THE ART OF HAVING A SHANA TOVA
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THE ART OF HAVING A SHANA TOVA
The choice of an apple on Rosh Hashanah is no accident. The apple, more than any other fruit, is closely tied to the blessing we offer each other: שנה טובה ומתוקה , “May you have a good and sweet year.” יהי רצון מלפניך ה’ אלוהינו ואלוהי אבותינו שתתחדש עלינו שנה טובה ומתוקה כדבש
But to truly grasp the connection between the apple and this blessing, we first need to understand what “good” really means. What exactly do we mean by a “good” year? And beyond that, what does the word good really imply? What’s good for one purpose might not be good for another. Ski boots are perfect for racing down a mountain but not ideal for walking through a park. A fancy car might drive smoothly on well-maintained roads but struggle on rocky terrain. In other words, good is defined as something that serves its purpose well.
Our Rabbis teach that the way to understand a word is by looking at its first appearance in the Torah. The word good first appears in Bereishit, the story of creation. After each day of creation, Hashem looks at what He created and says, “And He saw that it was good.” But why was that necessary? Could Hashem create a bad ocean, earth, tree, fruit, grass, animal, fish, bird, sky, sun or moon? Of course not. So why declare that it’s good?
The answer is simple yet profound: Hashem wasn’t saying it’s just good in general, but that it perfectly served its purpose. It was exactly what it was meant to be.
Now, let’s return to the apple. Why do we use the apple specifically to symbolize a good and sweet year, when we dip it into something sweet and pray that we have a good and sweet new year?
The apple is a special fruit. It stands out, as Shlomo Hamelech uses the apple in Shir HaShirim to symbolize something unique and rare: “Like an apple among the trees of the forest” (Shir HaShirim 2:3). The sages explain that the apple tree is different from other trees. It has more fruit than leaves, and it doesn’t provide much shade. That’s why, when it’s hot, people tend to avoid seeking shelter under an apple tree because of its sparse shade (Midrash Shir HaShirim 2). But here’s what’s amazing about the apple tree: its focus is clear. It’s all about the fruit. In fact, its buds even appear before its leaves! (Midrash Shir HaShirim 2). The apple tree isn’t distracted by side pursuits like providing shade; its purpose is to grow fruit, and it does that exceptionally well. That’s why the apple symbolizes something that is good—it serves its purpose fully.
So, when we hold the apple in our hands on Rosh Hashanah and ask for a good and sweet year, we’re really asking for a year where we, too, can serve our purpose fully and without distraction. We want a year where, like the apple tree, we can produce fruit—achieve our goals—with minimal struggle or wasted energy. Just as the apple tree grows with only a few leaves, we ask that after only a small amount of effort, we’ll already be on the path to our purpose. We also ask for early signs of success, just like the apple tree shows its buds even before its leaves. We pray that this year, we’ll see clear, early indicators that we’re on the right track toward fulfilling our potential.
Now, let’s consider why Moshe is called “good” in the Torah. וַתַּ֥הַר הָאִשָּׁ֖ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתֵּ֤רֶא אֹתוֹ֙ כִּי־ט֣וֹב ה֔וּא When Moshe was born, his mother saw that he was good. Now, every Jewish mother thinks their child is the best, but this is on another level. “This kid? He’s going to rescue an entire nation!” That does not sound like Yocheved talking! Yocheved wasn’t just being a proud mother, saying that her son was the cutest. With her prophetic vision, she saw that Moshe would fulfill his purpose. Throughout his life, Moshe knew his role was to care for his people, and he played it perfectly. Moshe never thought for a moment, “Maybe I should be doing other things instead of caring for the Jews.” When the Torah says that Moshe’s mother saw that he was good, it doesn’t just mean she thought he was a cute baby—it hints that she saw his purpose. Moshe was “good” because he was perfectly suited to his purpose.
So, when we wish each other a “good year” on Rosh Hashanah, we’re not just asking for a pleasant or easy year. We’re asking for a year where we can live in alignment with our purpose, just like Moshe, who was perfectly suited to his role. When someone isn’t living their purpose, their soul feels frustration and distress. But when you’re aligned with your purpose, your soul feels at peace, even if the work is challenging. One of the most powerful ways to achieve true joy and health is to find your purpose. That’s the blessing we give each other for the new year: may we all find and live out our true purpose, because that’s the real definition of a good year. And that’s why we eat an apple on Rosh Hashanah—because no other fruit symbolizes fulfilling one’s purpose quite like the apple.
When we look back at the year that passed, we might have excelled in certain areas but missed our true purpose. Where were we needed most? What was the highest goal we could have accomplished? If you buy the best car and only sit in it to listen to the radio, that car isn’t really good for you. If you buy the best blender and use it to clean your dirty socks, the blenders smoothie goodness capabilities is not good for you. The same applies to our lives—are we using our abilities for their intended purpose? It might have been a good year but maybe it was not a good year for you! When we bless ourselves and each other with a “good year,” we’re not asking for everything to be easy. We’re asking for a year where we do what we’re meant to do, where we find our purpose and live it fully.
