I loved this article!

It's a breath of fresh air to see that Rav Bar-Hayim has such incisive analysis!

This was really interesting!

Keep on running articles like this one! It was great!

One day Rosh HaShanah-this seems to make sense!

I like what I'm hearing also

Fascinating! wonderful!

My compliments!

We need more rabbis like this!

This article made me think

Too bad I caught this article late

2 technical issues you do not address: 1. The calendar may not have ben fixed in the late 4th century, as is commonly assumed. See Calendar and Community by Sacha Stern. 2. I think it would be tricky having 1 day RH in Israel when it falls on shabat unless you reinstituted shofar blowing on shabat. gemar vachatimah tova.

So.... with the regularization of the calendar the 2 days of Rosh Hashanah were, perhaps. still to be observed but were not. Perhaps? What was the intent of those who regularized the calendar? And then -- Rosh Hashanah is a time for the blowing of the Shofar and there is the tradition to NOT blow it on Shabbat and with 2 days of Rosh Hashanah we can certainly fully hear all the ceremonial blowings on at least one day. AND - while some might say less is more --- others might find that it takes time to get into the spirit of a holiday and few use the month of Elul to do that... but two days of Rosh Hashanah might provide the time. SO - is it wrong, bad, ??? - to celebrate more? What is the problem? AND - is it not interestingly positive that for at least one holiday both in and out of Israel we celebrate for 2 days... Of course - one (you) might also argue for not celebrating 2 days of festivals outside of Israel. That would move us towards a sense that there is no difference between living in Israel and not living in Israel. Interesting things might follow from that position. CHANGE is full of possibilities. Sometimes change is good and sometimes bad and sometimes neutral. In this matter - where would we go? Perhaps - depending on science and atomic clocks and Hubble Telescopes to ensure accuracy of calendars and when we are is good. Perhaps they are transient technologies as compared with other influences. It this issue something which in its resolution can unites us or divide us? Which way to go to achieve the most positive outcome? You say that Maimonides says - go with tradtion and realities on the ground. Where are we now? Why is this so unclear and unknown in fact to so many. Is this "exception" useful as instruction? As an instruction to "know" but to understand and to remember distinctions and specifics. Thank you for your consideration. Ken Firestein

If they were so afraid of "carrying" on Shabbat, the "fence" should have been to keep 2 shofars in the shul at all times, or to entrust 3 people to carry a shofar to shul before Shabbat, etc. No need to say, because we are SO chicken we might carry, we won't blow. (Because we are so afraid we will transgress an oral law, we'll make sure to transgress a written one) Please, let's not reconvene the Sandhedrin. In our family, we blow the shofar at home if the New Year falls on Shabbat. Why let the Rabbis get in our way.