How Can We Help?
What is Yom Teruah (Rosh Hashanah, Trumpets)?
The LORD told Israel to institute the memorial of the Day of Blowing Trumpets (Leviticus 23). It’s called Rosh Hashanah (“head of the year”) because the seventh month has four memorials of God’s completed work in bringing in the Kingdom of God: Trumpets, Atonement (Yom haKippurim), Tabernacles (Sukkot) and the Eighth Day (Shemeni Atzeret).
While several of the prophets pointed to the trumpet as a powerful symbol of the voice of God calling the people and the nations to return, Mashiakh Yeshua (Christ Jesus) and apostles Paul and Yokhanan (John) said the ultimate blast of the memorialized clarion trumpet is still very much in the future for believers. This memorial gets filled to its fullness for those eagerly awaiting the return of Yeshua.
While this is a time to be thankful and happy that we will one day live with God face to face, it’s a time to seriously reflect on the only way we are considered worthy: The Once-for-All-Time covering of our sins, transgressions and iniquities by the death and resurrection of Yeshua. The only path from two-minute warning (Yom Teruah) to victory party (Sukkot and Shemeni Atzeret) passes through the final score (Yom haKippurim), and the only way we win is to have the Referee legitimately inflate our tally.
Why does the name mean?
According to Num. 29:1, it’s called יוֹם תְּרוּעָה Yom Teruah, or the “Day of Blasting [Trumpets] or Shouting.” It’s most commonly known as רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה Rosh Hashanah (Head of the Year, New Year).
When is it celebrated?
First day of the seventh month of Israel’s calendar (aka Tishrei/Tishri) (Lev. 23:23–25). That corresponds to September or October, depending on the year.
The first day of every month on Israel’s calendar has its own significance. It’s called ראש חודש Rosh Chodesh/Khodesh (Head/First of the Moon), and the roughly 29.5-day month is traditionally determined by when the first sliver of the waxing Moon is visible.
How is it celebrated?
The Bible has few instructions for Yom Teruah, other than to blow trumpets and not do work on that day.
Jewish traditions from various groups include1See: Chabad (Orthodox, Chassidic) renouncing unwanted vows the day before, sounding a trumpet 100 times during services, making circular (often cinnamon roll-like) challah loaves and dipping apples in honey (combination of sweetness with the traditional association of the seventh month of Israel’s calendar with Creation and the Garden of Eden). Sweet and fruity foods are common.
Because Yom Teruah traditionally starts the 10 Days of Awe leading to Yom Kippur, it’s Jewish custom in Orthodox groups to dress in white when attending Rosh Hashanah services, signifying a finalizing of the 40 traditional days of repentance from Rosh Chodesh of the sixth month (Elul) to Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah is considered one of the High Holy Days in Judaism, along with Yom Kippur.
Themes of judgment and forgiveness are reflected in traditional greetings for the day:
- Most common: שנה טובה Shanah tovah (“A good year”)
- Observant: כְּתִיבָה וַחֲתִימָה טוֹבָה Ketivah va-khatimah tovah (“A good inscription and sealing [in the Book of Life]”)
- Orthodox: לשנה טובה תכתב ותחתם L’shanah tovah tikatevu v’tichatemu (“May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year”). For women: לשנה טובה תכתבי ותחתמי L’shanah tovah tikatevee v’teichatemee
What was the original purpose?
God gave it to the people of God as a specific no-work (rest) day to make blasts (Lev. 23:24–25).
There are three major types of trumpets in Scripture:
- חֲצוֹצְרֹת khatsotserot (H2689), trumpets of metal
- from the verb חצר khatsar for to be narrow, stretched, to form a stalk, tube2Koehler, Ludwig, Walter Baumgartner, and M. E. J. Richardon, eds. The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (HALOT). Leiden: Brill, 2000.
- שֹׁפָר, שׁוֹפָר shofar (H7782), ram’s horn trumpet
- from the verb שָׁפַר shafar (H8231), to be beautiful, fair, comely3Francis Brown, S.R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs. A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (BDB), Scribe Inc.: Dania Beach, Florida, 1906.
- תָּקוֹעַ taqoa (H8619), war trumpet
- from the verb תָּקַע taqah (H8628), to thrust, clap, give a blow, blast4BDB
- To warn the people to go to battle, but they don’t (Ezek. 7:14).
