May one eat garlic on Rosh Hashanah?

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May one eat garlic on Rosh Hashanah?

Background: Customarily, just as certain foods are eaten on Rosh Hashanah to serve as a good omen for the coming year[1], so too certain foods are avoided due to them containing a negative component. Thus, it is customary not to eat nuts[2], or sour [or bitter[3]] foods on Rosh Hashanah.[4] Now, the question is asked whether garlic contains any negative competent for which it should be avoided on Rosh Hashanah. The following is the ruling:

The law: Some are accustomed not to eat garlic on Rosh Hashanah.[5] Others[6] however are not particular in this matter. Each person and community is to follow their custom.

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[1] Admur 583:1-5; Michaber 583:1; The Talmudic source of the Simanim is found in Gemara Horiyos 12a. The Gemara mentions the following Simanim: Kara Rubya; Karty; Silka; Tamri. It does not mention the apple, ram, or fish.

[2] Admur 583:6; Rama 583:2 [“Some do not to eat Egozim as it is the Gematria of sin and causes saliva”]; Darkei Moshe 589:3 in name of Mahril

Other opinions: There were some Poskim that did not avoid eating nuts as well as other foods that increase seed. [Darkei Moshe 583:1 in name of Kol Bo; Kaf Hachaim 583:26]

[3] M”E 583:3; Kaf Hachaim ibid; Piskeiy Teshuvos 583:5

[4] Admur 583:2; Teshuvos Hageonim 114 brought in Kaf Hachaim 583:18

[5] Implication of Tashbatz 118 and Kol Bo 64  [29a] and Darkei Moshe 583:1 that some were accustomed to avoiding garlic just as they avoid nuts; Ketzei Hamateh 583:17; Piskeiy Teshuvos 583:8

The reason: As garlic increase one’s seed and since relations are abstained on Rosh Hashanah therefore these foods are to be avoided. [Implication of Elya Raba 583; See Admur 608:8 regarding Erev Yom Kippur]

[6] Tashbatz 118 and Kol Bo 64 [29a] in name of Maharam, brought in Darkei Moshe 583:1; Kaf Hachaim 583:26

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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