….猶太新年｜ 吹角節..Rosh Hashanah | The Feast of Trumpets….

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通常於新曆9 月或10月期間慶祝

L’shana tova! 新年快樂!  

Rosh Hashanah 是猶太新年的開始，亦是最大節日“High Holidays”的第一個。按照猶太傳統，猶太新年標誌着為期十天的 「可畏之日a」或 「悔罪日b」或 「神聖最大節日c」（節日的高峰是贖罪日Yom Kippur）的開始。在這十天，猶太人為自己過往一年所犯的罪，憂傷痛悔，而神就是那位審判者。猶太人認為贖罪日就是審判日，要把他們每個人的將來，放在天秤上，斷定得生命還是死亡。

從神所設立的猶太曆法來說，以逾越節的尼散月起首，吹角節是在提斯利月初一日，即第七個月。（參出12:2; 利23章）。獨有吹角節是在新月 （每月的第一日）慶祝的節期。

「我有一位猶太朋友」 

節日的傳統是祝願猶太親朋戚友新年快樂。新年時，猶太人會穿新衣服，尤其是白色的衣服。他們普遍穿白色衣服是基於神的應許；就是將他們如硃紅的罪變成雪白。（賽1:18）「願你被刻上及封印在《生命之書》」 是常見的祝福語。此外，他們又彼此祝福： 「願你有甜蜜美好的新一年」。

年復一年，不信耶穌基督的猶太人一直偏離這神聖大節日的真義，並沒有得着救恩和赦罪的確據。

以聖經的氣氛或心情看這節日，是歡欣而並非恐懼（尼8:1-12）。神並非執意不施憐憫，我們毋須試圖說服祂寬恕我們的罪。能夠歡欣是基於一份認識，就是在贖罪日，神會償還罪債及赦免罪過 — 最終透過耶穌基督完成。

正如那些相信耶穌基督的人，我們深信藉着相信祂，我們就完全被潔淨。我們從黑暗走向光明，從永死進到永生，由無望的審判變為得著極美好的屬靈福氣。我們罪得潔淨，不是由於我們所作的工，乃是藉着相信耶穌基督所做成。

遵守傳統習俗

在猶太會堂，宣讀亞伯拉罕獻上兒子以撒為祭物的故事是儀式的一部分。除了在安息日禁止吹奏任何樂器外，差不多整個月都會聽見令人驚懼的羊角聲（用公羊角造成的號角）。在這節期，號角猶如 「鬧鐘」 ；提醒猶太人將來所預定的審判時刻。

號角聲是最佳的提醒，讓人曉得神是至高的 （詩47:5）。當神要求亞伯拉罕獻上以撒作祭物，後來以公羊取代他，公羊角的意義就在於此。這事展示出一幅非常清晰和感人的圖畫，講述耶穌基督被掛在木頭上，甘心獻上自己，為了拯救所有人。亞伯拉罕獻以撒的故事，講述公羊怎樣代替以撒；照樣，耶穌基督代替我們。我們本應被宰殺在壇上，但耶穌已經為我們死了 （賽53:4-6；羅5:8；比較利17:10-12）。

到了猶太新年前的星期六晚，猶太人已背誦「赦罪禱文」（Selihotd）最少四天了。在安息日他們不會背誦。這是一個自省、和好及正視過去的時刻。但是，對許多猶太人來說，這節期也為他們帶來一絲喜悅、甜蜜和希望。此時，只有甜食可供選擇（如蘋果、蜂蜜或糖漿），喻意來年滿有甜蜜的盼望。

猶太人在早一個月 （以祿月）已經開始準備新年。正如每週在星期五準備安息日一樣，第六個月（以祿月）會用作準備在第七個月（提斯利月）的新年 。

獻祭

參考民29:2-6。在這節期，以色列人會獻上一個特別的燔祭，祭物包括一隻公牛犢、一隻公綿羊、及七隻公羊羔。另外要獻一隻山羊羔作贖罪祭。這二祭是在常獻的燔祭（民28:1-8）及月初要獻的燔祭 （民28:11-15）以外。

