DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 1.22 MB)
Rosh Hashana: Rosh Hashana in the Jewish Calendar

The Tur (R. Yaakob Ben Asher, 1343-1269, Germany-Spain) in Siman 428 brings down that the Jewish Calendar is arranged so that the first day of Rosh Hashana can never fall on a Sunday, Wednesday or Friday. This is represented by the mnemonic phrase, "Lo A'D'U' (numerically equivalent to 1,4,6) Rosh," meaning Rosh HaShana will not fall on the first, fourth or sixth day.

The reason for this is as follows: If Rosh HaShana would fall on Sunday, Hoshana Rabba would fall on Shabbat, and the Misva of the Araba would be able to be performed. If Rosh Hashana would fall on Wednesday, Yom Kippur would be on Friday. This would create a situation of two consecutive days prohibited from the Torah to do Melacha. If someone, Heaven forbid, would pass away on Yom Kippur, he could not be buried until Sunday, and Heaven forbid, the body might begin to decompose. Similarly, Rosh Hashana cannot fall on Friday, to avoid the reverse situation in which Yom Kippur would be on Sunday, and the same problem of disrespect to the dead would exist.

Parashat Ki Tavo is always read before Rosh Hashana, so that the curses detailed in it are on last year's account. The following Parasha, Nisavim, is read on the Shabbat immediately prior to Rosh Hashana. Some years Nisavim is read by itself and other years it is read together with the following Parasha, VaYelech. The Shulhan Aruch presents a mnemonic phrase, "BaG (numerically equivalent to 2,3=Monday, Tuesday) Hamelech, Pat VaYelech"-If the Melech (King), which alludes to Rosh Hashana, is on Monday or Tuesday, split Parashat VaYelech from Nisavim. However, if Rosh Hashana is on any other day, they are combined. This year, Rosh Hashana starts on Monday, and therefore Nisavim is read by itself.

SUMMARY
Rosh Hashana never falls on Sunday, Wednesday or Friday.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
How Many Men Who Have Already Prayed May be Counted For a Minyan to Allow the Repetition of the Amida?
Should One Stand When Reciting “Nishmat Kol Hai” on Shabbat Morning?
Praying & Learning While at Work
Who Receives the First Aliya if There is No Kohen in the Synagogue?
May a Kohen Refuse the First Aliya?
Must One Stop His Learning To Help Complete A Minyan
Lending & Borrowing Tefilin
The Procedure for Taking Three Steps Back After the Amida
Torah Reading – If the Oleh Recites the Wrong Beracha
If A Minyan Becomes Less Than 10 During The Reading of Sefer Torah
The Prohibition Against Leaving the Synagogue During the Torah Reading
Reciting Kaddish After the Torah Reading
Which Daily Prayers Must a Woman Recite?
The Value of Praying Where One Learns, and Praying in the Synagogue
Can Someone be Counted Towards a Minyan if He is Sleeping?
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found