{"id":655,"date":"2012-09-15T22:42:18","date_gmt":"2012-09-15T20:42:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shaareihoraah.org\/wordpress\/?p=655"},"modified":"2012-09-15T22:42:36","modified_gmt":"2012-09-15T20:42:36","slug":"simanim-of-rosh-hashana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shaareihoraah.org\/?p=655","title":{"rendered":"Simanim of Rosh HaShana"},"content":{"rendered":"

After mentioning a number of methods one can employ on the night of Rosh\u00a0HaShana<\/em> to determine if one is destined to survive the year, Abaye<\/strong> declares in the Gemara<\/strong> Kerisus<\/em>\u00a06a \u201cNow that we have determined that Simana\u00a0Milsa<\/em> (symbolism is significant), one should accustom himself to eat on Rosh<\/em> HaShana<\/em>: gourds, black-eyed peas, leeks beets and dates\u201d. Rashi<\/strong> there explains that all of these items are either sweet or grow quickly. The Tur<\/strong> in Orach Chaim<\/em>\u00a0583 includes an esrog into the text of the Gemara<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Tur<\/strong> continues that over the years various Minhagim<\/em> developed to eat many more foods than the ones mentioned in the Gemara<\/strong>, including the famous apple in honey. Additionally, he describes the different proclamations that were recited over each of these items.<\/p>\n

I would like to address various issues in Halacha<\/em> that arise from these customs.<\/p>\n

Some of these items could potentially be infested with insects. Clearly, the serious prohibitions against consuming bugs outweigh the Minhag<\/em> of the Simanim<\/em> and the infested object must either be checked and cleaned properly or not eaten. If one does not wish to miss out on one of the Simanim<\/em> despite its infestation; it is adequate to place it on the table and gaze at it. In fact, the Beis\u00a0Yosef<\/strong> writes that his edition of the aforementioned Gemara<\/strong> directs one to look at these foods and not to eat them at all. \u00a0I have attached a number of guides on the subject. checking simanim-Rav\u00a0Vaye<\/a>, checking simanim-Rav\u00a0Revach<\/a>, checking simanim-Rav\u00a0Amichai<\/a>, checking simanim-kosharot<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There are various Minhagim<\/em> whether the Simanim<\/em> are eaten both nights or only the first.<\/p>\n

The appropriate time to eat the Simanim<\/em> is after Kiddush<\/em> and HaMotzi<\/em>, although some have the Minhag<\/em> to eat them between Kiddush<\/em> and HaMotzi<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Even assuming one is following the more common Minhag<\/em> of eating the Simanim<\/em> after HaMotzi<\/em>, though HaMotzi<\/em> generally covers all of the components of a meal, nevertheless, the Mishna Berura<\/strong> writes that HaEtz<\/em> must be said over the Simanim<\/em> which are fruit.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There are numerous complicated considerations regarding which object is ideal to recite the Beracha<\/em> upon. It should be observed that it is a misunderstanding to describe the issue is the order of eating the fruit. Rather, the consideration is that we wish to honor the Beracha<\/em> by reciting it over the most important item. There is absolutely no difference what is eaten second, third etc.<\/p>\n

The basic Halacha<\/em> is that the first degree of priority is granted to the 7 species characteristic to Eretz<\/em> Yisroel<\/em>. These are, in this specific order: wheat, olives, barley, dates, grapes, figs, pomegranates. Since the first three are not traditionally from among the Simanim<\/em> of Rosh\u00a0HaShana<\/em>, the Beracha<\/em> should be recited upon a date, and it should be eaten first. There are those who eat the apple first (which probably originated because that was the only <\/strong>one available in most of Europe). Some Seforim<\/em> justify this Minhag<\/em> as relying on the opinions in Siman<\/em> 211 that Chaviv<\/em> (the personally preferred item) takes precedence over the 7 species. One who follows this custom should not bring the dates and pomegranates to the table until after reciting Borei\u00a0Pri\u00a0HaEtz<\/em>\u00a0to avoid the issue of going out of order.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There are various opinions whether the Simanim<\/em> which are vegetables require a separate Beracha<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The general rule is that any food which is consumed as part of the meal is covered in the Beracha<\/em> of HaMotzi<\/em>, while something which is independent requires its own Bracha<\/em>. This precept should render the Simanim<\/em> obligated in a Beracha<\/em> since their significance is not merely that of another course. Nevertheless, some authorities write that since they are foods which are commonly consumed as part of a meal, we should follow their general usage and not their specific purpose tonight. This largely depends upon regional and cultural considerations.<\/p>\n

