Rosh Hashana and Medical Professionals
As we begin our final preparations for Rosh Hashana, I’ve adapted an excellent guide from Rabbi Sprung to outline the basic Halachos and minhagim of the Yom Tov and how they pertain to medical professionals.
On Erev Rosh Hashana, some have the minhag to fast until Chatzos. If one has routinely fasted but this year is too weak to fast, one should be matir neder but would then be permitted to eat. This year, Yom Tov precedes Shabbos, so one should prepare an eruv tavshilin.
There is a minhag to have special foods at the night meals as a good sign accompanied by special prayers for a good year. Even if one cannot eat the food, one can say the tefillah while looking at it. Even if one does not have access to a given food group, one can always Daven for a good year, but when one does not plan to eat the specific food, one should omit Hashem’s name from the prayer.
Much of Rosh Hashana day is spent in Davening. People who must daven without a minyan should not daven Mussaf during the first 4 hours of the day. Ideally, one should daven all 4 tefillos of Rosh Hashana, but if that is not possible, Shacharis should be prioritized over Mussaf. If one plans to only Daven Shacharis, they should incorporate the pesukim said in Mussaf for Malchiyos, Zichronos, and Shaofaros. In extreme circumstances, one may reduce the pesukim from 30 to 3. One who can go to shul for part of Davening should follow the following order of priority: Chazaras Hashatz of Musaf, Musaf, Shacahris, and finally, Krias Hatorah. Tashlich should be said by a water source on Rosh Hashana. If one did not say it on Rosh Hashana, they can still say it during Aseres Yemei Teshuva.
One who is able must stand for the Berachos and sounds of the Shofar. If one cannot, one can lean on a table, sit, or even lie down if necessary. One must hear a minimum of 30 blasts, ideally uninterrupted. However, if one had to interrupt, he does not have to repeat what he heard unless he interrupted between a shevarim and a teruah during the set of Tekiah- Shevarim Teruah-Tekia. One must listen to the entire sound to count it as one of the 30.
May our desire to keep the Halachos of this auspicious day grant us and all of Klal Yisroel a Kesiva v’chasima Tova.
Adapted from medicalhalacha.org