To view the English translation, please scroll down to the bottom.
有關“吹號角”的經文在舊約裡相當多：
在出埃及記，號角聲預備摩西迎接神；在撒迦利亞書，耶和華吹號角乘南方的旋風而行；在約書亞書，祭司吹號角走在約櫃的前方；在民數記，亞倫的孫子以祭司的身份吹號角；在撒母耳記上，掃羅吹號角攻打敵人；在士師記，基甸和跟隨他的人也是吹號角攻打敵人；在詩篇，大衛吹號角讚美耶和華；在耶利米書，守望者吹號角做守望的工作；在以西結書，號角用來警戒民眾；而新約聖經裡吹號角的記錄，除了在啟示錄多處記載之外（啓示錄1：10；8：7-12；10：7；11：15 等），保羅在哥林多前書十五：52說：「就在一霎時，眨眼之間，號筒末次吹響的時候。因號筒要響，死人要復活成為不朽壞的，我們也要改變。」；帖撒羅尼迦前書四：16「因為主必親自從天降臨，有呼叫的聲音和天使長的聲音，又有神的號吹響；那在基督裡死了的人必先復活。」
從以上的例子可以看得出，舊約時代的號角作用非常廣：有敬拜、迎接、警告、打仗、讚美、守望、遊行等等；相對，新約的號角只與耶穌再臨和神將來的審判有相關。但因為基督徒認為舊約預表新約，因此舊約吹號角的記載也不例外。每逢猶太人慶祝他們一年一度的“吹角節” 時，教會牧者們就會紛紛透過講台用馬太福音24：30-31宣告：「那時，人子的兆頭要顯在天上，地上的萬族都要哀哭。他們要看見人子有能力、有大榮耀駕著天上的雲降臨他要差遣使者，用號筒的大聲，將他的選民從四方，從天這邊到天那邊，都招聚了來。」借此呼籲猶太人，當號角聲響起時，不要忘了悔改認罪歸向耶穌，預備迎接彌賽亞，與主在雲端相見（參閲部落格：披羊皮的狼）。
“吹角節” 就是猶太人最近才剛慶祝過的猶太新年。如同農曆新年，猶太新年每年的時間也都不一樣。他們的算法是逾越節（參閱部落格：逾越節的羔羊）之後的第163 天，這是他們的提斯利月（Tishrei）──猶太曆的7月1日，也是民曆的新年，通常會在秋分上下。今年（2022）的猶太新年是從9 月 25 日日落算起到27日夜幕結束，為期兩天。
猶太新年（希伯來文 רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה 英文 Rosh Hashanah）字面意思是”年頭”或“年初”，聖經裡則翻為“吹角的日子”，一般基督徒稱之為“吹角節”：「你曉諭以色列人說：七月初一，你們要守為聖安息日，要吹角作記念，當有聖會。」(利未記23：24)；「七月初一日，你們當有聖會；什麼勞碌的工都不可做，是你們當守為吹角的日子。」(民數記29：1)
它之所以被稱做 “吹角節”是因為吹號角是慶祝猶太新年儀式中極重要的項目。這個號角（shofar）是用公羊的角製成的。羊在猶太人的律法裡屬潔淨的動物（申命記14：4-6），所以可以拿來使用。羊角裡面是軟骨，因此在沸騰幾個小時之後就可以把角心挖空當作樂器來吹。它的吹法就像在吹小號，因此有的聖經版本把它翻譯成“喇叭”（trumpet）。 依照猶太習俗，在新年期間，除非是安息日，每天必須吹100次。
羊角號的吹法總共有四種音型。 這些音型和聲音都象徵了猶太新年的主題：
1. 第一種聲音叫做 tekiah，這是一個不變、宏亮且震撼的長音，維持九拍之長度。這種聲音是用來做重要宣告或加冕，同時也代表對未來充滿了希望和喜悅。
2. 第二種聲音是由三個間斷破裂、起伏不定的音組成的。這三個音，每個音會持續三拍，聽起來像人在呻吟一樣。這種音型叫做shevarim，意為“破碎“，它代表憐憫與寬恕的呼喊。
3. 第三種聲音就是用九次斷奏的方式吹奏，聽起來雖短促但聲勢極為浩大，有點像在求救，這種吹法叫 teruah，意為“警報”。
4. 最後一種聲音叫 tekiah gedolah。它跟前述第一種聲音一樣，唯一的變化是它比標準的tekiah音會拉得更長。
這些號角聲不論是代表憐憫寬恕、呻吟呼求或警告懺悔，都在提醒猶太人，新年之後的第十天就是他們一年一度的贖罪日（Yom Kippur 參部落格：贖罪日)。贖罪日是猶太教中最神聖的日子。 這天他們會禁食禁慾，專注於贖罪悔改與祈禱。換言之，猶太新年的目的就是在為贖罪日做預備。
除了吹號角之外，猶太新年跟中國新年一樣，食物是慶典期間不可缺之項目，其中較具代表性的食物包括：
1. 圓形麵包（challah）。圓形象徵生命無止無休的循環以及上帝榮耀的冠冕。有時他們會在麵包裡加葡萄乾和蜂蜜讓麵包吃起來更甜美。
2. 石榴： 石榴除了甜味外，它有很多籽。有人說石榴裡的 613 顆籽代表《妥拉》──摩西五經（參閲部落格：舊約聖經=希伯來聖經=塔納赫？）裡的 613 條誡命。
3. 胡蘿蔔： 意第緒語（Yiddish 註一）的胡蘿蔔叫做 meren。它的名詞是胡蘿蔔（carrots），但動詞是“增加”（increase）的意思。因此胡蘿蔔象徵新的一年，凡事會更興旺、更吉利。
