9
votes
Accepted
How is Rosh Hashanah a remembrance of leaving Mitzraim?
The Shibbolei HaLeket (286) quotes his brother R. Binyamin as asking this question about Rosh HaShana and Yom HaKippurim. He quotes his brother's answer that the Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 11a) states that ...
- 35.9k
8
votes
Accepted
Rosh Hashanah as a Day of Friendliness
This is stated by the B'nei Yissakhar (Maamarei Hodesh Tishrei Maamar 3 - Yom Teruah Derush 3):
וכן יש לפרש יום תרועה, לשון ריעות וחיבור, התחלת מעשה לקרב ולהגיש החיבור פנים בפנים, הוא יהיה לכם, הכל ...
- 35.9k
8
votes
Accepted
(Why) is there a custom to have round challah for Rosh HaShanah?
Taame Haminhagim ("Likutim" (in the back), 183), in my own free translation:
The reason for the custom that we make Passover matzas round is according to what Rabbi Saadia and Maimonides wrote, ...
- 73.7k
8
votes
Where in the rabbinic writings are there examples of the word "Elul" that mean or imply "harvest" and/or "search"?
For the first one: there's an Aramaic term עללתא, meaning "crop" or "harvest" (see Talmud, Nedarim 55a, and Targum Onkelos to Vayikra 25:3). Could be that the Akkadian cognate, if ...
- 9,903
7
votes
What are the 4 New Years?
RH 1:1:
ארבעה ראשי שנים הם. (1) באחד בניסן ראש השנה למלכים. ולרגלים. (2) באחד
באלול. ראש השנה למעשר בהמה. רבי אלעזר ורבי שמעון אומרים באחד בתשרי.
(3) באחד בתשרי ראש השנה לשנים. ולשמיטין. ...
- 19.2k
7
votes
Accepted
What is the history and purpose behind Teki'ah Gedolah?
This is mentioned in the Sefer Minhagim of Maharil (Hilchos Shofar # 13). The reason given there is that it lets people know that the set of shofar blasts has been completed:
אמר מהר"י סג"ל דלהכי ...
- 49.8k
6
votes
Accepted
Rosh Hashanah Amidah - Neshama be-apo or neshamah ve-apo?
In Biblical Hebrew if an open syllable is followed by a begadkefat letter, the initial letter of the syllable loses dagesh, unless it is separated by a divider trop (e.g. tifcha). Please refer to the ...
- 7,804
6
votes
Rosh Hashanah as a Day of Friendliness
Yannai has a phrase in one of his kerovot for Rosh Hashanah (Zulai's ed., p. 321) that goes:
וירצה בעם בו תרועת מלך
In N. Bronznick's book on Yannai's liturgy (Piyyutei Yannai - Biurim U'pirushim, ...
- 12.1k
5
votes
Why is this Rosh Hashanah piyut recited differently from how it is printed?
Kovetz Yagdil Torah Volume 17 - page 39 says that originally there were alternate stanzas with Melech Elyon then Melech Evyon throughout the entire Piyut. He says that since the Melech Evyon verses ...
- 140k
5
votes
Accepted
May one make up their own simanim for Rosh Hashanna?
Rabbi Heinemann in Baltimore has answered your question as yes you may. For example, a lettuce, half of a raisin, and celery
Lettuce half a raisin celery
Let us have a raise in salary
I should note ...
- 43.4k
5
votes
Accepted
Weekdays atoning for Weekdays during the year
This concept seems to first appear in the writings of the students of the Ari.
R. Chayyim Vital, Sha'ar HaKavanot, D'rushei Rosh HaShanah:
אמר לי הרב משה גאלאנטי, ששמע ממורי ז"ל: שאם האדם יתענה ...
- 45.1k
5
votes
Musaf verses for Rosh Chodesh on Rosh Hashanah
What you're looking for is ruled in Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 591:2. The Shulchan Aruch writes:
המנהג פשוט בכל בני ספרד שאין מזכירין פסוקי קרבן מוסף כלל
The widespread custom in all the Sefardic ...
- 20k
4
votes
For puposes of Tashlich, what is considered a "body of water"?
According to this article it is "ideal" to use a flowing, natural body of water that contains fish and is located outside the city boundaries (MA 583:5; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 129:21).
https://www.ou....
- 902
4
votes
Accepted
Differences between the Rosh HaShanah service Ashkenaz/Sefard
In the Amidot of the Yamim Nora'im, in the blessing Kdushat Hashem, in Nusah Sfard four paragraphs beginning ובכן are added. In Nusah Ashkenaz, three are added.
