What Christians Should Know About the Jewish High Holidays

The celebration of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah(pronounced Rush ha-sha-na and sometimes spelled Rosh Ha'Shanah) is taking place this week. Rosh Hashanah kicks off the most sacred Jewish holiday season, also called the "High Holidays". Here is a little info for Christians who want to know more (and should!) about the Jewish faith.

The command from God to observe the Jewish New Year can be found in Leviticus 23:23:

The LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites: 'On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts'."

As in the Christian Bible, Leviticus is the third book in the Hebrew Torah, which runs from Genesis to Malachi. This year will be 5769 on the Jewish calendar, dating back to the beginning of Jewish recorded history.

Rosh Hashanah is also known as The Feast of Trumpets ("Yom Teruah").The commemorative events are opened by the hauntingly beautiful blowing of the "shofar", a ram's horn that has been used since ancient times to summon the Israelites to war or celebration, or to signify a coming judgment. See a great photo of a shofar and video explaining its purpose at writer April Lorier's Associated Content article, Rosh Hashanah: A Trumpet Call into God's Presence. A ram was one of the animals used in biblical Jewish sacrifices.

Following Rosh Hashanah (this year on October 8-9) is the Jewish Day of Atonement - Yom Kippur (pronouncedYome Ki-poor'), a 24-hour period running from sundown to sundown. Everyone considered to be "of age" (thirteen and over) is required to fast and refrain from any work. Worshipping Jews may spend some or most of this day at a synagogue praying, searching themselves, considering any sins, wrongdoings, or affronts they may have made against others or God during the past year. They may also approach people whose forgiveness they seek.

God's original wish for the Jews was this:

"This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work...because on this day atonement will be made for you to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord you will be clean from all your sins...." (Leviticus 16:29-30, excerpts, NIV).

From Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur are the "Ten Days of Awe". Leading up to Yom Kippur, Jewish people may recite the "slichot", prayers of repentance.

Can Christians observe Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?

Christians and "Jewish believers in Jesus" should agree that all people who believe in God need confession and repentance. If you are interested in seeing a celebration of the Jewish New Year, ask a Jewish friend if you can attend services with them. Many Jewish and Messianic synagogues (where Jewish believers in Jesus and Christians may worship together) hold ceremonies open to the public during these days.

To understand the Jewish observance of Yom Kippur is a serious thing not to be taken lightly or made fun of. It wouldn't hurt Christians to commemorate this Jewish Day of Atonement as a reminder to be truly repentant of our sins! Feeling that we don't need to take just one day for atonement, we can pray for forgiveness at any time. However, we believe that Jesus Christ was the ultimate lamb, the ultimate sacrifice for all sins of yesterday, today and tomorrow! We believe Jesus died once for all (Romans 6:10). God's grace did that for everyone who will accept it, although we may fall out of His will for us and still pay consequences for rebellious actions, but he will always love us. Our attitude, that we demonstrate knowing the difference between right and wrong, is so very important to our friends of other faiths.

As a Jewish believer in Jesus as the Messiah, I still look at Yom Kippur as a day of reverence to our Lord. It is fitting that everyone who believes in the one God of Israel - Jewish and Christian - should ask for His forgiveness and grace.

Now, say "Shanah Tovah" (have a great day/great New Year)!

© 2007, Sheryl Young.

Are you a Christian with questions about the Jewish faith or the existence of Israel? This information is excerpted from Sheryl's book (click here for info), What Every Christian Should Know about the Jewish People: Improving the Church's Relationship with God's Original Chosen Nation.

R.E. Norton, who reviews books, movies and music for Associated Content, has reviewed this book. See review here.

Are you a Jewish person wanting to know more about who Jesus was? Try these time-honored best-selling staples, "More Than A Carpenter" by Josh McDowell, or "Y'shua, the Jewish Way to Say Jesus" by Moishe Rosen.

Are you someone who doesn't believe in God and wonders why you should? Send me a private message or see my earlier poem, "Boundless Faith".

(The views expressed in this article do not claim to represent those expressed by other writers mentioned, nor is the author of this article receiving any compensation for the links to other writers' works.)