TAKING TIME TO CELEBRATE
HIGH HOLY DAYS REQUIRE COMMITMENT FROM THE RELIGIOUS
Posted: September 24, 2011 at 4:47 a.m.
Julian Sherr, 11, blows his great-grandfather’s shofar, a ram’s horn, at his Rogers home on Thursday. Sherr hopes to blow the horn during a Rosh Hashana, or Jewish new year, service next week at Congregation Etz Chaim in Bentonville.
There’s an old joke about a Jew who goes golfing on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. He makes a hole-in-one. The angels ask God, “Are you going to let him get away with that?” “Why not?” God replies. “He can’t tell anyone.”
FAST FACTS
BLOWING THE SHOFAR
Another name for Rosh Hashana is Yom Teruah, which means “Day of the Shofar Blast” in Hebrew.
Blowing the shofar is an integral part of the Jewish new year celebration. In Orthodox communities, it is blown 100 times on each of the two days of Rosh Hashana, unless one of the days falls on the Sabbath.
The Jewish philosopher Maimonides said the sound of the shofar on Rosh Hashana is meant to wake up the soul and turn its attention to the task of repentance.
SOURCE: JUDAISM.ABOUT.COM
This story is only available from the archives. Click here to contact the online desk.
Religion, Pages 10 on 09/24/2011
(Advertisement)
« Previous Story
Congo Awareness Week Set
Three years ago, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Fayetteville adopted the Democratic Republic of Congo as a cause. Read »
Next Story »
Cast, creators of old Lost have found new TV ...
Television is now entering its second season without Lost, but reminders of the ABC drama about plane crashes, smoke monsters and cursed lottery numbers linger. (You know, ... Read »
Comments
To report abuse or misuse of this area please hit the "Suggest Removal" link in the comment to alert our online managers. Please read our comment policy.
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Registration is required to make comments. Click here to LOGIN.
You can register for FREE to post comments and receive alerts.