I was told there are Sefaradim who do NOT use Honey on Rosh Hashanah. What is the reason for this custom?

  • who told you that? never heard of it. on the other hand I can't remember the source of this custom – Avraham Sep 28 '11 at 0:40
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    are you aware of how flawed your logic is? you are asking why a group of jews didn't adopt a custom. Why don't you have a custom to stand on your head for three hours a day? neither are halacha. – Baal Shemot Tovot Apr 24 '12 at 20:50


Ashkenazim have the Minhag of dipping the Hamotzi in honey on Rosh Hashana, and this is the appropriate custom according to Ashkenazi tradition. According to the BEN ISH HAI, the Hammosi must be dipped three times in sugar and three times in salt. Salt must be used because the table is likened to the altar and the Hamotzi to the offering thereon. And on this it is written: "... With all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt". Another reason for the use of sugar instead of honey is that it is further written in connection with the offering of incense: "...You shall not offer leaven or honey..." and "...If honey were added it became ritually unfit".

For these reasons, the BEN ISH HAI writes, that the apples that are eaten prior to the meal should be cooked in sugar and not honey. It follows logically, in such a case, the symbolic request (that our year should be sweet) that is recited with it, should not include the term "KaDevash" ("like honey").

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    Shoot, stole my thunder. I found the same thing, just didn't want to quote it in full. ;-) – HodofHod Sep 28 '11 at 1:16
  • No thunder was stolen (l'havdil)! We have all gained thunder - @HodofHod and GG independently, and the rest of us by reading your contributions. – WAF Sep 28 '11 at 16:28
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    Isn't the honey referred to in the verse date honey rather than bee's honey? – Ze'ev Felsen Sep 16 '12 at 14:39

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