- To praise God (Psa. 150:3).
- To bring those “perishing in the land of Assyria and … scattered in … Egypt” to worship God in Yerushalayim (Isa. 27:13).
Here are situations Heaven gives for when the two silver trumpets are to be blown (Num. 10:1–10):
- Blow the two khatsotserot to assemble the people.
- Blow both at once to summon the people to the Tabernacle.
- Blow only one to summon the leaders.
- Blow the khatsotserot when defending the Land.
- Blow the khatsotserot on Israel’s days of שִׂמְחָה simchah (H8057, gladness, joy). Examples: Ezra 3:10; Psalm 98:6.
- Blow the khatsotserot on God’s appointments with Israel, the מועדים mo’edim of the LORD.
- On the first of each month (ראש חודש Rosh Chodesh, New Moon).
- On each mo’ed (appointed time, feast) of God (listed in Leviticus 23).
- On the first day of the seventh month (Lev. 23:24; Num. 29:1).
Enduring lessons from Yom Teruah
Layer of meaning: Wake up!
Because a key role of the trumpet in Israel was a call to action, to pay attention, Yom Teruah could be seen as a herald that an age of total renewal is coming, calling people to return to the One Who:
- Covers over and removes sins, transgressions and iniquities from God’s Presence.
- Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonement) is the 10th day of the seventh month.
- Puts the House of God in the midst of mankind.
- Sukkot (Tabernacles) is observed the 15th–21st day of the seventh month.
- Recreates the heavens and the Earth.
- Shmeni Atzeret (Convocation of the Eight [Day]) is observed as a rest day on 22ndday of the seventh month.
Layer of meaning: Remember the Voice of God
The sound of an other-worldly shofar from Sinai terrified Israel. A trumpet or horn blast in Scripture often symbolizes the voice of God.
On the third day after Israel arrived at Sinai after the Exodus and Red Sea, a shofar blast called Israel to assemble at the base of Sinai (Ex. 19:16). The sound of the shofar got progressively louder, with God’s responses to Moses’ words sounding like thunder (Ex. 19:19).
The combination of the shofar sound, God’s voice like thunder, lightning and a quaking mountain terrified Israel after the Ten Commandments were communicated (Ex. 20:18). Moshe (Moses) reminded the people that the LORD wanted to communicate directly with them but was truly “other” (holy) from them (Ex. 20:19–21).
Layer of meaning: Welcome the new King of Israel
Trumpets announce with joy a new king of Israel, both referring to man and God.5New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition. Edited by Carson, D. A, R. T France, J. A. Motyer, and Gordon J. Wenham. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1994.
Layer of meaning: Restored Temple for all nations
A restored Temple foreshadows a restored house of God with believers from the nations (Zech. 14:16–19; see the whole chapter for context).
Khatsotserot were blown by those who returned from the Babylonian exile congregated on the first day of the seventh month after heaping up offerings to support the rebuilding of the temple. Offerings return to the restored altar in the temple in Yerushalayim, before the foundations of the temple are laid. (Ezra 3:1, 6)
This was a call to the remnant of Israel to return to God and be loyal to Him. The cause of the exiles was Israel’s going after different gods.
Yom Teruah is a memorial of the return of the exiles and the concern of those faithful for the restoration of God’s house of prayer for all nations.
Layer of meaning: Symbol for Israel, ‘mother’ of Messiah
Yom Teruah and Rosh Chodesh have connections to the Day of the LORD.
Both point to the final renewal. In the book of Revelation, there’s a prophecy of the Sun-clad, Moon-shod woman crowned with 12 stars (Rev. 12:1–5). A lesson from that is that the Creator of the Sun, Moon and stars sent the Savior of mankind and vanquisher of the Adversary to Earth through another of God’s creations, Israel, which is signified by the 12 stars.
Many make note of the Moon at her feet as a group of people who hold to God’s appointed times and note that the 12 stars as signifying this group of people will be part of Israel, which is highlighted.
However, many of the same interpreters have “paganoia” about anything Sun-connected. But what, then, does the “clothed with the Sun” of this prophecy signify?
Layer of meaning: Heaven speaks through sweet, stinging words of servants (prophets, apostles, workers)
As the trumpet and horn can symbolize the voice of God, the trumpet and horn symbolize God’s speaking through His servants.
