L'Shanah Tovah
Title
L'Shanah Tovah
Identifier
L'SHANAH_TOVAH
Creator
Jacob Schlitt
Description
"It is still the 10 days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and I just wrote a piece about 'Happy', inspired by the wish 'Happy New Year.'"
Date
2015-09-20
Format
application/pdf
Type
text
Language
en
Text
L’SHANAH TOVAH
It is still the 10 days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and I just wrote a piece about “Happy,” inspired by the wish “Happy New Year.” As usual, I got carried away, focusing on “Happy.” What I should have focused on was “New Year.” Besides, I can’t think of two more different holidays than the ones celebrated on the first of January, and the first of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. Perhaps the only things they have in common are resolutions, and wishing people “Happy New Year.”
Most of the time, I really don’t say Happy New Year; I wish everyone Shanah Tovah, or L’Shanah Tovah. I recently learned that “L’” means “for.” When I say shanah tovah, I am not sure if the words end with an “h” or not. I know enough Hebrew to know that it means “Good Year” (like the tire?), not “Happy New Year.” Growing up, I heard Tovah pronounced Toyve, and the accent was on the first syllable in both words. Also, Tikaseyvu was sometimes added. After the Sephardi pronunciation took over, it became Shanah Tovah (with the accent on the second syllable) and Tikateyvu. I think it means May you be inscribed for a good year. Another variation was Shanah Tovah Umetukah, which means a good and sweet year. A friend told me that Yiddish speakers frequently said, “Bet zikh oys a gut yor.” Plead for yourself a good year.
When we joined the Newton Center Minyan, I heard a variety of good wishes at every holiday, including Chag Sameach, which I knew meant Happy Holiday. Since I was considered the Yiddishist in the Minyan, I would say Gut Yuntif. If someone wished me Gut Yuntif, I would respond Gut Yor. However, I tended to say git for gut. The Chabadniks went me one better by saying “A gut un gebentsht yor.” A good and blessed year, But there weren’t too many Chabadnicks at the Minyan.
Before we joined the Minyan, I had fallen into the category of the Jew who only went to Shul on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and sometimes for Yizkor. I bought tickets for “the High Holy Days” at my old Shul in the Bronx, then in Brooklyn, and I actually joined our neighborhood Shul in Washington, wishing fellow worshippers “Shanah Toyvah” wherever I went across the Eastern Seaboard.
When I met Fran, which was just before Rosh Hashanah 1979, I asked her where she went to Shul for the High Holidays. She said Brandeis, which turned out to be a perfect fit. I believe there were four different services, and we went to the Conservative-Egalitarian at the Spingold Theatre. Lots of students and alumni. Lots of Shanah Tovahs.
I never gave much thought to the deeper meaning of the holiday. I was confused enough about all the surface meanings. Rosh Hashanah is the “Head of the Year.” It is also supposed to be the birthday of the world, the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve. It is also The Day of Remembrance, and also the beginning of the Days of Awe. It is an opportunity to look inward, to ask for forgiveness. My friend Bob introduced me to the custom of asking those you know to forgive you if you did or said anything that hurt them. This is also a time to resolve to do better.
Which brings me to the wish that caused me more confusion: G’mar Hasimah Tovah, a good final sealing. I am at the Minyan, and it is the second day of Rosh Hashanah. I see someone and am about to say Shanah Tovah, when he says to me G’mar Hasimah Tovah. What happened? When did we switch? Since this is the time when God is determining our fate, we should wish a lot more than a good year. We should wish that God puts our name in the Book of Life. Apparently, it is a two-step process. He writes it down on Rosh Hashanah, but seals it on Yom Kippur. He has the option of changing his mind. However, starting with Yom Kippur to the end of Sukkos, you wish and are wished G’mar Tov, a good windup. Your fate has been sealed. Good luck!
And what do you wish someone before Yom Kippur? Certainly not a good or happy Yom Kippur. The in crowd wishes one another an easy fast. In Yiddish, “a laykht’n tanis.” I learned it from an observant Jew at the Jewish Labor Committee. I started fasting on Yom Kippur the year after my Bar Mitzvah. It was cool. All the guys would brag about their ability to go the entire day without food. Eventually, I learned the expression has a Hebrew equivalent: Tzom Kol. My friend Bob knows it in Yiddish as “a gringer fast.” I feel I am one-upping my fellow worshippers at the Minyan when I say “a laykht’n tanis” to those who said to me G’mar Tov.
Shanah Tovah, G’mar Hasima Tova, A Laykht’n Tanis and G’mar Tov. May it be a good, healthy happy, peaceful, sweet, and meaningful New Year.
