How To Lead A Sephardic Rosh Hashanah Seder

is ritual for the Jewish New Year goes far beyond dipping apples in honey.

BY MY JEWISH LEARNING

On the rst and second nights Rosh Hashanah , most Jewish families gather for a festive and
of
elaborate dinner. Before eat
ing the actual meal, Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews partake in a longstanding
custom: the Rosh Hashana h seder .

e word seder is Hebrew for “order” and is a reference to the speci c order that the blessings and readings

follow each year. Blessings are recited in a speci c order over simanim, or symbolic foods. e seder also
includes festive songs, bibli cal readings and the recitation of piyyutim (liturgical poems). Like any other
Jewish ritual, the IGNITE JEWISH
foods and traditions can vary among di erent comm unities and families.
melodies, CURIOSITY AND
DISCOVERY
4?? CClliicckk hheerree ttoo nndd oouutt..
Help us make Jewish
When is Rosh Hashanah 202
learning accessible to
everyone.
hanah seders became commonplace, but the practice
It is unclear when Rosh Hasmudic times. During a discussion about omens inof eating symbolic foods
was already a custom by TTrraa DONATE TODAY ctate Horayot 12a , the
tal sage Abaye said:

A person should always be accustomed to seeing these on Rosh Hashanah:uash, and fenugreek,
and chard, and dates, a
leeks, omen for one’s
during the coming year.
actions

Some families arrange the foods on a seder plate, like one would do during Passover. Others incorporate each
food into a separate dish that is then served during the meal, such as bean soup or stu ed dates.

Click here for recipes and more details about foods used in the seder.

ere is no authoritative text for the Rosh Hashanah seder. Di erent communities use di erent lists and
arrange the foods in di erent orders. Some families also enjoy creating their own symbols and puns in any
language — for example, some English-speaking families say “Lettuce have a good year!” over a head of
lettuce.
Lighting Rosh Hashanah Candles and Reciting Shehechiyanu
Like other Rosh Hashanah celebrations, the seder begins with lighting candles, reciting the holiday candle
blessing and then saying Shehechiy
Shehechiyanu.
anu

‫ יֹום‬-(‫ו‬
) ‫נר ׁ ֶשל‬ ‫ְד‬ ‫העו א ק ְ ּד ׁ ּ ב ִמ ָּֽונ‬ ֽ ֹ ‫א ָּ תה אל‬ ‫ָ ב ר ּ ו ְך‬
‫טֹוב‬
‫ַש ָּבא‬ ‫ִליק לה‬ ‫ָלם ֶשר ֽשנ ּו ְצ ֹו ָתיו ּו ו‬ ‫ה’ ֽהינ ּו מל‬
‫ִצ‬
‫ְך‬

Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu l’hadlik ner shel (Shabbat and)
yom tov.

Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, King of the Universe, Who sancti ed us with His commandments, and
commanded us to kindle the (Shabbat and) Yom Tov light.

‫ֶ ּז‬
ֽ ‫ָ ב ר ּ ו ְך‬
‫העֹו ָלם ׁ ָֽינ ו ִק ְּ י ו ִה ִ ּגי ל ה‬ ֹ ‫א ָּ תה אל‬
‫ע נ ּו ְזמן ה‬
ֽ ָ ‫ֶשה ּו ח ָ ֽמנ ּו‬ ‫ה’ ֽהינ ּו מל‬
‫ְך‬

Baruch ata Adonai elohenu melekh ha’olam, shehecheyanu, v’kiyimanu, v’higiyanu la’z’man ha’zeh.

Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, King of the Universe, who has sustained us and brought us to this season.

Rosh Hashanah Kiddush

Next, one sancti es the holiday by reciting the special Kiddush (blessing over wine) for Rosh Hashanah.

Find the full text of the Rosh Hashanah Kiddush on Sefaria.

If Rosh Hashanah begins on a Saturday evening, Havdalah is recited after Kiddush.

e Simanim: Symbolic Foods for Rosh Hashanah

e exact order of the simanim during the seder varies between communities. e exact foods eaten can also
vary — for example, Jews from Libya mix sugar and sesame seeds instead of using fenugreek or string beans,
according to Jewish writer Rahel Musleah.

Each blessing over the simanim begins with Yehi ratzon milfanecha Hashem eloheinu v’elohei avoteinu: “May
it be Your will, God and God of our ancestors.” is is followed by a hope for something that will happen
in the new year.

Dates: e Hebrew word for dates, tamar, resembles the word for end, yitamu. Dates represent our desire for
our enemies to end their hateful conquests.

