There is a widespread minhag throughout Klal Yisrael to eat simanim on the night of Rosh Hashanah. Where exactly does this come from? What are the reasons for doing so? Is one supposed to eat them, look at them, or perhaps both? Should a “Yehi Ratzon” be recited? When should it be recited? Should one mention the name of Hashem when doing so? What exactly is the correct order? When dipping the apple in the honey, what is the main item: The apple or the honey? Why did R’ Elyashiv zt”l not eat dates on Rosh Hashanah? Why did the Belzer Rebbe not eat an apple dipped in honey on Rosh Hashanah, was he chas vesholam not Jewish? Is the minhag of eating simanim limited to the first night Rosh Hashanah, or may they be eaten the second night as well? And what about during Aseres Yemei Teshuvah? Of this and lots more below.
The Source for the Minhag – Seeing or Eating
The concept of simanim at the beginning of the year (בריש שתא) appears twice in Shas. In Horiyos (12a) the Gemara says: אמר אביי השתא דאמרת סימנא מילתא היא לעולם יהא רגיל 'למיחזי ' בריש שתא קרא ורוביא כרתי וסילקא ותמרי – “Abaye said: Now that you said that an omen is a significant matter, a person should always be accustomed to ‘seeing’ at the start of the year: Gourd, fenugreek, leeks, beets and dates.”
From this Gemara it seems that the main idea is that one should see the simanim on Rosh Hashanah.
However, there is another Gemara in Kerisus (6a) which has a different implication. The Gemara says: יהא רגיל איניש 'למיכל' ריש שתא קרא ורוביא כרתי סילקא ותמרי - “A person should be accustomed to ‘eat’, at the start of the year: Gourd, fenugreek, leeks, beets, and dates”, which implies that the main idea of the simanim is that they should be eaten.
The Kaf HaChaim (583:6) writes: This make a practical difference for one who is unable to eat the simanim, i.e. he is unwell, or he is worried about bugs, and for such a person looking at them is enough. He adds, that even if one is missing one of the simanim he may still recite the יהי רצון without seeing it, as it is not a berachah, it is merely a בקשת רחמים – request for mercy.
Halachah lema’aseh the Tur and Shulchan Aruch (583:1) both write: “To eat the simanim on Rosh Hashanah.” The Chiddushei Haga’os on the Tur explains that according to the strict halachah it is enough to see them, however, the Tur wrote “to eat” as that is something everyone can do, as even a blind person who is unable to see can eat the simanim. However, according to the Beis Yosef the girsa [textual version] in both Gemara’s is למיחזי – to see.
Interesting Minhag of R’ Moshe Sternbuch shlita
R’ Moshe Sternbuch (Shu”t Teshuvos V’Hanhagos 2:266) writes: Since there is a machlokes if one should see the simanim or eat them, and according to those who say to “see them”, the mitzvah is specifically to see them, as if one eats them it doesn’t look like he has intention for the simanim, and it looks like he is simply eating them because he enjoys them, therefore, he is machmir [stringent] on himself, and before kiddush he takes the simanim in his hand without eating them and says the Yehi Ratzon’s, and after kiddush and hamotzi he says the Yehi Ratzon’s a second time and then eats them.
He concludes: Although I haven’t seen any hint to this in other poskim, and the minhag of my ancestors was not like this, nonetheless, there is nothing wrong with doing this and trying to fulfill all opinions. He continues: וכדאי הוא עצם האמונה בחז''ל ועצתם להמתיק הדינים שנזכה על ידי זה לשנה טובה ומבורכת – “(Although it’s hard to determine what exactly is behind the teachings of Chazal) belief in the words of Chazal and their ideas to sweeten dinim is enough to merit a good and blessed new year.”
Not Eating Nuts
In addition to the minhag of eating simanim, there is another minhag mentioned in the Rema (583:2) of not eating nuts as nuts (אגוז) has the same gematria as חטא. An additional reason is that nuts increase spit and saliva, and it ruins one’s concentration in davening.
