 5771 Teaching by Sarah Yehudit Schneider R. Kruspedai said in the name of R. Johanan: Three books are opened [in heaven] on Rosh HaShana, one for the wicked, one for the [...]
THE THREE LEVELS OF TESHUVA
A Rosh HaShana Teaching, 5770/2009 by Sarah Yehudit Schneider R. Isaac said: Why do we sound the shofar on Rosh HaShana? …To confound the Accuser (TB RH 16a/b).(1) Resh Lakish said: Great [...]
On Rosh HaShana Our Sparks Get Distributed
Rosh HaShana, 5769/2008 by Sarah Yehudit Schneider Like a shepherd…whose sheep pass beneath his staff, so shall You cause to pass, count, calculate, and consider the soul of all the living…who [...]
The Shofar’s Power to Awaken Teshuva
A Rosh HaShana Teaching, 5768 (2007) from A Still Small Voice Based on R. Tsadok HaKohen, Rosh Hashana 9 When Elul (the month before Rosh HaShana) arrives we begin to exchange well-wishes for a [...]
The Special Responsibility of Leaders in Rosh HaShana
This Elul teaching was sponsored by Jerry Krivitzky and is dedicated to his rabbi, R. Joel Soffin in gratitude for his instruction and modeling of how to live by Jewish/Torah values. An Elul [...]
The Kabbalistic Mystery of Nesira
Rosh HaShana, 5766/2005 Sarah Yehudit Schneider You might be surprised to learn that not only is Rosh Hashanna the Day of Judgment (יום הדין), and the Day of Remembrance (יום הזכרון), but it is [...]
Prayer Visioning: Rosh Hashana 5765/2004
Everyone knows that this pre Rosh HaShana period is a time for intensive soul searching. There are many advices about what this entails. It’s important to seize the moment, for on Rosh Hashana [...]