Shabbat Table Talk from the desk of Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld
Aug 29-30, 2026 • 16 Elul 5786 • Ki Tavo (Deut 26-29)
The countdown timers to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are ticking...
Question for your table: If a stranger were to ask you in an elevator, "What's Rosh Hashanah," what's your elevator-pitch answer?
The Talmud is unequivocal on this point: Rosh Hashanah is not the Jewish New Year.
Don’t act so surprised—if you already knew everything about Rosh Hashanah, you wouldn’t need this book. But it may reassure you that the vast majority of Jewish People—including those raised with a good Jewish education—are confused about this point. Because even though the Talmudic teaching on Rosh Hashanah is unequivocal and unambiguous, most of us have fallen into the non-Jewish way of thinking. After all, we live in a pluralistic, tolerant world where everyone has “their” tradition. Since this is “our” tradition, it must be “our” New Year.
The better online articles about Rosh Hashanah state more accurately, “Rosh Hashanah is the New Year in Judaism.” That would be true. According to our tradition, it is indeed the New Year for all of humanity.
That is to say, the meaning, message, and potential of Rosh Hashanah are relevant to each and every human on planet earth.
And what is that meaning, message, and potential?
Quite simple: Rosh Hashanah is an annual opportunity to reset your life trajectory.
You don’t love where your life has been going? Use Rosh Hashanah to reboot. The next chapter will tell you how. But before getting into the how, understand the why.
Excerpted from our new book, pictured and linked above—Restoring the High Holidays, the latest not-for-profit project of JSLI. Perfect size to add to the Rosh Hashanah gift basket alongside the jar of honey. ("This year, I got you something sweet for your soul...")
(Also available in Canada, UK, Australia, Sweden, Italy, France, Spain, Japan, and in Russian.)
Second question for your table: Can you name the four High Holidays?
May you be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life.
Shabbat Shalom
The countdown timers to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are ticking...
Question for your table: If a stranger were to ask you in an elevator, "What's Rosh Hashanah," what's your elevator-pitch answer?The Talmud is unequivocal on this point: Rosh Hashanah is not the Jewish New Year.
Don’t act so surprised—if you already knew everything about Rosh Hashanah, you wouldn’t need this book. But it may reassure you that the vast majority of Jewish People—including those raised with a good Jewish education—are confused about this point. Because even though the Talmudic teaching on Rosh Hashanah is unequivocal and unambiguous, most of us have fallen into the non-Jewish way of thinking. After all, we live in a pluralistic, tolerant world where everyone has “their” tradition. Since this is “our” tradition, it must be “our” New Year.
The better online articles about Rosh Hashanah state more accurately, “Rosh Hashanah is the New Year in Judaism.” That would be true. According to our tradition, it is indeed the New Year for all of humanity.
That is to say, the meaning, message, and potential of Rosh Hashanah are relevant to each and every human on planet earth.
And what is that meaning, message, and potential?
Quite simple: Rosh Hashanah is an annual opportunity to reset your life trajectory.
You don’t love where your life has been going? Use Rosh Hashanah to reboot. The next chapter will tell you how. But before getting into the how, understand the why.
Excerpted from our new book, pictured and linked above—Restoring the High Holidays, the latest not-for-profit project of JSLI. Perfect size to add to the Rosh Hashanah gift basket alongside the jar of honey. ("This year, I got you something sweet for your soul...")
(Also available in Canada, UK, Australia, Sweden, Italy, France, Spain, Japan, and in Russian.)
Second question for your table: Can you name the four High Holidays?
May you be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life.
Shabbat Shalom
This message may also be read online at Blogspot.
Appreciated this Table Talk? Like it, tweet it, email it...
