The Synchronicity of Libra Season and Rosh Hashana

There’s an old joke about the Jewish holidays:

They’re always late or early, but never on time.

Not this year.

This year, Rosh Hashanah comes right on time. It begins on the same day as the Autumn Equinox, which also marks the start of Libra season.

Libra season and Rosh Hashana share both symbolism and significations. Here’s a look at some common threads.

(1) A Sacred Pause

Libra season begins with the Equinox — one of the four main pauses in the cycle of the year when the Earth holds still briefly in its rotation.

Rosh Hashana begins the Hebrew month of Tishrei, which is the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. Just as the seventh day of the week is the Sabbath, the month of Tishrei is an extended month-long “sabbath.” It’s a time to pause and contemplate life.

The holidays of Tishrei are not meant to be ordinary time. They are a pause, a disruption of routine, a space to step back and take in the whole canvas of our lives.

(2) The Scales of Justice

The defining symbol for both Libra and Rosh Hashana is the scales.

Libra’s scales represent justice, equality, and harmony. Libra wants to do things in a fair and equitable way. It will even take on unpopular opinions or contrarian opinions to ensure that all voices are heard, because it understands that consensus can’t be achieved without disagreement.

Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, is also known as “The Day of Judgment.” It’s a day when we weight our actions and their consequences, assess the qualify of our actions, and ask who will live and who will die.

The synagogue becomes a courtroom in which we advocate for our lives.

(3) A New Beginning

Both Libra and Rosh Hashana are holidays that symbolize new beginnings. As a cardinal sign, Libra initiates the season. Rosh Hashana is the head of the year, a time for new beginnings.