Before Rosh Hashanah:
1. Selichos (special supplication prayers) - according to the Ashkenazic custom - are recited beginning on the Sunday before Rosh Hashanah and continue until Yom Kippur. The first day, it is recited after halachic midnight. Each day after, it is recited before morning prayers. (Sephardim begin Selichot on rosh chodesh Elul)
2. Since Selichos are said early in the morning, take care not to say the blessing on the tallis until the proper time.
3. The Ashkenazic custom is to sound the shofar every morning after prayers from the 2nd day of Rosh Chodesh Elul until the day before Rosh Hashana to arouse our hearts to teshuva.
4. It is customary to recite “LeDavid HaShem Ori” (Psalm 27) until Shemini Atzeret. (after Maariv & Shacharit).
5. Because of a halachic question pertaining to the Shehechiyanu blessing, make sure to buy a new fruit for the
The Day Before (Erev) Rosh Hashanah:
1. It is customary [but not mandatory] to fast until halachik midday.
2. At the morning service: Additional Selichos, no Tachanun, no blowing of shofar….and….
3. One should nullify his/her vows before 3 people in a language that you understand (Artscroll Siddur, pg. 762)
(Married women rely on their husbands nullification. Other women rely on the Kol Nidrei ceremony)
4. It is customary to visit the cemetery (ie. the graves of parents, grandparents, etc.)
5. One should preferably take a shave and get a haircut before Halachik noon.
6. Men should immerse in the Mikveh no earlier than one hour before Halachik noon.
7. One should take some time to familiarize oneself with the Machzor.
8. One should wear festive clothing, but in moderation. Save new clothing for the second night of Yom Tov.
9. It is customary to bake or purchase Challah in the form of a circle, ladder, or bird.
10. Men should daven Minchah with a Minyan and with extra concentration, as it is the final prayer of the year.
Setting Up on Yom Tov:
1. One is permitted to cook or bake from a pre-existing fire. It is therefore practical to light a 24 hour “Yahrtzeit” candle before Yom Tov, so that you will have a pre-existing flame to use throughout the first day of Yom Tov (including lighting candles from on the second night). Since the second day of Yom Tov is sometimes followed by Shabbos, which also requires candle lighting, it is advisable to light a 48 hour Yahrtzeit candle. Alternatively, you can light a new 24 hour Yahrzeit candle on Thursday night from a pre-existing flame.
2. For more details on how to cook or bake on Yom Tov, refer to accompanying notes or contact your rabbi.
3. If Shabbos falls immediately after Rosh Hashanah, remember to make an Eruv Tavshilin before Yom Tov in order to be able to cook on Yom Tov for the Shabbos which immediately follows. See Artscroll Siddur pg. 654.
First Evening of Rosh Hashanah:
1. Women light candles from a pre-existing flame when the men come home from Shul and are ready to eat (others light at the regular candle lighting time). [If a woman forgets to light at these times, she may light them from a pre-existing flame the entire evening.]
2. They make 2 blessings: for the Mitzvah of lighting the Yom Tov candles and the other “Shehechiyanu” blessing.
3. 4 insertions are made in the Maariv Amidah [and all Amidahs until Yom Kippur], which are found in the Artscroll Machzor on pages 62, 64, 66, and 72. One must repeat the Amidah if one forgot to insert “Hamelech Hakadosh.”
4. Special greetings are given to friends and family members after Maariv: “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year [immediately, for a good life and for peace].”(See Artscroll Machzor pg. 90 for the Hebrew text)
This greeting should only be said on the first night. Greetings for the remainder of Rosh Hashanah should be limited to “Gmar Chasima Tov” (May there be a favorable conclusion) or “Shana Tova” or “Good Yom Tov.”
5. After making the special Yom Tov Kiddush and washing our hands, we make a Brocha over two Challahs,
and cut the top Challah. (The earliest time to light candles or make Kiddush this year is after 6:15 pm)
6. Challah is dipped in honey [some have the custom to dip the Challah into salt as well - we don’t].
7. Symbolic foods are eaten at the evening meal (See Artscroll Machzor pg. 96-98 & accompanying page).
8. If one is unable to eat the symbolic foods, one may look at them and say the special “Yehi Ratzon” prayer.
9. Some have a custom to avoid eating sour or bitter foods and nuts.
10. Remember to make the proper insertions during the Birchas Hamazon.
11. It is a custom to learn one chapter of Mishnahs from Tractate Rosh Hashanah after each of the meals.
First Day of Rosh Hashanah:
1. Men should come on time to Shul and say the Amidah with a Minyan.
2. One should hear 100 blasts of the Shofar on both days of Rosh Hashanah (except if it falls on Shabbat).
30 are blown before Mussaf. 30 are blown during the repetition. 40 are blown at the end of the service.
3. 2 blessings are recited, the community listens, responding “amen” (don’t say "Baruch hu uvaruch sh'mo”)
4. One should stand during the recitation of the blessings and for all of the shofar blasts.
5. Women are technically exempt from hearing the Shofar; however, women should hear at least 30 blasts.
6. Children, who are old enough to silently listen to the Shofar, should be encouraged to do so. Little children,
who will disturb the service, may not be brought to Shofar blowing.
7. It is forbidden to talk from the time that the blessings on the Shofar are made until after hearing the 100th and final note. Only under extenuating circumstances may one talk after hearing the first 30 blasts.
Rosh Hashanah Afternoon:
1. One is obligated to eat Challah and have a meal on both days of Rosh Hashanah.
2. One should not sleep in the afternoon. [One may be lenient on the second day.]
3. It is not the custom to be idle in the afternoon (ie. hanging out with friends). Any free time in the afternoon should be spent learning Torah or doing Teshuvah or doing acts of kindness. It is not a time for idle chatter.
