Rosh Hashanah on Shabbos
Halachos compiled by HaRav Chaim Bleier - Translated from the Hebrew edition by R' Zerachya Shicker
Halachos of Tefillah
Kabbalas Shabbos
1. Lechah Dodi. When Yom Tov, including Rosh Hashanah, falls on Friday night, those who daven Nusach Sefard say Mizmor L'Dovid, the first line of Lechah Dodi, plus the first two stanzas ["Shamor" and "Likras"] and the last two stanzas ["Yamin Usmol" and "Bo'i Veshalom"]. On Rosh Hashanah night, by "ברנה ובצהלה", we do not add the word "ובשמחה" as we do on other Yamim Tovim. (מטה אפרים תקפ''ב ס''ב). Then Mizmor Shir is said.
2. Those who daven Nusach Ashkenaz say Mizmor Shir and omit Bameh Madlikin (רמ''א סי' ע''ר ס''ב).
3. "K'gavna." On a regular Shabbos, "K'gavna" is said before Borchu in Nusach Sefard. When Yom Tov falls on Shabbos, the more common minhag is not to say it (ליקוטי מהרי''ח, אלף למטה בדיני סוכות סי' תרכ''ה סק''ז), but there are some who have the minhag to say it (מטה אפרים דיני ר''ה סי' תקפ''ב ס''ב).
Various Tefillos
4. Personal requests. Although one should not daven for personal requests on a regular Shabbos, when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos one may do so since these days were established for begging and pleading to Hashem, Who sits on the throne of Din (הגרשז''א, הליכות שלמה פ''א הט''ו).
5. Avinu Malkeinu. When Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, Avinu Malkeinu is not said (רמ''א סי' תקפ''ד ס''א) because we do not make requests on Shabbos (מ''ב סק''ד). Although, as mentioned above, personal requests may be made on Rosh Hashanah when it falls on Shabbos, since Avinu Malkeinu is primarily meant to be said at times of distress and on fast days, it is treated more like a type of personal request that may not be made on Shabbos.
6. 13 Middos. Just like on Yom Tov, when the aron is opened to take out the sefer Torah on Rosh Hashanah, the 13 Middos are said. When a regular Yom Tov falls on Shabbos, the minhag is not to say them. When Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, some poskim say the 13 Middos are not said just like on other Yamim Tovim (מט"א סט''ז, ארחות רבינו ח''ב עמ' כ''ח), but many say them even when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos (מט"א שם, לוח א''י).
7. Crying on Shabbos. One should cry a lot during the Rosh Hashanah tefillos out of feelings of closeness to Hashem and make tearful requests and pleas. The Arizal is quoted as saying that if someone does not cry during these days, it is a sign his neshamah is lacking (באר היטב סי' תקפ''ד סק''ג). Even when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, it is mutar – and proper – to cry (מטה אפרים סי' תקפ''ב סכ''ח). [Incidentally, the Arizal is also quoted as saying that when a person finds himself instinctively letting out a bitter cry, at that moment he is being judged in the Beis Din shel Maalah; his neshamah senses this and that is why he spontaneously broke out crying (באר היטב).]
8. However, one should not cry on Rosh Hashanah out of sadness, depression, or mourning whatsoever. As the posuk says in reference to Rosh Hashanah (נחמיה ח' ט'), "Do not mourn and do not cry...Go eat rich foods...and do not be sad, for the joy of Hashem is your strength" (הגר''א, מעשה רב אות ר''ז).
9. Tzidkascha at Shabbos Minchah. The Shulchan Aruch writes (סי' תקצ''ח) that when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, Tzidkascha is said at Minchah; this is the minhag of Sefardim. The reason for this is that since it is the Yom Hadin, we acknowledge Hashem's justice (מ''ב שם). However, the Ashkenazi minhag is not to say it (רמ''א שם) since it is still a Yom Tov and Rosh Chodesh (מ''ב שם), and the severity of the judgment has already eased up after Mussaf (ערוה''ש ס''ב).
Shemoneh Esrei
10. "זכרון תרועה". On a regular Rosh Hashanah, we say "יום תרועה מקרא קודש" (שו''ע סי' תקפ''ב) "זכרון תרועה" since we mention the concept of the shofar but we do not actually blow it on Shabbos. Nevertheless, if one accidentally said "יום תרועה" on Shabbos, he should not go back (מ''ב סק''ט).
