Last night was the Eve of Rosh Hashanah (literally, the head of the year).
On the festive New Year's dinner table, usually on the platter with the traditional gefilte fish, traditionally there should be at least one cooked fish head.
Or even a ram's head.
This is to remind us of one of the many blessings that God promises in return for obedience to his commandments. Deuteronomy 28:13a says
"And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail . . . "
In The Living Torah translation it becomes "God will make you a leader and never a follower."
The Hebrew blessing said over the fish head is
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה' אֱלֹהינוּ וֵאלֵֹהי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁנִּהְיֶה לְרֹאשׁ וְלֹא לְזָנָב
May it be Your will, Lord our God and the God of our fathers, that we be a head and not a tail.
I pray that every leader and every citizen in our world will use their head to make peace and not war in the new year.
Shana tova, a good and happy year to all!
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A blessed Rosh Hashanah to you. L'Shana Tova.
ReplyDeleteIs it appropriate to say Happy Rosh Hashanah? Or simply Shana Tova?
ReplyDeleteSandi, well, we tend to emphasize the wish for a "good" year, so shana tova, literally, "a good year," is better than "happy new year." Rosh Hashana (the "head of the year") is actually a religious holiday and not party time.
ReplyDeleteShana tova to you Dina
ReplyDelete