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| May you be inscribed for a good year |
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L'shanah Tovah Tikateivu - Little Chromium Switch
You people are so superstitious...
18 September 2009 @ 04:34 am
L'shanah Tovah Tikateivu
13 comments —
And you!
(I was under the impression the holiday started sundown Friday. Am I mistaken, or are you getting in good wishes early?)
(I was under the impression the holiday started sundown Friday. Am I mistaken, or are you getting in good wishes early?)
Um, no, you're not mistaken. I wanted to make sure I didn't forget.
And the very best of new years to you!
maruad on September 18th, 2009 12:54 pm (UTC)Thank you Fred. May your new year be good as well.
A good and sweet year to you and your family!
"Inscribed for a good year" is an interesting wish. I assume it's a reference to traditional Jewish practices of some sort that I haven't yet learned about (or have forgotten; always a possibility). Would you care to elaborate?
And, in any case, the same to you!
And, in any case, the same to you!
The tradition is that on Yom Kippur, you are entered in "The Book of Life" for your destiny for the coming year, which is a little like instant karma for the complete record of your deeds for the last year.
But prayer and repentance can make a difference. During the ten days, the Days of Awe, until Yom Kippur, it is customary, for instance, to ask forgiveness of everyone you may have wronged in the year. On Yom Kippur, one of the prayers forgives everyone who wronged you, so that you may not be a cause of their having a bad year.
And at the end (sundown) of Yom Kippur, the book is sealed for the coming year.
Incidentally, "repentance" does not mean catharsis, It means that when you are in the same circumstances again as those in which you sinned, you behave differently, because you have repented. (One of the profound differences between Judaism and Christianity, is that Judaism is behavior oriented. The commandments are Do This, Don't Do That, almost entirely.)
But prayer and repentance can make a difference. During the ten days, the Days of Awe, until Yom Kippur, it is customary, for instance, to ask forgiveness of everyone you may have wronged in the year. On Yom Kippur, one of the prayers forgives everyone who wronged you, so that you may not be a cause of their having a bad year.
And at the end (sundown) of Yom Kippur, the book is sealed for the coming year.
Incidentally, "repentance" does not mean catharsis, It means that when you are in the same circumstances again as those in which you sinned, you behave differently, because you have repented. (One of the profound differences between Judaism and Christianity, is that Judaism is behavior oriented. The commandments are Do This, Don't Do That, almost entirely.)
Ah, okay. So I have heard the story, but it wasn't tagged under "inscribe" so it didn't pop up here.
Sensible understanding of "repentance". At some level it's inherent in being "truly" sorry you did something, maybe, but it's good to be clear about it. As some people, apparently, in some religions, are not, of course.
Sensible understanding of "repentance". At some level it's inherent in being "truly" sorry you did something, maybe, but it's good to be clear about it. As some people, apparently, in some religions, are not, of course.
Certainly, David. I see that apostle_of_eris has already filled you in, but I’ll still be happy to add a little more information. In the entry for Rosh Ha-Shanah (Heb. רֹאשׁ הָשָּׁנָה) in the Jewish Virtual Library we read:
| R. Keruspedai said in the name of R. Johanan: “Three books are opened on Rosh Ha-Shanah, one for the completely righteous, one for the completely wicked and one for the average persons. The completely righteous are immediately inscribed in the book of life. The completely wicked are immediately inscribed in the book of death. The average persons are kept in suspension from Rosh Ha-Shanah to the Day of Atonement. If they deserve well, they are inscribed in the book of life, if they do not deserve well, they are inscribed in the book of death” (RH 16b). The theme of the books of life and death feature prominently in Rosh Ha-Shanah liturgy. The intellectual difficulties in the whole concept were much discussed in the Middle Ages (see e.g. Naḥmanides, “Toratha-Adam,” in: H.D. Chavel (ed.), Kitvei Rabbenu Moshe ben Naḥman, 2 (1964), 264ff.). ( . . . ) On the first night of Rosh Ha-Shanah it is customary to greet one’s friends with: “May you be inscribed (in the book of life) for a good year.” The Sephardi version of the greeting is: “May you be inscribed for a good year; may you be worthy of abundant years.” |
Thank you for the additional information. Oooh, I like the Sephardi version of the greeting. It does seem like it would be easy to get the intonation wrong on the second half of it, but it's something I'd even wish on people I'm not friendly with if I could be confident of saying it from the heart and not dryly, or as a snark.
Likewise, of course. And lovely graphic. Thank you.
