The Nesivos Shalom zy'a told the following story:
One Rosh Hashanah night, in the home of a certain tzaddik, everything was going wrong. The becher filled for Kiddush spilled over the tablecloth before Kiddush. When he was cutting the challah, it slipped out of his hand onto the floor. There was no fish to serve because it had burnt. His rebbetzin said, "I'm afraid that these are bad simanim. So many negative things are happening."
Her husband replied, "The main siman is a happy disposition. We eat meat and sweet foods on Rosh Hashanah because these foods help us be happy, and happiness is a good omen for the upcoming year. Baruch Hashem, despite everything, we are happy. So, we have an excellent omen for the coming year."
Rebbe Pinchas Koritzer zt'l explains that we don't eat sour foods on Rosh Hashanah to avoid making a sour face on Rosh Hashanah. We don't want to show a bitter face on Rosh Hashanah, for it can chas veshalom set an example for bitterness throughout the year."
Reb Pinchas Koritzer zt’l compared Rosh Hashanah to an architect who drew a blueprint for a beautiful building. Each mark of the pencil corresponds to something bigger. Similarly, Rosh Hashanah is the blueprint for the year. Therefore, we shouldn’t frown on Rosh Hashanah. Rebbe Pinchas of Koritz zt’l also said that one should utilize every moment of Rosh Hashanah because each moment is an important part of the coming year.
Someone told Reb Mordechai Chaim Slonimer zt’l that he didn't have enough money to buy a head of a fish, so he bought and ate the tail. Reb Mordechai Chaim told him, "Did you at least say, 'May it be the עק, end, of all our suffering.'” (In Yiddish, a tail is called עק, ek, end.)
The great mekubal, Reb Yehudah Psayah zt'l sat at the head of his table on Rosh Hashanah night, dressed in white clothing, surrounded by guests. All went well until one of the guests moved the table, and the candles fell and went out. It was now dark in the room. Reb Yehudah Psayah clapped his hands joyously and said, "It is all good. It is going to be a good year." But because it was dark, when his Rebbetzin entered, holding a large tray of fish, she slipped, and dropped the tray, sending fish and sauce flying across the floor. Reb Yehudah once again didn't allow this to ruin his mood. He stood up and went over to his wife to help her up. Without warning, he slipped on the fish sauce and fell to the ground, and now his once-white clothing was covered in fish sauce. Even then, Reb Yehudah remained in happy spirits. He clapped his hands together and said that everything was wonderful.
And what was the outcome of all these negative simanim? He later said that he never had such a wonderful year. He found success wherever he put his hand; he created many chidushei Torah and had divine spiritual revelations. Because the most important siman is happiness, stemming from bitachon that Hashem will grant us a good year.
