Why specifically an apple on Rosh HaShanah?
Yehoshua asked:1 There is a custom of eating an apple dipped in honey on the first night of Rosh Hashanah (among the other foods) as a sign that we should have a sweet year. Why is this done specifically with an apple and not another fruit?
Michoel answered: 1) The Maharil explains that the apple is connected with "חקל תפוחים קדישין" - "the holy apple orchard"; when Yaakov came to get the blessing from Yitzchok, he had the smell of an apple orchard upon his clothing. Besides the kabbalistic meanings, (according to one opinion) this episode happened on Rosh Hashana (GR”A O.C. 583:8).
There are three types of benefit derived from an apple: taste, sight, and smell. This is symbolic of our appeal for sustenance in the three aspects of children, health, and livelihood for the entire year (Ben Ish Chai, first year Parashas Nitzavim).
It is written in Zohar (Parashas Shmini 4a) that after one drinks wine, they eat an apple in order that the wine should not harm them. Wine represents gevurah (severity) and the apple calms the severity. Therefore on Rosh Hashana we eat apples to pacify the harsh judgement. (Ben Ish Chai, ibid.)
The Zohar (above) states that the source of all fruit is the Divine aspect of malchus (feminine), besides the apple which is sourced in the aspect of tiferes (masculine). The Arizal says that the summer months represent malchus and the winter months are tiferes. Therefore at the start of the “masculine” months we eat an apple which comes from a “masculine” source. (Ben Ish Chai, ibid.)
According to Rabbeynu Yona (brought in Rosh Brachos Perek 6 Siman 35) that the nature of honey is to change everything that comes into it –- even something impure –- into honey. (Therefore one can consume honey even though the legs of the bees may be mixed in.) The holiness of Rosh Hashana should convert all bad to good. (Shem Mishmuel Mo'adim Rosh Hashana 5674.) (Some add that the sin of Adam Harishon and the Tree of Knowledge was with an apple, and we therefore dip an apple into the honey to rectify the original sin.2)
The Gematria of "תפוח" is equivalent to that of "פרו ורבו", and "דבש" is equal to "אשה", symbolizing that Rosh Hashana is an auspicious time for barren women to be remembered (Imrei Noam Chelek Beis, Likutim Besof Hasefer Ois 9).
Gershon Gold added: Taamei HaMinhagim 706 says it is done for Kabalistic reasons. In the notes, he mentions in the name of the Imrei Noam that the Gematria of the word "Tapuach" (the Hebrew word for apple) is the same as the Gematria of "S'e Akeida" -- so we eat the apple to recall the Akeida (Binding of Isaac).
Yishai noted: It also can't be discounted that apples are harvested around Rosh Hashana time so they are a readily available and relatively inexpensive fruit at that time.
Avrohom Yitzchok suggested: Apple was the most widely known fruit. Think of the other fruits and vegetables that are called after the apple, for example orange in Hebrew, potato in Hebrew, French, and German, pineapple in English.
In Middle English and as late as the 17th century, it was a generic term for all fruit other than berries but including nuts (e.g. Old English fingeræppla "dates," lit. "finger-apples;" M.E. appel of paradis "banana," c.1400). 3
- Original question: mi.yodeya.com/q/20334
- Midrash Rabba Breishis 15, 7 brings an opinion that the fruit in the garden was a תפוח. However, Tosfos Shabbos 88a writes that תפוח in Tanach means an אתרוג.
- http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=apple
Contributors:
Avrohom Yitzchok mi.yodeya.com/u/730
Gershon Gold mi.yodeya.com/u/200
Michoel mi.yodeya.com/u/1535
Yehoshua mi.yodeya.com/u/1884
Yishai mi.yodeya.com/u/440
