SECTION 583 Foods which are Customarily Eaten on Rosh HaShanah. (1–8)

סימן תקפג דְּבָרִים שֶׁנּוֹהֲגִים לֶאֱכֹל בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וּבוֹ ח' סְעִיפִים:

1 On [the eve of] Rosh HaShanah, one should observe the custom1 of eating leek, beets, dates, squash, fenugreek,2 and any other foods whose name implies increase in the language spoken locally.3 The people of each country should eat the foods whose name [leads to such associations] in their language.

Before one eats fenugreek or the like, he should say,4 “May it be Your will that our merits increase.”5 Before he eats leek, he should say: “May it be Your will that those who hate us be cut off.”6 Before he eats beets, he should say: “May it be Your will that our foes be removed.”7 Before he eats dates, he should say: “May it be Your will that those who hate us perish.”8 And before he eats squash, he should say: “May it be Your will that the verdict rendered against us be torn, and our merits be read in Your presence.”9

Some people10 are accustomed to partake of a sweet apple dipped in honey, and to say: “May the renewed year be sweet11 for us.”12 A blessing should be recited over the apple,13 and not over the honey, since the honey is ancillary to the apple.

א יְהֵא אָדָם רָגִיל1 לֶאֱכֹל בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה כַּרְתִּי, סִילְקָא א דְּהַיְנוּ תְּרָדִין,ב תַּמְרֵי, קָרָא, רוּבְּיָא דְּהַיְנוּ תִּלְתָּן,ג,2 וְהוּא הַדִּין מַה שֶּׁנִּקְרָא בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹת אֲחֵרִים לְשׁוֹן רִבּוּי יֹאכְלוּ כָּל אַנְשֵׁי מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה כִּלְשׁוֹנָם.ד,3 וּכְשֶׁאוֹכֵל רוּבְּיָא וְכַיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ יֹאמַר ה,4 "יְהִי רָצוֹן ו מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ז שֶׁיִּרְבּוּ זְכֻיּוֹתֵינוּ",5 וּכְשֶׁיֹּאכַל כַּרְתִּי יֹאמַר "יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ שֶׁיִּכָּרְתוּ שׂוֹנְאֵינוּ",6 וּכְשֶׁיֹּאכַל סִילְקָא יֹאמַר "יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ שֶׁיִּסְתַּלְּקוּ אוֹיְבֵינוּ",7 וּכְשֶׁיֹּאכַל תַּמְרֵי יֹאמַר "יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ שֶׁיִּתַּמּוּ ח שׂוֹנְאֵינוּ",ט,8 וּכְשֶׁיֹּאכַל קָרָא יֹאמַר "יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ שֶׁיִּקָּרַע גְּזַר דִּינֵנוּ י וְיִקָּרְאוּ לְפָנֶיךָ זְכֻיּוֹתֵינוּ",יא,9

וְיֵשׁ נוֹהֲגִים יב,10 לֶאֱכֹל תַּפּוּחַ מָתוֹק מְטֻבָּל בִּדְבַשׁ וְאוֹמְרִים "תִּתְחַדֵּשׁ עָלֵינוּ12 שָׁנָה מְתוּקָה",11 וִיבָרֵךְ עַל הַתַּפּוּחַ13 וְלֹא עַל הַדְּבַשׁ, לְפִי שֶׁהַדְּבַשׁ הוּא טָפֵל לַתַּפּוּחַ:יג

Alter Rebbe's Shulchan Aruch (SIE)

The new layout – with the original text and the facing translation – provides a unique user-friendly approach to studying the Alter Rebbe’s work. An inclusive commentary provides insightful explanations and guidelines for actual practice.

2 There are people who follow the custom of eating fish [thereby expressing the hope that] they will be fruitful and multiply like fish.14 [The fish] should not be cooked in vinegar.15

ב וְיֵשׁ אוֹכְלִים דָּגִים לִפְרוֹת וְלִרְבּוֹת כְּדָגִים,14 וְאֵין מְבַשְּׁלִים בְּחֹמֶץ:יד,15

3 When partaking of foods, such as apples or dates, for which a blessing is required when they are eaten in the course of a meal, the [accompanying] request16 should be made after one begins to eat, because it is forbidden to make an interruption between the recitation of the blessing and partaking [of the food].17

ג כָּל הַמִּינִים שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ כְּשֶׁאוֹכְלָם בְּתוֹךְ הַסְּעוּדָה כְּגוֹן תַּפּוּחִים וּתְמָרִים יֹאמַר הַבַּקָּשָׁה16 אַחַר הַתְחָלַת הָאֲכִילָה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָסוּר לְהַפְסִיק בֵּין הַבְּרָכָה לָאֲכִילָה:טו,17

