ב"ה
High Holy Day
Blessings +Ritual Guide
Candle Lighting Times - 2023/5784
Rosh Hashana
Erev Rosh Hashana ~ Friday, September 15th, 6:47pm
Second Day ~ Saturday, September 16th, 7:49pm
Rosh Hashana ends ~ Sunday, September 18th, 7:56pm
Yom Kippur
Erev Yom Kippur ~ Sunday, September 24th, 6:32pm
Yom Kippur ends ~ Monday, September 25th, 7:43pm
Rosh Hashana - Jewish New Year
Blessing over the Candles
.בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָּ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָּעוֹלָּם אֲשֶר קִדְשָּנוּ בְמִצְוֹתָּיו וְצִוָּּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶל יוֹם הַזִכָּרוֹן
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel yom hazikaron.
Blessed are You, Eternal One, Creator of the Universe, who makes us holy with your blessings and commands us to kindle the lights of the Day of Remembrance.
Kiddush: Blessing over Wine or Grape Juice
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה‚ יְיָ
אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּֽפֶן.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה‚ יְיָ‚
אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם‚
אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר־בָּֽנוּ מִכל עָם‚
וְרוֹמְמָֽנוּ מִכל לָשׁוֹן‚
וְקִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְותָיו
וַתִּתֶּן־לָֽנוּ‚ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ‚ בְּאַהֲבָה אֶת יוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן הַזֶּה‚ יוֹם תְּרוּעָה מִֽקְרָא קֹֽדֶשׁ זֵֽכֶר לִיצִיאַת מִצְרָֽיִם.
כִּי בָֽנוּ בָחַֽרְתָּ וְאוֹתָֽנוּ קִדַּֽשְׁתָּ מִכל הָעַמִּים וּדְבָרְךָ אֱמֶת וְקַיָּם לָעַד.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה‚ יְיָ‚ מֶֽלֶךְ עַל כל הָאָֽרֶץ מְקַדֵּשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן.
Baruch atah, Adonai,
Eloheinu melech haolam,
borei p’ri hagafen.
Baruch atah, Adonai,
Eloheinu melech haolam,
asher bachar-banu mikol am,
v’rom’manu mikol lashon,
v’kid’shanu b’mitzvotav.
Vatiten-lanu, Adonai Eloheinu,
b’ahavah et Yom HaZikaron hazeh: yom t’ruah, mikra-kodesh, zeicher litziat Mitzrayim.
Ki vanu vacharta, v’otanu kidashta mikol haamim; udvar’cha emet v’kayam laad.
Baruch atah, Adonai, melech al kol haaretz, m’kadeish Yisrael v’Yom HaZikaron.
Blessed are You, Eternal One, Creator of the universe Whose power brings forth the fruit of the vine.
Blessed are You, Eternal One, Creator of the universe, Who chose us to make known Your aspirations among all the many peoples, making our lives holy through Your commandments.
In Your love, Eternal our God, You have given us this Day of Remembrance: a day for the shofar’s joyful sound; a day of sacred assembly; a day to be mindful of our people’s going-out from Egypt.
A unique place among nations You have chosen for us — and Your word is true; it endures forever.
Blessed are You, Eternal Sovereign over all the earth, who sanctifies Israel and the Day of Remembrance.
Shehecheyanu
.בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָּ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָּעוֹלָּם שֶהֶחֱיָּנוּ וְקִיְמָּנוּ וְהִגִיעָּנוּ לַזְמַן הַזֶה
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam shehecheyanu, v’kiyemanu, v’higiyanu lazman hazeh.
Blessed are You, Eternal One, Creator of the Universe, who has kept us alive and sustained us and enabled us to reach this time.
Blessing Over Apples and Honey
.בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָּ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָּעוֹלָּם בוֹרֵא פְרִי הָּעֵץ
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Ha’olam, borei pri ha’etz.
Blessed are You, Eternal One, Creator of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the tree.
Followed by:
.יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶךָ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ שֶׁתְּחַדֵּשׁ עָלֵינוּ שָׁנָה טוֹבָה וּמְתוּקָה
Y’hi ratzon milfanecha, Adonai Eloheinu v’Elohei avoteinu v’imoteinu, shetchadesh aleinu shanah tovah um’tukah.
May it be Your will, Eternal our God, that this be a good and sweet year for us.
Hamotzi: Blessing over Challah
.בָּרוּך אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶך הָעוֹלָם הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ
Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz.
Blessed are You, Eternal One, Creator of the Universe, who has brought forth bread from the earth.
Additional Resources
Rosh Hashana Haggadah - From Charles & Lynn Shusterman Family Foundation, this guide is accessible and full of information on blessings, rituals, and explanations behind the customs.
Shabbat Shuva guide: The shabbat that falls between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is called “shabbat shuva,” which means “shabbat of return.” This shabbat marks a special opportunity to reflect on the the past year, ask forgiveness for the mistakes we have made, and resolve to grow as people during the coming year. Our friends at OneTable have put together this brief and fantastic guide to creating a meaningful shabbat shuva experience.
