Dateline Jerusalem — I am a foodaholic. Other than Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, when we must fast for 25 hours with no food or water, food often plays a symbolic role in the celebration of major Jewish holidays. Even with Yom Kippur, special pre- and post-fast foods are associated with it. No wonder I am reminded of the saying, “We were persecuted, we won, let’s eat!” Although Rosh Hashana – which begins a week from Sunday night — is a time of reflection and repentance, it is a time of joy. We are with family and friends at festive meals that incorporate the seven species inherent to the land of Israel and other symbolic dishes.
The seven species innate to Israel are olives, dates, figs, grapes, pomegranates, wheat and barley. In my town, every park has olive and date palm trees, and vineyards are abundant throughout the country. Dates, grown in clusters like grapes, are hard, smooth, yellowish in color. Sold in markets on the branch, as they ripen they become the brown wrinkled dates we find sold around the world. The sweet dripping sap of the dates drying on the vines is the honey referred to when describing Israel as the Land of Milk and Honey. The pomegranate, often mentioned in the Torah, allegedly contains 613 seeds, which just happens to be the number of commandments required of Jews. Many people I know have claimed they have counted the seeds of a pomegranate and confirm that there are 613. We make a blessing that our good deeds this year will be as plentiful as the seeds of the pomegranate. During Rosh Hashana, plentiful is a common theme. There are blessings for more children, more charity, more good deeds, more Torah knowledge, more wealth, more prosperity.
You Can Have Pun Fun
Part of the fun during this time is eating symbolic foods and putting together puns about them. Often in Hebrew, Yiddish and English, they vary according to culture, custom and language since Israel is a melting pot for Jews. For example, the Yiddish word “merren” means carrots and connotes “more.” Therefore on Rosh Hashana tables, sliced carrots in small rounds that look like coins, often baked in honey, are served with a blessing for more prosperity. Peas are served with the English blessing for more peace. The Hebrew word for gourd is similar to that of tear. So there is a blessing that G-d will tear away all evil decrees against us when eating gourds, pumpkins, zucchini and squash. Leeks and beets are also symbolic Rosh Hashana foods. The word for leeks is similar to the word for cut off. The blessing is that we wish that our enemies be cut off. Beets are eaten with a blessing that we wish all enemies who might beat us will leave us alone or that we will beat any obstacles that come our way. Lettuce is served with a blessing to let us find happiness in the new year.
A well-known Rosh Hashana tradition is dipping apples and challah in honey with a prayer asking G-d for a sweet year. Apples symbolize Paradise or the Garden of Eden at the time of Creation. Sometimes raisins are added for sweetness to the round challah dipped in honey. The round rather than usual oval-shaped bread symbolizes the continuity of Creation. We add raisins to dishes to commit to raisin’ our hopes and expectations for the new year. Eating raisins and celery together is blessed with a wish for a “raise in salary.” Since Rosh Hashana means “head of the year,” other traditions include eating from the head of a fish or lamb. Therefore often a fish head, eyes and all, or a lamb head, will take center stage on the Rosh Hashana table. My grandmother used to serve pickled tongue of a cow to represent the customary head. It is more appetizing than actually seeing a head. I have even been to homes where gummy bear candy fish are substituted for the fish heads. In addition to meaning head of the year, the fish and lamb heads symbolize that we will be like the head, not the tail, leaders not followers. Some puns can be creative, especially when several languages are spoken.
Other customs for a sweet year include avoiding anything bitter, and anything related to sin. The numeric value of Hebrew letters is gematria. Since the Hebrew word for walnut is egoz, which gematria is close to that of the word for sin, many people will refrain from eating any kind of nuts during the holiday to avoid even the hint of sin? On the second day of the holiday, we eat a new fruit that we have not eaten during the year. This is so we can appreciate the fruits of the earth and being alive to enjoy them. A blessing is said, thanking G-d for keeping us alive and bringing us to this season.
May G-d inscribe and seal you all in the Book of Life for a long life and a year of health, happiness, prosperity, tranquility, peace, and safety. May you all have a good, sweet and favorable new year.
L’hitraot. Shachar
