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Article: Food for Rosh Hashanah thought.(HOLIDAY SECTION)
- Article from:
- The Jewish Advocate (Boston, MA)
- Article date:
- September 7, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 The Jewish Advocate, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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An odd Rosh Hashanah custom, duly recorded in the Talmud and halachic codes, is the lavishing of puns on holiday foods.
Most Jews know that on the first night of the new Jewish year, it is customary to eat a piece of apple dipped in honey, to symbolize our hope for a sweet year. Less known is the Rosh Hashanh night custom of eating foods whose names augur well for the future. Though the Talmud's examples are, of course, in Hebrew or Aramaic, at least one halachic commentary directs us to find punfoods in whatever language we may speak.
"Help us pare away our sins" before consuming a pear might thus be an appropriate example. Or an entreaty that G-d be ...