Simanim: The Symbolic Foods of Rosh Hashanah

Netivyah International

Simanim are symbolic foods placed on the Rosh Hashanah table to guide prayer for the year ahead. The word simanim means signs, and these foods are signs of what we are asking God to do, a sweet year, protection, healing, repentance, and faithfulness.

Rosh Hashanah falls on the first day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. In Jewish practice it is commonly observed for two days, though the Torah names the first day of the seventh month as a holy day of rest and trumpet-blowing.

The day in Scripture, and the custom at the table

The Torah commands Israel to keep the first day of the seventh month as a holy convocation. Leviticus 23:23-25 calls it a day of solemn rest, a memorial announced by trumpet blasts, with no ordinary work. Numbers 29:1 also describes it as a day of trumpet-blowing.

The Bible does not command apples and honey, pomegranates, or carrots on this day. Those are Jewish customs that grew around the holy day. That distinction matters. The day itself is biblical. The foods are a later table practice, meant to help families pray with focus.

There is also a beautiful connection in Nehemiah 8. On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra read the Torah to the people, and they wept when they heard the words. The leaders told them not to mourn, but to eat, drink, send portions to those who had nothing prepared, and rejoice because “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). That is not a command to eat simanim, but it does show the character of the day, Torah, repentance, shared food, and joy before God.

For more on where this day fits in the biblical calendar, see God’s Biblical Calendar. If you are also thinking about the shofar, you may want to read Hearing the Shofar on the Feast of Trumpets.

What Jewish families do with simanim

At a Rosh Hashanah meal, many Jewish families place small portions of symbolic foods on the table. A leader or family member names the food, explains the sign, and says a short prayer beginning with “May it be Your will…” This kind of prayer is often called a yehi ratzon, from the Hebrew phrase meaning “May it be Your will.”

The foods are not magic. A date cannot remove an enemy, and honey cannot force a sweet year. The point is much simpler, and much better. We bring our hopes before the Lord in a way that children can see, taste, and remember.

You do not have to eat every item. You do not have to say every blessing. Choose a few, pray honestly, and let the table teach.

Apples and honey, asking for sweetness

Apples dipped in honey are the best-known Rosh Hashanah siman. They express a simple request, that the coming year would be good and sweet.

Before dipping the apple in the honey, the traditional blessing says:

“We praise You, Eternal God, King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the tree.”

Then continue:

“May it be Your will, Lord our God, that this be a good and sweet year for us.” (Eat the apple dipped in honey.)

For followers of Yeshua (Jesus), this is an easy place to begin. We are not pretending life will always feel sweet. We are asking our Father to teach us to receive His goodness in the year He gives us.

Pomegranate, asking for a life full of mitzvot

The pomegranate, rimon, appears in the Bible in places connected with beauty and holiness. Golden pomegranates decorated the hem of the high priest’s robe (Exodus 28:33-34). Pomegranates also appear in the description of the promised land in Deuteronomy 8:8.

Jewish tradition connects the many seeds of the pomegranate with the commandments of the Torah. The prayer asks that our lives would be full of mitzvot, good deeds and faithful obedience.

“May it be God”s will that our lives may be as full of mitzvoth as the pomegranate [is filled with seeds].”

A believer in Yeshua can pray this without fear. We are saved by God’s mercy, not by counting our good deeds. And still, the apostles teach that faith should bear fruit in love, mercy, holiness, and obedience.

Gourds and carrots, asking God to tear up evil decrees

The traditional wordplay for gourd uses the word kara. It sounds like words connected with tearing and reading. The request is that any evil verdict against us would be torn up, and that what is good would be read before God.

Carrot, or gezer, sounds like g’zar, decree. It points to the language of judgment, decision, and verdict. Rosh Hashanah begins the season leading toward Yom Kippur, so this prayer fits the mood of repentance.

The blessing given for this request is:

“May it be Your will, Lord our God, that the evil decrees against us be torn up, and our good merits be read out before you.”

When we pray this as disciples of Rabbi Yeshua, we remember that repentance is not religious theater. We ask God to expose what needs to change, forgive what we have done, and lead us into a cleaner year.

Beets or spinach, asking God to remove evil

In Hebrew, beets are called selek, a word connected in this custom with removing or casting out. Some families use spinach or other greens in the same place.

The prayer says:

“May it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that our enemies, haters and those who wish evil upon us shall depart.”

Tradition connects this with Micah 5:9:

(As it is written: “Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed.” – Micah 5:9)

Pray this carefully. Yeshua taught us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). So we ask God to remove evil, protect the vulnerable, stop hatred, and also change hearts where He chooses to show mercy.

Grapes, asking for peace under the vine

Grapes call to mind the prophets’ picture of peace, when fear is removed and each person can sit securely under vine and fig tree.

