ראש השנה
תענית ערב ראש השנה
Fasting on erev rosh hashana
1. The minhag is to fast on erev rosh hashana for at least part of the day.
Those who fast until plag hamincha should daven mincha before plag hamincha (so they can say anenu), and should say anenu skipping the words 'b'yom tzom ta'aniseinu' (only said if fasting the whole day).
Those who fast until mincha gedola should daven mincha soon after mincha gedola, and only then break their fast. When davening mincha they should say anenu skipping the words 'b'yom tzom ta'aniseinu'.
There are also those who fast just until chatzos midday.
Sefardim fast the whole day (see nr 3-7).
2. On this fast one can wash out their mouth being careful not to swallow water.
3. If a seudas mitzvah falls on this day, one doesn't fast.
A seudas mitzvah is by a bris, pidyon haben, and some are lenient to also say a siyum on a masechta.
4. By a siyum, even if you don't eat by the siyum, as long as you heard the actual siyum (finishing of the masechta) you are exempt from fasting.
5. If one doesn't hear the actual siyum, but they partake of the siyum food during the seuda, one doesn't need to fast.
6. One who doesn't join the siyum, but gets sent food from the siyum, this doesn't exempt them from fasting.
7. One who finds it difficult to fast does not need to fast. This includes all women.
אמירתתחנון
Saying tachanun
8. We only say tachanun on erev rosh hashana, during slichos.
תקיעת שופר בער"ה
Tekias shofar on erev Rosh hashana
9. We don't blow shofar on erev rosh hashana (even in shacharis). Someone who wants to practice blowing shofar in preparation for Rosh hashana may do so in a closed room.
התרת נדרים
Hatoras nedarim
10. The minhag is to do hataras nedarim (nullifying vows) on erev Rosh hashana.
11. The set text of hataras nedarim does not nullify vows which one remembers making. If one has vows that they remember making, then the three people helping them nullify the vows should be people who are learned in nullifying vows. He must mention the vows to at least one of these three people, who will then see if they can help him to nullify them (because some vows can't be nullified.)
12. There are those who are careful not to do hataras nedorim in front of an even number of people (like a real beis din must have an odd number of judges so there could be a majority opinion.)
13. The three people who help nullify ones vows can be related to each other and can be their relatives. eg, a father and his three sons. But, a husband can't be this for his wife.
14. When doing hataras nedarim one should stand, and the three people helping nullify should sit.
If one forgets to do this, his hataras nedarim is still valid.
15. One cannot do hataras nedarim through a messenger or through the phone (even if there are 3 people on the other side of the line). But, a husband can do hataras nedarim for his wife's vows on her behalf. He can do this whilst doing hataras nedorim for himself, by saying "my wife's nedorim are also included". The 3 people should answer in plural- 'mutarim lachem' instead of 'mutar lach'.
Mitzvos that one did more than three times but never said 'I have taken this on as a neder', can be nullified over the phone.
16. Women may go to hataras nedarim which is set up, but they shouldn't actively bring three men together.
17. A woman who doesn't fully remember any nedarim does not need to do hataras nedarim.
18. Women (and men) should say the 'mesiras moda'ah'- a decleration in which one says that any kind of vow, oath, or good practice taken on this coming year are all 'bli neder'- taken on without a vow.
This is found in the beginning of the machzor, under 'netaras nedarim', and starts with the words:
"הרי אני מוסר מודעה לפניכם.."
It's best to say this in front of three people (so is usually done by 'netaras nedarim', and a girl can say it before three girls), but can also be said by oneself at home.
19. One can rely on saying 'kol nidrei' instead of saying the 'mesiras moda'ah', if she has in mind that she's making this declaration during kol nidrei.
20. One can't say the 'mesiras moda'ah' on behalf of someone else (not even his children), but a husband can have his wife in mind.
21. When doing hatoras nedarim, the three people helping nullify should be boys/men over bar mitzvah.
If one has real nedarim (he said clearly that he is taking on a neder), then bar mitzvah boys are too young, and they should go to someone older (definitely a gadol according to halachah).
22. One must understand what they are saying when saying hataras nedarim. This short version is enough, and could be said in English.
"I am regretful for all the vows and oaths and any good practices which I took on without saying 'bli neder'(I am not promising), and if I would have known that I would regret it, I would not have taken on these vows, oaths, and good practices without saying 'bli neder', and I ask that you should annul them all from me."
