[Avodah] More on Gmar Chasima Tovah?

[Prof. Levine]

I posted the following on Areivim, and I am 
continuing the discussion on Avodah.

Over the past few days people have been wishing 
me a "Gmar Chasima Tova."  I do not understand 
why they do not simply say "Chasima Tova."

My understanding is that the Ksiva is on RH,  and 
the Chasima is on YK.  According to some the 
final Chasima is on Hoshana Rabba.  If so then it 
seems to me that Chasima Tova is appropriate for 
the period between RH and YK, and Gmar Chasima 
Tova should be reserved for the period between YK and Hoshana Rabba.

Someone pointed me to the following at http://tinyurl.com/97vzrho

Please see Yerushaseinu, volume 2 pages – tof mem 
gimel - tof mem daled , By Rav Binyomin Shlomo 
Hamburger. In short, here is a translation:

“G’mar Chasima Tova is not old, and has not found 
by any of the Rishonim or Acharonim before the 
Chasam Sofer. Even the Chasam Sofer himself would 
say Chasima Tova without the word G’mar. See 
SH”UT Chasam Sofer, Yoreh Deah were he begins 
‘Chasima Tova
Moshe Hakatan Sofer from Frankfurt 
am Main’
also see 
and other places in the Chassam Sofer.

“There is only one responsa of the Chasam Sofer 
were he uses the language of G’mar Chasima Tova, 
found in SH”UT, Yoreh Deah, responsa resh daled, 
were he says ‘Hashem yigmor b’ado, g’mar chasima 
tova’. In this situation, Chasam Sofer is merely 
using the language of David Hamelech in Tehillim 
Ches, Koof lamed Ches. This does not imply that 
this was the Chasam Sofer’s normal manner of speech.

“The phrase ‘Chasima Tova’ that the Chasam Sofer 
was accustomed to was known more than 100 years 
before he wrote his teshuvos as we find the 
lashon of ‘Chasima Tova’ in a responsa of R’ 
Efraim HaKesher, author of Adnei Paz, [were he 
specifically mentions this lashon in conjunction 
with Ashkenaz – see it inside this is a lot to 
type and translate]
We clearly see from here that 
in the days of the Adnei Paz the lashon was ‘chasima tova’.

The phrase ‘chasima tova’ was common among all of 
Western Europe until the ‘dor Ha’acharon’ (I’m 
not sure if that refers to WWI or WWII – perhaps 
I’ll ask R’ Hamburger), and is the same phrase 
that is common among Sefardim. It is also 
mentioned by R’ Menachem Gotleib of Hanover



R’ Avraham Gershon ben Mendal Zaks, Rosh Yeshiva 
of Chafetz Chaim, was often makpid to only say 
Chasima Tova like the ancient Minhag. We see from 
here that even in Lithuania there were Talmedei 
Chachamim who recited the bracha in this language.”

YL

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.aishdas.org/pipermail/avodah-aishdas.org/attachments/20120925/0ec420c4/attachment.htm>