The blessing says:

“May it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that soon and in our days we will see what was prophesied by our prophets: ‘Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the Lord Almighty has spoken (Micah 4:4).’”

This is a strong prayer for followers of Yeshua. We believe the kingdom has been announced, and we still wait for the day when the nations learn war no more, as Micah 4:3 says.

Fennel, asking for God’s protection

Fennel, shumar, is connected with lishmor, to keep, guard, or protect. This siman turns the table toward the care of God.

The prayer says:

“May it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that You will protect and save us, and that you will save all that you have created, for ‘…the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore (Psalm 121:8).’”

If you have children at the table, this is a good moment to bless them. Ask the Lord to watch over their coming and going, their friendships, their learning, their sleep, and their walk with Him.

Dates, asking for an end to hatred

Dates are connected with the word tam, to end. The prayer asks God to bring an end to enemies and those who wish harm.

For dates, the blessing over fruit is given this way:

“Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who creates the fruit of the tree.”

Then continue:

“May it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that there come and end to our enemies, haters and those who wish evil upon us.”

Again, this is not a call to personal revenge. It is a prayer for God’s justice, protection, and the ending of evil.

Turnip or kohlrabi, praying for every rabbi

Some believers in Yeshua have added their own simanim to the table. Turnip or kohlrabi can be heard as kol rabbi, every rabbi. This becomes a prayer for Jewish teachers and leaders to recognize Yeshua as Messiah.

The prayer says:

“May it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that every rabbi will come to faith in Yeshua, like it is written: ‘They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child… (Zechariah 12:10)’”

Pray this with humility. Paul himself carried grief and longing for his own people (Romans 9:1-5; 10:1). We do not pray as people looking down from the outside. We pray as people who have received mercy and ask God to show mercy again.

Quince, asking God to heal wounds

Quince is connected here with khabush, related to bandaging. This siman turns our attention to wounds, sickness, and the need for God’s healing.

The blessing says:

“May it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that You will bandage and heal our wounds and sick, like it is written: ‘…the Lord binds up the bruises of His people and heals the wounds He inflicted (Isaiah 30:26).’”

You may know someone who needs this prayer by name. Say the name. Ask the Lord to bind up what is broken.

The head, asking to be a head and not a tail

Traditionally, families may use the head of a lamb or fish. Vegetarians may use a head of cabbage or lettuce. The word for head is rosh, as in Rosh Hashanah, the head of the year.

This prayer asks God to help us move forward with wisdom, courage, and obedience, not drift behind in fear or compromise.

“May it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that we will be a head and not a tail.”

The phrase also echoes the language of blessing in Deuteronomy 28:13, where Israel is called to listen to the commandments of the Lord and follow Him.

A simple way to keep simanim at home

If this is new for your family, keep it simple. Set out five small bowls, apples with honey, pomegranate seeds, carrots, dates, and beets or greens. Add grapes, fennel, quince, kohlrabi, or a head of lettuce if you have them.

Begin by reading Leviticus 23:23-25 or Numbers 29:1. If you have time, read Nehemiah 8:1-12 and Micah 4:1-4. Then take one food at a time. Explain the sign in one sentence, pray the short blessing, and let everyone taste it.

Many families also thank God for bringing them to a new season with the Shehecheyanu blessing. If you want a fuller order for the evening meal, see How to Have a Rosh Hashanah Seder at Home.

End the meal with one honest question around the table: Where do we need God’s sweetness, protection, repentance, or healing this year?

Questions people ask

What are the simanim for Rosh Hashanah?

Simanim are symbolic foods eaten at Rosh Hashanah with short prayers for the year ahead. Common foods include apples with honey, pomegranates, gourds, carrots, beets or spinach, dates, grapes, fennel, quince, and the head of a fish, lamb, cabbage, or lettuce.

What does simanim mean in Hebrew?

Simanim means signs. On Rosh Hashanah, the foods are signs that point the family toward prayer, repentance, sweetness, protection, and hope for the coming year.

Are simanim required on Rosh Hashanah?

No. The Torah commands the holy day on the first day of the seventh month, but it does not command these foods. Simanim are a Jewish custom, a helpful and memorable way to pray, not a requirement.

Can I say the simanim blessings in English?

Yes. The point is not perfect Hebrew pronunciation, but sincere prayer before God. You can use the traditional wording in English, or speak simply in your own words.

Are there other options for Rosh Hashanah simanim?

Yes. Families often adapt the table based on what is available. Vegetarians may use a head of cabbage or lettuce instead of a fish or lamb head, and some believers in Yeshua add turnip or kohlrabi as a prayer for every rabbi to come to faith in Yeshua.