Seder Seudat Rosh Ashanah ● Yehi Ratsones
Click here for the downloadable PDF you can use at your table: Seder Seudat Rosh Hashana.Lad
It is customary to precede the family meal with special foods chosen symbolically and eaten with appropriate blessings and wishes suggested by their name or quality. Source: Talmud: Horayoth 12a & K’rithoth 6a: Said Abaye: Now that it has been said that omens are of significance, a man should make a regular habit of eating, at the beginning of the year, pumpkin, fenugreek (or black-eyed peas), leek, beet and dates. “קרא ורוביא, כרתי וסילקא ותמרי.”
(We do this after kiddush, but before amotzi since the amotzi would otherwise obviate the need for these additional blessings, although some say the yehi ratsones after amotzi with no additional blessings. We say the blessings “fruit of the tree” and “fruit of the earth” only once, some others repeat them for each food.)
These foods are:
APPLE DIPPED IN HONEY ● MANSANA ● תפוחים
.יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ, שֶׁתְּחַדֵּשׁ עָלֵֽינוּ שָׁנָה טוֹבָה וּמְתוּקָה. מֵרֵאשִׁית השָׁנָה וְעַד אַחֲרִית הַשָׁנָה
May it be Your will, Lord our God, God of our fathers, that the coming year be renewed for us as good and sweet one, from its beginning until its end.
Ladino: Sea velontad delantre de Ti Adonai muestro Dyo i Dyo de muestros padres, ke se renove sovre mozotros anyada buena i dulse de presipyo del anyo i asta kavo del anyo.
“וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם לְכוּ אִכְלוּ מַשְׁמַנִּים וּשְׁתוּ מַמְתַּקִּים וְשִׁלְחוּ מָנוֹת לְאֵין נָכוֹן לוֹ כִּי-קָדוֹשׁ הַיּוֹם לַאֲדֹנֵינוּ וְאַל-תֵּעָצֵבוּ כִּי-חֶדְוַת יְהֹוָה הִיא מָעֻזְּכֶם”
And Nehemiah said to them, go, eat rich dainties and drink sweet drinks, and send portions to him who has nothing ready, for today is holy to our Lord. Grieve not, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemia 8:10)
Ladino: I Nehemiah les disho: va, kome komida rika i bividas dulses, i enbia porsiones a el ke no tiene nada taman, porke la dia es santo para muestro Adonai. No te afriyas, porke la alegria del Adonai es tu fortaleza.
.בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ
Blessed art Thou, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the tree.
LEEK ● PRASSA ● כרתי
.יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ, שֶׁיִכָּרְתוּ אוֹיְבֶיךָ וְשׂוֹנְאֶיךָ וְכָל מְבַקְשֵׁי רָעָתֵנוּ: תָרוֹם יָדְךָ עַל צָרֶיךָ. וְכָל אוֹיְבֶיךָ יִכָּרֵתוּ
May it be Your will, Lord our God, God of our fathers that You “cut off” our enemies and foes and all who seek evil for us. “Your hand shall be raised above your oppressors, and all your enemies shall be cut down.” (Micah 5:8)
[De Sola Pool: Like as we eat this leek, may our luck never lack in the year to come.]
Ladino: Sea velontad delantre de Ti Adonai muestro Dyo i Dyo de muestros padres ke se tajen Tus enemigos i Tus aboresyentes i todos bushkantes muestro mal. Enaltese Tu mano sovre Tus angustyadores i todos tus enemigos seran tajados.
.בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה
Blessed art Thou, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the earth.
(karti, the Hebrew word for leek, sounds like the Hebrew word for cut down , karet)
BEETS (or SPINACH) ● KUCHUNDURYA (or SPINAKA) ● סלקא
.יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ, שֶׁיִּסְתַּלְּקוּ אוֹיְבֶיךָ וְשׂוֹנְאֶיךָ וְכָל מְבַקְשֵׁי רָעָתֵנוּ סוּרוּ מִמֶּנִּי כָּל-פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן כִּי-שְׁמַע יְיָ קוֹל בִּכְיִי סוּרוּ צְאוּ מִשָּׁם. טָמֵא אַל תִּגָּעוּ. צְאוּ מִתּוֹכָהּ. הִבָּרוּ נֹשְׂאֵי כְּלֵי יְיָ
May it be Your will, Lord our God, God of our fathers that You remove our enemies and foes and all who seek evil for us. “Turn away from me, all you workers of iniquity, for the Lord has hearkened to the voice of my weeping.” “Turn away, get out of there, touch no unclean one; get out of its midst, purify yourselves, you who bear the Lord’s vessels.” Psalms 6:9, Isaiah 52:11
[De Sola Pool: As we bite this beet, may those who in the past have beaten us or sought our harm beat to cover in the coming year]
Ladino: Sea velontad delantre de Ti Adonai muestro Dyo i Dyo de muestros padres, ke se aparten Tus enemigos i Tus aboresyentes i todos bushkantes muestro mal. Tiradvos de mi, todos ovrantes tortura, ke oyo Adonai boz de mi yorro. Tiradvos, tiravdos, salid de ayi enkanado non tokesh. Salid de entre eya se’ed limpyos yevantes armas de Adonai.
