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...
Succot- The Mitzvah of Building the Succah
Succot- The Proper Way To Shake The Lulav in Halel
The Proper Time To Say Selichot
Customs of Elul
The Shofar as an Alarm Clock
Hatarat Nedarim – Annulling Vows Before Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
Reciting Tehillim During the Month of Elul and During the Ten Days of Repentance
Some Laws and Customs for the Month of Elul
The Proper Procedure for Reciting Selihot Without a Minyan
Selihot – The Recitation of the “Yag Middot”
Selichot and Tikun Hasot
Reciting the “Yag Midot” Without a Minyan
Performing Teshuva Each Day; Repenting for Negative Character Traits
Can a Man Represent His Wife in Hatarat Nedarim?
The Structure of the Selihot Service; Health as a Reward for Charity
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found