Rosh Hashanah for Beginners: What to Bless and How to Observe the Commandments?

A simple guide for beginners explaining the customs of Rosh Hashanah: candle lighting, Kiddush, blessings over the holiday symbols (apple and honey, pomegranate, and more), shofar blowing, holiday prayers, and the laws of the second day. The guide is intended for those unfamiliar with tradition who wish to connect with it in small steps.

The guide is intended for those who did not grow up in an observant home and wish to connect with tradition on Rosh Hashanah. It details the basic steps: candle lighting at the onset of the holiday, Kiddush over wine or grape juice (this year combined with Shabbat Kiddush), and blessings over the holiday symbols – apple and honey, pomegranate, date, fenugreek, leek, beet, gourd, and fish or lamb head. It explains how to recite the blessing "Borei Pri Ha'Etz" over the apple, dip it in honey, and say "Yehi Ratzon." Shofar blowing is presented as the central commandment: the blasts take place in the synagogue during the morning and additional (Musaf) prayers, with the blessings "Lishmoa Kol Shofar" and "Shehecheyanu." The types of sounds are explained: Tekiah (long), Shevarim (three short), and Teruah (a short, rapid series). Rosh Hashanah prayers include special additions in the Musaf: Malchuyot, Zichronot, and Shofarot. The second day continues with the same customs, and this year the holiday falls on the eve of Shabbat, creating a sequence of holiday and Shabbat. The guide emphasizes that there is no need to know everything – one can start with a small step like a blessing over apple and honey or listening to the shofar.