(selek, the Hebrew word for beet, sounds like the Hebrew word for remove, salek. silka is the Aramaic word for spinach, so some use spinach instead, the tamudic source having been written in Aramaic.)
DATES ● DATILES ● תמרי
.יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ, שֶׁיִּתַּמּוּ אוֹיְבֶיךָ וְשׂוֹנְאֶיךָ וְכָל מְבַקְשֵׁי רָעָתֵנוּ יִתַּמּוּ חַטָּאיִם מִן-הָאָרֶץ. וּרְשָׁעִים עוֹד אֵינָם. בָּרְכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת-יְיָ הַלְלוּיָה: וּבְחַסְדְךָ תַּצְמִית אֹיְבָי. וְהַאֲבַדְתָּ כֹּל-צֹרְרֵי נַפְשִׁי. כִּי אֲנִי עַבְדֶּךָ
May it be Your will, Lord our God, God of our fathers that You remove our enemies and foes and all who seek evil for us. “Sinners will be destroyed from the earth and the wicked will be no more; my soul, bless the Lord. Halleluyah.” “And with Your kindness, You shall cut off my enemies, and You shall destroy all the oppressors of my soul, for I am Your servant.”Psalm 104:35, Psalm 143:12
[De Sola Pool: As we eat this date, may we date the new year that is beginning as one of happiness and blessing, and peace for all men.]
Ladino: Sea velontad delantre de Ti Adonai muestro Dyo i Dyo de muestros padres ke se atemen pekadores de la tierra i malos mas non eyos. Bendize mi alma a Adonai i kon tus mersedes tajare mis enemigos, i depyedreras todos angustyadores de mi alma ke yo Tu syervo.
(tamar, the Hebrew word for date sounds like the Hebrew word for cease, tam.)
PUMPKIN, GOURD OR SQUASH ● KALAVASA ● קרא
.יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ, שֶׁתִּקְרַע רֹעַ גְזַר דִּינֵנוּ וְיִקָּרְאוּ לְפָנֶיךָ זְכֻיּוֹתֵינוּ
May it be Your will, Lord our God, God of our fathers that any bad decree be torn up and that our merits be read before You.
[De Sola Pool: May the coming year grow as a gourd in fullness of blessing. In the year to come, if enemies gird at us, mayest Thou guard us as we eat this gourd.]
Ladino: Sea velontad delantre de Ti Adonai muestro Dyo i Dyo de muestros padres, ke arazges malisya de setensya de muestro din i ke se melden delantre de Ti muestros zakhuyot.
(Kara, the Hebrew word for gourd or squash, sounds like the Hebrew word for tear or rend, kara)
BLACK EYED PEAS ● FIJONES ● רוביא
.יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ, שֶׁיִּרְבּוּ זָכִיּוֹתֵינוּ כְּרוּבִיָא
May it be Your will, Lord our God, God of our fathers that our merits increase (like black-eyed peas).
Ladino: Sea velontad delantre de Ti Adonai muestro Dyo i Dyo de muestros padres, ke se muchiguan muestro zakhuyot.
(rubyah, the Hebrew word for black-eyed peas, sounds like the Hebrew word for increase, yirbu)
POMEGRANATE ● MANGRANA ● רמון
.יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ, שֶׁיִּרְבּוּ זָכִיּוֹתֵינוּ כָּרִמּוֹן
May it be Your will, Lord our God, God of our fathers, that our merits increase like the (many) seeds of the pomegranate.
Ladino: Sea velontad delantre de Ti Adonai muestro Dyo i Dyo de muestros padres, ke arazges malisya de setensya de muestro juzgo i ke se melden delantre de ti muestros zakhuyot.
FISH ● PESHKADO ● דגים
.יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ, שֶׁנִפְרֶה וְנִרִבֶה כַּדָּגִים וְתִשְׁגַח עֲלָן בְּעֵינָא פְּקִיחָא
May it be Your will, Lord our God, God of our fathers that we be fruitful and multiply like fish.
Ladino: Sea velontad delantre de ti adonai muestro dio y dio de muestros padres ke nos sea fructífera y se multiplican como los peshkados.
FISH or SHEEP HEAD (or Cow Tongue) ● ראש כבש
.יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ, שֶׁנִּהְיֶה לְרֹאשׁ וְלֹא לְזָנָב: וְתִזְכוֹר לָנוּ אֵילוֹ שֶל יִצְחָק
May it be Your will, Lord our God, God of our fathers, may we be the head and not the tail (Deuternonomy 28:13) (leaders and not followers). And remember for us the courage of Isaac.
Ladino: Sea velontad delantre de Ti Adonai muestro Dyo i Dyo de muestros padres, ke seamos por kavesera i non por kola. I akodra a mozotros su barvez de Yitzhak muestro padre.