Rosh Hashanah Evening Home Ritual

Please note that this page contain the name of God.
If you print it out, please treat it with appropriate respect.

If you do not have experience reading transliteration
please see the Guide to Transliteration.

Lighting Candles

On the first night, candles should be lit no later than 18 minutes before sundown. On the second night, candles should be lit immediately after nightfall, kindled by an existing flame. For the candle lighting time in your area, consult the list provided by the Orthodox Union or any Jewish calendar.

The words highlighted in yellow should be read only on Shabbat.

Barukh atah Adonai
Blessed are you, Lord

Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam
our God, sovereign of the universe

asher kidishanu b'mitz'votav
Who has sanctified us with His commandments

v'tzivanu l'had'lik neir
and commanded us to light the lights

l'had'lik neir shel shabbat v'shel
to light the candles of Shabbat and of

yom tov (Amein)
the holiday (Amen)

Evening Kiddush for Rosh Hashanah

Kiddush is recited while holding a cup of wine or other liquid, no less than 3.3 ounces. If wine or grape juice is not used, you should substitute shehakol nih'yeh bid'varo (by whose will all things come to be) for borei p'ri hagafen (who creates the fruit of the vine).

On Friday nights (Shabbat), insert the first paragraph of Shabbat kiddush here, that is, from Vay'hiy erev to asher bara Elohiym la'asot. On all other nights, skip words highlighted in yellow, which are only for Shabbat. They emphasize God's love, and also reflect the fact that the shofar is not blown on Shabbat (the sound is known as "teruah"). The parts of this kiddush that are specifically for Rosh Hashanah are highlighted in silver to help you see what is special about this kiddush.The rest is basically the same as the kiddush for other holidays.

Do not drink the wine until after completing Shechecheyanu.

Barukh atah Adonai
Blessed are you, Lord

Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam
our God, sovereign of the universe

if using wine or grape juice

borei p'ri hagafen (Amein)
Who creates the fruit of the vine (Amen)

if using other liquids

shehakol nih'yeh bid'varo (Amein)
Who made all things exist through His word (Amen)

Barukh atah Adonai
Blessed are you, Lord

Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam
our God, sovereign of the universe

asher bachar banu mikol am
who has chosen us from among all people

v'rom'manu mikol lashon
and exalted us above every tongue

v'kid'shanu b'mitz'votav
and sanctified us with His commandments

vatiten lanu Adonai Eloheinu b'ahavah
and you gave us, Lord our God, with love

et yom hashabat hazeh v'
this day of Sabbath and

et yom hazikaron hazeh
this day of remembrance

yom zikh'ron t'ru'ah
a day of remembering shofar blowing

b'ahavah mik'ra kodesh
with love a holy convocation

zeikher litzi'at mitz'rayim
a memorial of the exodus from Egypt

ki vanu vachar'ta
Indeed, You have chosen us

v'otanu kidash'ta mikol ha'amim
and made us holy from all peoples

ud'var'kha emet v'kayam la'ad
and Your word is true and established for ever.

Barukh atah Adonai
Blessed are You, Lord,

melekh al kol ha'aretz
King over all the world,

m'kadeish hashabat v'yisra'eil
Who sanctifies the sabbath and Israel

v'yom hazikaron. (Amein)
and the Day of Remembrance. (Amen)

Shehecheyanu: Who Has Kept Us Alive

Shehecheyanu is a standard blessing recited on the first night of all holidays, thanking God for allowing us to experience this thing again. Although it is normally only recited on the first night of a holiday, is recited on both nights of Rosh Hashanah.

Barukh atah Adonai
Blessed are you, Lord

Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam
our God, sovereign of the universe

shehecheyanu v'kiyimanu, v'higi'anu
who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us

laz'man hazeh. (Amein)
to reach this season (Amen)

Apples and Honey

During Rosh Hashanah, it is traditional to eat apples dipped in honey, to symbolize our hopes for a "sweet" new year. The apple is dipped in honey, the blessing for eating tree fruits is recited, the apple is tasted, and then the apples and honey prayer is recited.

Barukh atah Adonai
Blessed are you, Lord

Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam
our God, sovereign of the universe

borei p'ri ha-eitz (Amein)
Who creates the fruit of the tree (Amen)

Take a bite from the apple dipped in honey, then continue with the following:

Y'hi ratzon mil'fanekha
May it be Your will,

Adonai eloheinu vei'lohei avoteinu
Lord our God and God of our ancestors

sh't'chadeish aleinu
that you renew for us

shanah tovah um'tukah
a good and sweet year