Why No Nuts on Rosh Hashana?

Question

Shavua tov!

What is the reason some people don’t eat nuts on Rosh HaShanah?

0

Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    There are a number of reasons for the Ashkenazi custom to not eat nits on Rosh Hashana.

    One is that nuts increase saliva and make prayer less fluid and easy.

    Two is that the gematria (numerical value) of the Hebrew word for nut – egoz – is 17, and is considered as having the equivalent gematria as the Hebrew word for sin – chet. Not the auspicious sign for the Day of Repentance and hopefully a year without sin.

    There may be other, mystical reasons, for this custom, including the presence of a hard, inedible shell – perhaps symbolic of the “shell of impurity” that may cover our pure soul if we sin.

    Wishing you a good and sweet New Year!

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team