1. The Essence of Rosh Hashanah and Its Avodah
Rosh Hashanah is a unique and elevated time, marking the beginning of the year and the day of judgment. While the Torah itself does not elaborate extensively on its nature as a day of judgment, this theme is developed in later verses and especially in Kabbalistic and Chassidic teachings. On a mystical level, Rosh Hashanah is when Hashem renews His kingship over the world. Our main avodah—service—on Rosh Hashanah is Kabbalas Ol, accepting the heavenly yoke. Just as a yoke guides an animal, we accept Hashem’s yoke to guide our actions and follow His will. Even great Torah scholars devote themselves to simple acts of service on Rosh Hashanah, such as reciting Tehillim throughout the day, emphasizing humility and devotion over intellectual achievement.
2. Conduct on the Night of Rosh Hashanah
One should minimize sleep during both nights of Rosh Hashanah, though not to the extent that it impairs one’s ability to daven with proper kavanah—intention. It is also crucial to avoid idle talk, focusing instead on purposeful speech and action, as if one were a servant too busy with his master’s work, or a son preoccupied with greeting his father. Every moment should be used for serving Hashem during these precious hours.
3. Customs During Maariv and Kaddish
The evening service begins with reciting Tehillim before Maariv. In 770 the niggun of “Avinu Malkeinu” was sometimes sung before Maariv, but this was not the regular practice, since Avinu Malkeinu is not said at Maariv on Rosh Hashanah. When it is said — after Shacharis and after Minchah — the line “Avinu Malkeinu chotonu lefonecha” is omitted, since one does not confess sins on Rosh Hashanah.
Regarding smoking: even those who smoke on other Yomim Tovim refrain from doing so on Rosh Hashanah, given its inappropriateness in the presence of Hashem’s kingship. The Rebbe Rayatz emphasized that bnei Torah should not smoke on Rosh Hashanah and should encourage others likewise.
An avel—mourner—generally does not lead the services on Shabbos or Yom Tov, as it would be an expression of sadness inappropriate for these days. However, if someone regularly leads the High Holiday services, he may continue even during his year of mourning, due to the special nature of these days and to practical considerations.
During the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah some have a custom to repeat certain words in Kaddish, such as “L’eila,” but Chabad does not do so except at Ne’ilah on Yom Kippur.
4. Additions and Changes in Davening During Aseres Yemei Teshuvah
Certain insertions are made in the Amidah: “Zochreinu lechayim,” “Mi chomocha,” “Uchsov lechayim tovim,” and “B’sefer chayim.” These are found in most standard siddurim at their appropriate places within each Amidah. Additionally, we change from “HaKel HaKadosh” to “HaMelech HaKadosh” in the third brachah. The change from “Melech oheiv tzedakah umishpat” to “HaMelech hamishpat” does not apply on Rosh Hashanah, because that brachah is not said on Yom Tov.
At the end of Kaddish and the Amidah during these ten days we say “Oseh hashalom bimromav” with the extra hey, both in Kaddish and in the Amidah. This change also applies in Birchas HaMazon during this period.
5. L’Dovid Mizmor After the Amidah and Its Significance
After the Amidah at night we recite Tehillim 24, “L’Dovid Mizmor.” The Rebbe Rashab taught that this chapter serves as a channel for all our physical blessings throughout the year. In Chabad custom, after everyone finishes reciting the chapter together, the chazan repeats aloud only its closing verses, “S’u she’arim rosheichem,” rather than leading each verse responsively as is done elsewhere.
6. Greeting Each Other After Maariv
On the first night of Rosh Hashanah, after Maariv, we greet one another with “L’shanah tovah tikoseiv v’seichoseim”—may you be written and sealed for a good year. The greeting is given in the singular, even when addressing someone one would usually address in the plural out of respect, as is common in Hebrew or Yiddish. This greeting is given only on the first night, not on the second.
7. Eating and Rejoicing at the Nighttime Meal
The posuk in Nechemiah (8:10), which describes the people gathering on Rosh Hashanah, instructs us to rejoice by eating festive foods: “Ichlu mashmanim ushsu mamtakim”—eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks. It is a mitzvah to enjoy food and drink, but without overindulgence or frivolity; one must maintain yirah—awe of Hashem—even while celebrating.
The custom at all the Rosh Hashanah meals is to dip the first piece of challah into honey rather than salt, though salt remains present on the table. The Rebbe would dip his first piece into honey, and then dip another piece into salt afterward.
8. Order of Eating the Apple, Pomegranate and Fish Head
After making Kiddush and eating challah dipped in honey, we eat a sweet apple dipped three times into honey. The Rebbe would wait until pomegranates were brought to the table so that his brachah of Borei pri ho’eitz over the apple would cover them as well, avoiding an unnecessary additional brachah.
The apple is taken with its peel intact, cut into pieces, dipped three times into honey, and then—after the dipping but before eating—one recites Borei pri ho’eitz. Following the brachah, but still before eating, one says the Yehi Ratzon: “Yehi rotzon milfonecha shetechadeish oleinu shonah tovah umsukah”—may it be Your will that You renew for us a good and sweet year. Unlike some other versions which add Hashem’s name or mention our forefathers (Elokeinu vElokei avoseinu), Chabad omits these here.
This order differs from what the Alter Rebbe writes in Shulchan Aruch, where the Yehi Ratzon is said after eating. Based on the Rebbe’s later explanation, saying the Yehi Ratzon immediately after the brachah makes it an extension of the brachah itself.
Pomegranates are eaten next, ideally covered by the original brachah if they were present at the time. If a pomegranate is a new fruit for which one has not yet made Shehecheyanu that season, and it was not present at Kiddush, one makes Shehecheyanu before eating it.
If dessert fruits requiring Borei pri ho’eitz will be eaten later in the meal, one should have them in mind when making the brachah now, so as not to require another brachah later.
The head of a fish, or of another animal, is also eaten as a siman—that we should be like a head and not like a tail—and the pomegranate seeds symbolize abundant merits. However, only over the apple do we say the Yehi Ratzon; according to Chabad custom no special prayer accompanies the fish head or the pomegranate.
9. Additional Laws Regarding Shehecheyanu and Birchas HaMazon
If one intends to make Shehecheyanu over a new fruit such as a pomegranate during the meal rather than at Kiddush, in order that the Shehecheyanu of Kiddush not exempt it, the fruit should be absent from the table during Kiddush itself.
The Rebbeim generally spoke little during the meals on Rosh Hashanah, out of a heightened kabbalas ol malchus shomayim. In Birchas HaMazon: if one forgot Yaaleh V’yavo for Yom Tov but remembered before beginning Hatov V’hameitiv, there are special insertions according to Chabad custom found in the Chabad siddurim, and these may differ from other traditions.
The special Horachamon for Rosh Hashanah, “Horachamon hu yechadeish oleinu,” follows after the Horachamon for Yom Tov, “Horachamon hu yanchileinu.” When bentching during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, including Rosh Hashanah, we conclude with “Oseh hashalom bimromav” with the extra hey.
10. Summary: Distinctive Features of the Chabad Minhagim for This Night
This overview covers many of the key customs observed by Chabad on Rosh Hashanah night, from the changes in davening through the rituals of the meal, though there are many additional halachos beyond what was discussed here. Not every detail aligns exactly with what appears in Shulchan Aruch, or even in Shulchan Aruch HaRav; rather, these reflect established minhagim passed down through generations of Chabad Rebbeim—such as saying the Yehi Ratzon immediately after Borei pri ho’eitz, before eating the apple dipped in honey—and explained by later authorities within Chabad.