4. After Minchah, it is customary to go to Tashlich, preferably at a body of running water [i.e. a river or stream] where fish are found. If that is not possible, one can say it by any body of water – even a well.
5. When reciting the word “Vesashlich”, it is customary to shake out the corners or pockets of your outer garments.
6. It is forbidden to throw any crumbs of food into the water or to feed the ducks.
Second Evening of Rosh Hashanah:
1. One may not make any preparations for the 2nd night, light candles, or make Kiddush until after nightfall.
2. Candle lighting and Kiddush are done in the same way as on the first night.
3. One should wear a new garment for candle lighting / the second evening meal. It is questionable as to
whether one can make a “Shehechiyanu” blessing on any fruits. The only fruit that one, who lives in
4. Some people have the custom to eat the symbolic foods and recite the special prayers at this meal as well.
Second Day of Rosh Hashanah:
1. The procedures for this day are the same as the first day. The exception being that we do not go to Tashlich
again. If it rained on the first day or you were not able to go to Tashlich [or the first day was Shabbos], you
should do so on the second day. [If one does not have the opportunity to go to Tashlich on both days of
Yom Tov, you are permitted to do it until the seventh day of Succos – Hoshana Rabbah.]
2. If you have made an Eruv Tavshilin on Wednesday, you may make Shabbos preparations on Friday.
3. If Rosh Hashanah ends on Friday afternoon, we do not make Havdalah. (During the Prayer of “Magen Avos” we substitute with the words “Hamelech Hakadosh.”)
4. At Havdala after Rosh Hashanah one recites only the blessing over the wine and the final blessing.
5. The next day, (3rd of Tishrei) is the Fast of Gedalia – a minor fast, from morning until evening.
6. During these ten days (between the holidays) one should give charity generously and search his deeds in order to repent by Yom Kippur. The Sabbath before Yom Kippur is called Shabbat Shuva and the Haftara is Shuva Yisrael (Hoshea 14). It is customary for the rav to give a sermon to arouse the community to teshuva.
Structure of The Shmoneh Esrei
| Maariv - Shachris - Mincha | Silent Mussag (pgs. 448-468) | Chazzan's Mussaf Day 1: pgs. 470-534; Day 2: pgs. 536-582 |
| 3 blessings of praise (including extended sanctification of G-d’s name) | 3 blessings of praise (including extended sanctification of G-d’s name) | 3 blessings of praise (including kedusha) |
| 1 blessing of sanctifying Rosh Hashanah | Intro sanctifying Rosh Hashanah | Intro sanctifying Rosh Hashanah |
| 1 bracha of Malchuyos – contains ten verses about God's sovereignty | 1 bracha of Malchuyos (bowing during Aleinu) + 2nd shofar blowing | |
| 1 bracha of Zichronos – contains ten verses about God's remembrance of man | 1 bracha of Zichronos + 3rd shofar blowing | |
| 1 bracha of Shofros – contains ten verses relating to the sounding of the shofar | 1 bracha of Shofros + 4th shofar blowing | |
| 3 concluding blessings (as usual) | 3 concluding blessings (as usual) | 3 concluding blessings (as usual) |
Rosh Hashanah: Yehi Ratzon – Symbolic Foods Text and Instructions
All of the Yehi Ratzons start out the same way:
"Yehi Ratzon Mil'fa'necha, Ad-noi El-heinu Vei'l-hai Avosainu..."
(The "-" represents the letter "o," which was purposely left out so as not to write out the name of G-d.)
"May it be your will, Hashem our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers..."
Listed below are the various foods and the endings, which are appropriate to them:
For dates: "...She'yitamu son'ainu."
(“tamarim”) "...that our enemies be consumed."
For pomegranate: "...she'nirbeh ze'chu'yos k'rimon"
"...that our merits increase like (the seeds of) a pomegranate."
For the apple in the honey: "...she'tichadesh aleinu shana tova u'm'tuka."
"...that you renew us for a good and sweet year."
Some recite the “Borei Bri Ha’adamah” on this vegetable, keeping in mind all the other vegetables to be eaten.
For gourd: "...She'yikora g'zar de'nainu v'yikaru l'fanecha zechu'yosainu."
(“kara”) "...that the decree of our sentence be torn up and may our merits be proclaimed before you."
For fenugreek (or carrots - as the Yiddish word for carrots - Mehren - can also mean "to increase,")
(“rubia”/black-eyed peas) "...She'yir'bu ze'chuyo'sainu."
"...that our merits increase."
For leek or cabbage: "...She'yikar'su son'ainu."
(“karti”) "...that our enemies be decimated."
For beets: "...She'yistalku oy'vainu."
(“silka”) "...that our adversaries be removed."
For fish: "...She'nif'reh v'nir'beh ki'dagim."
"...that we be fruitful and multiply like fish."
For the head of a fish/sheep: "...She'ni'hiyeh l'rosh v'lo l'zanav."
“...that we be as the head and not as the tail."
All of these Yehi Ratzons are said on the first night of Rosh Hashanah, after Kiddush has been made, after the
blessing over the Challos (breads) has been made and the bread has been eaten. (There are those who have the
custom to eat these foods and recite the Yehi Ratzon on the second night as well.) After the bread has been eaten,
one should take the date, make the blessing that one would normally make on fruit [“Borei Pri Ha’etz’], and then
take a bite of the date. Before one has eaten the whole date, one should recite the Yehi Ratzon. After the date, one
can then have all, none, or some of the other foods.
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