Apostle Paul tapped the lesson of voice of God coming through the khatsotserah to compare it to the voice of one speaking for God (1Cor. 14:6–12). Leaders of congregations of Israel, absent a Tabernacle or Temple, must proclaim God’s words like the priesthood who wielded the khatsotserot.
The words from the voice of God can be both sweet and stinging.6Rabbi Daniel Lapin. “When Women in Our Lives Bring Out the Best in Us.” Ancient Jewish Wisdom. Video series. Aired Sept. 17, 2014. TCT <www.tct.tv>.
The chaperone of Revkah (Rebecca) who accompanied her to meet Yitskhak (Isaac) was דְּבוֹרָה Deborah (Gen. 24:59; 35:8). Her name means bee (H1683, H1682), a creature that makes honey and can sting. The word comes from דָּבַר dabar (H1696, to speak), from which also comes:
- דָּבָר dabar (H1697), word or speech
- דֶּבֶר deber (H1698), pestilence or plague; God speaks, and it happens.
- דֹּבֶר dober (H1699), pasture; possibly from an Akkadian word dabaru, which means to be behind, to push back7R. Laird Harris, editor; Gleason L. Archer Jr. and Bruce K. Waltke, associate editors. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT). The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, 1980.
She was the guarantor that Revkah made it to Yitskhak, the promised seed of Avraham. She was buried under an oak tree — “oak of weeping” — near Beyt ’El (Bethel).
Deborah the prophetess held court under “the palm tree of Deborah” (Judg. 4:4). The word of Deborah, wife of לַפִּידוֹת Lappidot (flashes of lightning or burning torches), toבָּרָק Baraq (flash of lightning) was, “Arise!” to defeat Sisera, king of Hazor.
These remind us of a great final sweet and stinging message near the Day of the LORD (Rev. 10:1–11; cf. Ezek. 2:1–3:3; cp. Psa. 19:7–11; 119:103).
So, Yom Teruah is a day to especially remember key messages God has had for Israel in the days of our spiritual ancestors and today.
Layer of meaning: Voice of God, trumpets of the end times
Voice of God and His messengers before and on the Day of the Lord is likened to trumpets of Israel, calling the remnant from wherever they’ve been scattered — even from the dead, at the resurrection.
‘Great trumpet’ of Matt. 24:29–31
Sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars will fall (cited from Isa. 13:10; 24:23; Ezek. 32:7; Joel 2:10, 31; 3:15f; Amos 5:20; 8:9; Zeph. 1:15). These signs are forewarnings of the Day of the LORD (Joel 2:1–2).
The Son of Man will come in the clouds (cited from Dan. 7:13).
A “great trumpet” will gather the elect (cited from Isa 27:13; cp. Deut 30:4; Zech 9:14).
Trumpets in Paul’s apocalyptic writings
Apostle Paul wrote about the “last trumpet” (1Cor. 15:50–53) and “trumpet of God” (1Thess. 4:13–18).
God’s call for the remnant of Israel and their associates from the nations alive on the Day of the Lord won’t miss those in the grave. God will transform them all into imperishable immortals, after the resurrection the elect.
Just as the trumpet blast during God’s appointments and other times were calls to awe and joy of God, so too, the resurrection and transformation on the Day of the LORD will be a happy time — for those with their hearts tuned to Heaven’s station. Amid all the disasters foretold to be coming on the world during this time, there’s the good news that the Messiah will be bringing the misery of a sin-stained world to an end.
Seven trumpets of Revelation
Apostle Yokhanan (John) recorded the prophecy of seven trumpets being blown when the Lamb — Yeshua — opens the seventh seal on the scroll (Rev. 8:6–11:19).8New Bible Commentary. University and Colleges Christian Fellowship: 1994. These trumpets of the Day of the LORD are connected to seven plagues.
The TaNaKh (Torah, Prophets and Writings) teaches that trumpets symbolize the voice of God, calling Israel together and preparing for war and the coming of the Day of the LORD.
At the blowing of the seventh trumpet — the final trumpet — comes the Day of the LORD (Rev. 11:15–18; 12:10).
So, Yom Teruah is a memorial that God is calling us today to listen to His words and that God will have a special calling for people to seek the Creator and Savior before the Day of the LORD.
Yom Teruah also is a call to everyone today (John 10:1–5; Heb. 4:7).
Teachings on Yom Teruah
Mercy of Heaven on display at Rosh Hashanah
