The First Rosh Hashanah
The Jews believe that Tishri 1 is the birthday of the world
because the Hebraic words "in the beginning" in Genesis 1:1, when
changes around, reads "on the first of Tishri." Therefore the Feast
of Trumpets heralds the birthday of the world.
The first Rosh Hashanah is the earth’s physical
birthday; or more correctly, the day of creation of
the first human beings. On the 25th day of Elul (the first day of
creation) the world came into being. On the first of Tishri (the
sixth day of creation), Adam, the First Man, and Eve, the First
Woman, were created. Rosh Hashanah is a time for reflection and
self-evaluation.
Just close your eyes and let your imagination flow back to the
day when the world was created. This was the day when God began
creating the heavens and the earth. There was nothing but total
darkness and emptiness. Then the glorious rays of God’s everlasting
love shone forth and there was light! Time invaded into eternity and
began clocking its initial seconds. Night and day were set in
motion. A wide smile from the face of God. Pleased.
Psalm 27 will be recited twice this day. In which, the psalmist
declared that "the LORD is my light" (in Rosh Hashanah) and "my
salvation" (in Yom Kippur), and that he "may dwell in the house of
the LORD" (in Feast of Tabernacles). God is our everlasting light.
Even before the sun and stars were created on the fourth day of
creation, the light of His love shone forth brightly into the
darkness on the first day! His Shekinah Light that cannot be
destroyed or contaminated. Pure, fresh and glorious! Rosh Hashanah
is a time for us to plug into the original Light of Creation - God
our everlasting light (Isaiah 60:19-20). On this day of Rosh
Hashanah, we can start afresh. Sinless and faultless.
Imagine for a moment that you can have a new beginning. You are
moving to a place where nobody knows you and everything is perfect.
The people there do not have any records of who you are, or any
references from your friends or relatives. You are given the golden
opportunity to start life anew. You can look in the mirror of your
soul and ask yourself: "Is there some areas of my life that I would
like to change?" You can have the chance to start doing things for
yourself and others that you always wanted to do. You can change the
way you are, the way you dress, the way you speak, the way you eat,
the way you behave - without worrying what others will think of you.
Nobody is going to say anything negative. Nobody is going to tell
you that you are weird and funny in your new outlook. In this brand
new place, there is no reason for inhibition. No more peer pressure,
addiction, drinking or smoking or badmouthing. No more criticizing
or insulting others. No more losing our temper. Everybody else is
having a new beginning. They are undergoing through similar changes
as you are. Transformations from ugly sinners into beautiful saints.
Just let God be God and let go of all the dung in our lives!
Welcome to
Rosh Hashanah. Today the world is created. A new world
and a new beginning. Today we can start afresh. Our hearts and souls
can be renewed. Our relationships with people can restart. We can
begin a new book. Even our environment can change. This day, we can
be rejuvenated with exuberance and enthusiasm as God did on the
first day of creation. The world does not have to be at war. We can have the Shabbat (rest) and Shalom (peace) of God. Today
the world is created afresh.
On Rosh
Hashanah, God created man – perfect, holy, pure, untainted, healthy
and unpolluted. The face of man shines, radiating from the goodness
of his unadulterated soul within. His tongue is holy because he has
never told a lie. His heart can only love because he has not learned
how to hate. It was like those days back in the Garden of Eden where
man walked with God, without sin, breathing in the air of His Holy
presence with purest delight.
This is the day to get unstuck, to
start anew and to grow. A new page begins in the book of our life to
pen again the stories of grace, mercy and love of our journey with God.