Why do Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, two of the most significant Jewish holidays, occur at the beginning of the Jewish year, while in secular contexts like business and academics, final exams or evaluations are typically held at the end of the year?
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2The holiday of Rosh Hashanah is by definition the beginning of the year. Is your question because Rosh Hashana is an 'evaluation' of our behavious and accomplishments of the past year? If so, perhaps edit your question to reflect that.– chortkov2Commented Sep 3 at 10:14
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Biblically, Rosh Hashana was the 7th month of the Hebrew year, counted from the month of Exodus. Talmudic sages struggled to understand the meaning of the Biblical "Day of Shofar" and decided it to be the day of Heavenly judgment and the beginning of the Jewish year. IIRC, the counting of Jewish years, as we practice today, started in the Middle Ages, so while the festival was called "Rosh Hashana", there were few practical implications, see the opening Mishna in Rosh Hashana.– Al BerkoCommented Sep 3 at 10:50
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Exodus 23:16 says they happen at the end of the year– Double AA ♦Commented Sep 3 at 11:36
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Why would we be concerned with secular contexts?– N.T.Commented Sep 4 at 5:39
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