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If you are doing a Rosh Hashanah seder of simanim (signs, augurs, portents) using food puns, here are some additions related to today (with apologies for any Hebrew mistakes I’ve made):
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| Hebrew | English | Transliteration (Romanized Hebrew) |
|---|---|---|
In the year of Shmitah, the sabbatical year, our ancestors would let the land rest from their plows, receiving and eating whatever grew and ripened by itself from the land. And fig trees were especially prized in Shmita, because new figs would become ripe each month, always providing food. And some say that the fig was the fruit of the tree of knowledge, and that Shmitah is our time to receive the knowledge from Eden in the right way and the right time, when all is ripened for understanding. | ||
תְּאֵנִים יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְאֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְאִמוֹתֵנוּ שֶׁכְּשֵׁם שֶׁתִּשָׂא הָאָרֶץ פָּנֶיהָ אֵלֵינוּ וְאֶל כָּל בְּרִיוֹתֶיהָ לְהוֹצִיא מָזוֹן לָכֹּל בְּשִׁווֹן וְתַּבְשִׁיל פֵרוֹת חֲדָשִׁים חוֹדֶשׁ אַחַר חוֹדֶשׁ הֶפְקֵר לְכּוּלָם כֵּן נְקַבֵּל בְּהוֹדָאָה כֹּל מָה שֶׁנָדְבָה בִּשְׁנת הַשְׁמִיטָה הַזֹאת לְכֵן נִפְנֶה בְּשֵׁלִים בְּצֶדֶק וּבְאַהֲבָה אֶל הָאָרֶץ וְאֶל כָּל הַבְּרִיוֹת |
Figs May it be Your will YHVH our God and God of our ancestors, as the Earth lifts her face toward us and all her creatures to nourish all equally, and as she ripens new fruit month by month, free to all that we may receive in gratitude what is offered during this year of Shmita, so that we may also turn our faces, ripe with justice and love toward this world and all creatures. |
T’einim Y’hi ratson milfanekha Adonai Eloheinu v’Elohei avoteinu v’imoteinu, shek’shem shetisa ha’arets paneha eleinu v’el kol b’riyoteha l’hotsi mazon lakol b’shivyon, v’tavshil peirot chadashim chodesh achar chodesh hefker l’kulam, ken n’kabeil b’hoda’ah kol mah shenadvah bishnat hashmitah hazot l’khen nifneh b’sheilim b’tsedek uv’ahavah el ha’arets v’el kol hab’riyot |
For the climate crisis that is also appropriate for Shmitah: | ||
תֶּרֶד יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְאֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְאִמוֹתֵנוּ שֶׁנִּתְעוֹרֵר מִן הַתָּרְדֵמָה שֶׁלָנוּ לְהַקְשִׁיב אֶל הָאָרֶץ וּלְכָל הַבְּרִיוֹת בְּסַכָּנָת הַכְחָדָה לְגָרוֹת בָּנוּ כֹּחַ לַעֲשׂוֹת וּלְתַקֵן גוֹרָלֵינוּ |
Spinach May it be Your will, YHVH our God and God of our ancestors, that we awaken from our deep slumber (tardeimah), to listen to the Earth, and the species in danger of extinction, and may this give us strength to take action and to fix our future! |
Tered Y’hi ratson mil’fanekha Adonai Eloheinu v’Elohei avoteinu v’imoteinu, shenit’orer min hatardeimah shelanu l’hakshiv el ha’arets u’l’kol hab’riyot b’sakanat hakh’chadah, l’garot banu koach hama’aseh, ul’takein goraleinu. |
For refugees: | ||
שְׁזִיף יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְאֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְאִמוֹתֵנוּ לַתֵת לָנוּ כֹּחֵ לְהָכִין שֵׁיזָבָא בַּעָד פְּלִיטֵי אַקְלִים וְרָעָב וּמִלְחָמָה |
Plum May it be Your will, our God and God of our ancestors, to give us strength to prepare safe harbor sheizava[1] sheizava is an Aramaic word, not Hebrew. for climate refugees and refugees from famine and war |
Shəzif Y’hi ratson mil’fanekha Adonai Eloheinu v’Elohei avoteinu v’imoteinu, lateit lanu koaḥ l’hakhin shezava ba’ad plitei aqlim v’ra’av u’milhamaḥ |
תַּפּוּחַ וּדְבַשׁ יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְאֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְאִמוֹתֵנוּ שֶׁתִּתְחַדֵּשׁ עָלֵינוּ שָׁנָה טוֹבָה וּמְתוּקָה׃ (כי היא הנקרא שבת ביסוד) מֵרֵאשֻׁית הַשָּׁנָה וְעַד אַחֲרִית הַשָּׁנָה׃ |
Apple and Honey May it be your will, our God and God of our ancestors, to renew for us a year sweet as honey, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. |