In Avinu Malkeinu on Rosh HaShanah, in ...
- 4,911
4
votes
First Month of your year?
There are several new years. (What!?) There is a new year for the world, a new year for the Jewish people, a new year for the trees, etc.
Nissan is the first month because it's the new year for the ...
- 19k
4
votes
Different groupings for the Shofar soundings
Focusing on the question of blowing during the silent amidah of musaf, R. E. Melamed has an in-depth article available here (Hebrew). I will summarize some of his key points in my answer here.
The ...
- 45.1k
4
votes
Accepted
Can the toke'ah practice blowing on Erev Rosh Hashannah?
There are different reasons one doesn't blow on Erev Rosh Hashana, one to differentiate between Elul (where the sounding is a custom) and Rosh Hashana (where it is a mitzva d'oraita), another to "...
- 53.6k
4
votes
Why use bee honey on Rosh Hashana?
According to Levush [O”Ch 583] honey is a custom of Ashkenaz. Apparently, when the custom developed, date honey was not available. In fact, since dates are one of the symbolic foods for Rosh Hashana ...
- 121
4
votes
When did Rosh Hashanah begin?
In the days of the Talmud, witnesses would report to the Sanhedrin that they saw the new moon, and then the court would declare that the month started. Even if the court knew that the moon should be ...
- 9,334
4
votes
Blessing Shehechyanu long before eating in second evening of Rosh Hashana
See Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 225:3. One makes shehecheyanu upon seeing a new fruit (although customarily this blessing is deferred until eating of the fruit).
Thus, on the second night of Rosh ...
- 45.1k
3
votes
May one make up their own simanim for Rosh Hashanna?
The Aruch Hashulchan at the beginning of siman 583 seems to say this.
והולכין בזה כפי לשון המדינה. ולכן אצלינו מבשלין ריב''ן, מערי''ן, וקירבע''ס, שחושבין זה לקרא, וקרוי''ט, שזהו כמו קרא, וכיוצא ...
- 33.9k
3
votes
How many women were remembered on Rosh Hashanah?
There were, indeed, four woman (the fourth being Rivka).
Only the first three were "remembered" on Rosh Hashona. Hence, the Artsroll is correct when referring to the historical fact that four women ...
- 947
3
votes
Why does the last citation in the Shofaros section of Rosh Hashahnnah Musaph not mention the shofar?
This is an age old question. The verse you ask about is Numbers 10:10:
וּבְיוֹם שִׂמְחַתְכֶם וּבְמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם, וּבְרָאשֵׁי חָדְשֵׁיכֶם וּתְקַעְתֶּם בַּחֲצֹצְרֹת עַל עֹלֹתֵיכֶם וְעַל זִבְחֵי ...
- 100k
3
votes
Accepted
For puposes of Tashlich, what is considered a "body of water"?
I was in Yerushalayim for Rosh Hashanah this year for the first time. I saw in Yeshivas Netzach Yisrael in Rechavia that they had a small fishbowl with two goldfish swimming in it to be used for ...
- 45.1k
3
votes
Why don't we say Hallel on Rosh Hashanah?
In the words of Rambam (Hilkhot Megillah 3:6), we do not recite Hallel on Rosh HaShana (or on Yom Kippur) since they are times of repentance, fear, and terror; not times for excessive joy.
אבל ראש ...
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3
votes
Why can we do Tashlich until Hoshana Rabba
In the past I typed up a few ideas on Tashlich and in it I bring sources on until when one can say it . See footnotes as well.
- 42.5k
3
votes
Accepted
Is Rosh HaShanah to be observed as if it were a Saturday?
On holidays, all "work" is prohibited other than things related to food preparation and consumption. It's a detailed list, but some examples are:
On Rosh Hashannah, you can grind, cook, bake (using ...
- 71.1k
3
votes
Where do we first see Elul as a time for repentance?
The earliest source I'm aware of is from the second year of Darius. See Haggai, chapter 1.
- 100k
3
votes
What is the history and purpose behind Teki'ah Gedolah?
The ArtScroll commentary at the end of the first set of blasts (p. 438 in my Ashkenaz volume) writes:
The purpose of the extended tekiah at the completion of the series
of thirty shofar blasts is ...
- 6,873
3
votes
Why use bee honey on Rosh Hashana?
Rav Reisman is quoted as answering the question here
Rav Yisroel Reisman (Ki Savo 5775) offers a beautiful insight which
provides a brilliant perspective for life. Date honey generally
doesn’t ...
- 14.6k
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