[Avodah] The Rosh Hashana 'Dug' Dilemma

[Professor L. Levine via Avodah]

As we sit down on Rosh Hashana night, to partake of our Simanim, as symbolic omens to enable a "Sweet New Year", we might want to give a thought or two to the fact that one of the most widespread of the Simanim, fish, which can be used for two separate Simanim, is cited by many authorities as an item not to be eaten on Rosh Hashana...

To find out why and if it still applies, read the full article "Insights Into Halacha: The Rosh Hashana 'Dug' Dilemma<http://sable.madmimi.com/c/10500?id=60592.428.1.a53db5f36fda0c726e597909df31a088>"

>From this article


There is a well-known halacha that one is not allowed to fast on Rosh Hashana barring certain specific circumstances. Although it is a Day of Judgment, and there are shittos of the Gaonim that do permit one to fast, nevertheless the halacha is that Rosh Hashana is also a festive Yom Tov and we must honor it properly. In fact, the Yerushalmi mentions that we must eat, drink, and be mesamayach on Rosh Hashana[1]<http://ohr.edu/7040#_edn1>. This includes partaking of fine delicacies, as it is written in the Book of Nechemia[2]<http://ohr.edu/7040#_edn2> regarding Rosh Hashana, that everyone should "Eat fatty foods and drink sweet drinks...for this day is holy".


Interestingly, and although it is considered to be of the most distinguished of foods, and therefore seemingly quite appropriate with which to honor the holiday, nevertheless, there are various customs related to the permissibility of partaking of fish on Rosh Hashana[3]<http://ohr.edu/7040#_edn3>.


Many readers are probably puzzled by the last paragraph, and might exclaim after rereading it: "What? How is that possible? Everyone eats fish on Rosh Hashana. In fact it is even one of the Simanim! How can something meant to properly usher in the New Year possibly be prohibited?"


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