‫( ׁ ֶש בינ שֹו ְנ ו מ ַ ב ר ָ ע‬,‫אל וא ֵ ל אבֹו ֵתינ ּו ) ְו ִאמֹו ֵתינ ּו‬ ‫י ִהי רצֹו ְ ֶ ך‬
‫ּו ו ֵאינ ּו ָכל ְק ׁ ֵשי ֵתנ ּו‬
‫ִּ י ַּ ת ּמ ּו אֹו ְי‬ ‫ֹהי‬ ‫ן ּל ני ה’ ֹהינ ּו‬
‫מ פ‬
Yehi ratzon milfanecha Adonai eloheinu v’elohei avoteinu (v’imoteinu) she’yitamu oyveinu v’soneinu v’chol
m’vaskshei ra’ateinu.

May it be Your will, God and the God of our ancestors, that there will be an end to our enemies, haters and
those who wish evil upon us.
String beans, fenugreek or beans: e Aramaic word for fenugreek, rubia, is similar to the Hebrew word
yirbu, increase.

‫כיו‬ ׁ (,‫אל וא ֵ ל אבֹו ֵתינ ּו ) ְו ִאמֹו ֵתינ ּו‬ ‫י ִהי רצֹו ְ ֶ ך‬

‫ֵתינ ּו‬
‫ֶש ִּ י ְר ּב ּו ז‬ ‫ֹהי‬ ‫ן ּל ני ה’ ֹהינ ּו‬
‫מ פ‬

Yehi ratzon milfanecha Adonai eloheinu v’elohei avoteinu (v’imoteinu) she’yirbu zakiyoteinu u’t’leivavenu.

May it be Your will, God and the God of our ancestors, that our merits shall increase and that You hearten
us.

Leeks: In Aramaic, leeks are called karti; the Hebrew term for cutting o is karet. Leeks represent our hopes
that our enemies will be “cut o .”

‫בינ שֹו ְנ ו מ ַ ב ר ָ ע‬ ‫( ׁ ֶש‬,‫אבֹו ֵתינ ּו ) ְו ִאמֹו ֵתינ ּו‬ ‫י ִהי רצֹו ְ ֶ ך‬

‫אל וא ֵ ל‬
‫ּו ו ֵאינ ּו ָכל ְק ׁ ֵשי ֵתנ ּו‬
‫ִּ י ָּ כ ְרת ּו אֹו ְי‬ ‫ֹהי‬ ‫ן ּל ני ה’ ֹהינ ּו‬
‫מ פ‬

Yehi ratzon milfanecha Adonai eloheinu v’elohei avoteinu (v’imoteinu), she’yikartu oyveinu v’soneinu v’kol m’vakshei
ra’ateinu.

May it be Your will, God and the God of our ancestors, that our enemies, haters, and those who wish evil
upon us shall be cut o .

Swiss chard or beets: Selek is the term for beets in both Hebrew and Aramaic, and it sounds like silek, or
“depart.”

‫בינ שֹו ְנ ו מ ַ ב ר ָ ע‬
‫( ׁ ֶש ִּ י‬,‫אל וא ֵ ל אבֹו ֵתינ ּו ) ְו ִאמֹו ֵתינ ּו‬ ‫י ִהי רצֹו ְ ֶ ך‬
‫ּו ו ֵאינ ּו ָכל ְק ׁ ֵשי ֵתנ ּו‬
‫ְס ַּ ת ְּלק ּו אֹו ְי‬ ‫ֹה י‬ ‫ן ּל ני ה’ ֹהינ ּו‬
‫מ פ‬

Yehi ratzon milfanecha Adonai eloheinu v’elohei avoteinu (v’imoteinu), she’yistalku oyveinu v’soneinu v’kol
m’vakshei ra’ateinu.

May it be Your will, God and the God of our ancestors, that our enemies, haters and those who wish evil
upon us shall depart.

Squash or gourd: e Aramaic word k’ra is reminiscent of the Hebrew words kriah (to tear) and kara (to
proclaim/announce). e blessing recited before eating squash or gourd at the seder re ects this dual
connection.

‫כיו‬ ‫ָּק ְרא לפ ֶניך‬ ‫( ׁ ֶש ַז ֵננ‬,‫אבֹו ֵתינ ּו ) ְו ִאמֹו ֵתינ ּו‬ ‫אל וא ֵ ל‬ ‫י ִהי רצֹו ְ ֶ ך‬
‫ז ֵתינ ּו‬ ‫ּו ו ִי‬ ‫ ּדי‬,‫ִּת ְק ַרע רֹו ַע ר ּו‬ ‫ֹהי‬ ‫ן ּל ני ה’ ֹהינ ּו‬
‫ּג‬ ‫מ פ‬
Yehi ratzon milfanecha Adonai eloheinu v’elohei avoteinu (v’imoteinu), she’tikra ro’ah gezeira dineinu, v’yikaru
l’fanecha zakiyoteinu.

May it be Your will, God and the God of our ancestors, that the evil of our verdicts be ripped up, and that our
merits be announced before you.
Pomegranate: In addition to being one of the seven species of Israel, pomegranates have a long history of
being symbolic in Judaism. At the Rosh Hashanah seder, their many seeds represent the 613 mitzvot. e
seeds can also symbolize the many blessings that we hope will manifest in the coming year.

