A Personal Tashlich: A Ritual for Casting-Away

Created by Rabbi Eva Sax Bolder and Adapted with Permission

For hundreds of years, Jews have gathered by the water’s edge on the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah to symbolically cast off our misdeeds. Today, as did generations before us, we too stand poised between the year now gone and the year that is yet to be. Tashlich is a time to recognize that we can change the quality of our relationships with others and within ourselves.

What is Tashlich? The Hebrew word, תַּשְׁלִיךְ (tashlich), means “you shall send” or “you shall cast off.” On Rosh Hashanah, we stand at the edge of a body of water and symbolically cast off our misdeeds into the waters and face the year ahead with dignity, with courage, and with faith.

We come to the water seeking to cast away our mistakes in the spirit of Ezekiel's words:

"Cast away from yourselves all your transgressions, and create within yourselves a new heart and new spirit!" (Ezekiel 18:31)

A Personal Tashlich: A How-To-Guide

1. Look for a natural body of water that you can easily access, like a river, spring, lake, pond, or well. If you are lucky enough to be near a natural, flowing body of water, it will give the effect of your mistakes/misdeeds being swept away by the current. If you don’t live near a natural body of water or can’t manage to get to one, you can use running water from a hose or faucet. You can perform a personal Tashlich even if you can see the water only from a distance.

2. Opt for a body of water that has fish living in it if you can. If you cannot find a body of water with fish, or are not sure if fish are present, you can still perform Tashlich. Fish are symbolic for the practice of Tashlich for a number of reasons. Most importantly, since fish can sometimes be unintentionally caught in nets, they are symbolic of the human tendency to unknowingly get caught in bad situations. Jewish tradition teaches that when you cast your “sins” into the water, the fish will protect them because they are hidden under the water.

3. Try performing Tashlich on Rosh Hashanah. Traditionally, Tashlich is performed on the first or second day of Rosh Hashanah. If, however, you’re unable to perform the ceremony on Rosh Hashanah, Tashlich can be done any day during the Days of Awe until Yom Kippur.

4. Examine what you’ve struggled with in the past year before doing Tashlich. Rosh Hashanah is a period of self-introspection, and Tashlich is a ritual to review your behavior over the last year before you can cast away your sins. Remember that everyone struggles with misdeeds and accidents, so don’t be afraid to be honest with yourself during this period of review.

5. Read the passages of Tashlich. The source passage for Tashlich comes from the last verses of the prophet Micah (7:18-20). These verses tell why we practice Tashlich and will guide your own practice. "Who is a God like You, Forgiving iniquity and remitting transgression; Who has not maintained wrath forever against the remnant of God’s own people, because God loves graciousness, God will take us back in love; God will cover up our iniquities, You will hurl all our sins Into the depths of the sea. You will keep faith with Jacob, loyalty to Abraham, as You promised on oath."

6. Collect your “sins” or mistakes in your pockets. Consider using bird seed, a more ecological alternative, to act as physical symbols of times you have missed the mark. Some people discourage the tossing of items because it stems from superstitious practices, but it can be helpful to visualize the mistakes being washed away. If you’re going to a natural body of water, never use paper or other items to represent your misdeeds. These can cause pollution and damage the natural wildlife in the area. It’s okay to use paper if you’re using a small basin in your home.

7. Walk to the body of water or basin. As you do, meditate or take the time to think about your past year and what you’d like to do better in the upcoming year. But keep in mind that the goal of Tashlich is to move forward in the year, rather than to dwell on the past.

8. Sing or meditate, if it feels appropriate. Some inspirational possibilities can be found at the end of this post.

9. Offer a prayer about your hopes for the year. Try talking to God (or the Source of Forgiveness, or to your own inner Self) out loud (a practice called hitbodedut) or in your head about your past year and how you plan to do better. Try to be as honest as possible about what has happened during the year and how you want to improve. If you need help with words, try answering some of these questions:

   • Am I using my time wisely?

   • Was I there for people who needed me?

   • Do my relationships reflect k’dushah, (holiness)?

   • The kind deed: did I perform it or postpone it?

   • The unnecessary word: Did I say it or hold it back?

   • Did I acquire only possessions or did I acquire insights and knowledge as well?

   • Did I live fully? If not, how can I deepen my commitment to living more wholly in body, mind, spirit and heart?

10. Cast your misdeeds into the body of water. After your prayer, reach into your pockets and grab the seeds or metaphorical “sins,” and throw them into the water. When you let go of them, breathe out and watch them wash away. Remember to shake out your pockets. Only do this when youfeel ready. It might take you longer than some other people to prepare for this moment, but don’t feel rushed.

Some Meditative Words and Songs:

It takes an act of will for us to make a turn. It means breaking with old habits. It means admitting that we have been wrong; and this is never easy. It means losing face; it means starting all over again; and this is always painful. It means saying, “I am sorry.” It means admitting that we have the ability to change; and this is always embarrassing. These things are terribly hard to do. But unless we turn, we will be trapped forever in yesterday’s ways. ~ Jack Riemer

Pause and Reflect:

Gesher Tzar Meod – The world is a narrow place

Kol ha-o-lam ku-lo

gesher tzar me'od (3x)

Kol ha-o-lam ku-lo

gesher tzar me'od (2x)

V'ha-i-kar lo l'fached klal

The whole world is a narrow bridge and the important thing is not to be afraid

Return Again

Return again, return again

Return to the land of your soul (2x)

Return to who you are

Return to what you are

Return to where you are born and reborn again

Eili, Eili:

Eili, Eili shelo yigamer l’olam.

Hachol v’hayam, rishrush shel hamayim,

b’rak hashamayim, t’filat ha-adam.

My God, my God, I pray that these things never end

The sand and the sea, the rush of the waters,

The crash of the heavens, the prayer of the heart.

Avinu Malkeinu:

Avinu malkeinu, Avinu malkeinu

Avinu malkeinu, choneinu va-aneinu ki ein banu ma-asim.

Asei imanu tzedakah vachesed

Asei imanu tzedakah vachesed v’hoshi-einu.

A Prayer for Tashlich by Rabbi Rachel Barenblatt

Here I am again ready to let go of my mistakes.

Help me to release myself from all the ways I've missed the mark.

Help me to stop carrying the karmic baggage of my poor choices.

As I cast this bread upon the waters lift my troubles off my shoulders.

Help me to know that last year is over, washed away like crumbs in the current.

Open my heart to blessing and gratitude.

Renew my soul as the dew renews the grasses.

Conclusion B’sefer Chaim – High Holiday Liturgy

B’sefer chayim brachah v’shalom ufarnasah tovah,

Nizacher v’nikatev lefanecha,

anachnu v’chol amcha, Beit Yisrael (v’chol yoshvey teyvel)

L’chayim tovim, u-le-shalom

In the Book of Life of blessing and peace, and proper sustenance

May we be remembered and may we be written before You;

We and all Your People Israel (and all people everywhere)

For a good life and for peace.

Amen