Hello, This is Your Wakeup Call

Question

All the Rosh Hashana pictures show round challahs. Actually, I remember my bubbe making them, too. Why is the challah shape changed for Rosh Hashana? 

Answer

It’s a great question, and actually one that you could ask about all the symbolic foods eaten on Rosh Hashana -- the apple and honey, the pomegranate, dates, head of fish, figs… What makes all of these foods special, and why for Rosh Hashana?

If you think about it, symbolic foods can seem a bit like magical thinking. Did the great Jewish sages really think that if you dip an apple in honey and say some magic words, POOF! ...you get a sweet new year? Is that what we’re supposed to think?

Of course not. The High Holidays are, aside from a joyful celebration of life and responsibility, a time of deep introspection, and of planning a course for the new year to be as full of growth as possible. There are no shortcuts, and although the process may be a simple one, those steps must be taken to truly experience the purpose of these days, and have a great year. 

The emphasis on the symbolic foods is meant to be a guide. They are aids to help get us into the right mindset. They hopefully can even challenge us a bit, to think about what we want out of the next year and how to really go about accomplishing it. 

Round challahs are shaped like a circle. They beg us to ask, what’s the significance of the circle, something that has no end and no beginning? A cycle, kind of like the Jewish year, which repeats itself over and over and yet is meant to be a continuous journey of growth. Wholeness. Infinity. Where do I see these elements in my life and why are they significant? 

Apple and honey symbolize “a good and sweet” new year. Why both good and sweet? What does sweetness add to something that’s already good? 

The head of the fish symbolizes “being the head and not the tail.” (Don’t worry, plenty of people eat gummy fish for this one!) “Rosh” Hashanah actually literally means the “head” of the year as well. Clearly something significant there. Think about the characteristics and role of the head and how it’s distinct from the rest of the body. What elements of that would you like to see in yourself this year? 

The shofar is blown to act as a siren, or wake-up call. Don’t you just love those chirpy hotel wakers? (Especially when they get you instead of the room next door? Oy vey.) What are important things we make sure to be awake for? What are some things in your life you’d like to be more awake for or to? 

Rosh Hashana is a time of renewal and rebirth. Like the first man who was created on the day of Rosh Hashana millennia ago, we get to recreate ourselves. What do I want to be, what do I have to contribute to the world? What do I wish to accomplish with the life I was given? Do I know what I was put here to do and how can I find out? Am I moving in the right direction? Are there parts of myself I’d like to correct or change? What realistic baby steps can I take to make sure that by this time next year I’m actually a little bit closer to that vision? (Emphasis on “baby” steps. Taking on too much is the surest way to fail all your life’s goals. All God wants and expects is to see us making small, responsible efforts.)

The good news is, you have the symbolic foods to help you think through it. There are short, one-line prayers you can say on each one to help you stay focused on the message; you can find those in a Rosh Hashana prayer book. 

I also recommend Momentum’s beautiful discussion cards for your Rosh Hashana dinner, or if you can carve out some alone time to think about these ideas on your own, even better. Check them out here. They are completely free and very thought-provoking. You might just end up having deep, personal discussions with your partner, family or roommate that you never thought were possible!

I have high hopes for your new year, and I hope you do, too! Have a healthy, safe, happy, and growth-filled new year!