Minhagim of Rosh Hashonoh and Aseres Yemei Teshuvoh
Nuts
36. Some people do not eat nuts on Rosh Hashonoh since "egoz" equals "cheit" in gematria [either by dropping the unpronounced Alef in "cheit" or through "kolel" – counting the word "egoz" itself as one] (רמ"א סי' תקפ"ג ס"ב ). "Egoz" specifically is a walnut. Some also avoid "luz", or hazelnuts (שו"ע הרב ס"ו ).
37. Some people avoid other nuts as well, such as pistachios, almonds, and peanuts. Coconuts are not part of the nut family, and as such, may be eaten.
38. When? In many places, people do not eat nuts through Hoshano Raboh (קצה המטה סקט"ז ). The Chasam Sofer's minhag was to avoid nuts only on the two days of Rosh Hashonoh (ס' מחולת מחניים ).
39. Nut cake. The minhag is not to eat a cake or dish containing nuts during this period, even if they are not noticeable (שו"ת באר משה ח"ג סי' צ"ז ) if people refer to it with the word "nut", e.g., a nut cake. If the nuts are noticeable, it should be avoided even if its name does not include the word "nut".
40. Peanut butter may be spread on bread or the like since even whole peanuts are only an addition to the minhag; when they are in a paste, it is something new and far from the original minhag. One may also put peanut butter in ice cream or eat ‘Bamba’.
41. The main idea is to stay away from anything which suggests or alludes to aveiros themselves. One should also remember that ‘cheit’ is also gematria ‘cheit’ (The Rebbe of Kotzk).
Sour Foods
42. Some people do not cook with vinegars or the like for Rosh Hashonoh as a favorable sign (מ"ב תקפ"ג סק"ה ). Here too, some keep this minhag until Simchas Torah. Therefore, during this period, they do not eat pickles or salads with a noticeably vinegary taste (מט"א ס"ג ); they also avoid "chrain".
43. One may eat food containing vinegar or something bitter as long as the final flavor doesn’t have a sour flavor, e.g., fish cooked with sugar and a bit of vinegar or lemon; mayonnaise; coleslaw; or a sauce for chicken that has both mustard and honey.
44. Spicy. The minhag is not to eat bitter or sour foods; there is no reason to refrain from eating spicy foods.
Anger
45. The beginning of the year should be a good sign. Thus, one should obviously be very careful not to get angry during this period so that he has a good sign, besides for the fact that it is a great issur. One should be happy and trust in Hashem with his teshuvoh and good deeds (מ"ב שם ). Really, one should maintain this practice all year.
Sleep on Rosh Hashonoh
46. There is a minhag not to sleep on Rosh Hashonoh day. This is a proper minhag (רמ"א ס"ס תקפ"ג ) since if one lays on Rosh Hashonoh day, his mazel also lays (ירושלמי, מ"ב סק"ט ). Sitting idly, without davening or learning is tantamount to sleeping (מ"ב שם ).
47. Rising before alos. Some say that the main idea of this minhag is not to sleep past alos hashachar (אלף המגן סי' תקפ"ד סק"א, בן איש חי שנה א' נצבים אות י"א ) out of fear of judgment, or at least not past neitz hachamoh (תשוה"נ ח"א סי' של"ט )
48. Some say that one who does not usually rise at alos may sleep past alos on Rosh Hashonoh since for him, sleep past alos is still "night sleep", not "day sleep" (הגרשז"א, הליכות שלמה ר"ה פ"א סכ"ג). Nonetheless, if he wakes up after alos, it is proper to not go back to sleep (הגר"נ קרליץ, חוט שני ר"ה עמ' נ').
49. After midday. The Arizal says that one may sleep after midday since the defending malach is already awakened from the tefilos and tekios (מ"ב שם ). Still, we, who are not on his level, should try to go to the beis medrash to learn after the seudoh – or at least say Tehilim – until Minchoh (מטה אפרים, אלף למטה תקצ"ח סק"א ). If one's head is heavy and cannot do without sleep, he could sleep a little (ח"א ) or sleep while sitting on a chair, which is not the type of laying which is bad for his mazel (הגר"ח קנייבסקי טעמא דקרא עניני ר"ה ). One who thinks he will not be able to daven properly without some sleep has poskim to rely on. This is especially true for women, and certainly true on the second day of Rosh Hashonoh.
