Between Head and Foot, Between Atonement and Joy

The Tishrei festivals in the mirror of language

The three holidays and festivals in the month of Tishrei, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot, open a gate to terms, words, and phrases that define the month and teach us about the roots of the festival. What is the meaning of “Ben kese le’asor”, where did the greeting “Shana tova” come from, how and by whom were the four species determined, where did the Etrog roll in from, what is the connection between ‘ushpezin’ and ‘ishpuz’, what is the ‘hoshana hatuva’, and many more examples. We will finish up with holiday sayings from Jewish folklore across the Diaspora.

Dr. Rubik Rozental is a writer, language researcher, and author of a series of books of prose and documentation, children’s books, and research. Winner of the Sokolov Prize for journalism for 5764 (2004).