Reciting the “Yehi Ratzon”
In the Gemara and the Tur (583) there is no mention of reciting a “Yehi Ratzon” at the time of eating the simanim, all they mention is to eat gourd, fenugreek, leeks, beets, and dates on Rosh Hashanah. However, the Beis Yosef (583) quoting the Mordechai, and the Ran (Rosh Hashanah 12b, MiDafay HaRif) quoting the Geonim bring the minhag of Rav Hai Gaon to say on each of the above foods a certain sentence: שכך היה מנהגו של רבינו האי גאון ז"ל שמביאין לפניו סל שבו מינין הללו ופושט ידו ונוטל דלעת ואומר קרא יקרע גזר דיננו רוביא ירבו זכיותינו כרתי יכרתו שונאינו סילקא יסתלקו חטאתינו תמרי יתמו עונותינו או יתמו אויבינו – “The minhag of Rav Hai Gaon was that they would bring in front of him a basket containing all the different items and he would stretch his hand and pick a piece of pumpkin (gourd) and say, ‘may our judgement be ripped up’, then he would take the fenugreek and say, ‘may our merits increase’, then he would take the leek and say, ‘may our enemies be wiped out’, then he would take beets and say, ‘our sins should be finished’ and then he would take a date and say, ‘my sins should be put to an end’, or ‘our enemies should be finished off’”.
This is brought down in Shulchan Aruch (583:1) where it says: יהא אדם רגיל לאכול בראש השנה רוביא דהיינו תלתן כרתי סילקא תמרי קרא וכשיאכל רוביא יאמר יהי רצון שירבו זכיותינו כרתי יכרתו שונאינו סלקא יסתלקו אויבינו תמרי יתמו שונאינו קרא יקרע גזר דיננו ויקראו לפניך זכיותינו – “A person should be accustomed to eating on Rosh Hashanah, rubya which is fenugreek, leek, beets, dates, and pumpkin. As one eats the fenugreek, he should say: May it be Hashem’s will that our merits increase (yirbu)! When eating leeks (karti), he should say: May our enemies be wiped out (yekartu)! When eating dates (tamri) he should say: May our enemies disappear (yetamu)! When eating pumpkin (kra) he should say: May our judgement be ripped up (yikra) and may our merits be called out (yikrau) before You!
When To Recite the “Yehi Ratzon”
The Magen Avraham (583:2) is medayek [makes an implication] from the language of the Shulchan Aruch that one should first eat from the simanim before reciting the “Yehi Ratzon”, in order not to make an interruption between the berachah and the eating. The Magalay Tzedek writes that one should say it before eating and he isn’t worried about it being an interruption. The Magen Avraham’s conclusion Is that ideally one shouldn’t interrupt, and he should say it after eating.
The Mateh Ephraim (583:1, Eleph HaMagen, ois 8 and 13) writes: One should first eat a little bit from the siman to avoid making an interruption between the berachah and eating, and one should swallow it - there is no need to eat a kezayis, and then one should recite the “Yehi Ratzon”. Bedieved [post facto] if one said it before eating from the siman it is not considered an interruption.
He adds: One should make a berachah and eat only a bit, then recite the “Yehi Ratzon”, and then finish eating, as it is incorrect to say the “Yehi Ratzon” after eating the siman entirely. The reason being, if the siman is completely eaten then it won’t arouse one to have the correct kavonah [intentions]. One shouldn’t recite the “Yehi Ratzon” before eating and making a berachah, as it’s incorrect to put one’s own needs and kavod [honor] before blessing and giving honor to Hashem.
The Mishnah Berurah (583:4) also writes: That one should recite the “Yehi Ratzon” after eating some of the siman, as it is forbidden to interrupt between the berachah and the eating.
It’s important to note, that the poskim (Kaf HaChaim 583:16, Mikra’ei Kodesh 7) write that if one is eating a siman that doesn’t require a berachah (such as when one already said ha’eitz or ho’adamah) then the “Yehi Ratzon” should be recited before eating the siman.