11. "מקדש השבת וישראל ויום הזכרון". When Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, the brachah of Kiddush Hayom finishes with the words "מקדש השבת וישראל ויום הזכרון". If one forgot to mention Shabbos, he is not yotzei (מט"א סכ''א, מ''ב סי' תפ''ז סקי''ג) and he must go back to Atah Vechartanu (הגרשז''א). If he mentioned Shabbos in the brachah, e.g., he said "ותתן לנו וכו' ואת יום השבת הזה וכו'" but did not mention Shabbos in the conclusion, the Mishnah Berurah is unsure if he is yotzei (ביאה''ל שם ד''ה מקדש). In accordance with the rule of "safeik brachos l'hakeil," he should not go back (הגרשז''א, הליכות שלמה ר''ה פ''א סי''ד).
Tashlich
12. There is an ancient minhag to say Tashlich by a river after the seudah on the first day of Rosh Hashanah (מהרי''ל, רמ''א סי' תקפ''ד ס''ב) or after Minchah, close to shekiyah (ע''פ האריז''ל, מ''ב סק''ח). When the first day falls on Shabbos, the minhag is to say it on the second day of Rosh Hashanah. Perhaps the reason for this is because in most places, the river was outside the city and people did not want to transgress the issur of carrying by taking their machzor and the like (מג''פ, מ''ב שם). Also, Tashlich takes time and they would have to cram in seudah shelishis (see below, 23).
13. Place with an eiruv. Even if a person is in a place with an eiruv and thus has no issues of carrying, some poskim say Tashlich should not be said on Shabbos based on Kabbalah (חיד''א בברכי יוסף, אלף המגן סקי''א). Others say if there is an eiruv, it is better to say it on Shabbos when it is the first day (מט"א תקצ''ח ס''ה, תורה לשמה קמ''ה, כפה"ח סקל''א).
Shofar
14. When Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, the shofar is not blown (שו''ע סי' תקפ''ח ס''ה) out of concern a person will take it to an expert to learn from him and carry it four amos in a reshus harabim (מ''ב סק''ג).
15. Mentioning the shofar. We know the mitzvah of shofar on Rosh Hashanah is tremendously important. It has the power to transform the Midas Hadin into Midas Harachamim; it is what helps us emerge with a favorable judgment; and it is the only thing the Torah says about Rosh Hashanah. Despite all this, Chazal suspended this mitzvah out of concern it would lead to violating an issur on Shabbos. This teaches us the power of Chazal, the importance of listening to them, and how special and holy Shabbos is; one should think about this (תשובות והנהגות ר''ה עמ' ש''פ). When we just say the pesukim of Shofaros, it is considered as if we blew the shofar and created the effect in Shamayim that the shofar itself creates (see below, 18).
Moving a Shofar on Shabbos
16. A shofar is muktzah on Shabbos and thus may not be moved. It was originally considered muktzah machmas issur, so it was allowed to be moved for a mutar use, e.g., to draw water with it (מ''ב תקפ''ח סקט''ו), or if it was in the way (רמ''א סי' תקפ''ח ס''ה). Nowadays that we do not use a shofar to draw liquids or the like, and it is only used for shofar blowing, it may not be moved for these purposes. It is likely even considered muktzah machmas chisaron kis since people are careful to keep it safe and designate a spot for it (הגרשז''א, שש''כ פכ''ח הע' פ''ב).
Blowing Shofar on Erev Rosh Hashanah
17. The shofar is not blown on Erev Rosh Hashanah (שו''ע סי' תקפ''א ס''ג) to separate optional tekios from obligatory tekios; out of concern for bal tosif; and also to confuse the Soton (מ''ב סקכ''ד). Even when the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos and Shabbos separates optional tekios from obligatory tekios, and the fact that we don't blow on Shabbos confuses the Soton and makes him think Rosh Hashanah already passed, we still do not blow shofar on Erev Rosh Hashanah. This is because when we say "זכרון תרועה" on Rosh Hashanah, it is as if we blew the shofar (שער הציון שם סקל''ה). It is clear from this that our mentioning the shofar confuses the Soton no less than when he hears the actual shofar blasts (see above, 16).
18. Practicing. If someone needs to practice blowing shofar, e.g., he found out at the last minute that he will need to blow shofar, the poskim agree he may do so in a closed room where he will not be heard or seen by others (מ''ב שם סקכ''ד).
