Symbolic Foods of Rosh Hashanah
Join Rabbi Dr. Stuart Fischman as he provides an overview of the special ‘simanin’ or symbolic foods we customarily eat on the evening of Rosh Hashanah.
Symbolic Foods of Rosh Hashanah: The Simanin of Rosh Hashanah
Hello Everyone,
I think that most of us are proud to be followers of a religion which taught the world that there is nothing true in idolatry. We taught ( and are still teaching) that the world is governed by a single, incorporeal God whose judgement is true and based on the individual’s merits which are deeds of goodness and kindness. God’s judgement is certainly not swayed by a person’s use of lucky charms such as three-leaf clovers.
This being the case ( I think) what are to make out of chapter 583 in the Shulchan Aruch which tells us what foods to eat on Rosh Hashanah and what prayer to say as we eat each of these foods? Does eating these foods help to persuade Hashem to judge us favorably? If the answer to this question is yes, why are these foods efficacious?
We will talk about this today.
Rabbi Dr. Stuart Fischman graduated from Yeshiva University in 1980 and the dental school of Columbia University in 1985. In 1989 he began studying and teaching at Yeshivat Hamivtar and now studies and teaches at Yeshivat Machanaim in Efrat. He has rabbinic ordination from Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg.