S1 EP4 | Shofar So Good – Exploring the Spiritual Benefits of Rosh Hashanah

Like Christianity, Judaism has special holidays, and we are in the season of three vital Jewish holidays known as the Fall Feasts. In this episode of A Jew & A Gentile Discuss, we get an overview of the holidays on the Jewish calendar, and then Carly and Ezra talk about the first of the Fall Feasts, Rosh Hashanah. This episode is the first of a three-part series covering each of the Fall Feasts.

If you’ve ever been curious about Jewish holidays, what they mean and how they’re celebrated, you’re in the right place to find out about them. And, if you already understand a bit about the Fall Feasts, you’re bound to discover things you never knew before. Either way, this will be an excellent series for you.

Carly dives right in to ask:

• What exactly is Rosh Hashanah?
• What’s a shofar, and how is it related to Rosh Hashanah?
• How many times are you supposed to blow a shofar on Rosh Hashanah?
• Can anyone blow the shofar?
• Is Rosh Hashanah only in the Old Testament?
• Do we know if Jesus celebrated Rosh Hashanah?
• What are the 30 days of repentance associated with Rosh Hashanah?
• What are the 10 Days of Awe?
• Do Christians need to celebrate Rosh Hashanah?
• If a Christian wanted to celebrate, how could they do that, and how can they honor Jewish friends and family at Rosh Hashanah?
• What’s the bottom-line take away from Rosh Hashanah?

As Ezra answers, you’ll also learn: how Rosh Hashanah pertains to the End Times, the significance of the shofar as a wake-up call, and how the Jewish mindset of the New Year differs from the typical celebration of January 1^st. They even dive into a discussion about the Jewish belief that God keeps two books and the ultimate uncertainty every Jewish person has at the end of Rosh Hashanah regarding themselves. As a bonus, Ezra answers an audience question to reveal his favorite Rosh Hashanah tradition.

Words you might learn in this episode:

Rosh Hashanah, shofar, rosh, shanah, Yom Kippur, Yom haKippurim, moad, moadim, zeman, l’zeman hazeh, Shana Tova, Yom Teruah

Look for the next episodes of this three-part series, when Ezra and Carly will talk about Yom Kippur and Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles. Tune in wherever you listen to podcasts or go to www.ajewandagentilediscuss.org for more information.

We’d love to hear from you! So, leave us some feedback or send in your questions for us to consider for future episodes.