ROSH HASHANA THIS & THAT NOTES for CANDLE LIGHTING & HAVDALA Candle lighting on Friday is the same as every week, i.e. light first, cover your eyes, and then say the bracha (in this case, brachot). The bracha for the candles combines Shabbat and Yom Tov. L’HADLIK NER SHEL SHABBAT V’SHEL YOM TOV. (Some communities say YOM HAZIKARON rather than YOM TOV. If you don’t remember which you say, find someone who does remember.) On Motza’ei Shabbat, the second night of Rosh HaShana, a woman
should say BARUCH HAMAVDIL BEIN KODESH L’KODESH after 7:34pm (unless she davens
Maariv and remembered to say VATODI’EINU). Then it is permissible to set up the
candles, light them, begin Yom Tov cooking, etc. Most authorities express a doubt as to whether a SHE’HE’CHE’YANU is warranted on the second night (especially if we view the two days of RH as one long day). Hence, they recommend that you have a new fruit or garment ready for the second night, and when you say the SHE’HE’CHE’YANU at candle lighting or Kiddush, you can have the fruit or garment in mind, thus resolving the SAFEK (doubt). Even if you don’t have a new fruit or garment, you still say SHE’HE’CHE’YANU on the candles or at Kiddush. The Vilna Gaon was known to hold that it is unnecessary to “cover” the SHE’HE’CHE’- YANU; it is fully legitimate for the second night of RH, on its own. Havdala for Shabbat is combined with Kiddush for Yom Tov on a single cup of wine. There is a fascinating eight-way dispute in the Talmud as to the order of teh brachot to be said at this combination Kiddush and Havdala, and this is the prevailing practice. First, the Borei Pri HaGafen (YAYIN) is said over the Kiddush Cup. This is followed by MELECH AL KOL HA’ARETZ M’KADEISH YISRAEL V’YOM HAZIKARON (this bracha is known as KIDDUSH). So far, things are like any Leil Yom Tov. We now switch over to Havdala. No separate wine bracha is said; the one for Kiddush covers the Havadala as well. We now say BOREI M’OREI HA’EISH over the Yom Tov candles or an incandescent bulb (we do NOT light a Havdala candle for the occasion) (NER). This is followed by a modified HAVDALA bracha, ending in HAMAVDIL BEIN KODESH L’KODESH, He Who distinguishes between one level of sanctity (the higher one of Shabbat) and another level of sanctity (the lesser one of Yom Tov). All of the above is concluded with the SHE’ HE’CHE’YANU, known as ZMAN, time. The sequence of these five brachot is known by the initial letters of the brachot - YAKNEHAZ, i.e. YAYIN (wine), KIDDUSH, NER, HAVDALA, and ZMAN. B’samim (spices) are not used on Motza’ei Shabbat that is Yom Tov; the Yom Tov is considered as a spiritual “spice”, rendering actual spices unnecessary. On Sunday night, we say Havdala (between Kodesh and Chol), but we use neither candle nor spices, nor do we say the introductory p’sukim (They are said only at havdala after Shabbat). By the way, it is only the transition from a higher Kedusha to a
lower that is accompanied by the recitation of Havdala. That includes Shabbat to
weekday, Shabbat to Yom Tov, Shabbat to Chol HaMoed, and Yom Tov to Chol HaMoed.
It does not include Yom Tov to Shabbat (as will happen this coming Shavuot,
which falls on Friday this year), or Chol HaMoed to Yom Tov or Shabbat. It takes concentration. The shul sounds in the background can be distracting. Don’t let them be. You’ve got work to do. Find yourself a good spot to stand for your Amida. A place where you won’t be bothering anyone else, especially if you are taking a long time with your Amida. If you are still in your Amida when the congregation is ready for Kedusha, then you have to stop, wait, and listen - but you do not say Kedusha with everyone else. Don’t worry. Your listening is considered as if you are saying it. Except that you are not saying it, because you cannot interrupt your own Amida. Nor can you continue davening while the KAHAL is saying Kedusha. Stop, look, and listen. It is important not to inconvenience others in your attempt top daven better. Violating interpersonal mitzvot while seeking to fulfill a Jew-to-G-d mitzva is kind of counter-productive. It might happen, if you take this suggestion, that you will be
davening while the KAHAL is saying to powerful, dramatic U’N’ETANEH TOKEF. So be
it. Your Amida is more important to you. One of the ideas behind saying HN before the Yamim Nora’im is