‫ָכ‬ ‫מל ְ צֹו‬ (,‫אל וא ֵ ל אבֹו ֵתינ ּו ) ְו ִאמֹו ֵתינ ּו‬ ‫י ִהי רצֹו ְ ֶ ך‬
‫ִר‬ ‫ִאים ת מ‬ ‫ׁ ֶש ִּ נ ְה ֶיה‬ ‫ֹהי‬ ‫ן ּל ני ה’ ֹהינ ּו‬
‫ּמֹו ן‬ ‫מ פ‬

Yehi ratzon milfanecha Adonai eloheinu v’elohei avoteinu (v’imoteinu), she’nihiyeh m’lei’im mitzvot ka’rimon.

May it be Your will, God and the God of our ancestors, that we be lled with mitzvot like a pomegranate (is
lled with seeds).

Apples dipped in honey: Apples eaten with honey represent our hopes for a sweet new year.

‫ַכ‬ ‫עלינ ּו ׁ ָש ָנה ְמת ּו‬ ‫אל וא ֵ ל אבֹו ֵתינ ּו ) ְו ִאמֹו ֵתינ ח‬ ‫י ִהי רצֹו ְ ֶ ך‬
‫ּד ָב‬ ‫ָקה ו‬ ‫טֹו ָבה‬ ‫( ׁ ֶש ְּת ּד‬,‫ּו‬ ‫ֹהי‬ ‫ן ּל ני ה’ ֹהינ ּו‬
‫ׁש‬ ‫ׁש‬ ‫מ פ‬

Yehi ratzon milfanecha Adonai eloheinu v’elohei avoteinu (v’imoteinu), she’t’chadesh aleinu shanah tovah u’metukah
ka’devash.

May it be Your will, God and the God of our ancestors, that You renew for us a year that is good and sweet
like honey.

Fish or sheep head: Rosh Hashanah literally translates as “head of the year,” which is re ected by putting a
literal head on the table. e type of head varies; a sh head alludes to Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 28:13 , which
says that God will make Moses “the head and not the tail.” Others put a sheep’s head on the table to
symbolize the ram that spared Isaac in the Akedah,
Akedah a biblical story that we read on the second day of Rosh
Hashanah. In modern times, vegetarians often use a head of lettuce or cauli ower.

‫ש א ָז‬ ‫י ִהי רצֹו ְ ֶ ך‬

ֹ ׁ (,‫אל וא ֵ ל אבֹו ֵתינ ּו ) ְו ִאמֹו ֵתינ ּו‬
‫ׁ ֶש ִּ נ ְה ֶיה לֹרא ול ָנב‬ ‫ֹה י‬ ‫ן ּל ני ה’ ֹהינ ּו‬
‫ל‬ ‫מ פ‬

Yehi ratzon milfanecha Adonai eloheinu v’elohei avoteinu (v’imoteinu), she’nihiyeh l’rosh v’lo zanav.

May it be Your will, God and the God of our ancestors, that we be like a head and not a tail.

Other Components of the Rosh Hashanah Seder

Following the simanim, seder participants ritually wash their hands and recite Netilat Yadayim:
im

‫ַד‬ ‫אל מל‬

‫על נ ִים י‬ ‫ִצ‬ ‫ּ ב ִמ‬ ‫ה עו א ק ְ ּ ד‬ ‫א ָּ תה‬ ‫ָ ב ר ּ ו ְך‬
‫ִטילת‬ ‫ְצֹו ָתיו ָּונ ּו ו‬ ‫ָלם ֶשר ָשנ ּו‬ ְ‫ה׳ ֵהינ ּו ך‬
Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu al n’tilat yadayim.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sancti ed us with Your commandments, and
commanded us concerning the washing of the hands.
 Hamotzi,
Hamotzi the blessing over the bread, is recited once everyone at the table has washed their hands. e text
of Hamotzi on Rosh Hashanah is exactly the same as the text on Shabbat:
the

‫ָא‬ ‫לחם‬ ‫ּ מֹו‬ ‫ה עו‬ ‫אל מל‬ ‫ָ בר ּוך א ָּ תה‬

‫ֶרץ‬ ‫מן‬ ‫ָלם ִציא ה‬ ‫ך‬ ‫ה׳ ֵהינ ּו‬
‫ה‬

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has brought forth bread from the earth.

Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz.

It is customary on Rosh Hashanah to make the blessing over round loaves, symbolizing the circle of life and
the revolving seasons.

e incorporation of songs, piyyutim (liturgical poems) and biblical readings varies from seder to seder. Rahel
Musleah’s “A
Apples and Pomegranates: A Rosh Hashanah Seder”
Seder includes options for family-friendly Rosh
Hashanah seder additions.

ADVERTISING

My Jewish Learning is a not-for-pro t and relies on your help

DONATE

" "" "