Question :
I have heard that there are five main customs that one should perform on erev Rosh Hashana please can you elaborate what these customs are and what should be adhered to on erev rosh hashana preferably?
Answer:
It is brought down that there are five main customs that are observed on Erev Rosh Hashana in klal yisrael: 1) Laundering one’s clothing. 2) Cutting one’s hair. 3) Dipping in the mikveh. 4) Visiting the cemetery. 5) Giving tzedaka.
The Shulchan Aruch and Rama in Orach Chaim in siman 581:4, brig that fresh Clothing and Haircuts should be done and this is based on the Yerushalmi in Rosh Hashana 1:3 that writes that unlike a typical person who is getting ready for judgment, the Jewish people wear fancy, white clothing and get haircuts because we have confidence in God’s kindness and the outcome of the decision.
Tachanun is not recited on Erev Rosh Hashana for Shacharit or Mincha, even though during Selichos which are said by night or at least before Netz Hachama we do recite the yud gimmel middot and the nefilat apayim, see The Shulchan Aruch O.C. 581:3, Kaf HaChaim on Shulchan Arukh, OC 581:73.
The Mishna Brura 581:23 adds based on the Magen Avraham that even if the Selichot continue past Alot Hashachar, since they are typically said before that you would recite the Tachanun during Selichot, the Kaf Hachaim 581:73 agrees to this aswell.
On the day before Erev Rosh Hashana, tachanun is recited at mincha. We do not blow the shofar on Erev Rosh Hashana as we try to confuse the satan as to which day is really rosh hashana , however if one needs to practice blowing for the holiday, he should do so in a private room. (Some have the custom of receiving lashes on Erev Rosh Hashana, while others do so on Erev Yom Kippur).
Visiting the Cemetery
Some have the custom to visit the grave-sites of righteous people on Erev Rosh Hashana. Rama 581:4. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 128:13 points out that we are obviously not praying to the dead people themselves as that would be Avoda Zara, but rather that Hashem perform kindness and listen to our prayers thanks to the merit of these great tzaddikim. The Mishna Brurah 581:27 and the Sefer Ikarim 4:35 write likewise.
The custom is to dip in a mikveh on Erev Rosh Hashana in honor of Rosh Hashana. However this isn’t required according to the law and therefore a beracha isn’t recited and the laws aren’t as strict. If one cannot make it to a mikveh, he should try to spill 9 kav (approximately 12 liters) of water over himself, even if in the shower.
A woman within her seven clean days of niddah and single women shouldn’t go to the mikveh on Erev Rosh Hashana or Erev Yom Kippur, although the Magen Avraham O.C. 606:8 does mention a practice of single women to go to the mikveh on Erev Yom Kippur for teshuva our minhag is not to do this.
There is a custom to fast on Erev Rosh HaShanah. Where there is a Bris Milah that day, one may eat. Some are of the opinion that one can exempt himself with a Siyum Masechet or any other Seudat Mitzvah, as well.
Some say that the minhag is that women do not fast on Erev Rosh Hashana.
One doesn’t need to have to accept this fast upon himself during Mincha the day before.
Some say one should be sure to complete the fast. Most Ashkenazim say that one should not fast until Tzeit HaKochavim, as that would cause him to enter Yom Tov famished. Instead, one should fast until either Mincha Gedolah or Plag HaMincha, daven mincha and eat afterwards . Others suggest that one should only fast until Chatzot, eat and then daven mincha afterwards.
Aneinu and Keriat HaTorah at Mincha
One who is still fasting at mincha, should recite aneinu during mincha, For the chazzan, if he doesn’t plan on finishing the fast, he shouldn’t recite aneinu in the chazarat hashatz at all.
Regardless of how long one plans to fast for, one should not lain the traditional laining for a Ta’anit Tzibur (“Vayechal Moshe”). |