this: Believe it or not, eating that cookie for that person is the same (sort of) as eating a cheese burger or ham sand- wich. Sounds like an exaggeration, but it really isn’t. Eating ham violates the prohibition against eating the meat of non-kosher animals. Eating that cookie violates (for the one who took the vow) the prohibition of profaning one’s word. And, we can suggest, that the one who eats the Ccookies is even a little worse! Eating ham is a sin. Eating a cookie isn’t a sin, except for the one who swore he wouldn’t eat them. So the vow-taker creates upon himself the possibility of sinning, where none need have existed. You want to abstain from something, do it. But don’t swear to it. You want to do good things? Do them. No need to swear and put yourself in a difficult situation. A person who undertakes (without the protection of saying B’LI NEDER) to, let’s say, give Tzedaka every day has created new pitfalls for himself. Every day that you don’t give Tzedaka constitutes a violation of pledges. Serious offense. And it could have been avaoided. Saying HN is not meant to stop you from doing mitzvot. By all means, give Tzedaka every day. Say T’hilim, learn Mishnayot, visit the sick, etc. Just don’t turn such beautiful mitzva-practices into potential sins. HN works retro-actively. Swear off coffee on Sunday, have a cup on Monday - sin. Nullify the vow on Tuesday and it takes away the oath from Sunday. What you did on Monday is now not a sin. Powerful. Don’t misuse it. And now we turn to HaShema and ask him to dissolve the rest of
our sins as only He can - like our Hatarat Nedarim. It is the minhag to say T’hilim 47 seven times before Shofar
blowing It is proper not to talk (other than davening and what is necessary for davening and Shofar) from the BRACHOT through the last of the blasts (after the repetition of the Musaf Amida), but especially until the first set of 30 KOLOT are completed. Although there are Machzorim that have passages for the KAHAL to say after each trio of sounds, it is widely accepted for the KAHAL to remain silent throughout the set of 30 blasts. The Mitzva to Hear Shofar The Torah says that the first day of the seventh month shall be a T'RU'A DAY. We are taught by the Oral Law that this means that we are to hear the sound called T'RU'A, which is to be produced by the Shofar. Furthermore, we are to hear that sound three times, and that sound is to be preceded and followed by a P'SHUTA, a plain, long blast which we call T'KI'A. Our Sages disagree as to exactly what a T'RU'A is supposed to
sound like. Crying, wailing, sobbing, moaning, sighing, or some combination
thereof. The result of this difference of opinion are the sounds we call
SH'VARIM and T'RU'A, and the combination of the two. Therefore, to satisfy the
Torah's requirement of hearing the Shofar on Rosh HaShana, we must hear 3 each
of the following combinations: Let’s refer to this as a Major Set of Blasts (30 KOLOT). One each of these sequences is a Minor Set (10 KOLOT). Although the requirement of the Torah will be satisfied with these 30 KOLOT (sounds or blasts), the Sages instituted the practice of sounding the Shofar during the Amida - linking them with each of the three main brachot of Musaf - MALCHIYOT (Kingship), ZICHRONOT (Remembrances), and SHOFAROT (Shofars). Some shuls blow during the repetition of the Amida only; others blow during the silent Amida as well. And, as is well-known, the custom is to blow additional blasts (10 or 40, as the case may be) after the Amida, to bring the total number of blasts to 100. 100 conveys completeness and fullness. On Rosh HaShana, we don't just blow the Shofar, we are fully saturated with the Shofar sounds. This fulfills the sense of "YOM T'RU'A there shall be for you", more than a lesser number would. (There is also another reason given for the 100 blasts, having
to do with the lament of the mother of Sisra, as recorded in the Book of
Sho'f'tim.) G-D'S KINGSHIP CALL TO REPENTANCE AKEIDAT YITZCHAK MATAN TORAH The words of the Prophets are likened to the sound of the Shofar. This reminder should inspire greater commitment to faithful observance of Judaism. Our deal with G-d, when we asked not to hear His voice directly, was our promise to listen to the prophets, starting with Moshe and continuing throughout the generations. This aspect of Shofar, then, follows the previous item - Matan Torah. INSTILLS FEAR Churban Beit HaMikdash should also be kept in mind while hearing the Shofar. The Prophets mention the Shofar in their description of the Churban. One should think of the "ups and downs" of Jewish history as part of the Rosh HaShana challenge that we all face. Furthermore, the destruction of the Temples resulted from our not keeping faith with G-d. These thoughts then, should also lead us to think of repentance as the way to reverse the devastating effects of the Churban. Ingathering of the Exiles is described by Yeshayahu as being accompanied by the sound of a Great Shofar. We are witness to the beginning of that process; may we be privileged to see its continuation and culmination. This too is in the realm of the T'KI'A and is one of the promises to keep in mind so that we can put "things in proper perspective". The Great Judgment Day is associated with the Shofar. One must understand that we stand in judgment before G-d on every Rosh HaShana, but that we we will also do so on a different scale "after 120 years" and "at the end of days". T'CHIYAT HAMEITIM is also associated with Shofar. Thinking of
this gives us a broader perspective on what G-d expects of us and what is in
