סימנא מילתא היא There is nothing like a good pun, and these are nothing like good puns. Each year I try to think of different puns, but these are the basics. ##Kiddush >Trader Joe's Sara Bee Moscato --this is the year we all "moscato"-long with each other<br/>and bees & honey are a cute Rosh Hashana theme<br/>and may this be the year Savti Sara Be appreciating my puns >apples in honey<br/> dates<br/> pomegranate --because Rosh Hashana >gummy fish heads --because real fish heads are gross >raisins and celery --Rav Noach Weinberg's siman. May we have a raisin celery >whirled peas --May this be a year of "world peace". My contribution to כלל ישראל ##Dips (they're not dips; they are spreads--may we spread joy and peace throughout the world) >black eyed pea hummus --traditional siman: רוביא >red onion\/date jam --may our children be "red" good shidduchim and go on productive "dates"<br/>and may we live this year בצל“ כנפי השכינה”. >cranberry\/honey spead --Meira's contribution: have a "berry" sweet "challah"-day >spinach/cilantro pesto --סילקא is probably really spinach, not beets<br/>cilantro in Hebrew is גד, “good fortune”<br/>and may this year be filled with צדקה and cilantropy<br/>(and hopefully better puns than "cilantropy") *Note*: this has cashew nuts. I feel that the idea of not having nuts on ראש השנה is wrong, on so many levels. Don't get me started. ##simanim soup >butternut squash soup with leeks and fenugreek --traditional simanim<br/>and may we have a "soup"er year! ##meat >בשר --may this year be a year of בשורות טובות. Thanks to Phyllis Shapiro for teaching me this one. ##roast vegetables >carrot<br/> golden beets<br/> cauliflower<br/> in orange\/thyme\/sage sauce --traditional simanim<br/>and cauliflower is כרובית in Hebrew--may we see the rebuilding of the בית המקדש and the כרובים on the ארון,‎ במהרה בימינו<br/>and may we have plenty of thyme for תורה and מצוות<br/>and may we have (and give) much sage advice<br/>and "0range" we glad it is a new year! {:he} ##חג שמח! {:.sectionbreak}<hr/> {:id=recipes} ##Recipes ###Whirled Peas Take a bag of sugar snap peas. Whirl them around your head (it's practice for kapparot). You were expecting some [fancy recipe](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/213342/mashed-peas/)? ###Black eyed pea hummus Purée in in food processor with steel blade: 1 can black eyed peas, drained<br/> 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or less, to taste)<br/> 1 tablespoon minced garlic<br/> 2 tablespoons peanut butter powder (I am not a fan of tahini)<br/> 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (for this, use the EVOO)<br/> 1 tablespoon garam masala<br/> 1\/2 teaspoon salt Process until smooth. ###Red onion\/date jam In a medium saucepan, heat on medium: 2 tablespoons oil Sauté: 4 red onions, thinly sliced<br/> Cook until starting to brown, about 20 minutes. Add: 1 cup brown sugar<br/> 1 cup dry red wine<br/> 1\/2 cup silan (date honey)<br/> 1\/2 teaspoon salt<br/> 1\/8 teaspoon ground black pepper Bring to a boil, then simmer on low until thick and syrupy, stirring occasionally, about one hour. Allow to cool. ###Cranberry\/honey spead Combine in a 1-quart pot: 1\/2 cup frozen cranberries<br/> 3 tablespoons sugar<br/> 2 tablespoons water<br/> 1 tablespoon lemon juice<br/> pinch salt Bring to a boil, then simmer until berries start to burst, about 10 minutes. Then help them along by smooshing them against the side of the pot and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, for 10 more minutes. Allow to cool. Add: 12 ounces non-dairy sour cream<br/> 1\/4 cup honey Mix well ###spinach/cilantro pesto Purée in in mixer with steel blade: 8 ounces raw spinach, washed (ask your LOR about checking vegetables that are to be pureed)<br/> 1 bunch fresh cilantro<br/> 1 cup cashews<br/> 1\/2 teaspoon salt<br/> 1\/4 cup nutritional yeast Add in a stream with the mixer running at high speed: 1/4 cup neutral oil ###butternut squash soup with leeks and fenugreek Toast in a medium saucepan, over medium heat, until browned and fragrant: 1 tablespoon [fenugreek seeds](https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Fenugreek-Anthonys-Non-GMO-Verified/dp/B01MTFLIV6) Cover with water and soak overnight, then drain and rinse. Crush in a mortar and pestle, then mix with a tablespoon or so of water. Filter through cheesecloth to remove solids. This yields a little fenugreek-infused water, since Sara does not like fenugreek. Preheat oven to 400° F. Bake for one hour: 3 medium butternut squash, about 5 pounds, uncut Cut the tops off of: 3 whole heads of garlic Wrap in foil and put in oven for last 30 minutes of baking. Allow to cool enough to handle, then cut squash in half and spoon out seeds, then scoop out flesh. In a 4-quart pot, heat on high: 3 tablespoons oil Sauté until starting to brown: 3 onions, cubed Add