19. With a posul shofar. It is likely one may blow a posul shofar on Erev Rosh Hashanah as there is no question of bal tosif, and the Soton only listens to the sound of a kosher shofar. This is especially true if we say that the tekios of Elul must be blown with a kosher shofar (מו''ר בשו''ת שבט הקהתי ח''א סי' קפ''ה). Thus, according to what we wrote (Issue 192, paragraph 14), that a shofar covered by a mask is posul and cannot be used for the chiyuv of shofar on Rosh Hashanah, one may use it on Erev Rosh Hashanah. Hence, a tip for someone practicing is to affix a mask to the shofar and then blow it until Rosh Hashanah. He must make sure to remove the mask before Rosh Hashanah; taking it off on Yom Tov—which makes it kosher—would be a problem of mesakein mana (ע''פ מ''ב סי' תקפ''ו סקל''ג).
Kiddush at Night on Shabbos-Rosh Hashanah
Shabbos and Rosh Hashanah
20. One must mention both Rosh Hashanah and Shabbos in Kiddush. If one completely omitted Rosh Hashanah, he is not yotzei and must go back and say a proper Kiddush. Also, if one completely omitted Shabbos, he must go back and say a proper Kiddush.
21. If one mentioned both Rosh Hashanah and Shabbos in Kiddush but concluded "מקדש ישראל ויום הזכרון", leaving out Shabbos, and realized his mistake toch k'dei dibur, he should say "מקדש השבת וישראל ויום הזכרון". If he realized after k'dei dibur, it is unclear whether he is yotzei, so he should not repeat it due to the rule of safeik brachos l'hakeil (באיה''ל סי' תפ''ז ד''ה מקדש, ועי' לעיל אות י''א). The best thing would be if he could be yotzei by hearing Kiddush from someone who did not yet say Kiddush.
22. Kiddush before Mussaf. In any year, one may not eat before fulfilling the mitzvah of shofar unless he is very weak, in which case he can make Kiddush and eat less than a k'beitzah of a mezonos snack on his own, not in a group. However, this year [5787/2026], when the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, making Kiddush before Mussaf is simpler, as there is no tekias shofar. Still, l'chatchilah one should also not eat a proper meal before Mussaf; one should only eat up to a k'beitzah (שו''ע סי' רפ''ו ס''ג, מ''ב סק''ח). However, if one is weak, he may eat a lot of bread or mezonos, and certainly as many fruits and vegetables as he wants, until his mind is at ease (שם).
Seudah Shelishis
23. Seudah shelishis is eaten on Shabbos but not on Yom Tov. When the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, there is a chiyuv to eat seudah shelishis because it is Shabbos. Thus, the tefillos should be shortened somewhat to allow people to eat seudah shelishis at the proper time.
24. Until minchah ketanah. L'chatchilah, one should eat seudah shelishis on Shabbos before minchah ketanah if possible so that he will eat the second night's seudah with an appetite (רמ''א סי' תקפ''ט ס''א). If one did not eat before minchah ketanah, he can eat afterward, but he should l'chatchilah make sure to eat just a small amount of bread so that he does not become full and have difficulty eating the night seudah (מ''ב שם סק''ח).
25. Until shekiyah. B'dieved one can eat seudah shelishis until shekiyah. After shekiyah, one should not eat since it could be he is already chayav to make Kiddush of the second day of Yom Tov.
26. Dividing the seudah. When the first day of Yom Tov falls on Shabbos, many people divide their afternoon seudah into two parts to fulfill the mitzvah of seudah shelishis (שערים מצויים בהלכה סי' ק''ג קונט''א סק''ג, דרכי חיים ושלום אות תקי''ח). After the first course, e.g., eggs and onions, they bentch; leave the table; say some divrei Torah; or go outside for a break for twenty minutes or so; then come back in; wash again; and finish the seudah. This is not a problem of making unnecessary brachos since it is being done to fulfill a chiyuv to eat seudah shelishis (מג''א סוף סי' רט''ו, שו''ת הרא''ש סי' כ''ב).
Havdalah on Motzei Shabbos
"Vatodi'einu"
27. When the second night of Rosh Hashanah falls on Motzei Shabbos, Havdalah in the form of "Vatodi'einu" is said in Shemoneh Esrei just like when any other Yom Tov falls on Motzei Shabbos (שו''ע סי' תצ''א ס''ב). If one forgot to say it and already said Hashem's Name with the words "ותתן לנו ה' וכו'", he should not go back to "Vatodi'einu." He should rely on his upcoming Havdalah over a cup of wine at Kiddush (מטה אפרים סי' תקצ''ט ס''ז). Although on a regular Motzei Shabbos, as long as one has not finished the brachah of Atah Chonein, he should go back to Atah Chonantanu (שו''ע סי' רצ''ד ס''ד), in our case he said Hashem's Name, and it will be in vain if he goes back (הגרשז''א שלחן שלמה יו''ט דיני קידוש והבדלה אות ז', שו''ת שבט הלוי ח''ט סי' כ''ג אות ב').