4. 新水果：很多家庭會利用這個機會嘗試從來沒吃過的水果，品嚐一下新鮮的感受。藉此感謝上帝賜人類生命，讓我們體驗新鮮特別的事物。
5. 魚頭：魚頭就是要提醒猶太人，在新年的“年度之首” 所作的決定會影響再來的一整年，因此要深思熟慮，下決心起個好開頭。同時也提醒猶太人在申命記 28：13所記載的：「你若聽從耶和華你神的誡命......耶和華就必使你作首不作尾，但居上不居下 。」
6. 蘋果沾蜂蜜：期待新的一年能像蘋果和蜂蜜一樣，過得甜甜蜜蜜。
到底這個節日對猶太人的意義有多重大呢？是不是相等於我們新年的大掃除、放鞭炮、開party、喝香檳酒、立新目標與新志向呢？我們來聽聽 Jews for Judaism 猶太機構的教育和諮詢主任，斯科百拉比（Rabbi Michael Skobac ）對猶太新年講解的一段話（註: 摘自 “Rosh Hashanah: Tales of Two New Years” by Rabbi Michael Skobac）：
我們吹號角時必須從羊角狹窄的那一頭用力吹氣，寬廣的那一頭就會發出聲音。這讓我們思想到神的創造。原來我們都只是地上的塵土，神將我們塑造成人類，然後將生命之氣息吹進人的鼻孔裡，我們就活了過來，成了有靈的活人（創世記 2：7）。吹號角提醒我們被造那一天的奇蹟時刻。羊角（shofar） 這個詞來自希伯來字根詞 shipur，意思是“改進”。每次我們吹號角都是由第一輪的長音（tekiah）吹起，這代表我們被造時是完美無瑕疵。接著我們吹的第二輪是破碎的聲音（shevarim），這代表世上沒有一個義人，我們承認我們的破碎與我們所犯的罪：「時常行善而不犯罪的義人，世上實在沒有。」（傳道書7：20）因為我們承認自己的不完美，我們就發出哭泣呻吟的聲音。但是最後一輪的號角聲卻是宏亮勝利的延長聲（tekiah gedolah）結束，因為上帝重建我們的生命。我們要吹100次號角，不斷的重演，不斷的提醒自己，上帝是這樣子創造我們的。猶太人在的新年時會在心中描繪一個烏托邦的景象，誠心祈禱讓自己能不斷的改進，且讓這個世界變得更美好。
我們再來聽聽撒克斯拉比（Rabbi Jonathan Sack）（註二）對猶太新年的感言（註：摘自“Prepare for New Year: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur” by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks）：
我們生活在一個 “反懺悔” 的文化裡。我們曾幾何時聽過政客當眾道歉或聽到權威人士認錯？我們總是把自己打造成一個無懈可擊、完美無缺的形象，然而，這不是人性。人本來就會犯錯，我們可以說 “對不起，我錯了。” 我可以說對不起，因為我知道我的上帝是赦罪的神。當贖罪日和猶太新年臨近之時，我們不妨試著向上帝說聲 “對不起”，試著對那些我們傷害的人道歉。“對不起” 是我們生命中的超級強力黏膠，它可以修補那些原來無法修復的破裂關係。你永遠不會為自己道的歉反悔。
希臘哲學家蘇格拉底曾說 “An unexamined life is not worth living.“（未經審視的生活是不值得過的）。 對猶太人來說，猶太新年的精髓就是審視內心有沒有對不起上帝，有沒有對不起別人，審視內心有沒有對神賜給我的生命心存感恩，有沒有盡到本分，造福一個更美好的世界。
當基督徒把猶太教如此神聖的 “吹角節” 加添了一層預表耶穌再來的意義算是一種有創意的說法呢？是特別的詮釋呢？是專家剖析研究的結果呢？還是扭曲了這個節日的原意？第一、二世紀最傑出的猶太聖人愛利澤拉比 （Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurcanus ）說：「懺悔、回歸......號角節不應只在新年的那一天，而是每一天。」希望基督徒願意尊重猶太人這個已經有上千年歷史的節日，不要急著套上基督教一味的公式來替他們做詮釋或糾正，反倒來傾聽他們說明這個日子對他們的意義，從中看到他們對上帝的心意，看到上帝的祝福，也因而從心裡祝福他們。
註一： 希伯來語（Hebrew）和意第緒語（Yiddish ）是猶太人使用的兩種不同語言。 兩種語言之間的主要區別在於，希伯來語是居住在以色列的猶太人的官方語言，而意第緒語是世界不同地區猶太人使用的第二大語言。希伯來語是一種亞非語言，特別是閃米特語（Semitic）；意第緒語則是印歐語系的語言，特別是日耳曼語（德語）。
註二：撒克斯拉比（Rabbi Jonathan Henry Sacks）不單是一位作者、哲學家與教授 ，他也是一位擁有16個榮譽學位的拉比，是一位備受尊敬的宗教思想與精神領袖。他曾任英聯邦聯合希伯來會眾（United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth）的首席拉比，並被英國女皇授予“大英帝國爵”勳章。