Many people misunderstand the custom of dipping the apple in honey. They focus on the honey, what type of honey, and strive to get the fanciest honey available. Wildflower-infused, organic, artisanal, free-range honey sourced from bees that stung terrorists in Gaza. Some Sefardim don’t dip the apple in honey, because honey represents dinim (judgments), so they dip it in sugar instead. However, the source for dipping in honey on Rosh Hashanah comes from Tehillim itself. As a gave my Ladies Tehillim Teleconference class this Thursday on Tehillim chapter 81, I found the source of dipping in honey on Rosh Hasahana, from Tehillim itself. Chapter 81 is the chapter that talks about Rosh Hashana. It refers to Yosef’s life turning from bitter to sweet, overnight, as he was taught 70 languages by the angel Gabriel, and got a haircut on Rosh Hashana night, to approach Pharaoh on Rosh Hashana day. Pharoah knew 70 languages, and now Yosef was taught 70, plus he knew Lashon Hakodesh, which means, in Egyptian culture, that Yosef would now be smarter than Pharaoh. עֵד֤וּת ׀ בִּיה֘וֹסֵ֤ף שָׂמ֗וֹ An ornament on Yosef he placed, בְּ֭צֵאתוֹ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם when he went out over the Land of Egypt, שְׂפַ֖ת לֹא־יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֶשְׁמָֽע a language that I don’t know, I understood.
As seen in the Psalm, Rosh Hashana is about change. Another interesting change, שינוי, that we thank G-d for happening on Rosh Hashana שנה , in chapter 81, is the change that happened in Egypt. Although the Jews left Egypt on the 15th of Nissan, the Seder Night of Passover, that was not the date of the Jewish calendar that they were saved from slavery. The day they stopped being slaves, was on Rosh Hashana. הֲסִיר֣וֹתִי מִסֵּ֣בֶל שִׁכְמ֑וֹ I took off of his shoulder his yoke כַּ֝פָּ֗יו מִדּ֥וּד תַּעֲבֹֽרְנָה׃ His hands I took them away from the cooking pots. The men would cook for the Egyptians, not the women, as the slavery was also a psychological slavery, where the men would do women labor and vice versa. They were freed from slavery on Rosh Hashana.
The end verse of this chapter 81 that talks about Rosh Hashana, how no matter what, if we turn to G-d, and pray for him that the upcoming year be better, G-d will answer us. Some times we feel when come to Rosh Hashana, that we tried last year to improve, and the year before, and on the same things. So why keep trying?!? But G-d knows that you might not succeed, He knows that you may fail again. But He will still answer your prayers when you cry out to Him, saying sincerely you will improve!!! And then, when you fall, He brings difficulties to wake you up. And then you return once more… But this chapter all ends with the words, that no matter what difficulty you will go through, G-d promises, HE WILL GIVE YOU SWEETNESS FROM THE MOST DIFFICULT, HARD, SITUATIONS. From the hard rock, He will bring you HONEY. וּ֝מִצּ֗וּר דְּבַ֣שׁ אַשְׂבִּיעֶֽךָ .
The custom of dipping the apple in the honey stems from a Minhag mentioned by the Maharil.(1355-1427) The meaning behind the honey though, is that although the purpose of the things we are supposed to do in life are sometimes so hard, even hard like a rock, G-d will bring honey to those moments. Yosef needed to be in jail for another 2 years than the ten years he was punished for brining bad reports to his father about his ten brothers. He was punished another 2 years, a total of 12 years in the cellar, for trying a little too hard, a drop more Hishtadlut than what was required, asking more than once, from the Bulter who Yosef interpreted his dream, to help him get out of jail. For two years, every time the Butler came into Pharoah, to tell him that Yosef is a good guy, and he never did anything to Potiphar’s wife, the Butler would forget what he wanted to too Pharoah! That is a pretty harsh punishment!!! But how sweet it became, that when Pharoah dreamed a disturbing dream and needed an interpretation, Yosef was exactly locked in, where the bulter knew where to find Yosef! If Yosef would have been freed, he would not be around, to interpret Pharoah’s dream!!!
Yosef, you thought that your mission in life was to be learning with your father, in the Holy Land?! You thought you were in the wrong place in Jail?!!? You thought you were not supposed to be in Jail for so long?!? When you are supposed to leave, I will send an angel and give you all the information you need to know in just one night!!! I will put an ornament on your head, you will go from hands of bondage, to a crown on your head!
Sometimes, good means hard. Sometimes good means tough. Sometimes good means uphill. But G-d promises, that He can make the most difficult things sweet like honey!!!
And that is why we dip the apple in the honey. The apple represents potential. The honey represents your attitude. To have a good year, you need to dip the apple (potential) into the honey (attitude). A year where we are laser focused on our potential, we need the honey attitude, believing, that G-d can make even the uphill battle, sweeter than a stroll in the park.
