What is Tashlich?
The lake on my childhood homestead wasn’t just a body of water—it was a living part of our family’s story, woven through generations with memories and lessons that shaped us. My grandmother used to drive me and my brother around its edge in her golf cart, moving slowly so we could watch the frogs leap into the water as we passed by. It was mesmerizing, watching those tiny creatures take their leaps of faith into the depths below.
Our property had three large lakes, but the one in front of my grandmother’s house was the heart of it all. It was the largest, most accessible, and brimming with stories passed down through the years. My mom and uncle swam there, ice-skated across its surface in winter, and fished from its dock. My grandfather even dug an underground pipe system to connect it to the other lakes on the property, ensuring the smaller ones never ran dry.
One of the more infamous tales came from my dad and his friend, who once paddled a canoe to the very center of the lake to fish. They brought an anchor along, hoping it would keep them in place while they cast their lines. But when the wind started to push them off course, they realized the anchor hadn’t been tied to the canoe. It sank straight to the bottom, never to be seen again. That anchor became a family legend—one of many things lost to the depths of the lake, never to return.
When my brother and I were kids, we added our own layer to the lake’s legacy. We’d scour my grandmother’s yard and the nearby ditches for golf balls—a testament to the wayward swings of golfers from our family’s course. With our collection in hand, we’d head to the lake to see who could throw a ball the farthest. As we grew older, we traded throws for swings, driving those same golf balls into the water from the edge of the fairway. Whether it was a golf ball, an anchor, or a breadcrumb, one truth was certain: whatever entered the lake was gone forever.
That simple truth—what sinks down into the water never comes back—carries profound meaning for me today as I reflect on the tradition of Tashlich.
What is Tashlich?
Tashlich, which means “you will cast” in Hebrew, is a cherished tradition observed during the High Holy Days. On Rosh Hashanah or in the days leading up to Yom Kippur, families gather at a body of water to symbolically cast away their sins. It’s a physical act of repentance, with stones, breadcrumbs, or pebbles representing sins being surrendered to God’s mercy.
"He will again have compassion on us; He will vanquish our iniquities. Yes, You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." Micah 7:19 TLV
Much like the golf balls my brother and I threw into the lake, those sins are carried away, gone for good, never to be retrieved. Tashlich is a powerful reminder of the finality of God’s forgiveness—what we cast into the depths is forgotten by Him.
Yeshua, Our Final Atonement
While this tradition symbolizes a hope for forgiveness, Yeshua’s sacrifice assures us that forgiveness has already been granted for those who believe in Him. His death and resurrection have forever carried our sins away.
"Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29 TLV
When we participate in Tashlich, we don’t cast our sins into the water hoping for forgiveness—we do so knowing they’ve already been nailed to the cross. Like a golf ball sinking to the bottom of the lake, our sins are gone, never to resurface.
How to do Tashlich
Traditionally, Tashlich is performed on the afternoon of the first day of Rosh Hashanah, though it can also be observed any time during the Ten Days of Repentance (the period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur).
Gathering at a Body of Water: It is tradition to do Tashlich in a moving body of water like a river, so that whatever we throw into it will literally be “washed away”. If you live in Texas like me, those might be harder to find without traveling. A lake or a pond will do just fine.
Reciting Prayers: Verses from Micah and other Scriptures are read aloud to reflect on God’s mercy and willingness to forgive. Psalm 118 and Psalm 130 are also frequently recited, emphasizing trust in God’s forgiveness. These past few years of Tashlich, I’ve had toddlers underfoot. So we don’t spend a ton of time reading Scripture and we say a prayer together instead. Read Practical Ways to Teach Children About Tashlich here.
Casting Sins: Participants then symbolically “cast away” their sins by throwing breadcrumbs, stones, or pebbles into the water. The idea is that these physical objects represent the spiritual weight of sin being released and carried away by the current.
If you attend or visit a Messianic Jewish Synagogue for the High Holy Days, there will more than likely be a Tashlich service that the whole community can take part in. But, it’s just as meaningful to do together as a family or a special moment alone between you and God.
Lessons from the Lake
The lake of my childhood taught me about finality. It taught me that some things, once released, are gone forever. Tashlich reminds me of this same truth—that God, in His infinite mercy, separates us from our sins and remembers them no more through the blood of His Son, Yeshua.
Standing by the water today, I am reminded of this beautiful promise: our sins are cast into the depths, carried away by the current of His grace, never again to be retrieved.
And just like those golf balls my brother and I threw into the lake all those years ago, they’re gone for good. •