Rosh Hashanah
Regarding the scripture of the "The Feast of Trumpets", there are many mentions in the Old Testament:
In Exodus, the sound of the trumpet prepares Moses to meet God; in Zechariah, The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet and march in the storms of the south; In Joshua, priests blow the trumpet walking ahead of the Ark of the Covenant; in Numbers, Aaron's grandson blows the trumpet in his role as a priest; in 1 Samuel, Saul blows the trumpet to attack enemies; in Judges, Gideon and his followers blow the trumpet to attack enemies; in Psalms, David blows the trumpet to praise Jehovah; in Jeremiah, watchmen blow the trumpet for their lookout duties; in Ezekiel, the trumpet is used to warn the people. In the New Testament, besides multiple mentions in Revelation (Revelation 1:10; 8:7-12; 10:7; 11:15), Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:52 says, "In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." 1 Thessalonians 4:16 states, "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first."
From the above examples, one can see that the role of the trumpet in the Old Testament is broad. It includes worship, greeting, warning, warfare, praise, vigilance, processions, etc. In contrast, the trumpet in the New Testament is mainly associated with Jesus' second coming and God's impending judgment. However, since Christians believe that the Old Testament foreshadows the New Testament, the accounts of the trumpet blowing in the Old Testament are no exception. Every time when Jews celebrate their annual Feast of Trumpets, church pastors frequently like to proclaim from the pulpit using Matthew 24:30-31, "At that time, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. He will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other." Christians use this verse to serve as an exhortation for the Jews. They tell Jews, when the trumpet sound is heard, do not forget to repent and turn to Jesus, prepare to welcome the Messiah, and meet the Lord among the clouds (Note: Please refer to my blog post: Wolves in Sheep's Clothing).
