תקפד סדר קריאת התורה בראש השנה ובו ט' סעיפים

The Order of the Torah Reading on Rosh Hashanah

1. Hallel is not recited on Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur, because the Holy One, blessed be He, sits on the Throne of Judgment, and the books of the living and the dead are open before Him. How can one sing praise?

However, those who recite Tehillim every day, and it happens that on Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur they come to the recitation of Hallel, are permitted to say it as usual, since they do not say it as a song, but rather as a supplication and request.

2. The custom is to recite "Avinu Malkeinu" in order.

There are those who omit on Rosh Hashanah the phrase "Avinu Malkeinu, we have sinned before You," because confession is not recited on Rosh Hashanah, so as not to give an opening to the accuser.

But to recite verses that mention sin is not a problem, since it is not in the manner of confession.

And even actual confession should not be withheld during the shofar blasts, since the Satan is confused at that time.

It is proper to confess quietly between the shofar blasts, at the time when the congregation says "Yehi Ratzon milfanecha, etc."

3. One should say: "Forgive and pardon, erase and remove our sins and our transgressions," because pardon is greater than forgiveness, and a transgression is greater than a sin.

One must first request for the lesser, and then add and continue.

4. One should say "tear the evil decree" in a single breath, meaning that He, blessed be He, should tear away the evil part of the decree, and what remains of the decree should be for mercy.

5. "Avinu Malkeinu" is not recited on Shabbos, because it is forbidden to request one's needs on Shabbos.

Even on Erev Shabbos at Mincha, it is not recited.

6. On Rosh Hashanah, the prayers and piyutim are extended until at least midday.

If it falls on Shabbos, one should not extend beyond midday.

But on a weekday, one may extend further.

This applies to piyutim and prayers, but with melodies, one should not extend beyond midday, since it is Yom Tov.

7. Two Torah scrolls are taken out.

In the first, five people are called up, from "And Hashem remembered Sarah" (Bereishis 21:1) until the section of the Akeidah, because Sarah was remembered on Rosh Hashanah.

If it is Shabbos, seven are called up.

The maftir reads from the second Torah scroll, in Parshas Pinchas: "And in the seventh month..."

The haftarah is from the beginning of the book of Shmuel, until "and He will exalt the horn of His anointed," because Channah too was remembered on Rosh Hashanah.

8. In some places, the custom is to call the shofar blower among the five who are called to the Torah.

In some places, the one who leads Musaf is also called up.

And so on Yom Kippur.

9. If there is a baby to be circumcised on Rosh Hashanah, one does not wait to circumcise him until after the conclusion of the prayers, because those who are zealous hasten to perform mitzvos.

Rather, he is circumcised after the Torah reading, before the shofar blowing, because through the shofar blowing, the Holy One, blessed be He, remembers the Akeidas Yitzchak, and it is good to connect the bris, the covenant of Avraham, with the Akeidas Yitzchak.

This applies in a place where the circumcision is performed in the synagogue.

But in a place where the custom is to circumcise each one in his home, the circumcision is performed after leaving the synagogue.