9-20-15
It is still the 10 days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and I just wrote a piece about “Happy,” inspired by the wish “Happy New Year.” As usual, I got carried away, focusing on “Happy.” What I should have focused on was “New Year.” Besides, I can’t think of two more different holidays than the ones celebrated on the first of January, and the first of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. Perhaps the only things they have in common are resolutions, and wishing people “Happy New Year.”
Most of the time, I really don’t say Happy New Year; I wish everyone Shanah Tovah, or L’Shanah Tovah. I recently learned that “L’” means “for.” When I say shanah tovah, I am not sure if the words end with an “h” or not. I know enough Hebrew to know that it means “Good Year” (like the tire?), not “Happy New Year.” Growing up, I heard Tovah pronounced Toyve, and the accent was on the first syllable in both words. Also, Tikaseyvu was sometimes added. After the Sephardi pronunciation took over, it became Shanah Tovah (with the accent on the second syllable) and Tikateyvu. I think it means May you be inscribed for a good year. Another variation was Shanah Tovah Umetukah, which means a good and sweet year. A friend told me that Yiddish speakers frequently said, “Bet zikh oys a gut yor.” Plead for yourself a good year.
When we joined the Newton Center Minyan, I heard a variety of good wishes at every holiday, including Chag Sameach, which I knew meant Happy Holiday. Since I was considered the Yiddishist in the Minyan, I would say Gut Yuntif. If someone wished me Gut Yuntif, I would respond Gut Yor. However, I tended to say git for gut. The Chabadniks went me one better by saying “A gut un gebentsht yor.” A good and blessed year, But there weren’t too many Chabadnicks at the Minyan.
Before we joined the Minyan, I had fallen into the category of the Jew who only went to Shul on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and sometimes for Yizkor. I bought tickets for “the High Holy Days” at my old Shul in the Bronx, then in Brooklyn, and I actually joined our neighborhood Shul in Washington, wishing fellow worshippers “Shanah Toyvah” wherever I went across the Eastern Seaboard.
When I met Fran, which was just before Rosh Hashanah 1979, I asked her where she went to Shul for the High Holidays. She said Brandeis, which turned out to be a perfect fit. I believe there were four different services, and we went to the Conservative-Egalitarian at the Spingold Theatre. Lots of students and alumni. Lots of Shanah Tovahs.
I never gave much thought to the deeper meaning of the holiday. I was confused enough about all the surface meanings. Rosh Hashanah is the “Head of the Year.” It is also supposed to be the birthday of the world, the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve. It is also The Day of Remembrance, and also the beginning of the Days of Awe. It is an opportunity to look inward, to ask for forgiveness. My friend Bob introduced me to the custom of asking those you know to forgive you if you did or said anything that hurt them. This is also a time to resolve to do better.
Which brings me to the wish that caused me more confusion: G’mar Hasimah Tovah, a good final sealing. I am at the Minyan, and it is the second day of Rosh Hashanah. I see someone and am about to say Shanah Tovah, when he says to me G’mar Hasimah Tovah. What happened? When did we switch? Since this is the time when God is determining our fate, we should wish a lot more than a good year. We should wish that God puts our name in the Book of Life. Apparently, it is a two-step process. He writes it down on Rosh Hashanah, but seals it on Yom Kippur. He has the option of changing his mind. However, starting with Yom Kippur to the end of Sukkos, you wish and are wished G’mar Tov, a good windup. Your fate has been sealed. Good luck!
And what do you wish someone before Yom Kippur? Certainly not a good or happy Yom Kippur. The in crowd wishes one another an easy fast. In Yiddish, “a laykht’n tanis.” I learned it from an observant Jew at the Jewish Labor Committee. I started fasting on Yom Kippur the year after my Bar Mitzvah. It was cool. All the guys would brag about their ability to go the entire day without food. Eventually, I learned the expression has a Hebrew equivalent: Tzom Kol. My friend Bob knows it in Yiddish as “a gringer fast.” I feel I am one-upping my fellow worshippers at the Minyan when I say “a laykht’n tanis” to those who said to me G’mar Tov.
Shanah Tovah, G’mar Hasima Tova, A Laykht’n Tanis and G’mar Tov. May it be a good, healthy happy, peaceful, sweet, and meaningful New Year.
9-20-15
Original Format
application/msword
Collection
Citation
Jacob Schlitt, “L'Shanah Tovah,” Autobiographical stories & other writing by Jacob Schlitt, accessed March 15, 2026, https://tsirlson.omeka.net/items/show/332.