We know that most of our holidays come from the Torah, but what about Rosh HaShanah? Below are some of the verses that discuss the day we now call Rosh HaShanah. As you read them, start to ask: How do these verses match what you know about Rosh HaShanah and how we observe it today?
In the text below, Hashem is commanding Moses to speak to the people and tell them what to expect on the day we now call Rosh HaShanah. These are Hashem's words that Moses should repeat to B'nai Yisrael.
Speak to the Israelite people and say: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe complete rest, a sacred moment commemorated with loud blasts. You shall not work at your occupations; and you shall bring an offering by fire to the LORD.
1. What are the 3 ways the Torah says we should observe this day?
2. Is the moment sacred because God makes it sacred, or because our observance of the day makes it sacred? Explain your answer.
These verses show up in a section that goes into a lot of detail about all of the holidays and sacred moments that B'nai Yisrael should observe. As you read this section, compare it in your mind to the previous section, which discusses the same topic, but differently. Why do you think the Torah discusses these days more than once?
וּבַחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜י בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֗דֶשׁ מִֽקְרָא־קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם כָּל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֑וּ י֥וֹם תְּרוּעָ֖ה יִהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶֽם׃
וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֨ם עֹלָ֜ה לְרֵ֤יחַ נִיחֹ֙חַ֙ לַֽה' פַּ֧ר בֶּן־בָּקָ֛ר אֶחָ֖ד אַ֣יִל אֶחָ֑ד כְּבָשִׂ֧ים בְּנֵי־שָׁנָ֛ה שִׁבְעָ֖ה תְּמִימִֽם׃
וּמִנְחָתָ֔ם סֹ֖לֶת בְּלוּלָ֣ה בַשָּׁ֑מֶן שְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה עֶשְׂרֹנִים֙ לַפָּ֔ר שְׁנֵ֥י עֶשְׂרֹנִ֖ים לָאָֽיִל׃ וְעִשָּׂר֣וֹן אֶחָ֔ד לַכֶּ֖בֶשׂ הָאֶחָ֑ד לְשִׁבְעַ֖ת הַכְּבָשִֽׂים׃
וּשְׂעִיר־עִזִּ֥ים אֶחָ֖ד חַטָּ֑את לְכַפֵּ֖ר עֲלֵיכֶֽם׃ מִלְּבַד֩ עֹלַ֨ת הַחֹ֜דֶשׁ וּמִנְחָתָ֗הּ וְעֹלַ֤ת הַתָּמִיד֙ וּמִנְחָתָ֔הּ וְנִסְכֵּיהֶ֖ם כְּמִשְׁפָּטָ֑ם לְרֵ֣יחַ נִיחֹ֔חַ אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַה'׃ (ס)
In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a sacred occasion: you shall not work at your occupations. You shall observe it as a day when the horn is sounded.
You shall present a burnt offering of pleasing odor to the LORD: one bull of the herd, one ram, and seven young (one year old) lambs, without blemish.
The meal offering with them—choice flour with oil mixed in—shall be: three-tenths of a measure for a bull, two-tenths for a ram, and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs.
And there shall be one goat for a sin offering, to make atonement in your behalf— in addition to the burnt offering of the new moon with its meal offering and the regular burnt offering with its meal offering, each with its drink as prescribed, offerings by fire of pleasing odor to the LORD.
3. What specific instructions make this section different from the first one?
4. Why do you think the instructions are given differently?
5. Looking at these verses, which do you think is more important: sounding the shofar or making sacrifices? Why?
6. Do you think sacrifices are a good way to show our appreciation to God and to mark holy days? Why or why not?