Rosh HaShanah: The First Step on My Covenant Path

As the Hebrew calendar turns to 5786, I pause to consider what it means to start a new year in the presence of the One Creator.

The Torah calls this day Yom Teruah—the Day of Blowing the Shofar—yet over time it has come to be known as Rosh HaShanah, the “Head of the Year.”

This isn’t just a date on a calendar; it is an invitation to draw closer to HaShem.

“Adonai said to Moshe, ‘Tell the people of Isra’el: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a complete rest, a holy convocation announced with blasts on the shofar. You are not to do any kind of ordinary work; and you are to bring an offering made by fire to Adonai.’
(Leviticus 23:23-25, CJB)

These words remind me that the new year begins with rest, gathering, and the sound of the shofar—a call to remember who God is and what He asks of me.

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Remembering the Commands

Numbers adds more detail:

“In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a holy convocation. Do not do any kind of ordinary work. It is a day for blowing the shofar for you.”
(Numbers 29:1, CJB)

From these passages I hear HaShem asking me to:

• Stop ordinary work and treat the day as a sacred Sabbath.
• Join a holy gathering for prayer and remembrance.
• Hear the shofar, letting its sound stir my heart to repentance and awe.

When the Temple stood in Jerusalem, offerings were part of this command.

Today, with no Temple, I bring the offering of prayer, reflection, and a heart that seeks His presence.

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From Temple Times to Today

During the Temple era, pilgrims brought sacrifices and the priests led the nation in worship.
After the Temple’s destruction, we could no longer bring offerings, yet the day remained.
Synagogue services, prayers, and the sounding of the shofar became our way to fulfill these mitzvot and remember God’s kingship.

Jewish tradition later extended the observance to two days—called Yom Arichta, “one long day”—to be certain the new moon was correctly sighted and to give extra space for repentance and renewal.

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God’s Promises and Themes of the Day

Although the Torah gives commands more than promises, the writings of the prophets and the prayers of our people reveal the blessings tied to this season:

• Judgment and Mercy Together – Rosh HaShanah is called Yom HaDin (Day of Judgment) but also Yom HaZikkaron (Day of Remembrance). “Adonai is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in grace and kindness.”
  (Psalm 103:8, CJB)
• Renewal of Creation – Tradition remembers this day as the anniversary of the world’s creation, a yearly chance to begin again.
• Promise of Life – We pray to be written in the Book of Life, trusting HaShem to sustain and guide us for the year ahead.

I also remember that the children of Abraham include many nations.
Muslims, descended from Ishmael, revere the same Creator.
Even the Qur’an speaks of sacred months and the importance of new moons for marking time:

“Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve… four are sacred.”
(Surah 9:36)

This reminds me that the call of HaShem reaches beyond language and culture.

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My Personal Reflection

For me, Rosh HaShanah is not about tradition alone.
It is a time to quiet my work and listen.
I pray to become a better husband, father, and servant of HaShem, to measure my life against His commands and begin again where I have fallen short.

The sound of the shofar shakes me awake.
It tells me that God still invites me to deeper obedience and to a relationship like the one Moses knew,

“Adonai would speak to Moshe face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.”
(Exodus 33:11, CJB)

That friendship with the Creator is what I long for each new year.

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Looking Ahead

This post begins a series where I will explore each of the Ten Commandments, one by one.
I want to see how living these mitzvot can draw me closer to HaShem and help me grow in wisdom and reverence.
Sharing these reflections publicly is not meant to be evangelical.
It is a way to create community and accountability and to welcome any insight others may wish to share as I continue this journey.

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You are welcome to share my reflections!

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Scripture citations: Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) © 1998, 2016 by David H. Stern. Used by permission of Messianic Jewish Publishers & Resources.
Qur’an quotations from public-domain English translation.