Yom Taruah / Rosh Hashanah 5

Joel 2
Blow the horn in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the residents of the land tremble, for the Day of YHWH is coming; in fact, it is near— a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and total darkness, like the dawn spreading over the mountains; a great and strong people appears, such as never existed in ages past and never will again in all the generations to come.

A fire devours in front of them, and behind them a flame blazes. The land in front of them is like the garden of Eden,
but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland; there is no escape from them. Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like war horses. They bound on the tops of the mountains. Their sound is like the sound of chariots, like the sound of fiery flames consuming stubble, like a mighty army deployed for war.

Nations writhe in horror before them; all faces turn pale. They attack as warriors attack; they scale walls as men of war do. Each goes on his own path, and they do not change their course. They do not push each other; each proceeds on his own path. They dodge the arrows, never stopping. They storm the city; they run on the wall; they climb into the houses; they enter through the windows like thieves.

The earth quakes before them; the sky shakes. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars cease their shining. YHWH makes His voice heard in the presence of His army. His camp is very large; those who carry out His command are powerful. Indeed, the day of YHWH is terrible and dreadful— who can endure it?

Even now— this is YHWH's declaration— turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to YHWH your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and He relents from sending disaster. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him, so you can offer grain and wine to YHWH your God.

Blow the horn in Zion! Announce a sacred fast; proclaim an assembly. Gather the people; sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the infants, even babies nursing at the breast. Let the groom leave his bedroom, and the bride her honeymoon chamber. Let the priests, YHWH’s ministers, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say: “Have pity on Your people, Adonai, and do not make Your inheritance a disgrace, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

Then YHWH became jealous for His land and spared His people. YHWH answered his people:

Look, I am about to send you grain, new wine, and fresh oil. You will be satiated with them, and I will no longer make you a disgrace among the nations.

I will drive the northerner far from you and banish him to a dry and desolate land, his front ranks into the Dead Sea, and his rear guard into the Mediterranean Sea. His stench will rise; yes, his rotten smell will rise, for he has done astonishing things.

Don’t be afraid, land; rejoice and be glad, for YHWH has done astonishing things. Don’t be afraid, wild animals, for the wilderness pastures have turned green, the trees bear their fruit, and the fig tree and grapevine yield their riches. Children of Zion, rejoice and be glad in YHWH your God, because He gives you the autumn rain for your vindication. He sends showers for you, both autumn and spring rain as before. The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and fresh oil.

I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust ate, the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust— My great army that I sent against you. You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied. You will praise the name of YHWH your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. My people will never again be put to shame. You will know that I am present in Israel and that I am YHWH your God, and there is no other. My people will never again be put to shame.

After this I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions. I will even pour out My Spirit on the male and female slaves in those days. I will display wonders in the heavens and on the earth: blood, fire, and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and terrible Day of YHWH comes. Then everyone who calls on the Name of YHWH will be saved, for there will be an escape for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, as YHWH promised, among the survivors YHWH calls.

#yomtaruah
#Roshhashanah