The night of Rosh HaShana is the night on which the new year begins, and this evening and its prayers are especially celebratory, although they also have a distinctive solemn tone. It is stated in the kabbalistic and hasidic literature that prayers on this night bear great weight for the continued existence of the entire world as well as for the life of the individual.

The structure and wording of the Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur prayers differ from the prayers of the other festivals. Therefore, it is a good idea to review them in advance in order to understand the meaning of the prayers and to familiarize oneself with the order of the prayer service. There are also quite a few differences between the prayer texts of the various communities, and consequently it is recommended to have a mahzor that is suitable for the prayer service of the synagogue where one will be praying.

Some communities have the custom to sing before the Rosh HaShana evening prayer service the liturgical song “Little Sister” [Ahot Ketana], with its chorus of: “May the [old] year and its scourges end,” and finishing with: “Let the [new] year and its blessings begin.”

When Rosh HaShana occurs on Shabbat, the congregation recites before the evening prayer an abbreviated version of Kabbalat Shabbat, beginning with Psalms 92, “A psalm, a song for the Sabbath day” [Mizmor shir leyom haShabbat], or in some communities, with Psalms 29, “A song by David” [Mizmor leDavid]. At the end of the prayer service, the following sections are added: the passage beginning, “The heavens and the earth” [Vaykhulu hashamayim veha’aretz] (Genesis 2:1–3), the Magen Avot prayer, and in some communities Psalms 23, “A psalm by David [Mizmor leDavid].

After the service, it is customary to greet one another with the blessing: “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.” Some add: “…immediately, for a good life and for peace,” or “for a good, lengthy life and for peace.” According to the Yemenite custom, the one issuing the greeting says: “May you be inscribed in the book of life and in the book of remembrance,” and the one receiving the blessing responds: “And may you [too] be inscribed in the book of life and in the book of remembrance.”

As on every Friday and festival night, Kiddush is recited over a full cup of wine before the evening meal (for details of the laws of Kiddush, see p. 386). The wording of the Kiddush on Rosh HaShana differs from that of the other festivals.

If Rosh HaShana falls on Shabbat, one first says:

For Ashkenazim:

(Quietly: “It was evening and it was morning,) the sixth day. The heavens and the earth and their entire host were completed. God completed on the seventh day His works that He had made; He rested on the seventh day from all His works that He had made. God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because on it He rested from all His works that God created to make” (Genesis 1:31–2:3).

When Rosh HaShana falls on a weekday, one begins here:

“Attention, masters, rabbis, and my teachers:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has chosen us from all nations, and raised us above all tongues, and sanctified us through His commandments. And You have given us, Lord our God, in love, this (on Shabbat add: Shabbat day and this) Day of Remembrance, a day of (on Shabbat add: recalling) shofar-blasts, (on Shabbat add: with love,) a holy convocation, in memory of the exodus from Egypt. For You have chosen us and sanctified us above all nations, and Your word is true and endures forever. Blessed are You, Lord, King over all the earth, who sanctifies (on Shabbat add: the Shabbat,) Israel, and the Day of Remembrance.”

For Sephardim:

“It was evening and it was morning, the sixth day. The heavens and the earth and their entire host were completed. God completed on the seventh day His works that He had made; He rested on the seventh day from all His works that He had made. God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because on it He rested from all His works that God created to make” (Genesis 1:31–2:3).

“And on the day of your rejoicing, and at your appointed times, and on your New Moons, you shall sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over your peace offerings and they shall be a remembrance for you before your God, I am the Lord your God” (Numbers 10:10).

“Attention, masters.”

Those listening respond: “To life!”

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has chosen us from all nations, and raised us above all tongues, and sanctified us through His commandments. And You have given us, Lord our God, in love, this (on Shabbat add: Shabbat day and this) Day of Remembrance, this festival day, a holy convocation, a day of (on Shabbat add: recalling) shofar-blasts, (on Shabbat add: with love,) a holy assembly, in memory of the exodus from Egypt. Your word is true and endures forever. Blessed are You, Lord, King of the universe, who sanctifies (on Shabbat add: the Shabbat), Israel, and the Day of Remembrance.”

When the first day of Rosh HaShana falls on Shabbat, it is necessary to perform Havdala as part of the Kiddush of the second festival night, in order to distinguish between the sanctity of Shabbat and the lesser sanctity of the festival. Therefore, two additional blessings are added at this point in the Kiddush. First, one brings a candle that was lit before Shabbat, or one lights a candle from an existing flame. It is important to note that one may not extinguish any flame on the festival. The following blessings are then recited:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the lights of fire.

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who distinguishes between sacred and mundane, between light and darkness, between Israel and the [other] nations, between the seventh day and the six days of work. You have distinguished between the sanctity of Shabbat and the sanctity of festivals, and You have sanctified the seventh day above the six days of activity. You have distinguished and sanctified Your people Israel with Your sanctity. Blessed are You, Lord, who distinguishes between sacred and sacred.”

The additional section for the conclusion of Shabbat ends here.

As on the other festivals, at the end of Kiddush one adds the Sheheheyanu blessing on both nights (some place a new fruit on the table on the second night, so that one can look at it and have it in mind when the blessing is recited):

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this time.”