store. Note that the words SH'MA, LiSHMO'A, NISHMA (as in Na'aseh v'...), etc. do not only refer to physical hearing. They most often imply understanding as well. Our commitment at Sinai was "We will do, and we will understand (what G-d wants of us)". Similarly, the bracha for Shofar - LiSHMO'A KOL SHOFAR implies that understanding is essential to the mitzva. It is not enough to merely hear the sounds of the Shofar; we must understand them too. Imagine standing at a crosswalk waiting to cross the street. To your right, a truck is standing at the curb. As you are about to enter the road, your hear an insistent beeping sound. It is the warning sound that the truck automatically emits when it is put into reverse. the truck is slowly rolling towards you, and you are warned by the beeps - Do not step into the road; it would be a dangerous thing to do. You hear the sounds - but you do not know what they mean! Maybe you think it is a car alarm, or a sound coming from the nearby construction site, or maybe you just aren't thinking at all. You hear the sound, but it doesn't dawn on you that you are being warned of some danger. And you step into the road, just as the truck backs up. So too, it is with the sound of the Shofar. Many, many Jews go to shul to hear the Shofar. They hear the sounds, but do they know what the sounds mean? Do we heed the warning of the Shofar? Are we moved to rise to the challenge of T'shuva? Are we inspired to strengthen our commitment to Torah and Judaism? Are we going to work harder to improve ourselves as individuals and as a community, so that we will do our share in hastening the Moshiach? Or will we continue walking into the path of the oncoming truck? ASHREI HA'AM YO'D'EI T'RU'A... Happy (or fortunate) is the Nation who KNOWS the T'RU'A... Notice that the verse does not say "...who HEARS the Shofar"; it says "...who KNOWS the Shofar-sound", who understands its meanings. We must hear the Shofar, must understand its meanings, must let
its sounds and meanings penetrate to our minds, hearts, and souls. The Shofar
must bring about a "shipur" (a spiritual improvement). Then we may consider
ourselves truly fortunate and happy to be the Nation that knows the T'RU'A. What it isn't & what it is In fact, there have been famous rabbanim in previous generations who have banned Tashlich in their communities so that people should not slacken off from the major challenges of the Yamim Nora'im - T'shuva and Prayer. There are other authorities who did not mention the custom of Tashlich in their works, since it does not appear in the Talmud or other early sources. For example, the Vilna Gaon's practice was/is not to do Tashlich. Yet Tashlich is a wide-spread minhag in most Jewish communities around the world. It is generally "done" on the first day of Rosh HaShana, unless that is a Shabbat, in which case it is "done" on the second day of Rosh HaShana. If it is difficult to go to Tashlich on Rosh HaShana, or for some reason one wasn't able to say it, it may be said during Aseret Y'mei T'shuva, or afterwards until (and including) Hoshana Rabba. The lead passage of Tashlich gives us the origin of its name,
and probably the main origin of the custom itself. The second pasuk (Micha 7:19)
speaks of G-d, in His mercy, "casting our sins into the depths of the sea." This
is our T'shuva goal - to repent so sincerely, that G-d will erase our sins
completely. The Midrash tells us that the Satan received G-d's permission to attempt to dissuade Avraham Avinu from going to Har HaMoriah to sacrifice Yitzchak. He placed a river in Avraham's way, but Avraham was so determined to carry out G-d's command, that he walked right into the water. Nothing would stop Avraham. The river became a symbol of dedication to G-d. On Rosh HaShana, the anniversary of the Akeida, we go to the riverside and "remind" G-d (so to speak), and ourselves, of the dedication of our forefather Avraham, and to rededicate ourselves to Torah & mitzvot. There is a kabbalistic analogy drawn between the opening, main p'sukim of Tashlich, and the Thirteen Divine Attributes. This idea adds to the significance of the Tashlich recitation, because of the power of invoking the Yud-Gimmel Midot. They are an essential element in the Slichot and T'shuva process, and are integrally bound to the Biblical events of the Elul - Rosh HaShana - Yom Kippur period. The text for Tashlich varies from machzor to machzor. In this Pull-Out, you will find a bit more text than some, and less than others. It is appropriate to supplement the regular Tashlich texts with your own prayers. On Rosh HaShana, when we spend a significant amount of time in shul davening, we don't say "enough is enough". After a festive lunch, we go out of our homes to pray between prayers. But we don't go to the Beit Knesset. Instead, we go to a body of water, into nature, where G-d's Presence should also be strongly felt, and we revel in His majesty and recommit ourselves to His service. [The Rosh Hashana Homepage]
|
