Rosh Hashanah 2020: Prayers, Facts About The Jewish New Year

One of the holiest holidays in the Hebrew calendar, Rosh Hashanah -- the Jewish New Year -- begins Friday evening and ends Sunday evening. Rosh Hashanah, which means "head of the year" in Hebrew, is a two-day celebration marking the beginning of the Jewish High Holy Days each autumn.

Feasts, candle lightings and prayers are some of the different ways to mark the holy time. The common greeting on these days is L’shanah tovah, literally “for a good year.” The symbolic foods include bread and apples dipped in honey to signify the wish for a sweet new year.

Several prayers associated with Rosh Hashanah are recited from a prayer book called the Machzor.

Below are six prayers to recite during Rosh Hashanah:

1. “Blessed are you, Lord, our God, king of the universe who has sanctified us with his commandments and commanded us to light the candles of the holiday.” -- words recited while lighting candles.

2. “Praised are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe who has chosen and distinguished us by sanctifying our lives with commandments. Lovingly have you given us this Day of Remembrance, a day for recalling the shofar sound, a day for holy assembly and for recalling the Exodus from Egypt. Thus have you chosen us, sanctifying us among all people. Your faithful word endures forever. Praise are You, Lord, Ruler of all the earth, who sanctifies, the people Israel and the Day of Remembrance.” -- while holding a cup of wine before the evening meal.

3. “Praised are you, Lord our God, ruler of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.”

4. “Blessed art thou, Lord our God, king of the universe, creator of the fruit of the trees. May it be your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that you renew for us a good and sweet year in our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.”

5. “Blessed are You, Lord our God, king of the universe, who sanctifies us with his commandments and commanded us to hear the sound of the shofar.” -- prayer read after the sounding of a shofar – a hollowed out ram’s horn which is traditionally blown up to 100 times.

6. “Who is like you, God, who removes iniquity and forgives transgression of the remainder of his heritage. He doesn't remain angry forever because he desires kindness. He will return and he will be merciful to us, and he will conquer our iniquities, and he will cast them into the depths of the sea. Give faithfulness to Jacob, kindness to Abraham like that you swore to our ancestors from long ago. From the straits I called upon God and with abounding relief God answered me. God is with me, I will not be afraid, what can man do to me? God is with me to help me, and I will see my foes [annihilated]. It is better to take refuge in God than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in God, that to rely on nobles."