Tapuaḥ u’Dvash Y’hi ratson mi’lfanekha Adonai Eloheinu v’Elohei avoteinu v’imoteinu, shetitḥadesh aleinu shana tovah umtuqah (ki hi haniqra shabbat b’yesod) m’reshit hashanah v’ad aḥerit hashanah |
קְרָא יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְאֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְאִמוֹתֵנוּ שֶׁתִּקְרַע רוֹעַ גְּזַר דִּינֵנוּ וְיִקָּרְאוּ לְפָנֶיךָ זָכִיּוֹתֵינוּ׃ |
Squash (such as Pumpkin, Zucchini) May it be your will, our God and God of our ancestors, to tear up (tiqra`) the evil decrees against us and proclaim (yiqar’u) our merits. |
Qəra Y’hi ratson mi’lfanekha Adonai Eloheinu v’Elohei avoteinu v’imoteinu, shetiqra ro’a g’zar dinenu v’yiqar’u l’fanekha zakhiyoteinu |
רוּבִיָא יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְאֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְאִמוֹתֵנוּ שֶׁיִרְבּוּ זָכִיּוֹתֵינוּ וּתְלַבְּבֵנוּ׃ |
Beans, Black-eyed peas May it be your will, our God and God of our ancestors, that our righteousness will multiply (yirbu) and that you will love us. |
Rubiya Y’hi ratson mi’lfanekha Adonai Eloheinu v’Elohei avoteinu v’imoteinu, sheyirbu zakhiyoteinu u’tlabvenu |
Also for healing — from illness and from racism and from antisemitism — using something you may already have for the Rosh haShanah seder: | ||
סַלְקָא יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְאֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְאִמוֹתֵנוּ שֶׁיִּסְתַּלְּקוּ כָּל נֶגַע וּמַגֵּפָה מִגּוּפֵינוּ וְאֵיבָה וְשִׂנְאָה מֵעָלֵינוּ וּמִלְּבָבֵינוּ וְכָל מְבַקְשֵׁי רָעָתֵנוּ מִסְּבִיבֵנוּ |
Beet May it be Your will our God and God of our ancestors, that trauma and plague be removed (yistalku) from our bodies, that enmity and hatred be not directed toward us that enmity may also be removed (yistalku) from our hearts and may all who seek our harm be removed from being able to harm, that the hands of all that seek to harm, including our own, be lifted up to seek peace.[2] English translation supplemented for Rosh Hashanah 5785 (2024). |
Salka Y’hi ratson mi’lfanekha Adonai Eloheinu v’Elohei avoteinu v’imoteinu, sheyistalku kol nega umagefah migufeinu, v’eiva v’sin’ah me’aleinu u’milvaveinu v’kol ‘m’vaqshei ra’ateinu misvivenu. |
חֲזֶרֶת |
Lettuce[3] For Rosh Hashanah 5785 (2024) May it be Your will Adonai Eloheinu veilohei horeinu, that the hostages return home haḥatufim ḥozrim habaitah. May the fire of guns be turned back and may soldiers return whole in body and spirit and not be among those who shed innocent blood. May this be a year that the world turns away from curses and hatred and towards blessings and love, now, speedily, during this season. May it not wait for one more season to pass in the turning of the year. | |
For racism and Black lives: | ||
צְנוֹן |
Radish May it be Your will that our hearts turn to pursue justice (lirdof tsedeḳ) for all people, so that no group, citizen or police will be able to tyrannize (lirdot) any Black person or person of color, and may the heat of violence and hatred (sin’ah) be cooled (m’tsunan), and all persecution (r’difut) be ended. |
Tsənon |
רִמוֹן יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְאֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְאִמוֹתֵנוּ שֶׁנִּהְיֶה מְלֵאִים מִצְוֺת כְּרִמּוֹן |
Pomegranate May it be your will, our God and God of our ancestors, that we be full of mitsvot (commandments/righteous deeds) like a pomegranate. |
Rimōn Y’hi ratson mi’lfanekha Adonai Eloheinu v’Elohei avoteinu v’imoteinu, shenih’yeh m’lei’im mitsvot kerimon |
These additions to the festive meal of symbolic foods on Rosh haShanah was first published at neohasid.org. One item we’ve kept from last year’s list of additions is the radish (tsənon). –Aharon Varady
Notes
“Additions to the Rosh haShanah Seder Akhilat haSimanim, from Rabbi David Seidenberg (neohasid.org)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
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