The Hebrew word Rosh means "beginning" and Hashanah means "the year". The more common biblical name is "The Feast of Trumpets". It is intended to be a celebration marking a "spiritual" new year, a special time set apart for a new beginning with the L-rd. According to Jewish tradition the New Year is a time of solemn self-evaluation. The Hebrew calendar is very old. It is believed that the counting of years originated with creation. It celebrates the birthday of the world.(Leviticus 23:24, Numbers 24:1) At the call of the shofar, an instrument made from a ram's curved horn, all "servile" work was to cease. The preoccupation of daily life receded into the background as all thoughts turned to the days ahead, to the coming Day of Atonement.

The Torah was given to Israel with the sound of the shofar(Exodus 19:19) Perhaps the shofar blast was intended to remind the Hebrew of the Law and their promised obedience(Exodus 19:8, Psalm 19). The blowing of the shofar grew out of Genesis 22:13,14, and the account of Isaac spared, often referred to as the sacrifice of Isaac. "Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, Behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns ... And Abraham called the name of that place 'the L-rd will provide.'" It is believed that the sacrifice of Isaac took place on Rosh Hashanah. Because of this the shofar was blown to signify important occasions. The first Hebrew letter of Rosh Hashanah is a resh. It looks like a shofar, so be reminded to bend your heart before the L-rd.

Following the afternoon services on Rosh Hashanah, the congregation will meet at a river or stream and symbolically cast their sins into the running water(Micah 7:19,20). The rabbis specify that the water should contain fish. Some say that they are a reminder of the eyes of G-d, which are ever open as are those of a fish. While the following passage from the book of Micah is read, the people shake crumbs from their pockets into the water. As the crumbs float away, it is supposed that the people's sins, represented by the crumbs, are carried away by the flowing water.