Holidays - High HolidaysThe beginning of a new year is filled with mixed emotions. In looking back on the previous year we focus on our failures, missed opportunities and the precious moments that slipped by. At the same time, the High Holydays provide us with a new year full of hope and renewal. The rituals and symbols of Rosh Hashanah wonderfully capture and express these mixed feelings. The shofars’ blasts cry out for the year gone by. The shofar urges us to wake up, look inside ourselves and to recognize our habitual shortcomings. By beginning the process of introspection in the month of Elul we can recite the prayers of the High Holidays with a sense of seriousness and urgency. But Rosh Hashanah is more than just somber prayers in a minor key. Gathered as families around the dining room table, we dip hallah and apples into honey. The sweet honey reminds us of the many pleasures we experienced in the course of the previous year. By reciting special blessings we ask God to grant us a new year of health and happiness. Yom Kippur Yom Kippur lacks the shofar and the festival meal of Rosh Hashanah, but its rituals are no less powerful, its symbols no less evocative. On Yom Kippur we dress in white. Over suits and dresses, it is customary to wear a kittel (white robe) during tefillot. White reminds us of the purity that we strive to attain throughout our lives. During the course of the day’s extended prayers, one symbol is repeated over and over again. As we recite the vidui (confessional), it is customary to stand slightly bowed and to lightly beat our hearts with our fisted right hand. Bent over under the weight of burdens and pain, we express our humility. Admitting that our hearts turned astray, we beat our chest to express the pain we caused ourselves and others. When done for the first time, the customs of wearing a kittel and beating our chests may feel awkward and embarrassing. But both help us better enter the words of our prayers and the mood of the day. Additional Resources  Home Service for Yom Kippur Home Service for Rosh Hashanah Blessing Our Children MyJewishLearning.com - Gateway to Jewish Exploration JewishEncyclopedia.com - Online Jewish Encyclopedia Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life
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