Some of you may wonder at the relationship of pomegranates and Rosh Hoshana.  After all you may have known that apples are linked to Rosh Hashanah due to the significant symbolic routine of dipping the apple into the honey for a sweet new year.  So what does the pomegranate symbolize?  It’s really a twofold reason.  The first one being the fact that since Rosh Hashana  originated as a one-day yom tov/holiday.  This was changed all the way back and even in Eretz Yisroel two days of Rosh Hashana are celebrated.  Since the second day is still questionable if it is really a ’separate’ day we do may the bracha (blessing) of ’shechiyanu’-a blessing made for newness, but we try to have something ‘new’ to make the bracha on.  New garments are worn and ‘new’ fruits are put on the table on Rosh Hashanah.  Pomegranates were once considered a fruit that was ‘new’ in most places, and therefore even today it is still traditionally displayed with the fruits that are much ‘newer’ than the pomegranate.

The second connection between the pomegranate and Rosh Hashanah is all about the multiple seeds in the pomegranate.  On Rosh Hashana we use symbolism as a means to ask Hashem for a good year.  The many seeds found in the pomegranate is symbolic for ‘Sheyirbi Zichiyoseinu’ - loosely translated as our ‘good deeds should be multiplied’.

As you eat your luscious pomegranates this Rosh Hashanah - make it spiritual by knowing why you are eating this fruit.  Shana Tova!