4 There are those whose custom is to dip the piece of bread [eaten after reciting] the blessing HaMotzi in honey.18 Some people eat pomegranates19 and say: “May our merits be as numerous as [the seeds of] a pomegranate.”4

It is customary to eat succulent meat, drink honey, and [partake of] other sweet foods as a sign that the year should be one of sweetness and plenty, as it is written in the Book of Ezra,20 “Eat succulent foods and drink sweet beverages….”21

ד וְיֵשׁ נוֹהֲגִים לִטְבֹּל פְּרוּסַת הַמּוֹצִיא בִּדְבַשׁ.טז,18 וְיֵשׁ אוֹכְלִין רִמּוֹנִים וְאוֹמְרִים19 "נַרְבֶּה זְכֻיּוֹת כָּרִמּוֹן".יז,4 וְנוֹהֲגִין לֶאֱכֹל בָּשָׂר שָׁמֵן וְלִשְׁתּוֹת דְּבַשׁ וְכָל מִינֵי מְתִיקָה כְּדֵי שֶׁתְּהֵא הַשָּׁנָה הַזֹּאת מְתוּקָה וּשְׁמֵנָה, וְכֵן כָּתוּב בְּעֶזְרָא20 "אִכְלוּ מַשְׁמַנִּים וּשְׁתוּ מַמְתַקִּים":יח,21

5 One should partake of the head of a ram22 to commemorate the ram [sacrificed instead] of Yitzchak.23 If a head of a ram is not available, one should partake of the head of a lamb, and if [that] is not available, one should partake of the head of another animal — so as to say, “May we be a head and not a tail.”

ה יֵשׁ לֶאֱכֹל רֹאשׁ אַיִל זֵכֶר22 לְאֵילוֹ שֶׁל יִצְחָק,יט,23 וְאִם אֵין רֹאשׁ אַיִל – יֹאכַל רֹאשׁ כֶּבֶשׂ,כ וְאִם אֵין רֹאשׁ כֶּבֶשׂ – יֹאכַל רֹאשׁ אַחֵר,כא לוֹמַר נִהְיֶה לְרֹאשׁ וְלֹא לְזָנָב:כב

6 There are people who make a point of not eating walnuts and hazelnuts because they generate phlegm and mucus and thus disturb one while he is praying.24

ו יֵשׁ מְדַקְדְּקִים שֶׁלֹּא לֶאֱכֹל אֱגוֹזִים וְלוּזִים (פֵּרוּשׁ אֱגוֹזִים קְטַנִּים כג), מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵם מַרְבִּים כִּיחָה וְנִיעָה כד וּמְבַטְּלִים הַתְּפִלָּה:כה,24

7 It is customary to go to a river25 with live fish, which serve as a sign that the Evil Eye should have no power over us and that we be fruitful and multiply like fish.26 [At the riverbank,] we recite the verse,27 “He will again show mercy to us…. You will cast [all their sins into the depths of the sea].”28 It is preferable that this be done outside the city. [This custom is practiced] on the first day of Rosh HaShanah29 after the Minchah service, before sunset. One should [also] recite the verse [that precedes the above, viz.], “Who is a G‑d like You….”30

ז וְנוֹהֲגִים לֵילֵךְ אֶל הַנָּהָר כו,25 שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ דָּגִים חַיִּים כז לְסִימָן שֶׁלֹּא תִּשְׁלֹט בָּנוּ עַיִן הָרָע וְנִפְרֶה וְנִרְבֶּה כְּדָגִים,כח,26 וְאוֹמְרִים שָׁם פָּסוּק27 "יָשׁוּב יְרַחֲמֵנוּ וגו' וְתַשְׁלִיךְ וגו'".כט,28 וְטוֹב שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מִחוּץ לָעִיר. וְיֵשׁ לֵילֵךְ בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה ל,29 אַחַר מִנְחָה קֹדֶם שְׁקִיעַת הַחַמָּה, וְלוֹמַר פָּסוּק "מִי אֵל כָּמוֹךָ וגו'":לא,30

8 It is customary not to sleep by day on Rosh HaShanah so that one’s mazal31 will not sleep. One who sits idly is considered as if asleep.32 There are those who [maintain that one may] sleep after midday.

ח וְנוֹהֲגִין שֶׁלֹּא לִישֹׁן בְּיוֹם רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִישַׁן מַזָּלוֹ.לב,31 וְהַיּוֹשֵׁב וּבָטֵל – הֲרֵי זֶה כְּיָשֵׁן.לג,32 וְיֵשׁ נוֹהֲגִים לִישֹׁן אַחַר חֲצוֹת הַיּוֹם:לד