Tishrei, the first month of the Hebrew calendar, begins with Rosh HaShanah—a holiday that falls into my favorite category: let’s eat. The celebration lasts for four days, and on the first two nights, many Sephardic and Mizrahi communities hold a seder. Seder means “order”, it’s a structured meal with symbolic foods—simanim—each eaten after saying a prayer connected to the food. The seder is conducted in different orders depending on regions. While the concepts remain the same, the foods can vary. Each of the simanim is connected to a tikvah (hope).
The seder begins with a few general blessings, including the holiday blessing, shehecheyanu (blessing of firsts), and the kiddush (blessing of the wine). Afterwards, each blessing relates to one of the simanim.
Three simanim are associated with the defeat of enemies: dates (tamar), beets (selek), and leeks (karti). Dates are eaten with the tikvah to have enemies come to an end, as tamar is similar to yitmatu (to end). Beets, similar to yistalku (to depart), are wishing that our foes leave. Leeks are similar, with karti, sounding like yikartu (to cut), and the tikvah being to have our enemies depart or be cut off.
Beans (rubia) are associated with yirbu (to increase), their blessing asks for our merits to grow. The gourd (kara) is eaten with a prayer that harsh decrees be torn up and our good deeds proclaimed.
Pomegranates (rimon) are one of the seven native species to Israel and symbolize a year of mitzvot (good deeds), “like a pomegranate filled with seeds.” The most famous food of Rosh HaShanah is Apples and Honey (tapuchim u’dvash), which is to represent a sweet new year.
Lastly, the ram’s head (rosh keves) is for leadership. “May we be like a head and not a tail,” the tikvah is to lead with righteousness instead of following in anguish.
Judaism and specifically Rosh HaShanah, are rooted in Hebrew word play, creating a set of goals and hopes for the year to come.