The three people should answer "mutar lach"(-It's permitted for you)
Then you should say the mesiras moda'ah.
הדלקת נרות
Candle lighting
23. It's a mitzvah to light candles for yom tov. We light just before yom tov comes in (besides those who have the minhag to light just before the meal).
24. Some women have the minhag to say 'shehechiyanu' when lighting. Others say/ hear it by Kiddush. Those who don’t have a minhag should say it by Kiddush.
Women who say 'shehechiyanu' when lighting can say 'amen' to the 'shehechiyanu' said at Kiddush, even if they are drinking from the Kiddush. (It's not considered a break to say the 'amen' to the 'shehechiyanu' between the hagofen and drinking, even though they have already said 'shehechiyanu' so are therefore not included in the bracha here.)
דינים ומנהגים בסעודות ראש השנה
Laws and minhagim at the Rosh hashana meal
25. When dipping the challah in honey, some dip the challah both in honey and in salt (on either sides of the challah), and some just dip the challah in honey, making sure to have salt on the table.
26. On Rosh Hashana one should not eat sour foods (i.e. foods in vinegar (like pickles) and food with lemon juice, with a recognizable taste.)
Hot spicy foods may be eaten.
27. We do not eat walnuts on Rosh Hashana. Some are lenient to eat these nuts if they are ground and not recognizable. eg, in a cake.
Included in this halachah are some other nuts: Pecans, pistachios, almonds, pine nuts, and sunflower seeds. Chestnuts are not considered nuts.
28. Some say not to eat grapes on Rosh Hashana.
29. We eat the Rosh Hashana simanim on the first night of yom tov. Some have the minhag to do so also on the second night, and some also during the day meals.
30. Before preparing the simanim, one should make sure they are bug free.
31. One who is wary of the kashrus of the simanim should say the 'yehi ratzon's and just look at the simanim.
32. When eating the simanim, the ha'etz should be said on the date, rather than on the other ha'etz foods.
According to the Shulchan aruch and Gemara, besides for the ha'etz on the date, the rest of the simanim can be eaten in any order.
According to the Kaf HaChaim, after the date a ha'adama should be made, and then the order is beets (silka), leek (karti), dates (tamar), gourd (kra), black-eyed peas (roubia), pomegranate (rimon), head of sheep/fish, and apple in honey.
33. The simanim are eaten during the meal (after hamotzi). There are those who eat them between Kiddush and hamotzi, but it's preferable to eat them after hamotzi.
34. There are some simanim which are ha'adama, and since it's difficult to know having said hamotzi, it's best to say ha'adama on something which definitely needs a ha'adamah during the meal. eg, a banana.
'יעלהויבוא'
Laws and minhagim at the Rosh hashana meal
25. When dipping the challah in honey, some dip the challah both in honey and in salt (on either sides of the challah), and some just dip the challah in honey, making sure to have salt on the table.
26. On Rosh Hashana one should not eat sour foods (i.e. foods in vinegar (like pickles) and food with lemon juice, with a recognizable taste.)
Hot spicy foods may be eaten.
27. We do not eat walnuts on Rosh Hashana. Some are lenient to eat these nuts if they are ground and not recognizable. eg, in a cake.
Included in this halachah are some other nuts: Pecans, pistachios, almonds, pine nuts, and sunflower seeds. Chestnuts are not considered nuts.
28. Some say not to eat grapes on Rosh Hashana.
29. We eat the Rosh Hashana simanim on the first night of yom tov. Some have the minhag to do so also on the second night, and some also during the day meals.
30. Before preparing the simanim, one should make sure they are bug free.
31. One who is wary of the kashrus of the simanim should say the 'yehi ratzon's and just look at the simanim.
32. When eating the simanim, the ha'etz should be said on the date, rather than on the other ha'etz foods.
According to the Shulchan aruch and Gemara, besides for the ha'etz on the date, the rest of the simanim can be eaten in any order.
According to the Kaf HaChaim, after the date a ha'adama should be made, and then the order is beets (silka), leek (karti), dates (tamar), gourd (kra), black-eyed peas (roubia), pomegranate (rimon), head of sheep/fish, and apple in honey.
33. The simanim are eaten during the meal (after hamotzi). There are those who eat them between Kiddush and hamotzi, but it's preferable to eat them after hamotzi.
