It is a time of change . A time for gathering. A time to give thanks to all that has happened in the past year and a time to prepare mentally and spiritually for the year to come. Rosh Hashanah is an amazing holiday in the Jewish religion and it really stands out as far as food and traditions go. In accordance with this time of the year, the following article will be the full guide for Rosh Hashanah, from A to Z, from the plates and dishes and all the way to prayers and fasting periods.
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What Does the Word Rosh Mean
The word ‘Rosh’ in Hebrew means ‘head’. Rosh Hashanah actually means the head of the year, the beginning of the year, the starting point. In Israel, for as long as people can remember, Rosh Hashanah is and always will be associated with the beginning of the school year, which starts on September 1st. In many schools and families in Israel, the holiday and the beginning of the 1st day of school go hand–in–hand, symbolizing new beginnings, paths to walk in and discovery.
What is Celebrated on Rosh Hashanah?
In Judaism, Rosh Hashanah comes to celebrate the new year according to the Jewish calendar. Although, many people also remember that Passover used to be the beginning of the year in Judaism when the calendar was an agricultural one. In addition, Rosh Hashanah symbolizes many biblical events; like the day of the first human’s creation, the day of God’s coronation and the day of judgment.
The day of judgment is not mentioned as the last day of humans on earth, but as the day God judges our actions during the past year. Following that, God decides how the upcoming year is going to be. As we can understand, Rosh Hashanah calls to the ones who celebrate the opportunity to do soul searching and self – evaluating.
How Do You Celebrate Rosh Hashanah?
Silver! Silver honey dishes for Rosh Hashanah are a great deal to anyone who celebrates the holiday. Sweet food and wholesome food are a great deal in that holiday, and as well as the dishes in which the food is served. Silver Spoons also serve as wonderful gifts.
- Good eats – in Rosh Hashanah there are specific foods that must be served to the table. Rubia beans, leeks, pomegranate seeds, apple and honey, fatty food, butternut squash and beets are a must. Since Rosh Hashanah is a good holiday, you must serve good foods and sweet foods to sustain the body and foods that are easy to digest.
- Prayers – Before the main feast, it is a custom to fast from the morning and all the way to the ‘Mincha’ prayer. Why fasting? The religious Jews believe it is a way to bring the body as a clean slate for the new year. And why not get a stylish Torah pointer for reciting the prayers more easily? Before everyone seats at the table, it is time to light the Shabbat candles and bless them. Also, it is tradition to light a 48 hours candle so there will be a fire source. You can get one of our candle lighters to light the candles in style. When everyone is sitting at the table, there are blessings to say for the wine, bread and the foods on the table.
Following all of those, there are many songs about Rosh Hashanah. They usually get mixed up during the meal.
Is Rosh Hashanah a 2-day Holiday?
Rosh Hashanah is in fact a 2 days holiday. As we can all understand, it is a very festive holiday. Not all holidays can boast having Sterling silver honey dishes and a whole variety of other silver judaica for Rosh Hashanah specifically. That is why we have the first holiday, which is the first evening and the evening after is the 2nd holiday, for every Jewish person who did not get the chance to properly celebrate on the first holiday.
Can You Work on Rosh Hashanah?
Rosh Hashanah is a holiday and a good day just like Shabbat. It is not allowed to do any other cooking in the kitchen after the holiday has started. Fire is forbidden and you may only use the fire from the 48 hours candle you may have lit before the holiday started. There is no work since the holiday is about soul searching and preparations each one does with himself for the upcoming year.
What Objects Are Used on Rosh Hashanah?
During Rosh Hashanah you may come across various special pieces on the dinner table. It is very common to use silverware for all of the foods and drinks on the table. There is a big range of silver dishes for Rosh Hashanah, like silver dishes for honey, silver kiddush cups, and silver candlesticks.If you wonder where you can find those silver products, just keep up with the article and enjoy the reading.
Check out our collection of sterling silver Kiddush cups
Major Symbolism
If it hadn’t been mentioned so far, we must talk about the main blessing. ‘May we all be as heads and not tails’’. This blessing literally means that all who dine at the table will be leaders, decisive, always keeping up with the pace of life. being the tail means to drag behind and be in a weak spot. ‘A head to the lions and a tail for the foxes’ is the common expression in Hebrew, meaning: good leadership for the ‘lions’, a majestic, powerful and highly symbolic animal and being the ‘tail’ is for the foxes who are cunning and live on the remains of others.
That is why it is tradition in many houses to eat the head of a lamb or fish.
Get yourself a Rosh Hashanah display plate for serving the dishes
Where Can You Get Silver Products for Rosh Hashanah?
There are many artists, websites and shops all over Jerusalem and in other holy cities in Israel. You can find art on Rosh Hashanah from many metals, but there is always one who stands out. Avi Nadav is a well-known artist of Judaica in Israel. His knowledge comes from generations away in the craft of Judaica. In the Nadav Art website, you may find silver dishes for Rosh Hashanah like this apple shaped silver honey dish and many other art pieces. The perfect dish to bring to your well-defined be silver. Silver dishes for honey, for example, are easily cleaned and maintained with no rust and decay, especially when it comes to silver and sterling silver honey dishes.
Why Are Silver Dishes a great present?
On Rosh Hashanah it is very common to bring gifts to one another and for your host as well. An amazing present may be one of the many options of silver dishes for Rosh Hashanah, and as well as other religions – inspired silver wear. These are great presents that also last for a long time and are always beautiful on the dinner table. These are gifts that keep on giving long after the exchange of hands. They remind us of those who bought it, when they mean to us and on the contrary.
Check our full collection of Rosh Hashanah Gifts
What Makes Israeli Judaica Stand Out?
As we said earlier, the art of Judaica goes back centuries and generations. The glorification of religious symbols has existed for as long as time. You may find similar evolution between art pieces from different religions because they make each other, surprisingly, to grow. The fact that Jewish art work is crafted in the holy land, by Jewish artists and smiths while using their knowledge is a miracle of its own. The silversmith of Nadav art has been around for hundreds of years, by Nadav great – great grandparents. There is just magic in pieces that so much history and knowledge are being engraved into them through the whole process.
Final summary
Quite a lot of topics were just reviewed. We know how deep, complex, positive and spiritual Rosh Hashanah may be perceived by those who celebrate it. A marking point for a new year and a new beginning to prove to ourselves that we are able to top ourselves and be better. A time to contemplate about ourselves and those around us. It is a holiday full of symbolism. One that every bite serves a purpose and a meaning on the way to a new year.
Rosh Hashanah is the time to bring out the best of us. We can see it in the way we treat each other, in the food that we make, in the silver honey dishes that we use in order to glorify the whole meal and experience. We see how much meaning there is not only in the food but in the dishes as well.
It is a holiday in which we can reflect our good values, appreciate tradition and Jewish history through prayers, behavior and the Judaica we use! Nadav art wishes a happy Rosh Hashanah to all of his readers and customers. May you have a happy new Jewish year, and may you be deemed for good deeds and fortune in the book of life. Rosh Hashanah is a beautiful time of the year. Enjoy it and draw out the best it offers you.
