Entering the High Holy Days

by Reuven Hammer

Publisher:

Jewish Publication Society

, 1998

Overview

Entering the High Holy Days provides historical background and an interpretation of the ideas, practices, and the liturgy of Judaism’s High Holy Days, giving them contemporary relevance. This classic guide to the most important days of the Jewish year was a recipient of the 1998 National Jewish Book Award.

The High Holy Days’ have their foundations in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. Hence, their liturgies and rituals are rife with Scriptural allusions and influences. Their origins can be traced to the books of Leviticus, Isaiah, Job, Psalms and numerous other books throughout the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. With Entering the High Holy Days, you can deepen your understanding of both the significance and the contemporary observance of these important parts of the Biblical narrative.

The High Holy Days – Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur – are for many Jews the highlight of the Jewish year. However, the liturgies for these “Days of Awe” are the longest and most complex of the High Holidays. This often leaves a large number of attendees without a complete understanding of the occasion's significance. Entering the High Holy Days remedies this by presenting in-depth explanations of the themes, prayers, and other elements of the services.

Contents

• The Days of Awe: Origins and Development
• The Meaning of the Yamim Noraʾim
• Beginning the Journey: Preparing for the High Holy Days
• The Rosh Hashanah Liturgy I: Arvit and Shaḥarit
• The Rosh Hashanah Liturgy II: From Musaf to Tashlikh
• Opportunities for Change: The Ten Days of Penitence
• The Yom Kippur Liturgy I: Kol Nidre
• The Yom Kippur Liturgy II: Arvit
• The Yom Kippur Liturgy III: Services of Yom Kippur Day
• Biblical Readings for the Yamim Noraʾim

Top Highlights

“‘Awe’ is a loose translation of the Hebrew word nora, which can also be translated as ‘reverence.’” (Page 1)

“‘Even the fish in the sea tremble at the approach of the Days of Awe.’” (Page 2)

“requiring that they be declared void by an ordained teacher or by three laymen (” (Page 114)

“Rabbinic teaching indicates that, on Yom Kippur, human beings take on attributes of celestial beings. Like them, we have no need for food, drink, or other material goods on this day. Entering Yom Kippur at the Kol Nidre service, we take upon ourselves aspects of eternity and feel ourselves more than merely human. It is no mere coincidence that the dead are buried in a tallit and that on Yom Kippur it is customary to wear white, the color of the Jewish burial shroud. The tallit therefore represents a connection between Kol Nidre and the ideas of eternity and separation from the world of the living.” (Page 110)

“Jewish tradition teaches that two books are open before the Heavenly Judge on Rosh Hashanah, the Book of Life and the Book of Death. Each of us is judged on the basis of our deeds and consigned to one book or the other, but the Merciful Judge grants each of us the time between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to change so that we may prove ourselves worthy of life.” (Pages xii–xiii)

Praise for the Print Edition

Hammer’s lucid commentary offers us a deeper understanding and appreciation of the service as a spiritual aid in the process of atonement.

—Reform Judaism

[A] scholarly and eminently readable book, Entering the High Holy Days will help the reader come into the synagogue on Rosh Hashanah better equipped to leave it on Yom Kippur.

—Philadelphia Inquirer

Rabbi Reuven Hammer's superb explanation of all aspects of the High Holy Days is one of the best resources available on the subject.

—JewishGrowth.org

Product Details

• Title: Entering the High Holy Days: A Complete Guide to the History, Prayers and Themes
• Author: Reuven Hammer
• Publisher: Jewish Publication Society
• Publication Date: 1998
• Pages: 252

About Reuven Hammer

Rabbi Reuven Hammer (1933–2019) was the former director and dean of the Jerusalem branch of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTS), 1974–92, where he served as a professor of Rabbinic literature. He held a Doctor of Humane Letters from JTS and a PhD from Northwestern University. He was also the founding director of the Seminary of Jewish Studies (1987–90). He is the author or editor of many books, including Entering the High Holy Days: A Complete Guide to the History, Prayers, and Themes (JPS, 2005) and Sifre: A Taanaitic Commentary on Deuteronomy, both National Jewish Book Award winners.