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The world is judged (i.e sentenced) in four groupings:
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on Pesach for produce;
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on Shavuot for fruit;
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on Succot for water;
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while, on Rosh Hashanah, each person is judged and inscribed individually - with the inscription sealed on Yom Kippur.
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Rosh Hashanah
: Mishnah 1:2 and Talmud 16a)
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Rosh Hashanah, the Day of Judgement: 'Repentance, prayer and charity can mitigate the sentence'.
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'Sound [the shofar] on the New Moon, on the day appointed as our festival' (Psalm 8:14).
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The five names given to the festival are:
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Rosh Hashanah (New Year)
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Judgement Day
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Day of Remembrance
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Day of 'Sounding'
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Kesseh.
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Rosh Hashanah is a two day festival (one day mentioned in the Torah).
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The Akedah - Binding of Isaac - the merit of the Patriarchs.
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Prayers.
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Festive meal.
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Food associated with the Festival:
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apple dipped in honey,
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head of the fish (or sheep…),
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pomegranates,
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dates,
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sweetened carrots.
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Tashlich prayer.
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According to Rabbi Eliezer (Talmud Rosh Hashanah 10b),on Rosh Hashanah:
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(a) G-d completed His Creation of the world (the Sixth Day) with the creation of man;
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(b) Sarah, Rachel and Hannah conceived (they were childless, and on this day G-d remembered them, so that they could give birth);
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(c) Joseph was released from prison;
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(d) The decree of excessive hard labor imposed on our ancestors in Egypt was abolished, i.e., the beginning of their liberation.
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