and sauté until translucent 1 leek, sliced (not the very tough dark green parts of the leaves or the root, but the rest is fine) Deglaze pan with 2 cups water Add: fenugreek water<br/> 1 tablespoon salt<br/> 1 tablespoon pareve ranch dressing mix Squeeze the roast garlic cloves into the pot Add: Butternut squash<br/> 3 cups water Stir. Cover and simmer over low heat until very soft (at least an hour; I leave this on the stove and get back to it whenever I get a chance) Puree with hand blender. Add: 2 cups almond milk Puree with hand blender at high speed. If rewarming, stir constantly to make sure it doesn't scorch ###Roast vegetables Preheat oven to 475 Cube vegetables Toss with 3 tablespoons orange juice<br/> 2 tablespoons olive oil<br/> 1 tablespoon sugar<br/> 1 teaspoon salt<br/> 1 teaspoon dried thyme<br/> 1 teaspoon dried sage<br/> 1\/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper Spread on a baking sheet Bake for 40 minutes {:.sectionbreak}<hr/> ##What's With the Nuts? >Rema (Orach Chaim 583:2) writes that some are careful not to eat /egozim/ (walnuts) on Rosh Hashanah. This is because the /gematria/ (numerical value) of the Hebrew word “/egoz/” is the same as the numerical value for the word /chait/ (sin). Additionally, nuts cause an increase in phlegm, which can disturb one’s prayers. > Magen Avraham (583:4) points out that according to this second reason, all nuts, even those that are not referred to as “/egoz/,” should be avoided. Mateh Efrayim (583:3) extends this minhag to include not eating beans (or peanuts). --Rabbi Eli Gersten , Rabbi Yaakov Luban and Rabbi Moshe Zywica, [_Why Do We Refrain from Eating Nuts on Rosh Hashanah?_](https://www.kosher.com/article/why-do-we-refrain-from-eating-nuts-on-rosh-hashanah-1271/) {:he .lines} >אמר רבי אמי: האי מאן דבעי לידע אי מסיק שתיה אי לא ניתלי שרגא בעשרה יומי דבין ראש השנה ליום הכפורים בביתא דלא נשיב זיקא אי משיך נהוריה נידע דמסיק שתיה. ומאן דבעי למיעבד בעיסקא ובעי למידע אי מצלח אי לא מצלח לירבי תרנגולא אי שמין ושפר מצלח. האי מאן דבעי למיפק [לאורחא] ובעי למידע אי חזר ואתי לביתא אי לא ניקום בביתא דחברא אי חזי בבואה דבבואה לידע דהדר ואתי לביתא. > ולאו מלתא היא דלמא חלשא דעתיה ומיתרע מזליה. > אמר אביי: השתא דאמרת סימנא מילתא היא [לעולם] יהא רגיל למיחזי בריש שתא קרא ורוביא כרתי וסילקא ותמרי --הוריות יב,א How can Abaye say השתא דאמרת סימנא מילתא היא if the gemara just said לאו מלתא היא? He seems to make a דיוק in the gemara, that the reason that Rav Ami's suggestions are לאו מלתא is *because*, if they come out wrong, they will depress the person, and that will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Maharsha says that this is a critical distinction: you clearly aren't taking a negative omen with the intention of becoming depressed. The omen then must be ניחוש, soothsaying, and is forbidden. Doing things that make you happy has its own significance; it's not necessarily an appeal to black magic. {:he} ><em>הא רגיל (למיתי) [למחזי] בריש שתא קרא וכו'</em>: דכל הני סימנין לטובה הן אי כפרש"י...שהוא לסימן שיצמח ויגדל מזלו ושנה טובה ומתוקה ואי כפי' המרדכי בשם רבינו האי רוביא ירבו זכיותינו...אבל לרעה אין בהם שום הוראה, דלרעה הוי אסור משום ניחוש. --מהרש"א, חידושי אגדות, הוריות יב,א {:he} >והנה כל אלו הענינים עושין הכל לסימן טוב. --משנה ברורה, אורח חיים תקפג:ה So what does Rema say? {:he} >הגה : יש מדקדקים שלא לאכול אגוזים שאגוז בגימטריא ”חט“ ועוד שהן מרבים כיחה וניעה ומבטלים התפלה. --שולחן ערוך, אורח חיים תקפג:ב The second reason presumably only applies before תפלה, so nuts should not be a problem on the night before. But the opinion of the יש מדקדקים is problematic. Very problematic. First, the גימטריא is wrong. חטא, sin, has gematria 18. So does חי, life. So foods-with-gematria-18 should be positive סימנים! Second, the gematria is wrong. אגוז has gematria 17. Our text of the שולחן ערוך acknowledges this, spelling חטא as “חט”. But that's the gematria of טוב, so it should still be positive. Third, Maharsha's principle makes it clear that avoiding nuts is ניחוש and I probably should stone anyone who avoids nuts. Other reasons for avoiding nuts are given. {:he} >ולפענ"ד הטעם דאמרו חז"ל (שיר השירים רבה ו:יא) אֶל־גִּנַּת אֱגוֹז [יָרַדְתִּ]: למה נמשלו ישראל לאגוז? מה אגוז אעפ"י שמתגלגל במקום טנופת, אין תוכו נמאס; אף ישראל, אף על פי שמתגלגלים באומות העולם אין תוכן נמאס. ע"ש. וכיון שרומז על גליות לא מסמנע מלתא לאכול בר"ה. > ועוד (ויקרא כו:מד) וְאַף גַּם זֹאת בִּהְיוֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶם [לֹא מְאַסְתִּים וְלֹא גְעַלְתִּים לְכַלֹּתָם], ר"ת ”אגז“ *א*ף *ג*ם *ז*את. --חתם סופר, אורח חיים תקפ״ג:ב But that's exactly wrong; the אגוז is a symbol of our survival and persistence *in spite of* גלות. And I have on whom to rely: {:he} ><em>אגוזים וכו'</em>: כן כתב מהרי"ל אבל בכלבו דמהר"מ לא היה נזהר לאכול שומין ואגוזים. --אליה רבה, אורח חיים תקפ״ג:ב And the משנה ברורה doesn't mention the אגוז issue at all.