誦讀聖經

新年時，猶太會堂誦讀的經文包括：創21章及撒上1:1-2:10（第一天），創22章及耶31:2-20（第二天），而這兩天都會誦讀民29:1-6。

一次真誠的守節

拉3:1-6記載以色人在這個節期重建祭壇，由巴比倫被擄歸回的以色列人再次在祭壇上獻祭。以斯拉在這節期宣讀律法書，他們都側耳而聽，在這天都得着復興。（尼7:73-8:13）。

象徵性的食物

這節日的傳統是吃蘋果加蜂蜜、胡蘿蔔加蜂蜜（tzimmes）以及蜂蜜蛋糕（一種東歐的傳統食物；比較撒下6:15，19）。主菜是火雞或牛胸肉，但象徵性的一道菜是連頭煮熟的魚。魚是一道受歡迎的菜，因為它跟生產力有關。魚頭能清楚表達神對以色列人的應許，就是以色列人終有一天會作首不作尾 （申28:13） 。

猶太人認為吃任何酸或苦的食物會帶來惡運，因為這意味着或會有痛苦的時刻來到。此外，他們會於節日期間吃圓形的哈拉麵包 （challot；安息日麵包），而不吃平日常吃的長辮子包。圓形的哈拉麵包象徵持續不斷、滿有希望及沒有終結循環的生命。這亦表達對來年的期盼，希望來年完滿，不會被不幸的事打斷。對於相信耶穌（Yeshua）的人，麵包象徵神藉主耶穌給予我們的屬靈食物。道成肉身，神來到地上成為人的樣式，生活和受死。因此，耶穌被稱為生命的糧。（約6:35）

從尼8:10，可見擺設盛宴是猶太新年的習俗。而這段經文亦解釋了為何有那麼多猶太人邀請有需要的人吃猶太新年飯。

預言應驗

聖經中一切的聖日都包含預言及歷史意義。許多古時的拉比認為吹角節是那作為中保的彌賽亞，成就那完滿屬靈的招聚日。相信耶穌（Yeshua）的人相信耶穌基督會隨時再來，與信徒在雲中相聚。在基督裏已死的人會首先復活；緊接便是活着還存留的信徒。使徒保羅描述這聚集的訊號，好像羊角的響聲（參林前15:50-58 ；帖前4: 6-18）。

希伯來聖經告訴我們，在彌賽亞第二次降臨時，猶太人將會再次被招聚回來。（賽27:12-13；太24: 31）。

附註︰

a 即Days of Awe，是新年和贖罪日的合稱

b 即Days of Repentance

c 即High Holy Days

d 即Prayers of repentance

由大衛·布魯爾編撰

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Observed typically in September or October

L’shana tova! Happy new year! Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of the Jewish New Year and is the first of the High Holidays. In Jewish tradition it marks the beginning of the “Ten Days of Awe” or “Days of Repentance” or “High Holy Days” (culminating on Yom Kippur) during which time man is given ten days to repent of his past year’s sins while God sits in judgment. Yom Kippur is the Day of Judgment when the Jewish person’s future hangs in the balance between life and death.

It begins in the fall on the first day of Tishri, the seventh month in the Jewish religious calendar which was established by God, beginning with the Passover month of Nisan; see Exodus 12:2; Lev. 23. It is the only holiday that is celebrated on the New Moon – i.e., the first of the month.

“I Have a Jewish Friend”

It is a custom on this holiday to send your Jewish friends and relatives special wishes for a joyful New Year. New clothes are worn, especially the color white. This is the common color based on the promise that God will turn our scarlet sins as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). “May you be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life” is the customary greeting. People also say to each other “May you have a sweet and good new year.”

Year after year, the Jewish people who don’t believe in Messiah Yeshua come away from the High Holy Days with no assurance of salvation and atonement.

The biblical mood or tone of this holiday was not fear but joy (see Nehemiah8:1-12). God is not reluctant to be merciful; we don’t have to try to convince Him to forgive sin. The key is to rest in the knowledge that on Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement) God would atone for sin and forgive – which He ultimately did through Messiah Yeshua.

As those who trust in Messiah Yeshua, we believe that through faith in Him we are completely cleansed. We have crossed from darkness to light, from death to life and from hopeless judgment to incredible spiritual blessings. This cleansing from sin that Messiah Yeshua provides is not based on any work we have done but by faith in what Messiah Yeshua has done.