The common custom is to recite a Beracha<\/em> of Borei\u00a0Pri\u00a0HaAdama<\/em>. Some suggest that this debate can be avoided by reciting the Beracha<\/em> over a banana, watermelon, etc., which are unquestionably independent of the general meal.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

While it is preferable to recite the Yehi\u00a0Ratzon<\/em> immediately prior to eating the Siman<\/em>, when it comes to the ones one is saying a Beracha<\/em> upon this is impossible. It is forbidden to interrupt between the Beracha<\/em> and the consumption of the food; consequently, the Yehi\u00a0Ratzon<\/em> should be said immediately after swallowing a small amount of the food or before the Beracha<\/em>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There are many different Minhagim<\/em> regarding which Simanim<\/em> are eaten, and each individual should follow his custom.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There are various Minhagim<\/em> regarding the placement of the Shehechiyanu<\/em> the second night of Rosh<\/em> HaShana<\/em> due to conflicting considerations.<\/p>\n

The reason we eat a new fruit is because some authorities question the propriety of reciting Shehechiyanu<\/em> again the second night on the Yom\u00a0Tov<\/em> itself. To cover ourselves, we ensure that we have a food which requires the same Beracha<\/em> in which case we are obligated to say Shehechiyanu<\/em> anyways, and can include the sanctity of the day itself if necessary.<\/p>\n

Therefore, it is ideal to eat the new fruit immediately following Kiddush<\/em> before washing for HaMotzi<\/em>. Otherwise, if there is a significant delay, it is inconceivable that the Shehechiyanu<\/em> in Kiddush<\/em> would cover the new fruit, and we have failed to satisfy the opinions that Shehechiyanu<\/em> did not need to be recited.<\/p>\n

However, this can create complications regarding their Beracha\u00a0Acharona<\/em>. If one ate more than a Kezayis<\/em> sized piece and does not eat more of the same food after HaMotzi<\/em>, he is obligated to recite a Beracha\u00a0Acharona<\/em> before washing.<\/p>\n

One alternative is that everyone may remain silent from Kiddush<\/em> until after HaMotzi<\/em> and eating the new fruit with its Borei\u00a0Pri\u00a0HaEtz<\/em>. I suggest that it is impractical to keep the entire family quiet so long, and the fruit should be eaten before HaMotzi<\/em>. We can avoid the complications incurred by either eating less than a Kezayis<\/em> or remembering to have more of this fruit during the meal<\/p>\n

The second night when the new fruit is being eaten shortly after HaMotzi<\/em> to cover the Shehechiyanu<\/em> and one intends to consume the Simanim<\/em> again, the requirement to avoid delay trumps the precedence endowed to the 7 species, and we recite Borei\u00a0Pri\u00a0HaEtz<\/em> on the new fruit. Some people leave the pomegranate for the second night to avoid this issue. If one is eating the new fruit before HaMotzi<\/em> and the Simanim<\/em> only after, since the time of the 7 species has not yet arrived there is no conflict. Of course, Borei\u00a0Pri\u00a0HaEtz<\/em> is NOT recited a second time on the date, as the HaEtz<\/em> on the new fruit covers it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After mentioning a number of methods one can employ on the night of Rosh\u00a0HaShana to determine if one is destined to survive the year, Abaye declares in the Gemara Kerisus\u00a06a \u201cNow that we have determined that Simana\u00a0Milsa (symbolism is significant), … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","hentry","category-halacha-berachos","category-yamim-noraim","post_format-post-format-gallery"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2z7Yb-az","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shaareihoraah.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/655","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shaareihoraah.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shaareihoraah.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shaareihoraah.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shaareihoraah.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=655"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/shaareihoraah.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/655\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shaareihoraah.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=655"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shaareihoraah.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=655"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shaareihoraah.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}