by Judy Bratten
During the Jewish New Year, the greeting, “L’shanah tovah tikosevu” (May you be inscribed for a good year), is often seen on greeting cards. On Rosh Hashonah (the Head of the Year), also known as the Feast of Trumpets, it is believed that God judges each one and decides his fate for the coming year. It opens with the blowing of the shofar (ram’s horn) at the synagogue. Two days of prayers and synagogue services begin the festivities. At home, eating apples dipped in honey is supposed to ensure a sweet year.
For the Hebrew Catholic, Rosh Hashonah is an opportunity to send New Year’s cards to Jewish friends and relatives as a sign of our continued loyalty to and prayers for our Jewish brethren. We invite guests to dinner to share in our prayers for the nation of Israel and all the children of Abraham.
Service
Mother lights the candles and prays:
Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe,
who has kept us in life, has preserved us and enabled us to reach this season.
Father: Happy are they who dwell in Thy house, O Lord, they will ever be praising Thee.
All: Happy is the people whose God is the Lord.
Father: Magnified and sanctified be His great Name in the world He hath created according to His will.
All: May His great Name be praised for ever and ever.
Father: Unto all generations we will declare Thy greatness and to all eternity we shall proclaim Thy holiness.
All: Thy praise, O Lord, shall not depart from our mouth forever, for Thou art a great and holy God and King. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our holy God, and blessed be Thy Son, Yeshua.
Father: Bless this year unto us, O Lord our God, and set a blessing on the face of the earth. Provide for us from Thy goodness and bless our year. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who blesses the years.
Child: Cause us, O Lord, to lie down in peace and raise us up, O King, to life, and spread over us the canopy of Thy peace; direct us with Thy wisdom and save us for the sake of Thy name.
Child: Be a shield about us; protect us from every enemy, pestilence, weapon, famine and sorrow; remove the adversary from before and behind us.
Child: Shelter us in the shadow of Thy wings. Guard our going out and our coming in, unto life and peace from this day for ever more.
Father: Have mercy, O Lord, on Thy people, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Open their minds and their hearts to acknowledge Thy Son, Yeshua, the offspring of David, our Savior and Lord, as the long-awaited Messiah. And may we together sing Thy glory and praise in Thy Kingdom.
We ask this in the name of Yeshua, who lives and reigns with Thee and Ruach haKodesh, one God for ever and ever.
All: Amen.