Traditional Observances

In the synagogue, the story of Abraham who began to sacrifice his son Isaac is read as part of the liturgy. The ominous sound of the shofar (trumpet made from a ram’s horn) is heard throughout most of the month, although it is never blown on the Sabbath when instruments are forbidden. During this feast the shofar is used as a “wake-up call”; an alarm to call Jewish people to their appointed time of judgment.

The shofar is an excellent reminder that God is sovereign (Psalm47:5). The shofar is also significant in that a ram was substituted for Isaac when God asked Abraham to sacrifice him. This event is a very clear and touching picture of the sacrifice of Messiah Yeshua on the tree and His willingness to offer Himself for the salvation of all men. In the story of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac, what the ram was to Isaac, Messiah Yeshua is to us. It could have been us on that altar, but instead Yeshua has died for us (see Isaiah 53:4-6; Romans 5:8; cf. Leviticus 17:10-12).

Selihot (prayers of repentance) are recited for at least four days beginning the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah. On the Sabbath they are not recited. This is a time of introspection, reconciliation and a time to confront the past. But there is also a hint of joy, sweetness and hope for many Jewish people. At this time only sweet foods (like apples and honey or syrup) are served. This symbolizes a hope for sweetness in the year to come.

The month before Rosh Hashanah (the month of Elul) the Jewish people prepare for this festival. Just as Friday is the day of preparation for the Sabbath each week, the sixth month (Elul) is to be spent in preparation for the seventh month (Tishri).

Sacrifices

See Numbers 29:2-6. A special burnt offering was offered on these days consisting of a young bull, a ram, and seven lambs. A kid goat was also sacrificed as a sin offering. Both of these offerings were in addition to the required daily sacrifices (Numbers 28:1-8) and those for the new moon (Numbers28:11-15) which were also offered on that day.

Bible Reading

The synagogue readings on Rosh Hashanah are: Genesis 21 and 1 Samuel 1:1-2:10 (first day), Gen. 22 and Jeremiah 31:2-20 (second day), and Numbers 29:1-6 on both days.

Actual Observance Only Once

In Ezra 3:1-6, it was during this holiday that the Temple altar was rebuilt, and sacrifices were reinstituted by those who returned from Babylonian exile. Revival also occurred on this day as Ezra rehearsed God’s law in the ears of the people (Nehemiah 7:73-8:13).

Symbolic Foods

It is traditional during this festival to eat apples with honey, carrots with honey (tzimmes) and honey cake (a traditional Eastern European food; cf. 2 Samuel 6:15, 19). Main dishes might be turkey or brisket but a symbolic dish is a cooked fish served with its head. Fish is a popular dish since it is associated with productivity. This is a good illustration of God’s promise that there will be a time when Israel will no longer be the tail, but the head (Deuteronomy 28:13).

Jewish people consider it bad luck to eat anything sour or bitter, since this may be a sign of bitter times to come. Also during this festival, round challot (Sabbath breads) are eaten, instead of the usual long braided ones. These symbolize the continuous and, hopefully, unending cycle of life. It expresses hope that the coming year will be complete, unbroken by tragedy. To the believer in Yeshua, bread symbolizes the spiritual food that God has given us by coming to earth to liveand die as a man. Yeshua is called the Bread of Life (see John 6:35).

It is customary to feast on this holiday, from Nehemiah 8:10. This passage also explains why many Jewish people invite the needy for Rosh Hashanah meals.

Prophetic Fulfillment

All of the biblical holy days have prophetic as well as historical meanings. Many of the ancient rabbis saw this as a time when the Messiah would be the agent of a full spiritual regathering. Believers in Yeshua believe Messiah Jesus can return to regather believers to meet Him in the clouds at any time. The dead in Messiah will rise first, to be followed immediately by those believers alive at that time. The Apostle Paul writes that the signal of this gathering will be the sound of something like a shofar (see 1 Corinthians15:50-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

The Hebrew Scriptures tell us that at Messiah’s Second Coming, the Jewish people will be regathered. See Isaiah 27:12-13; Matthew 24:31.

Compiled by David R. Brewer

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