A Season to Return to God

As people usher in a New Year on January 1 with parties and celebrations, how many are thinking about repentance? It’s probably not very many.

But when Jewish New Year is welcomed on Rosh Hashanah, the main focus is on repentance, or teshuvah, which means to “return” to God. The sound of the shofar—the biblical trumpet made from a ram’s horn—calls us to reflect on the past twelve months, to fix anything in our lives that hasn’t been helpful, and to return to God—who is waiting for us with open arms.

In this special Rosh Hashanah episode, Yael Eckstein takes a biblical look at repentance, its significance for all of us as people of faith, and how returning to God will nourish our souls and transform us into the people we are meant to be. Listen Now!

Episode Notes:

In today’s special episode, Yael focuses on a Bible verse that’s significant to Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Numbers 29:1 says:

“On the first day of the seventh month hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. It is a day for you to sound the trumpets.”

Scripture calls Rosh Hashanah “a day for you to sound the trumpets,” which is why it’s often referred to as “The Festival of Trumpets.” Even today, the most important part of the holiday is blowing the shofar, the ritual and biblical trumpet, in the synagogue.

But aside from it being a celebratory time, this holiday also has a serious side. It is part of a time known as the High Holy Days, which begin on Rosh Hashanah and end ten days later on Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement.

Today, Yael explains that repentance is a key aspect of the High Holy Days, and Rosh Hashanah kicks off this time of repentance, of returning to God. This special season, rooted in the Bible, can be meaningful for Christians, too, and will certainly nourish your soul.

By understanding the real process of repentance, which the Jewish people go through every year, we can make lasting change in our lives that brings us closer to God.