Your Ultimate Guide to Rosh Hashanah Dates 2025 (And Why You Might Want to Skip That Nap)

Rosh Hashanah literally means “head of the year” (ראש השנה), and it's the Jewish New Year – marking the creation of Adam and Eve , and by extension, humanity itself. While January 1 gets confetti and ball drops, Rosh Hashanah comes with shofars,  round challah  , deep introspection, and serious carb-loading.

It’s also day one of the Days of Awe (Yamim Nora’im) , a 10-day soul-searching sprint that ends with Yom Kippur. But don’t worry – we start with sweet things.

Let’s clear something up. Can you sleep on Rosh Hashanah? Technically, yes. You're not breaking any commandments by catching a nap. But there’s an old custom (quoted by the Rama and others) that discourages sleeping during the day on Rosh Hashanah. Why? Because, as the Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Talmud) sort-of says: “If you sleep on Rosh Hashanah, your luck sleeps too.” No pressure.

That said, if you’ve been up since sunrise blowing the shofar – or you were just really inspired by services – it’s perfectly fine to rest. Just don’t treat the day like a lazy Sunday.

Blowing the shofar – a ram’s horn – is the big mitzvah of the day. You hear it in synagogue, usually after Torah reading. It’s 100 notes of raw, ancient, soul-rattling sound. Except when it’s Shabbat.

Why no shofar on Shabbat? Originally, the Talmud ( Rosh Hashanah 29b ) speculated it might even be a Torah-level prohibition . But that idea was rejected, and we now know it's a rabbinic safeguard – so nobody carries the shofar through a public domain (which would violate Shabbat). That’s right: It’s not about the sound, it’s about the schlep.

Every year, we dip apples in honey and pray for a “sweet new year” (Shanah Tovah U’Metukah). But why apples? Why not pears? Or donuts?

Turns out, the apple’s got serious symbolic cred:

• It shows up in the Midrash as the scent in Isaac’s blessing to Jacob.
  
  

• According to Ben Ish Chai , apples appeal to all senses – taste, sight, smell – and we’re hoping for blessings in all categories: children, health, and livelihood .
  
  

• And there's Kabbalistic flair: The apple is linked to Tiferet, a divine attribute associated with balance and harmony.
  
  

Bonus trivia: Some even connect apples and honey with the Binding of Isaac (Akeidat Yitzchak), whose ashes were said to be stacked like an apple on the altar. Symbolism? We’ve got layers.

Absolutely. Some folks stick to classic “simanim” (symbolic foods) like leeks, dates, beets , and head of a fish – all puns or plays on Hebrew words. But Rabbi Heinemann of Baltimore gave the green light to pun-filled creativity. Example?

Lettuce, half a raisin, and celery
= “Let us have a raise in salary.”

Cheesy? Maybe. Effective? Who’s to say.

In short: yes, but don’t get carried away . It’s a Yom Tov – a festival – so eating and drinking are part of the mitzvah. Just don’t toast so hard you forget it’s also a  Day of Judgment .

Rosh Hashanah spans two days , but halachically it's considered "Yoma Arichta" – one long day. That means:

• You  cannot  cook on Day 1 for Day 2, even if it’s all one “day” in theory.

• Cook what you need that day only, or prep in advance.

Ever wonder why people pull out a new fruit for the second night Kiddush ?

Since Rosh Hashanah is technically one long day, there’s a doubt whether we should say the Shehecheyanu blessing again. The workaround? Introduce something new – like a fruit you haven’t eaten in a while. That way, the blessing has something fresh to hang its hat on.

Pro tip: Dragonfruit counts. So does that exotic pear you bought last month and forgot about.

• Starts: Monday, September 22, 2025 (at sundown)

• Ends: Wednesday, September 24, 2025 (after nightfall)

• Hebrew Date: Tishrei 1–2, 5786

Rosh Hashanah isn’t just about round challahs and apple-dipping. It’s a moment for repentance, to reset and reimagine the year ahead – through prayer, symbols, and yes, even puns.

So grab your apples, skip that nap (maybe), and get ready for Rosh Hashanah 5786 – aka the Jewish New Year 2025.

Shanah Tovah!