Page 140 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

138 · Halachot of Sorcery, Magic, and Superstition Tzurba M’Rabanan

Tanach and words of Aggada of the Sages – the heads of sheep that הנשה שארב הבוטל אוה ךורב שודקה
we eat are in order that G-d will hear us for good on Rosh Hashana, ןילכוא ונאש המו בנזל אלו שארל ונמישיו
and that he will place us at the head and not at the tail, and the reason ינימ לכו שבד ןיתושו ןמוש רשבו ינסיט
that we eat tisni and fatty meat and drink honey and other sweet ונילע האבה הנשה אהתש ידכ הקיתמ
drinks, is in order that the coming year be a sweet and prosperous ארזע רפסב ןכ בותכו הנימשו הקותמ
one. Similarly, it is written in the book of Ezra (Nechemia 8:10): רחאמו …םיקתממ ותשו םינמשמ ולכא
“Eat fatty foods and drink sweet drinks”… And since this is taught,
it is not considered an [inappropriate] omen, but rather a mitzva. .הוצמ לש םא יכ שוחינ הז ןיא ונינש הזש

This custom of eating these particular foods on Rosh Hashana is cited in the Shulchan Aruch as well:

a Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 583:1 א:גפקת ח״וא | ע״וש . 14
A person should be accustomed to eat fenugreek on Rosh Hashana, הנשה שארב לוכאל ליגר םדא אהי
leek, beets, dates, and gourd. And when he eats the fenugreek ,ירמת ,אקליס ,יתרכ ,ןתלת ונייהד ,איבור
[rubia], he should say: May it be your will, that our merits shall be ןוצר יהי" :רמאי איבור לכאישכו .ארק
increased [yirbu]. [When eating the] leek [karti], [one should say]: יאנוש ותרכי" – יתרכ ;"וניתויכז ובריש
our enemies should be cut off [yikartu]; beets [silka] [one should – ירמת ;"וניביוא וקלתסי" – אקלס ;"'ה
say]: May our enemies be removed [yistalku]; dates one should say: ונניד רזג ערקי" – ארק ;"'ה יאנוש ומתי"
Our enemies should be finished [yitamu]; a gourd [kara], may He
tear [yikaru] our decree and read before you our merits. ”.וניתויכז ךינפל וארקיו
קותמ חופת לוכאל ןיגהונ שיו :הגה
Rema: Some have the custom to eat a sweet apple with honey, and הנש ונילע שדחתת" :םירמואו ,שבדב
say: We should have a sweet new year, and such is the custom. And ,םינומר םילכוא שיו .ןיגהונ ןכו ,"הקותמ
some eat pomegranates and say: We should increase our merits like
a pomegranate. And the custom is to eat fatty meat and many types ןיגהונו ;"ןומרכ תויכז הברנ" :םירמואו
of sweets. .הקיתמ ינימ לכו ןמש רשב לוכאל

The Yalkut Yosef adds that any type of activity performed for similar reasons of providing an auspicious
omen are permitted. This is why yeshivot generally begin their learning seasons, known as the zeman, on
Rosh Chodesh.

p Yalkut Yosef, Yoreh Deah 179:2 ב:טעק ד״וי | ףסוי טוקלי . 15
Anything that is done as an auspicious sign is not prohibited due רוסיא הזב ןיא – בוט ןמיסל אוהש רבד לכ
to divination. Therefore, the custom to plan a joyous event to be וזיא עובקל םיגהונש המ ןכלו .שוחינ םושמ
on Tuesday, concerning which the words “it is good [ki tov]”were "בוט יכ" וב לפכנש ,ישילש םויל החמש
repeated twice [in the Torah’s account of creation], there is no םיגהונש המ ןכו .שוחינ ששח הזב ןיא –
concern of divination. Likewise, with regard to the custom of holy םדומילב ליחתהל תושודקה תובישיב
yeshivot to begin their learning season on Rosh Chodesh Elul שדוח-שאר וא לולא שדוח-שארב אתווצב
or Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan or Rosh Chodesh Iyyar, there is no הזב שוחל ןיא – רייא שדוח-שארו ןוושח
concern of divination, as this is an auspicious sign.
.בוט ןמיס הזב שיש ,שוחינ םושמ
Although it seems clear that such omens performed as positive omens are permitted according to all
opinons in halacha, commentaries wonder why these actions are different than those described above in
the Gemara Sanhedrin, where it is forbidden to employ certain occurrences as omens. Some commentaries

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