Did you know that in Jewish life, we celebrate the birth of the world five days before Rosh Hashana?
According to Jewish tradition, the world is now 5777 years old.
Less than a week remains until Rosh Hashana, which is called “the birthday of the world.” In fact, Rosh Hashana is the birthday of the first humans -Adam and Eve- who came into being on the sixth day of creation. This means that the first day of creation coincides with the 25th of Elul.
Today is the day in the Hebrew Calendar which carries with it nothing less than the energy of the creation of existence- time, space, matter, darkness, and light. Today we begin preparing the world for its rendezvous with G-d on Rosh Hashana.
(Quoted from 60 Days, A Spiritual Guide to the High Holidays by Simon Jacobson Kiyum press, New York 2003 p. 62.)
The obvious question is: If Rosh Hashana isn’t the birth of the world, what is it?
Rosh Hashana is the day that G-d completes the creation of the world by creating Humankind.
Why do we celebrate the creation of Humankind rather than the creation of the world?
To G-d, the whole purpose of creation is for Humankind to make a dwelling place for G-d to be revealed.
In the works of Kabbalah, various expositions are presented as to the purpose of creation. The Zohar states that the reason G‑d created the world is “So that we may know Him.” Rabbi Chaim Vital in Etz Chaim writes that “G‑d wished to reveal the complete array and perfection of His powers and deeds.” In this chapter we shall focus on the exposition of Rabbi Schneur Zalman, founder of ChaBaD, who writes in Tanya Ch.36, while quoting from a Midrash, which G‑d created because “G‑d desired to have a dwelling place in the lower worlds (Dirah BeTachtonim).” It is for this purpose that He created a chain order of worlds, with higher and lower realms, with the purpose of creation specifically in the lowest of all.
(From The Purpose of Creation by Nissan Dovid Dubov, on Chabad.org)
Rosh Hashana is many things. It is a day of beginnings. It is the Day of Judgement. It’s also the day that the Jewish people reaffirm that G-d is the King.
Imagine that you are about to present yourself to the King of Kings.
- When do you start to prepare?
- What kind of resources do you need?
- Who is your support system?
- How will this change the course of your existence?
- How might you do your part to represent the King’s Will and Wisdom in the world around you?