First, the declaration that the Jewish nation, the established people of God with whom have been entrusted the oracles of God, have gotten the holy calendar wrong is, frankly, arrogant nonsense fabricated by a few folks wishing to exalt their own reputations and promote themselves to gentiles looking for anything other than accepting a Judaic standard (still making things up on our own).
If you read the text of Scripture, the "new moon" is never described, nor is the specific criteria of the ripened barley defined. In fact, these questions have been hotly debated throughout the Centuries, but never to the degree that the national appointed times of worship were not accepted. The dates of worship are established by Israel, and you have them correct.
To separate Yom Kippur from Rosh Hashana is bit like serving an apple pie and just eating the crust. In fact, to fully engage in this worship we must go back about a month to the beginning of the month of Elul.
Elul is a time of focused introspection, considering the previous year, where you stand in your relationship with God, where yopu would like to be, resolving any issues left undone. Do you need to seek forgiveness for something? Do you have any outstanding debts? Do have something stolen? Throughout the month of Elul we take a personal accounting.
Rosh Hashana, the Head of the Year, is called the Day of Judgment. It is on Rosh Hashana that the Book of Life and the Book of Deeds is said to be opened (allegorically speaking). On Rosh Hashanah, we listen for the sounds of the Shofar blast, particularly at sundown on erev (the evening before, that's tomorrow night). Since Saturday is Rosh Hashanah this year, most observant Jews will blow the Shofar on Sunday (the second day). It is not commanded that we must hear it blown; but that we must listen. If you poke around, there are some other threads on what the sound of the Shofar is all about.
We traditionally eat sweet things on Rosh Hashanah. Particularly, we take apple slices and dip them in honey as a reminder of the hope that the Most High will grant us a sweet new year.
After Rosh Hashanah, during what are called the Ten Days of Awe, many perform the ritual of mikvah
theloveofgod.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=matthew&action=display&thread=1717theloveofgod.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=john&action=display&thread=1713Another ceremony that is practiced during these days is to take bread to a flowing body of water. For every sin and short-coming that comes to mind, throw a crumb of bread into the water, watching it dissolve, sink and flow away, confessing and repenting of them before God.
During these days, the traditional greeting is "Loshana Tovah" which means, "Happy New Year." An extended greeting is "L'shanah tovah tikatev" which is an abbreviated idea of "May your name be inscribed in the Book of Life". Upon Yom Kippur it is "L'shanah tovah tikatev v'taihatem" which is "Happy New Year. May your name be written in the Book of Life and may it be sealed."
Yom Kippur is not about feeling bad for our sins. We've been doing that. Yom Kippur is about stepping into reconcilliation. We don't eat. We traditionally wear all white. It's like when your a six year old little boy who has been dressed in his white tuxedo prepared to be a part of his sister's wedding. What is Mom's adamant instruction? "Don't do anything! No you can't go outside to play. No you can't have a snack. You're entire mission in life for this moment is to be clean!"
We have done all the business that we can possibly do. We have taken every opportunity to make things right in this world. Yet, we know we are still lacking in what it means to walk in intimate relationship with God. Yom Kippur is about us coming as close to God as we can possibly come and trusting Him to fill the gap.
I recommend downloading and printing a Messianic Machzur like the one found at
www.messianic.ws/PDFdownloads.htm It is also traditional to read the book of Jonah and to study the book of Psalms during this day.
The Fast is actually a 25 hour fast, denying oneself substance from sunset on the erev (when we perform the Kol Nidre: relinquishing of vows service) until the sun has set on the following day, This serves more than a couple of purposes. First, it lends itself well to the idea of staying clean and pure by not allowing stuff of earth to come upon us. Second, it takes a significant portion of our day which is normally focused upon our own gratification and turns our attention to being in the presence of God (who could eat when the opportunity is given to sit at the feet of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?) Finally, it is a reminder to us in the days to come that we have within us the will and capacity to overcome the the pangs which draw us to our own carnal desires. We don't have to give in to our lusts. On Yom Kippur, we prove that we have within us the power to overcome temptation. May we be reminded throughout the year.
I hope your time of worship is most precious. These days are an opportunity for us to set the world and this life aside for just moments and glimpse the beauty of eternity.
Mark
