Erev Rosh Hashana

Special Erev Rosh Hashanah 5783

Some people celebrate two birthdays because life tested them at some point, and they managed to overcome it; some people, as they reach a certain age, only celebrate their milestone birthdays, as it is customary. Additionally, we celebrate the birthdays of trees and years, monthly anniversaries on each Rosh Chodesh, weekly anniversaries every Shabbat, and so forth. When we celebrate a birthday or a birth, there are always gifts, and today, we celebrate the birthday of Creation.

What did they gift Creation at its birth? And more importantly, as we celebrate its birthday today, what can we gift it or gift ourselves on Rosh Hashanah to celebrate it?

Today, on Rosh Hashanah, we celebrate that the world completes another year, marking the birthday of Creation, although some argue it's the birthday of humanity, while others insist it shouldn't start on the 1st of Tishrei but rather on the 1st of Nisan. It seems that debate and diversity, dear friends, have always been present in Judaism, even if some try to deny it.

Let's start with the Talmud. In bRosh Hashanah 2a, it is described that on the first of Tishrei, years are counted for fiscal purposes, specifically concerning the Shmita and Jubilees. The fiscal year starts on the 1st of Tishrei. But another opinion quickly emerges: the year starts on the 1st of Nisan, as it appears in the Torah. Why change it? Furthermore, take note of the significant events that happen in Nisan: the Exodus from Egypt and the birth of Israel as a people!

Furthermore, it is assumed that great teachers and patriarchs are born and die on the same day, often in the month of Nisan. This derives from a phrase spoken by Moses when he's about to pass away (we'll read it in a week), something like "on the day I turn 120." Therefore, some argue that Nisan is an incredibly important month because the patriarchs are born and die in Nisan. To which others respond, no, the patriarchs are born and die in Tishrei. The conclusion to this dispute that we read is, well, whoever believes that the patriarchs are born in Nisan also believes they die in Nisan, and those who believe they are born in Tishrei also believe they die in Tishrei. Diversity, plurality, and various opinions, as you can see. But beyond the fact that years are counted from the 1st of Tishrei, what happened in Tishrei? Did something significant occur in Tishrei? And this is when it gets more interesting.

First, a philological explanation: the word "tishrei" derives from Aramaic for "to begin," so we ultimately lean toward celebrating the birthday of the world or of human beings on the 1st of Tishrei. And now, a narrative explanation: according to a baraita, very important events took place on Rosh Hashanah that we should consider. On Rosh Hashanah, God "remembered" Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah. In other words, He listened to them, realized they couldn't have children, and recognized how vital it was for them. More things happened: on Rosh Hashanah, Joseph was released from his Egyptian prison. More things still: on Rosh Hashanah, God ended slavery (liberation and redemption would come later, in Nisan). In other words, Rosh Hashanah is related to the creation of life, whether it's a new life, a life after imprisonment, or a life after slavery.

Moreover, according to the Talmud in bRosh Hashanah 10b-11a, we celebrate the birthday of Creation in Tishrei, or according to Psikta de Rav Kahana (Piska 23:1), today we celebrate the birthday of humanity, which was created on the sixth day of Creation. Therefore, Creation would have begun on the 25th of Elul. In this case, we could say that the first things God gave to human beings were two things: the world He had just created and the Sabbath He would establish the next day. To begin with. As Rabbi Arthur Green says, Shabbat is central to Creation, providing cohesion to all of Creation. And the fact that humans were created a day earlier indicates how important rest should be for all of us.

God gifted us Shabbat. And if today is the birthday of the World, what did God gift the World? Humanity? Shabbat? And, more importantly today, tonight, what will we gift the World on its birthday? What will we gift ourselves as part of Creation? I believe that on Rosh Hashanah, we gift ourselves three things we've been discussing for the past three weeks: Tzedakah, Teshuva, and Tefila.

L’ Shaná Tová u’Metuká!