Shabbos 250
ROSH HASHANAH

Rosh Hashanah. Two days of judgment and shofar.

Hear 100 shofar blasts, eat simanim, do Tashlich, and step into a new year.

PRINTABLE PACKET

Print your Rosh Hashanah packet.

PDF — cover, the five essentials, step-by-step, the blessings, your shopping list, and a one-page FAQ. Personalized with your local times when you set your ZIP.

Without a ZIP we still print the full guide; just no candle-lighting time.
FIVE ESSENTIALS

What you really need to know.

01
Hear the shofar
The mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah. 100 blasts are typically blown across the morning service over both days.
02
Simanim on the first night
Symbolic foods — apple in honey, pomegranate, fish head, leeks, dates — eaten with short prayers of "may it be Your will…"
03
Tashlich
After Mincha on day 1 (or day 2 if day 1 is Shabbos), go to a body of water and recite Tashlich, symbolically casting off sins.
04
Round challahs and honey
Round challahs (a continuous year), honey instead of salt, and apple in honey at every meal.
05
Selichos before and after
In the week before RH and the 10 days of teshuva, special early-morning prayers of repentance.
STEP-BY-STEP

Rosh Hashanah, one step at a time.

  1. BEFORE RH

    Selichos and preparation.

    Selichos prayers, hatoras nedarim (annulling vows), and giving extra tzedakah in the days leading up.

  2. NIGHT 1

    Light candles + Shehecheyanu.

    Light before sundown. Bless with Yom Tov + Shehecheyanu.

  3. NIGHT 1

    Round challah, honey, simanim.

    After Kiddush + Hamotzi (using round challah dipped in honey), eat the symbolic foods with their short prayers.

  4. EACH MORNING

    Shofar blowing (100 blasts).

    Wait for the rabbi's direction. The blower recites two brachos. Hear every blast.

  5. DAY 1 AFTERNOON

    Tashlich.

    Walk to a body of water with fish (or any natural water source). Recite the Tashlich text. If day 1 is Shabbos, do this on day 2.

  6. NIGHT 2 END

    Havdalah ends RH.

    After 2 days. Special "Hamavdil bein kodesh l'kodesh" form not used (RH ends into a regular weekday).

BLESSINGS

What to say, and when.

Before shofar blowing on both days

Shofar blessings

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לִשְׁמֹעַ קוֹל שׁוֹפָר

Baruch atah Adonai… lishmoa kol shofar.

…who has commanded us to hear the sound of the shofar.

After eating apple dipped in honey

Apple in honey — short prayer

יְהִי רָצוֹן… שֶׁתְּחַדֵּשׁ עָלֵינוּ שָׁנָה טוֹבָה וּמְתוּקָה

Yehi ratzon… shetichadeish aleinu shana tovah u'metukah.

May it be Your will… that You renew for us a good and sweet year.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

Shopping & prep list.

  • ·Round challahs
  • ·Honey
  • ·Apples
  • ·Pomegranate, fish head, dates, leeks, gourds (simanim)
  • ·Yom Tov candles for both nights
  • ·Long-burning candle for night 2 lighting
  • ·Wine / grape juice for Kiddush
  • ·New fruit for Shehecheyanu on night 2
  • ·A machzor (RH prayer book)
TEFILLAH NOTES
  • Tehillim 27 (LeDavid) recited from Rosh Chodesh Elul through Hoshana Rabba.
  • Avinu Malkeinu after each Amidah of the 10 days.
  • Special Mussaf with Malchiyos, Zichronos, Shofros sections.
FAQ

Common questions.

How many days is Rosh Hashanah?

Two days in both Israel and the diaspora (the only yom tov where both have 2 days).

What if I can't hear the shofar?

Most shuls offer a second shofar blowing for those who couldn't attend. Many congregations also blow shofar for homebound community members — ask your local Chabad or shul.

Do I need to fast?

No — RH is a celebration. We eat festive meals. The fast of Gedaliah is the DAY AFTER RH ends (3 Tishrei).

See Rosh Hashanah on your calendar.

100 years of local candle lighting and Havdalah times — including every Rosh Hashanah between now and 2126.

Open the calendar
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