Today (Monday) is Yom Teruah (the Day of Trumpets). If you heard the blaring of something that sounded like a trumpet, then one of your neighbors was blowing a shofar (ram’s horn) as mentioned in Leviticus 23:23-25.
If you heard the sound of muffled raspberries, you are probably my neighbor. All the videos make using a shofar look easy which increased my consternation.
Yom Teruah also ushers in the ten days of repentance leading up to Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). These days are referred to as Yamim Nora’im (“Days of Awe”). This is a time for introspection and consideration of our sins of the previous year.
The number ten is significant in the Bible and stands for
Completeness of order, marking the entire round of anything, is, therefore, the ever-present signification of the number ten. It implies that nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete.
Number in Scripture, E.W. Bullinger
The Ten Commandments are an example of this completeness . . . as are the ten plagues that completely eviscerated the Egyptian gods.
Just as one Commandment or one plague was not enough, one day of repentance and introspection is not enough to completely examine ourselves of the previous 365 days. When we mess up, we tend to justify or repress the memory of our bad behavior, making it more difficult to repent and ask forgiveness.
During the “Days of Awe” we are to reflect upon our lives, but on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the tenth day after Yom Teruah, is the final day to thoroughly examine ourselves and ask forgiveness for our short-comings. This introspection is our last chance to change our outcome.
On Yom Kippur, the judgment entered in these books is sealed. This day is, essentially, your last appeal, your last chance to change the judgment, to express your repentance and make amends.
Christ will officiate at the final judgment after he returns in glory (on Yom Teruah). Since we may not live to see his return (I’m convinced I will, but I am not a reliable prophet of future events), we ask forgiveness whenever we can and take steps to alter our behavior.
If the person that wrongs you, asks for your forgiveness, and then repeatedly wrongs you again is not really seeking forgiveness. Yahweh nor Yeshua will not be mocked in the same way.
Among the customs of this time, it is common to seek reconciliation with people you may have wronged during the course of the year. The Talmud maintains that Yom Kippur atones only for sins between man and G-d. To atone for sins against another person, you must first seek reconciliation with that person, righting the wrongs you committed against them if possible.
https://www.jewfaq.org/holiday3.htm
The Days are not prescribed in the Word, but examples of the ten days for repentance exist in the Bible. One example is the arrogance of Nabal.
2 And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.
1Samuel 25:2-3
David was in exile because King Saul was jealous of him and was determined to kill David. Nevertheless, David’s men coexisted with Nabal’s shepherds – protecting the shepherds and the herds and they restrained themselves from taking from the flocks to fill their bellies.
At the time of shearing, David sent messengers to Nabal asking for a contribution from the rich man in return for the protection Nabal had received.
9 And when David’s young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. 10 And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master. 11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?
1Samuel 25:9-11
When David heard Nabal’s response, he ordered a large contingent of his men to arm themselves and join him in attacking Nabal’s home and killing all the men.
When Abigail later heard of the reproach given to David’s men, she loaded several asses with food and supplies and secretly left to ask David for forgiveness. She met David on the way to her home and he accepted the gifts and called off the raid.
She returned home during a celebration and decided to tell her husband what had happened after he sobered up
37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38 And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died.
1Samuel 25:37-38
Nabal had ten days to repent of his words and actions. He did not.
Take time to be introspective and endeavor to amend your erring ways – your eternal life depends on it.
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[…] / aw-naw’ [H6031] – abase self, chasten, or submit) ourselves and to do no work. During the Days of Awe, we are to reflect upon our lives, but on the Day of Atonement, we are to thoroughly examine […]