H/t Sherry
Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff
When Rosh haShanah falls on Shabbat, extra-ordinary things happen. Rabbi Hajioff explains.
What can we expect?
Rosh Hashanah 2026 falls on Shabbat, and Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff explains why this year carries such a powerful message.
What is the real meaning of Rosh Hashanah?
Why does the Torah describe it as a day of sounding the shofar rather than simply a “Day of Judgment”?
And what does the shofar reveal about teshuvah, judgment, redemption and the year ahead?
In this conversation, Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff explores the deeper meaning of the shofar, the spiritual significance of listening, and the teaching that Rosh Hashanah is a microcosm of the entire coming year.
We discuss:
• Why the shofar is the central Torah mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah
• The connection between listening, judgment and the scales of Rosh Hashanah
• Why the shofar represents the inner cry of the Jewish soul
• The shofar of Mount Sinai and the future shofar of redemption
• The Rambam’s famous description of the shofar as a spiritual wake up call
• Why one mitzvah can change a person and even impact the entire world
• What Rosh Hashanah means for Jews who only come to synagogue once or twice a year
• The remarkable lesson of Ishmael and “ba’asher hu sham”
• Why a person is judged according to who they are right now
• How teshuvah, tefillah and tzedakah can change a difficult decree
• Why Rosh Hashanah 2026 falling on Shabbat is especially worth thinking about
• A blessing for a sweet new year, redemption and the rebuilding of the Third Temple
Rabbi Hajioff explains that Rosh Hashanah is not simply about fear. It is about renewal. It is the moment when we stop, listen, examine who we are and recognize that the coming year can still be changed.
May we all be written and sealed for a Shana Tova U’Metuka, a good and sweet year filled with blessing, peace and redemption.
Each time Rosh ha Shanah has fallen on Shabbat, an unfortunate event has occurred. Some are calling for all Jews, even those who don't keep Shabbat to do so on Rosh haShanah to sweeten the din since we won't have the shofar.
ReplyDeleteI think they are aiming too high. In my opinion they should be calling for everyone to light Shabbat candles. Give them something easy to do, not something impossible. The Torah says "remember the Sabbath day...." and by lighting candles they are doing that. It is in everyone's reach. Asking people to keep Shabbat may be too high a mountain to climb. The Rabbis need to understand the generation we are in, we are the heel... most Jews are irreligious, they wouldn't even know how to keep Shabbat.
DeleteThe Lubavitcher Rebbe would encourage people to do small things first.
Just my thoughts.
There is a misconception that something always terrible happens when rosh hashana falls on shabbos it couldn't be further to the truth example ww1 began july 28 1914, hebrew year 5674 that year rosh hashona was thursday and 5675 monday
ReplyDeleteWw2 the worst calimity on the jews
September 1 1939 rosh hashna 5700 september that year was on Thursday again the year before 5699 monday then during the holocaust rosh hashana fell out only 2 times on shabbos
1940 - 5701 thursday
1941 - 5702 monday
1942 - 5703 shabbos
1943 - 5704 thursday
1944 - 5705 monday
1945 5706 shabbos
People must stop with half truths and scare the jewish people look at your sources carefully before making allegations, true some times you can say something bad has happened but its not always like that
Rabbi Hajioff made the point that the Shofar cannot be blown on the first day of RH and that the Shofar protects us. That is why we need to be extra vigilant to protect ourselves.
Delete