Illustration Credit: Rivka Tsinman
Halakhah הֲלָכָה
We celebrate Rosh Hashanah on the first and second days of Tishrei. Hazal aren’t sure about whether to count these as two separate days or as one long day, called יוֹמָא אֲרִיכְתָּא (yoma arikhta) in Aramaic.
Why does it matter?
Because of the בְּרָכָה (berakhah, blessing) that we say on the first nights of every holiday from the Torah, known as שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ (sheheheyanu):
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה
Blessed are You, God our Lord, Ruler of the world, Who has helped us live, sustained us, and brought us to this time.
- If the two days of Rosh Hashanah are seen as two different days, then we should say sheheheyanu on the first night AND on the second night when lighting candles or making Kiddush.
- But if Rosh Hashanah is seen as one long day, then the time we say sheheheyanu on the first night should be enough to last all the way to the end, and there’s no reason to say it again on the second night.
What to do?
R. Yosef Karo and R. Moshe Isserles have a creative solution. We also say sheheheyanu on eating new fruits or wearing new clothing. So they recommend you do one of those things on the second night, and keep that new thing in mind when you say sheheheyanu:
בְּקִדּוּשׁ לֵיל שֵׁנִי יִלְבַּשׁ בֶּגֶד חָדָשׁ אוֹ מַנִּיחַ פְּרִי חָדָשׁ וְאוֹמֵר שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ; וְאִם אֵין מָצוּי פְּרִי חָדָשׁ, עִם כָּל זֶה יֹאמַר שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ.
During Kiddush on the second night, you should wear new clothing or place a new fruit on the table, and recite sheheheyanu. If you couldn’t find a new fruit, say sheheheyanu anyhow.
So hit the fruit store before Rosh Hashanah, and pick a fruit you haven’t tasted in at least 30 days. Komquat or starfruit, anyone? Whatever looks exciting and new for your second night sheheheyanu!
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