The origins of this custom are uncertain; it does not appear in the Talmud and it seems to have begun in the Middle Ages. We call it Tashlikh, meaning “you shall cast”. As we cast our sins into the water, we look at the water and try to remember the creation of the world by God, our Creator. We think about God and ask forgiveness for the things we have done wrong. It is customary to go to a river where there are fish, for as fish are suddenly caught in a net, so are we caught in the net of divine judgement; and gazing at the water we contemplate Teshuvah. As we shake out our pockets, we symbolically transfer our wrongdoings to the fish! And as our crumbs feed the fish, we remember that just as a fish’s eyes are always open, so may the eye of God always be open for our benefit.
Tashlikh and Minha Services on the first day of Rosh Hashanah
will be offered at two locations:
Hazzan Kovari will lead a SHOFAR – Minha and Tashlikh Service at 5:00PM at Pomona Park in Thornhill.
Address: 244 Henderson Ave, Markham, ON.
Meeting point: Tennis courts, right next to the parking lot. Use the John Street Entrance.
Please bring your own lawn chair and High Holidays Mahzor (Click here for Directions)
Rabbi Grover will lead a Tashlikh Service at 5:00PM near Beth Tikvah Synagogue at the banks of the East Don River.
Meeting point: Rabbi Grover will meet everyone at 207 Burbank Drive, and then proceed down the path to the river.
Minha will follow in the Beth Tikvah Sanctuary at 6:00 pm (Click here for Directions)