28. Someone who did not say "Vatodi'einu" in Shemoneh Esrei and women who did not say Havdalah in Shemoneh Esrei cannot do melachah that is forbidden on Shabbos, e.g., cooking, until they say "ברוך המבדיל בין קודש לקודש". It is best to say the entire text without mentioning Hashem's Name or malchus (מטה אפרים שם).
Havdalah on Motzei Shabbos Which is Yom Tov
29. When Motzei Shabbos falls on Yom Tov night [e.g., this year—5787/2026—when Rosh Hashanah is Shabbos-Sunday], Havdalah is said in Kiddush. The order is "YaKNeHaZ"—yayin [Hagafen], kiddush, neir [Borei Me'orei Ha'eish], havdalah, and zman [Shehecheyanu].
30. "המבדיל בין קודש לקודש". The brachah of Havdalah concludes "המבדיל בין קודש לקודש". If one mistakenly said "המבדיל בין קודש לחול", he is not yotzei if he did not correct himself within toch k'dei dibur and he must make Havdalah again (הגרשז''א, שלחן שלמה יו''ט דיני קו''ה אות כ''ו, שו''ת שבט הלוי ח''ח סי' קי''ח). It is unclear if he should say בורא פרי הגפן again, so he should not repeat it (שש''כ פס''ב הע' מז).
31. Other minhagim of Havdalah. We do not say a brachah on besamim in this Havdalah (מ''ב סי' תע''ג סק''ג). Also, we do not spill some wine out of the Kiddush cup as is customarily done at Havdalah for a siman brachah (רמ''א סי' רצ''ו ס''א). This is because it is disrespectful to Yom Tov to worry about earning income, which is forbidden on Yom Tov (הגרשז''א, שש''כ פס''ב סט''ו).
32. Although women do not drink from the Havdalah wine on Motzei Shabbos, they drink the Kiddush wine even though it is also the Havdalah wine.
33. Forgot Havdalah. If one forgot Havdalah in Kiddush, as soon as he remembers he must stop his seudah and make Havdalah on a cup of wine with Borei Me'orei Ha'eish and Hamavdil. He should not say Hagafen if he is still in the middle of his seudah. If one only remembers the next day, he should make Havdalah then on a cup of wine without the brachah of Borei Meorei Ha'eish (שש''כ שם סי' ט').
Havdalah Candle
34. One candle. Every Motzei Shabbos, Borei Me'orei Ha'eish is said on a braided candle, i.e., one with two or more wicks (שו''ע סי' רח''צ ס''ב). If it falls on Yom Tov, when the candle cannot be extinguished, many people say the brachah on one of the candles they lit for Yom Tov since strictly speaking, one may say the brachah on a candle with one wick every Motzei Shabbos (שם).
35. Two candles together. Many people take two of the candles they lit for Yom Tov and bring them together so that the two flames join and become one (אלף המגן מט''א סי' ת''ר סק''ג, ארחות רבינו ח''ב עמ' קי''א). If possible, one should make sure the candles themselves don't touch out of concern for the issur of memacheik with the wax; just the flames should touch (הגריש''א, הגש''פ, יו''ט שני כהלכתו פ''א סי''ד).
36. However, some poskim question this on the grounds that separating the candles and flames might be a problem of extinguishing, which is forbidden on Yom Tov. They prefer following the basic halachah and saying the brachah on a single candle.
37. Yaknehaz candle. In many places nowadays, one can buy a "Yaknehaz candle," i.e., a tea light with two wicks that goes out on its own after several minutes. With this, one can do Havdalah in the best way, with a multi-wick flame ["אבוקה"/torch]. L'chatchilah, the two wicks should come out of two holes so that some wax separates the two wicks (מ''ב סי' רח''צ סק''ח). B'dieved, though, if they come out of the same hole (ערוה''ש סק''ב), one should make sure the two wicks are separate and facing different directions to be considered "a torch" [see image]. [One can make this by taking a tea light, adding a hole with a thick needle, and inserting another wick into the new hole.]
38. Braided yaknehaz. There are also Yaknehaz candles made from braided wax. These are preferable since they consist of two wax-coated wicks braided together.
39. However, some also question this practice. They say since we do not derive benefit from the bigger flame, as we have electric lighting, it is considered burning something unnecessarily. This is similar to the machlokes about lighting a yahrzeit candle on Yom Tov (יו''ט שני כהלכתו). Nevertheless, one who does this and leaves the candle lit on the table until it goes out has basis to rely on.
