Rosh Pajamas.
At least, that’s what my boys called the Jewish spiritual New Year—Rosh Hashanah was too hard for them to remember.
Last night at sundown, the first of Tishri, the spiritual New Year began. When our kids were small we literally had “Rosh Pajamas” as we stayed up all night in our new jammies, playing games, laughing and seeing who would be the first to nod off.
But the boys are grown now and staying up all night is much easier for them than for us, and poker has replaced “Chutes and Ladders.”
Christians make a mistake by following the Pope’s lead to “un-Jewish” Christianity. After all, Christianity is simply a Jewish sect. The feasts of the Jews can be a great introduction to our faith.
There is a great article about it here.
For us Rosh Hashanah (and the time before and after) is a time when we look at our lives and our faith, carefully examining our direction and actions, culminating in a fast of repentance and redirection on Yom Kippur.
I believe Jesus was likely born on Rosh Hashana and that the second coming will be announced with the Shofar (trumpet) blasts on the final Rosh Hashana. So at Rosh Hashana we focus also on forgiveness and grace from God to us and from us to others. So if you’ve wronged me now is a good time to hit me up for some forgiveness.
I used the word “redirection” because Rosh Hashana is not just about the negative things in our lives, it’s also about new beginnings and grasping a direction for the coming year where we can have whole-life prosperity. That fits well with what I have been doing for the last few weeks (figuring out the next stage of my career) as well as thinking about where we want to live, what kind of house we want/need and what of our “stuff” needs to go.
Whether you are a Christian, a Jew, an atheist or any other faith, you may find it’s helpful to take an hour or more to consider the direction your life is taking.
Sometime over the next week I will put up a download for a Christian Yom Kippur meditation guide our family has used for years in case anyone wants to join us.
September 13, 2007 at 9:21 am
I’m an agnostic theist WhoreChurch, a bit rare, but do you have a meditation guide for me?
September 13, 2007 at 9:57 am
The guide I wrote many years ago that we use mentions “sin” which many theists are offended by. However, while it has scriptures for meditations, the principles they endorse are pretty much human morality and wise living.
Once I put it up you can download it and see if it is of any value to you.
September 13, 2007 at 10:37 am
Although I am a moral person WhoreChurch, I am also up for a bit of sinning, especially if JanieBelle is involved. I look forward to your download. Thanks.
September 13, 2007 at 10:59 am
Happy New Year!
Around our place we call it Rosha Homo. Ummm, we’re a family of heretical Celtic-Hebraic atheists and sometimes polytheists who delight in ALL holidays.
Nothing gets me up in the morning like a good ritual!
I LOVED your mentioning the fact that Christianity is a sect of Judaism. Gah. Why don’t people understand that Jesus sought to reform the religion not start a new one?
Torah Torah Torah Babe