Rosh Hashana
Halachic Digest 5787
An Overview Of The Laws Rosh Hashana
Compiled by Rabbi Yoseph Vigler & Rabbi Mendel Zirkind
לעילוי נשמת הרב יצחק בן הרב אליעזר צבי זאב ע"ה צירקינד
1) The days of Elul, through Yom Kippur are days of compassion and good will, and an opportune time for Teshuva. The King is in the field, allowing all to approach Him, and be greeted by His smiling face.
2) We account for our deeds the past year, strengthening our good qualities and fixing our deficiencies.
3) It is customary to check Tefillin and Mezuzos in Elul, and to increase in Torah, Tefillah, and Tzedaka.
4) We blow the Shofar every day after שחרית, except Shabbos and ערב ראש השנה.
5) We increase Tehillim - the Baal Shem Tov instituted to add 3 Kapitlach daily from Rosh Chodesh Elul (completing the remaining 36 kapitlach on Yom Kippur).
7) We wish each other (verbally and in writing a כתיבה וחתימה טובה לשנה טובה ומתוקה.
Shabbos Mevorchim – פרשת ניצבים וילך
We do not bentch the Chodesh.
On this Shabbos Hashem Himself bentches the seventh month, satiated with goodness for the entire year. With this ko'ach , Yidden bentch chodesh the next 11 months - The Baal Shem Tov.
We read the Haftorah שוש א שיש .
We say אב הרחמים before Mussaf.
By Mincha we say צדקתך צדק.
After Mincha we say the last two chapters of פרקי אבות .
We do say " ויהי נועם – ואתה קדוש " on Motzei Shabbos since there is no Yom Tov during the week.
Ashkenazim begin saying Slichos at least 4 days before Rosh Hashanah, like a קרבן that needs to be examined 4 days before being offered on the Mizbeach. Rosh Hashana we are like a קרבן .
The prevailing custom is to start early Sunday morning when still night, since some of the Slichos mention the night e.g. בזעקתם בעוד ליל" "רצה עתירתם בעמדם בלילות"
In some communities Slichos are said every day after midnight,
Slichos should preferably not to be said before midnight 12:54 am though some rely on opinions that Slichos can be recited at the beginning of the second third of the night ie 2 hours before midnight, as this is also an עת רצון.
If Slichos are recited on מוצאי שבת before חצות, some say to omit אשמנו. ,
A. If Slichos are recited before midnight, we don't fall during tachnun.
B. If Slichos are recited after midnight, but before daybreak, some fall if it's close to daylight, while others wait to do נפילת אפים until daylight.
C. Some don’t fall for Tachnun at all during slichos.
One who slept and begins slichos after midnight, should recite ברכת התורה beforehand.
The chazan wears a Tallis, but if it is not yet עלות השחר he doesn’t make a brocho.
If he continues until after it gets light, he should touch his Tzitzis and make the brocho then.
Before עלות השחר it's best that he borrows a Tallis, to avoid the shaila of a brocho.
If he has no Tallis, Slichos, including י"ג מדות, are still said.
The first kaddish can only be said if there was a minyan for אשרי. Otherwise, kaddish is skipped.
If the Minyan left early, the final קדיש can still be said as long as there remained six men.
It is proper to stand for Slichos. If you’re weak, at least try stand for אשמנו, י"ג מדות, שמע קולנו.
It is best to say Slichos with a minyan. If there is no minyan, some omit י"ג מדות. Others sing it in the tune of laining.
The Aramaic paragraphs מחי ומסי and מרן דבשמיא, are only said with a minyan.
Erev Shabbos Kodesh, Erev Rosh Hashanah
One should daven early on Erev Rosh Hashana as Slichos are long and Hataras Nedarim takes time
Except during Slichos, Tachanun is not said (because this tachnun is part of Slichos. Since Slichos were originally always said before Alos, you say Tachnun in Slichos even if you say it later)
The Shofar is not blown to (a) differentiate between the Tekios of Elul which are a minhag and the Tekios of Rosh Hashana which are d’Oraisa. (b) to confuse the Satan as to when is Rosh Hashana. We do not blow shofar even at home. If the Baal Toke’ah must practice, he can blow in a closed room.
Additional Tzedaka is given specifically to assist those in need with the necessities of Yom Tov.
There is a minhag to visit kivrei tzaddikim.
Some fast on Erev Rosh Hashana till Chatzos or a little later.
One should preferably refrain from eating a meal once the tenth Halachic hour of the day begins. This applies every erev Shabbos or Yom Tov, in order to properly enjoy the Seudah at night. Snacking in small quantities is fine.
We don’t cook with sour food for Rosh Hashana (e.g. vinegar, lemon juice). Some refrain through Simchas Torah. Refrain from bitter food too (e.g. horseradish). Sharp foods (e.g. pepper) are ok.
Note: A little lemon or vinegar in the food is fine, as long as the food does not turn out bitter or sour..
Make a point to have sweet and fatty foods as a siman of goodness.
Refrain from nuts since (a) the phlegm makes davening difficult and (b) אגוז gimatria חטא .
Take haircuts and toivel in the mikveh lekovod Yom Tov.
Rosh Hashana is a proper time to accept new resolutions in shmiras Torah and Mitzvahs.
Don Yom Tov clothing, confident that G-d will find us worthy on Yom Hadin.
We do Hataras Nedarim on Erev Rosh Hashana, (in addition to כל נדרי on Yom Kippur) since (a) זריזין מקדימין למצוות and (b) so that we be free on Rosh Hashana of the transgression of unfulfilled נדרים. If you missed erev Rosh hashana, do so during Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, before Yom Kippur.
It is best performed before ten men over Bar Mitzvah. (To annul a נדר that one might have made in a dream, or a נידוי one received in a dream, you need ten). Otherwise a Beis Din of three is sufficient.
One may use a Beis Din comprised of his relatives for Hataras Nedarim.
It is best if said before midday.
Each individual should lechatchila do hataras nedarim himself in front of Beis din, not in a group,.
Hataras nedarim should be said in a language you understand if you don’t understand the original.
If you want to annul a specific vow or action, you must specify it to one of the דיינים. Consult a Rov
A woman can fulfil her obligation of התרת נדרים by saying כל נדרי on Yom Kippur or her husband does hataras nedarim on her behalf. A father can have his daughter thats over bas mitzvah in mind as well.