The Feast of Trumpets, also known as the Jewish New Year, was recently celebrated by the Jewish community. Just like the Chinese Lunar New Year, the Jewish New Year has a date that varies each year. It is determined by the 163rd day following Passover (Please refer to my blog post: Passover). This occasion lands in the month of Tishrei, marking the first day of the 7th month in the Jewish calendar. It also signifies the commencement of the civil year, generally aligning with the autumn equinox. This year (2022), the Jewish New Year begins at sunset on September 25th and ends at nightfall on September 27th, lasting for two days.
"The Jewish New Year, known in Hebrew as רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה (Rosh Hashanah), directly translates to "head [of] the year" or "beginning of the year." In the Chinese Bible, it is described as "the day of the blowing of the trumpet," commonly identified as the "Feast of Trumpets". "Say to the Israelites: 'On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts.'" (Leviticus 23:24); "On the first day of the seventh month hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. It is a day for you to sound the trumpets." (Numbers 29:1).
It's called the "Feast of Trumpets" because blowing the trumpet is a crucial part of the Jewish New Year celebration. The trumpet, or "shofar," is made from a ram's horn. Rams are considered clean animals in Jewish law (Deuteronomy 14:4-6), so their horns can be used for this purpose. The interior of the horn is composed of cartilage; after boiling for several hours, the core can be hollowed out to serve as a musical instrument. Its sound resembles that of a trumpet, so some Bible versions translate it as "trumpet." According to Jewish custom, during the New Year festivities, the shofar must be blown 100 times a day, with the exception of the Sabbath.
The shofar has four different sound patterns. These patterns and sounds symbolize the themes of the Jewish New Year:
1. The first sound is called "tekiah." It is a steady, loud, and resounding long note that lasts for nine beats. This sound is used for significant announcements or coronations and also represents hope and joy for the future.
2. The second sound consists of three broken, fluctuating notes. Each note lasts for three beats, sounding like a person's groaning. This sound pattern is called "shevarim," which means "broken." It symbolizes a cry for compassion and forgiveness.
3. The third sound is played with nine staccato blasts. Although brief, it sounds very powerful, somewhat like a cry for help. This method is called "teruah," meaning "alarm."
4. The last sound is called "tekiah gedolah." It is similar to the first sound mentioned, but the only difference is that it's extended, longer than the standard tekiah note.
These trumpet sounds, whether representing compassion and forgiveness, groaning pleas, or warning repentance, all serve as reminders to the Jews that the tenth day after the New Year is their annual Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). Yom Kippur (Please refer to my blog post: Yom Kippur) is the holiest day in Judaism. On this day, they fast and abstain, focusing on atonement, repentance, and prayer. In other words, the purpose of the Jewish New Year is to prepare for Yom Kippur.
Apart from blowing the shofar, like the Chinese New Year, food is an indispensable part of the Jewish New Year celebrations. Some of the more representative foods include:
1. Challah: The circular shaped bread symbolizes the endless cycle of life and the crown of God's glory. Sometimes they add raisins and honey to the bread to make it taste sweeter.
2. Pomegranate: Besides its sweetness, the pomegranate has many seeds. Some say that the 613 seeds inside the pomegranate represent the 613 commandments in the Torah - the Five Books of Moses (Note: Refer to my blog post: What is the Difference between the Old Testament, the Tanakh, and the Hebrew Bible?)
3. Carrots: In Yiddish (Note 1), the word for carrot is "meren". While the noun means "carrots", the verb signifies "increase". Thus, carrots symbolize that in the new year, everything will prosper and be more auspicious.
4. New fruits: Many families take this opportunity to try fruits they've never eaten before, savoring the feeling of freshness. It's a way to thank God for giving humans life and allowing us to experience fresh and special things.