The Nussach of the “Yehi Ratzon”
The Avudraham and Kol-Bo cited in the Mishnah Berurah (s.k. 2) both say that the nussach is: יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלוקינו ואלוקי אבותינו שירבו זכיותינו. This is also the nussach mentioned by the Elyah Rabbah (s.k. 1) and Derech HaChaim (142:1). They all seem to maintain that the “Yehi Ratzon” is recited with the name of Hashem. In Kovetz Igros HaChazon Ish (3:23) the Chazon Ish writes: One is allowed to make up a small tefillah for personal needs, and mention the name of Hashem, and start ה' אלקינו ... יהי רצון מלפניך. This fits well with the above.
Many have the minhag to recite the “Yehi Ratzon’s” without mentioning the name of Hashem. Some have the minhag to mention the name of Hashem just on the “Yehi Ratzon” recited when dipping the apple in honey. However, this minhag is difficult, as eating an apple with honey is first mentioned by the Tur and the Bach in the name of the Geonim, whereas eating gourd, fenugreek or leeks is mentioned already in the Gemara. Additionally, the Mateh Ephraim (583:2) mentions the “Yehi Ratzon” for the apple with honey, without the name of Hashem, and by the other simanim mentioned by the Gemara he writes the “Yehi Ratzon” with the name of Hashem.
R' Shlomah Zalman Auerbach zt”l would recite the first “Yehi Ratzon” with the name of Hashem, and the rest of them he would recite without. He explains: Although from the poskim it seems that one should recite the name of Hashem on each siman that one eats, since it’s difficult for us to have the correct intentions when mentioning Hashem’s name, it’s best to avoid saying it (Halichos Shlomah, Hilchos Rosh Hashanah, Perek 1, he’orah 70).
Reasons for Eating Simanim
There are a number of reasons brought down for eating simanim on Rosh Hashanah. The Meiri (Horiyos 12a) writes: הרבה דברים הותרו לפעמים שהם דומים לנחש ולא מדרך נחש חלילה אלא דרך סימן לעורר בו לבבו להנהגה טובה ... וכדי שלא ליכשל בהם לעשות דרך נחש תקנו לומר עליהם דברים המעוררים לתשובה והוא שאומרים בקרא יקראו זכיותינו ... שאין הדבר תלוי באמירה לבד רק בתשובה ומעשים טובים – “Many things they permitted, even though it may seem like sorcery, and they are not working through sorcery chas vesholam, rather, it is simply a sign which arouses ones heart to good things ... and in order that it doesn’t cause people to stumble and do sorcery, they enacted that when doing these things we say words which arouse one to do teshuvah, and that is why when we eat gourd (pumpkin) we say, ‘may our merits be called out’... it is not dependent on merely saying it, it also requires teshuvah and good deeds.”
The Shlah (Rosh Hashanah, Perek Ner Mitzvah, ois 22) says a similar thing. He writes: The expression of “rubya” may mean to increase, however, who says it means our merits will increase, and not something else. Similarly, we eat karti, leek, and say “our enemies should be cut off”, however, who says it works this way and not the other way chas veshoam? Rather, eating the fruit is just a remez [hint], and serves to remind a person and arouse a person to do teshuvah, and to daven. The rubya (fenugreek) on the table reminds one to daven for “increased zechusim”, and the karti reminds one to daven for his enemies to be cut up. However, the main purpose of the simanim is the awareness and wake up call to daven and do teshuvah.
According to R’ Shlomah Kluger (Chochmas Shlomah) when Chazal instructed us to eat pleasant and sweet things, it is not only because of the tefillos that we say that they are beneficial, as when eating them it is not possible to daven, rather, eating the simanim shows emunah and bitachan, that we believe the new year will be good. Especially after that which I write in my droshas, that on Rosh Hashanah one must be happy and say that all that Hashem does is for the good, and through this it will in fact be good. For this reason, it was established that we eat pleasant, sweet foods and say positive statements when eating them, so that if chas vesholam a bad year was decreed for us, it will be turned around for the good by eating and saying these statements.