34. There are some simanim which are ha'adama, and since it's difficult to know having said hamotzi, it's best to say ha'adama on something which definitely needs a ha'adamah during the meal. eg, a banana.
אכילה בר"ה לפני תקיעת שופר
Eating on Rosh Hashana before tekias shofer
38. On Rosh Hashana it's permitted to lengthen the davening until after chatzos even if it means not eating until after chatzos.
39. One shouldn't eat a proper meal before tekias shofer. A bit of food may be eaten (if one feels weak).
40. A kebeitza (about 50cm3) of bread or baked goods should not be eaten before tekias shofer.
A kebeitza of alcohol shouldn't be drunk before tekias shofer.
41. All other foods or drinks may be had in quantity.
42. One should make Kiddush before eating.
If wine (something alcoholic) is being used for kiddush, only just over half the revi'is should be drank. (A revi'is is 1.5 x a kabeitza.)
(Someone drunk is not allowed to daven.)
43. If someone drank a full revi'is of wine for Kiddush before davening, it's a question to whether he can daven still, but it's permitted.
44. There is no limit to grape juice being had over Kiddush.
45. When making Kiddush, the mezonos should be covered (according to the Chayei Adam and Kitzer shulchan aruch). There are those who are lenient.
46. There are those who are stringent and make Kiddush again after mussaf (because there is an opinion that the obligation of Kiddush is only from after mussaf.)
47. It is best to stand for the whole chazoras hashatz (repetition of the shemona esrai). Those who are weak do not need to stand. Those who feel like they can stand for part of it, should stand for the main brochos of shemona esrai, and if they can, also when the aron hakodesh is open.
דיני תקיעת שופר
Hearing the shofar
48. One must hear all the shofar blasts.
49. One should have in mind to fulfill their obligation of hearing the shofar according to the intentions of the baal tokea and the one reading to him, because if one has in mind that he is hearing the shofar from one set of blasts, and the baal tokea is blowing for a different set, it's not clear that he is yotzei.
50. Since it's a machlokes whether the first 30 shofar blasts are an obligation from the Torah, or another set of 30, when hearing shofar one should have in mind that he is yotzei according to what's really the Torah obligation.
51. Women are exempt from the obligation of hearing shofar because it's a time bound mitzvah. But the minhag is that the women also hear shofar.
52. If a baal tokea blows shofar for women, if he has already been yotzei blowing then the women should say the bracha for themselves, or one woman should say the bracha aloud for everyone.
53. One who doesn't hear the bracha before the first thirty shofar blasts should say the bracha for themselves before the second set of shofar blasts. Such a person still says 'hayom haras olam' and 'arehes sefoseinu' between- it's not a hefsek.
54. One mustn't talk from when we start the shofar blowing until after mussaf (because the bracha on the shofar blowing covers all the sets of blasts.) One can say 'asher yatzer'.
דיניהכנהמיו"טראשוןשלראשהשנהליו"טשנישלר"ה
Preparing for yom tov sheni on the first day of yom tov.
55. On the first day of yom tov one can only start preparing for the second day of yom tov from tzeis hakochavim.
This preparation includes any melacha or effort. I.e. cooking, heating up the food, taking food out the freezer, and setting the table.
56. In a time of great necessity, preparation for yom tov which does not include melachos can be done, eg, taking food out the freezer, but should be done early enough that the work done could be benefitted from on the first day of yom tov.
הדלקת נרות ביום שני של ראש השנה
Candle lighting for yom tov sheni
57. On yom tov sheni we light only after tzeis hakochavim.
58. When preparing the candles to light, it's best to remove the previously used wicks with a shinui- a change. eg, with some cutlery.
59. Those who have the minhag to say shehechiyanu by hadlakas neiros should have in mind any new fruit and clothes they have.
Those who are lighting long before they will eat the new fruit, and they don't have new clothes should not say shehechiyanu by hadlakas neiros (and instead be yotzei by Kiddush).
In this case, one who does say shehechiyanu by hadlakas neiros has who to rely on, but it's better if they have a new fruit next to them
When saying shehechiyanu by Kiddush, one should put a new fruit on the table and have it in mind by the shehechiyanu.
If one does not have a new fruit, they should still say shehechiyanu by Kiddush.