Tashlich
Tashlich, or “casting away,” is performed during the Ten Days of Awe between the second day of Rosh Hashana through the beginning of Yom Kippur. The ritual involves ceremonially throwing bread crumbs, representing areas in our lives where we have missed the mark, into a body of water. To symbolically represent our hope that these will be swept away, the body of water must be flowing (rather than stagnant, like a pond) or contain fish. At the Den, we like to throw pebbles in lieu of bread crumbs — better for the fish, and the environment!
We Recite:
יָשׁ֣וּב יְרַחֲמֵ֔נוּ יִכְבֹּ֖שׁ עֲונֹתֵ֑ינוּ וְתַשְׁלִ֛יךְ בִּמְצֻל֥וֹת יָ֖ם כל־חַטֹּאותָֽם׃
Yashuv y’rachameinu yichbosh avonoteinu v’tashlich b’mitzulot yam kol chatovtam.
God will take us back in love; will cover up our iniquities; You will hurl all our sins into the depths of the sea.
One at a time, we recall each of the 13 divine attributes (bolded) while reciting the following:
Benevolent
Who is a God like You,
compassionate
who pardons iniquity and
gracious
and forgives transgression
slow
for the remnant of God’s heritage?
to anger
God does not maintain God’s wrath forever,
abounding in kindness
for God desires [to do] kindness.
and truth
God will again show us mercy,
G0d preserves kindness
God will suppress our iniquities;
for two thousand generations
and You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
pardoning iniquity
Show faithfulness to Jacob,
transgression
kindness to Abraham,
and sin
which You have sworn to our fathers
and He cleanses
from the days of yore.
Mee ehl kamochah
no-say ah-vone
vih-ovaire ahl peh-shah
lish-ay-reet nah-cha-lah-toe
loh heh-cheh-zeek lah-ahd ah-poe
kee chah-faitz cheh-sed hoo
yah-shoov y’rachamaynoo
yich-boshe ah-voe-no-tay-noo
vih-tash-leech bim’tzoolote yahm
kole chah-toe-tahm
tee-tain ehmet l’yah-kove
cheh-sed l’ahvraham
ah-share nish-bah-tah la’avotaynoo
mee-may keh-dem
יי אֵ֥ל רַח֖וּם
מִי אֵל כָּמוֹך
וְחַנּ֑וּן
נֹשֵא עָּון וְעֹבֵר עַל פֶּשַע
אֶ֥רֶךְ
לִשְאֵרִית
אַפַּ֖יִם
נַחֲלָּתוֹ
וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד
לֹא הֶּחֱזִיק לָּעַד אַפוֹ
וֶאֱמֶֽת
כִי חָּפֵץ חֶּסֶּד הוּא. יָּשוּב
נֹצֵ֥ר חֶ֙סֶד֙
יְרַחֲמֵנוּ
לָאֲלָפִ֔ים
יִכְבֹש עֲונֹתֵינוּ
נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֹן
וְתַשְלִיךְ בִמְצֻלוֹת יָּם
וָפֶ֖שַׁע
כָּל חַטֹאותָּם. תִתֵן אֱמֶּת לְיַעֲקֹב
וְחַטָּאָ֑ה
חֶּסֶּד לְאַבְרָּהָּם
וְחַטָּאָ֑ה וְנַקֵּה֙
אֲשֶּר נִשְבַעְתָּ לַאֲבֹתֵינוּ
וּנְחַלְתָּֽנוּ
מִימֵי קֶּדֶּם
Psalm 118:5-9
Min ha-may-tzahr kah-rah-tee yah ah-nah-nee bah-mare-chahv yah. Ah-do-nay lee loh eeh-rah mah ya’ah-seh lee ah-dahm? Ah-doe-nay lee b’oze-ray vah-ah-nee ehr-eh b’sone-eye. Tove lah-chah-sote bah-doe-nay meeb’toe-ach bah-ah-dahm. Tove lah-chah-sote bah-doe-nay meeb’toe-ach bin’dee-veem.
תהילים קי״ח:ה׳-ט׳
מִֽן־הַ֭מֵּצַ֥ר קָרָ֣אתִי יָּ֑הּ עָנָ֖נִי בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב יָֽהּ׃ יְהוָ֣ה לִ֭י לֹ֣א אִירָ֑א מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה לִ֣י אָדָֽם׃ יְהוָ֣ה לִ֭י בְּעֹזְרָ֑י וַ֝אֲנִ֗י אֶרְאֶ֥ה בְשֹׂנְאָֽי׃ ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בָּאָדָֽם׃ ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בִּנְדִיבִֽים׃
Out of my straits I called upon God; God answered me with great enlargement. God is for me; I will not fear; What can a person do to me? God is for me as my helper; And I shall gaze upon them that hate me. It is better to take refuge in God than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in God than to trust in human sovereignty.
Yom Kippur
Blessing over the Candles
.בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים
Baruch ata adonai eloheinu melech ha-olam asher kiddishanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel yom ha-kippurim.
Blessed are you, Eternal One, Creator of the Universe who has sanctified us with God’s commandments and commanded us to light the Yom Kippur candles.
Shehechianu
.בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָּ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָּעוֹלָּם שֶהֶחֱיָּנוּ וְקִיְמָּנוּ וְהִגִיעָּנוּ לַזְמַן הַזֶה
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam shehecheyanu, v’kiyemanu, v’higiyanu lazman hazeh.
Blessed are You, Eternal One, Creator of the Universe, who has kept us alive and sustained us and enabled us to reach this time.