Various Other Simanim
Like we mentioned above, the Gemara brings five simanim: קרא רוביא כרתי סילקא ותמרי – gourd, fenugreek, leeks, beets and dates. Rashi in Horiyos explains that the significance of these five items is that they grow quicker than other vegetables. Rashi in Krisus adds, that some of them are sweet. The Ran (Rosh Hashanah 12b, MiDafay HaRif) brings that a siman for these items is קרכס"ת.
The Tur (583) adds on that one should eat some esrog before all the other simanim. There are lots of different minhagim in many different places. Minhag Ashkenaz is to eat at the beginning of the meal an apple dipped into honey, and to say תתחדש עלינו שנה מתוקה – “we should have a sweet new year”. Minhag Provinza is to bring to the table all sorts of interesting items (לאכול מיני חידוש). There is a minhag to bring the head of a sheep to the table and to say: נהיה לראש ולא לזנב – “we should be the head and not the tail”, there is also a minhag to eat the lungs of a ram to remember Akeidas Yitzchak.
The Rema brings the minhag of eating an apple dipped in honey, and to say תתחדש עלינו שנה מתוקה. He also brings that some have the minhag to eat pomegranates and say: נרבה זכויות כרימון – “our merits should be increased like the seeds of a pomegranate”. Finally, he brings the Mordechai who brings a minhag to eat fatty meat and sweet foods on Rosh Hashanah.
The Mechaber (583:2) mentions the minhag of eating the head of a sheep and to recite, נהיה לראש ולא לזנב, he adds that this also serves a reminder of Akeidas Yitzchak.
Dorshei reshumos say that the word לראש of the statement נהיה לראש, stands for לעשות ר צון אבינו שבשמים – “to do the will of our Father in Heaven.”
The Order
The minhag of the Klauzenberger Rebbe (Shu”t Divrei Yatziv, Orach Chaim 253) was to eat the simanim in the order mentioned in the Gemara: קרא רוביא כרתי סילקא ותמרי, for which the Ran gave the siman קרכס"ת.
However, when the Shulchan Aruch (583:1) quotes the Tur he changes the order slightly and he puts קרא at the end. He writes: רוביא כרתי סילקא תמרי קרא. The Beis Yosef explains that the reason קרא is at the end, even though in the Gemara it is first, is because by all the other four simanim, the name of the siman is the idea that it represents, however, when it comes to קרא the siman is in the fact that it grows very fast, but not in the name itself.
The Kaf HaChaim (583:25) writes: This is the order of the simanim, based on peshat and sod: “First one makes ha’eitz on the date, and then ho’adomah on something which would require a berachah even if eaten in a meal, then one should eat the simanim in the following order: Beets (סלקא), leek (כרתי), dates (תמרי), gourd (קרא), fenugreek (רוביא), pomegranate, head of the sheep, and then the apple dipped in honey. The reason for this is: First we ask that our enemies be destroyed, a סילוק בעלמא - slight removal. Then we daven יכרתו, that they should be cut off and not come back. Then we daven יתמו, that they should be abolished from the world. Once the maketragim [things that cause trouble] have gone, we then daven תקרע רוע גזר דיננו, that there shouldn’t be any new ones, and then we daven ירבו זכיותינו, that our merits should increase. Then we ask that מצוה גוררת מצוה, one mitzvah should lead to the next and we should be מלאים זכויות כרימון, full of mitzvos like a pomegranate. Then we ask לראש מצד הקדושה שנהיה – that we should be at the “head” in terms of kedusha. Through all this we hope the new year will be upon us for good and sweetness.”
According to R’ Shlomah Zalman Auerbach zt”l (Halichos Shlomah, Mo’adei Hashanah, Tishrei, Perek 1, sif 17) one should start with the date or pomegranate as they are from the shivas haminim. In a he’orah (Devar Halachah, ois 26) they bring that this was also the ruling of R’ Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld zt”l. They add (Devar Halachah 27) that according to the Mishnah Berurah (211:56) if one really likes gourd, then perhaps it would even come before dates, as they are different berachos.
According to R’ Nissim Karelitz (Chut Shoni, Berachos pg. 168) the food items mentioned in the Gemara should come before the apple.
