On Rosh Hashanah we crown G-d as a King. G-d began creating the world on the 25 of Elul, and on the 1st of Tishrei has completed the creation. So every year on this day we crown G-d for us as a king again. This is why we blow the shofar. The way of the world is that by the crowning ceremony, trumpets are blown, so too we are blowing the shofar to crown the King – G-d.
On this day G-d judges all creatures of the world, and writes the person's sentence in the book of death or the book of life. So a person prepares for, and seeks to have a good and sweet year, as a man going on trial and hires the best lawyers to defend him. That person should examine his actions and correct them if needed, and ask G-d for a good year.
Blowing of the shofar is our advocate. Shofar is made from a ram's horn, and when blowing the shofar, we remind G-d of the "Sacrifice of Isaac", the devotion of Isaac, which defends Israel.
How to prepare for Rosh Hashanah?
To increase in prayer and charity – on eve of Rosh Hashanah one should say more prayers, and get up early to go to the synagogue. In addition, one should give more charity on this day.
Cancel vows - before Rosh Hashanah you have to cancel vows, the vows that you don't remember from last year, and cancel the vows made to in advance for next year. In order to 'Cancel vows' you have to go in front of ten or men from Israel, and really regret all your vows.
Going to graves of the righteous – It’s a tradition that before Rosh Hashanah Jews go to graves of the righteous, and ask the holy souls that they shall pray for us before G-d for forgiveness and mercy, and would defend us so that we will be inscribed for life and peace, good living.
Burial places of the righteous is a holy place and G-d accepts the prayers mostly there. It is customary to write a 'soul redemption', {note} in which the writer seeks to arouse mercy on him and his family, and others. In the 'redemption of Soul' the writer should specify the name and the name of his mother, and read the text near the grave. Then he sets the note, and gives charity as redemption for his soul. It is possible to place the note inside the book "the Lubavicher Rebbes letters" of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Shlita.
Eruv Tavshilin - when the second day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Friday that is Sabbath Eve, has to do, Eruv Tavshilin, to allow to light candles and cook for Shabbat on the holiday, Lighting the fire will be made by transferring fire from fire and not igniting a new fire.
Order of making, Eruv Tavshilin:
In the first holiday eve (before lighting the candles) take a loaf of bread, or challah, and cooked food (such as fish or egg boiled or roasted), and give to someone else, to acquire it for everybody, and says:
"I hereby grant a share in this Eruv to anyone who wishes to participate in it and to depend upon it". The one to whom the bread and food was handed to raises them a Tefach (handbreadth) high and then returns them to the one making the Eruv, and recites the blessing: "Blessed are you, Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the Mitzvah of Eruv". He continues to say: "Through this it shall be permissible for us to bake, to cook, to put away (a dish to preserve its heat), to kindle a light, and to prepare and do on the holiday all that is necessary for the Shabbat – for us and for all Israelites who dwell in this city".
Light Candles: Women and girls are lighting candles on Rosh Hashanah Eve about 20 minutes before sunset, as on Friday, and recite the blessing:
"Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the light of the Day of Remembrance".
And the blessing: "Blessed are you, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us and enabled us to reach this occasion".
The next day, the second night of Rosh Hashanah, light candles for the second holiday night, according to the time specified in the calendar, and light it from a fire lit at holiday eve, not lighting a match and so on, so that you should not create a new fire on the holiday. The blessing for the candles is the same on both days of the holiday.
The second night; before lighting candles put on the table a new fruit, and at the blessing "granted us life", have in mind the fruit.
Rosh Hashanah Laws
Happy New Year - On Rosh Hashanah night we greet each other with the phrase: "You shall be written and signed for a happy New Year".
Blessing on the fruit- At the beginning of the meal, after the blessing over the challah, we eat a piece of an apple dipped in honey and bless: "Blessed are you, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the tree." And continue to say: "May it be your will to renew for us a good and sweet year". You should take a piece of Challah too and dip it in honey. Also eat a pomegranate ("so that we'll be full of good merits, like a pomegranate has plenty of seeds") and a head of a sheep or fish ("so that we will the head, meaning: in the lead, and not a tail"), and other various foods, as is customary in various communities.
Blowing the shofar –it is the great Mitzvah of this holyday. We blow the Shofar on both days of Rosh Hashanah. When the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, we do not blow the shofar on the first day of the holiday, rather, only on the second day. Shofar blowing takes place in the synagogue in the morning, and it is very important to hear them well. Women also come to hear the blowing of the shofar.
Tashlich – on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, after Mincha (afternoon prayer), there is a custom to go to a spring, river or sea, and say the text of the 'Tashlich'. Water symbolizes the Creator's favor, and fish in the water symbolize multiplying and being fruitful. This custom is intended to awaken mercy of G-d, and it symbolizes our disconnection from sins. After reciting the text of the Tashlich, shake the hem of your cloths, shaking it will symbolize shaking off our sins, and cast them into the water. If the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, have the 'Tashlich' on the second day of the holiday.
On Rosh Hashanah, we ask from G-d to write us down for a good and sweet new year. What right do we have to ask this, when our actions over the past year may not have been proper? Therefore we need to fix our actions, and do good deeds and change our behavior before Rosh Hashanah.
