Rosh Hashanah simanim as hints toward Hashem's service
Rosh Hashanah · simanim · malchus · new vitality · avodah
הסימנים בליל ר"ה כרתי רוביא.
The simanim (symbolic foods) on the night of Rosh Hashanah: leeks (karti), fenugreek (rubia)…
The Sefas Emes addresses the custom of eating symbolic foods on the night of Rosh Hashanah as omens for a good year.
כי בר"ה אין מבקשין על עניני עוה"ז.
For on Rosh Hashanah we do not request matters of this world.
This raises a difficulty: on Rosh Hashanah our prayers focus on Hashem's kingship, not on personal material needs.
כמ"ש בזוה"ק ותיקונים.
As is stated in the holy Zohar and the Tikunim.
The Zohar and Tikunei Zohar establish that the day's avodah is not about worldly requests.
רק לבקש על מ"ש תן פחדך ותמלוך כו'.
Rather, we ask only for what is written: "Instill Your awe [upon all Your works]… and reign [over all]…" (Rosh Hashanah liturgy).
The proper request of the day is that Hashem's awe and sovereignty be revealed over all creation.
וי"ל דלכך מרמזין על צורכי עוה"ז שהם באמת רק רמזים להוציא מכל ענין רמיזא דחכמתא לעבודת השי"ת.
And one can say that for this reason we [only] hint at the needs of this world — for they are truly only hints, to draw out from every matter a "hint of wisdom" (remiza de-chochmesa) toward the avodah of Hashem.
The simanim are deliberately only symbolic gestures, not outright requests. Their purpose is to teach us to extract from every worldly thing an allusion of deeper wisdom that directs us toward serving Hashem.
ובאופן זה שיהי' רק לסימן ולרמז רשאין לבקש שכן רצונו ית' שע"ז נבראו.
And in this manner — that it be only as a sign and a hint — we are permitted to ask, for such is His will, that [worldly things] were created for this [purpose].
When worldly matters are approached merely as signs pointing to a higher truth, it is permitted to invoke them, because this is exactly the purpose for which Hashem created them.
ובר"ה שנותן השי"ת חיות חדש לכל הנבראים על כל השנה צריך כל אחד להיות מוכן לקבל החיים רק לעבודתו יתברך שמו בלבד וכפי רצונו כן נותנים לכ"א:
And on Rosh Hashanah, when Hashem gives new vitality to all creatures for the entire year, each person must be ready to receive that life solely for His service, may His Name be blessed — and according to one's will, so is given to each one.
On Rosh Hashanah fresh life-force is granted to all creation for the year ahead. A person should prepare himself to receive that vitality with the sole intent of using it for avodas Hashem; and one is granted life in accordance with the desire and purpose he brings to receiving it.
Summary: Although on Rosh Hashanah we do not pray for worldly needs — the day being devoted to revealing Hashem's awe and kingship — the custom of eating symbolic foods is justified because they are not material requests but "hints of wisdom," allusions that draw every worldly thing toward avodas Hashem, which is the very purpose for which such things were created. On this day Hashem grants new vitality to all creation for the coming year, and each person should ready himself to receive that life solely for Hashem's service; one is given life according to the will and purpose with which he seeks to receive it.