Carrots
Many people have the minhag to eat carrots, as in Yiddish they are called ''מערן, which has the annotation of increasing, and they say מערן 'מען זאל זיך מערן ווי. Some say it in Lashon HaKodesh and say שירבו זכויותינו. And some skip out קרא and have carrots instead and say ויקראו לפניך זכויותינו יהי רצון שתקרע רוע גזר דיננו (Shaarei HaYomim Noraim, Sha’ar 2, ois 14).
Interesting Minhag of R’ Elyashiv
In Shiurei HaGrish (pg. 454), R’ Ben Tzion Kook brings that R’ Elyashiv was very particular not to eat dates on Rosh Hashanah. Since in Yiddish dates are known as 'טייט', which can also mean “death”. Once when a talmid of the Chofetz Chaim ate at his table and asked him about this minhag, he answered, “because of the name” and he didn’t even want to mention the word 'טייט', as he was very careful not to mention anything about death on Rosh Hashanah.
[The question is, however, כרתי and סילקא also have a meaning of cutting off and destroying, however, we interpret it to mean a curse on our enemies, if so, we should say the same thing by dates, and have intention for the non-Jews and should have kavonah אלא גויים טייטע – that all the non-Jews should die.]
Ha’eitz On the Apple, or She’hakol on the Honey?
We mentioned above the Rema which says that some have the minhag to eat an apple dipped in honey, and to say תתחדש עלינו שנה מתוקה. The Rema concludes that: “This is our minhag”.
The question is, what is the ikar [the main item], is it the honey or is it the apple? This makes a difference regarding what berachah to make. The Magen Avraham (s.k. 1) brings from the Maharil that there are different opinions as to whether the honey is the ikar, or if the apple is the ikar. He proves that the apple is the ikar, as the poskim say that “we eat an apple with honey” and not that we eat “honey with the apple”. He adds: “Like we find by maror dipped into charoses, where there the maror is the ikar, therefore, here as well the apple is the ikar.” Since the apple is the ikar the berachah is ha’eitz.
However, the Yad Ephraim writes: There is room to say, that honey is the ikar since on Rosh Hashanah the main focus is on things being “sweet like honey”. However, he then refutes this due to the proof from maror and charoses, from which we see that the item that is dipped into something is the ikar.
This is also the ruling of the Mishnah Berurah (s.k. 3) that the apple is the ikar, and the berachah on the apple exempts the honey.
If honey would be the ikar, then seemingly there would be no need to make a berachah on it, as the hagofen made on the wine of kiddush exempts all other liquids from needing a berachah (174:2), and honey from bees is one of the seven liquids. However, this would only make a difference for the person making kiddush who drinks a meloi lugmov of wine, and not everyone else who merely tastes the wine (see Biur Halachah 174:2, d.h. yayin)
When To Dip the Apple Into Honey
There is a machlokes as to when to dip the apple into honey, the Chayei Adam (Klal 139:6) writes: It is fitting to make ha’eitz on the apple and then eat a little from it, and then afterwards dip it into honey, and say יהי רצון שתחדש עלינו שנה טובה ומתוקה, however, the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (129:9) writes: After dipping the hamotzi into honey and eating a kezayis, and saying יהי רצון שתחדש עלינו שנה טובה ומתוקה, then we dip a bit of sweet apple into homey, and recite ha’eitz and then again we say יהי רצון שתחדש עלינו שנה טובה ומתוקה.
Perhaps we can explain that the Chayei Adam didn’t want that there should be a sofek [doubt] if the apple is the ikar and the berachah is ha’eitz, or if the honey is the ikar and the berachah is she’hakol, therefore, he writes that one should only dip the apple into honey after making a berachah on the apple.
The Belzer Rebbe (R’ Aharon) had the minhag not to eat the apple dipped into honey, due to the doubt as to which one was the ikar and which one was the toful. Seemingly, he didn’t like what we mentioned from the Chayei Adam. Practically, everyone should follow their family minhag.
We mentioned above various opinions about the order of the simanim, many people have the minhag to start with the apple dipped in honey, based on ...