5. Fish head: The fish head serves as a reminder to the Jews that the decisions made at the "beginning of the year" will affect the entire coming year. So, it's vital to think deeply, make wise decisions, and have a good start. It also reminds Jews of Deuteronomy 28:13, which states, "If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God... He will make you the head, not the tail. You will always be at the top, never at the bottom."
6. Apples dipped in honey: This signifies the hope that the new year will be as sweet as apples and honey.
How significant is this festival to the Jews? Is it equivalent to our New Year's big clean-up, fireworks, parties, champagne, setting new goals, and new aspirations? Let's hear a segment from Rabbi Michael Skobac, the Education and Counseling Director of the Jews for Judaism organization, on the Jewish New Year (Note: Excerpted from "Rosh Hashanah: Tales of Two New Years" by Rabbi Michael Skobac):
When we blow the shofar, we must forcefully blow air from the narrower end of the ram's horn, and the sound will emanate from the wider end. This makes us reflect on God's creation. Originally, we were merely dust from the earth, but God shaped us into humans. Then, He breathed the breath of life into our nostrils, and we came to life, becoming living beings with a soul (Genesis 2:7). Blowing the shofar reminds us of the miraculous moment of our creation. The word "shofar" comes from the Hebrew root word "shipur", which means "improvement". Every time we blow the shofar, we start with the long sound (tekiah), representing the perfection with which we were created. Next, we blow the broken sound (shevarim), symbolizing that there is no righteous person on earth who does not sin, acknowledging our flaws and the sins we have committed: "Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins" (Ecclesiastes 7:20). Because we admit our imperfections, we emit a sound of crying and groaning. However, the final round of the trumpet sound ends with a triumphant extended sound (tekiah gedolah) because God rebuilds our lives. We blow the shofar 100 times, constantly reenacting and reminding ourselves how God created us. During the New Year, Jews envision a utopian image in their hearts, sincerely praying for continuous self-improvement and for making the world a better place.
Let's hear from Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (Note 2) about his sentiments on the Jewish New Year (excerpted from "Prepare for New Year: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur" by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks):
"We live in a culture of 'anti-repentance'. How often do we hear politicians publicly apologizing or authoritative figures admitting they were wrong? We always portray ourselves as impeccable, perfect, but this isn't human nature. Humans make mistakes, and we can say, 'I'm sorry, I was wrong.' I can apologize because I know my God is a forgiving God. As the Day of Atonement and the Jewish New Year approach, we might try saying 'sorry' to God and try apologizing to those we have hurt. 'I'm sorry' is the superglue in our lives. It can mend relationships that seemed beyond repair. You will never regret an apology you make."
The Greek philosopher Socrates once said, "An unexamined life is not worth living." For Jews, the essence of the Jewish New Year is to examine whether one has wronged God, wronged others, and to introspect on whether one is truly grateful for the life that God has bestowed upon them, whether they have done their part to contribute to a better world.
Are Christians trying to be inventive to imbue such profoundly sacred Jewish rosh Hashanah with the symbolism of Jesus' return? Is it a unique interpretation? Is it based on expert analysis and research? Or does it distort the original intent of the holiday? Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurcanus, one of the most outstanding Jewish sages of the first and second centuries, said, "Repentance, return... Rosh Hashanah should not be just on the New Year's day, but on every day." It's essential for Christians to honor the Jewish festival of Rosh Hashanah, a tradition with a rich history spanning thousands of years. Instead of imposing a one-sided Christian interpretation, it would be more enriching to listen to Jewish perspectives on the day's significance, appreciate their relationship with God, recognize the blessings they've received, and extend heartfelt blessings in return.
Note 1: Hebrew and Yiddish are two distinct languages used by Jews. The main difference between the two is that Hebrew is the official language of Jews residing in Israel, while Yiddish is the second major language used by Jews in various parts of the world. Hebrew is a Semitic language, whereas Yiddish belongs to the Indo-European language family, particularly Germanic (German).
Note 2: Rabbi Jonathan Henry Sacks was not just an author, philosopher, and professor but also a rabbi with 16 honorary degrees. He was a highly respected religious thinker and spiritual leader. He once served as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth and was bestowed the "Knight of the British Empire" honor by the Queen.
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