Spiritual Cleansing Ritual: Tashlich

SPIRITUAL CLEANSING RITUAL: TASHLICH

“The primary role of repentance is for one to return to oneself, to the root of one’s soul. Then one will at once return to God, the soul of all souls.”9

On the afternoon of the first day of Rosh HaShanah (or the second day if the first is Shabbat), many practice the custom of tashlich, which means “casting off.” Families head to beaches, lakes, rivers, or any moving body of water and empty their pockets, symbolically casting into the depths the transgressions of the past year.

An essential part of the ritual is taking time to reflect on what you’d like to cast off and why. Consider the following examples:10

Cast off deception, so that we will mislead no one in word or deed nor pretend to be what we are not.

Cast off vain ambition, which prompts us to strive for goals which bring neither true fulfillment nor genuine contentment.

Cast off stubbornness, so we will neither be consumed by desire for what we lack nor grow unmindful of the blessings which are already ours. Cast off selfishness, which keeps us from enriching our lives through wider concerns, and greater sharing, and from reaching out in love to other human beings.

Cast away indifference, so that we may be sensitive to the suffering of others and responsive in ways that are helpful.

Cast away pride and arrogance, so that we may worship God and serve His purpose in humility and truth.

After reflecting, cast into the water something that represents your transgressions. In past generations bread crumbs were traditionally used, but we have since learned that throwing bread crumbs into the water can be hurtful to the environment. As Jewish tradition guides us to care for nature, many people now cast a bit of lint from a pocket.

9 Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, The Light of Repentance. 10 Adapted from Mahzor Hadash: The New Mahzor. The Prayer Book Press of Media Judaica, Inc. (2009).