Bring in the New

On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, when I’m ready to light candles, must the shehecheyanu fruit be on the table already then or may I make shehecheyanu without it?

L’chatchilah, the new fruit should be on the table and visible to you before lighting candles. Alternatively, you may wear a significant or expensive brand-new garment or sheitel that brings you joy. But if for some reason you don’t have a new fruit or new clothes, you may still recite the brachah.

It’s important to explain that the primary reason for reciting shehecheyanu on Rosh Hashanah night isn’t because of the new fruit or clothing. The fundamental purpose is to recite it over the second day of the Yom Tov of Rosh Hashanah, as we do on every Yom Tov Sheini outside of Eretz Yisrael. The fruit or clothes is just there as a backup, in order to satisfy a minority opinion that holds that shehecheyanu isn’t recited on the second day of Rosh Hashanah at all since, to a certain extent, both days of Yom Tov are halachically considered as one long day (yoma arichta), and you already recited shehecheyanu on the first day.

My husband blows shofar for a large group of women every Rosh Hashanah, and I say the brachos. On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, do I need to wear a new garment in order to be able to say shehecheyanu for the women?

If you can, this is preferable, but certainly not required, since regarding the mitzvah of tekias shofar, we consider each day to be a separate day, which means that the shehecheyanu recited over tekias shofar on the first day didn‘t cover the tekias shofar of the second day. If so, shehecheyanu may be repeated on the second day according to all views.

It seems like in today’s world of plenty, there’s a dearth of fruits we’ve actually not eaten. My community’s supermarket brings in quince for Rosh Hashanah, but I think the taste is terrible. Can I recite shehechaynu on a new fruit that I really don’t like?

Shehecheyanu over a new fruit may only be said on a new fruit that tastes good and that brings you joy, inspiring you to thank Hashem for allowing you this opportunity, so a fruit that tastes terrible might not be a good choice. But as explained earlier, the primary purpose and intent of the shehecheyanu on Rosh Hashanah is over the Yom Tov, so if all you have is a fruit that you will not enjoy, or even detest, shehecheyanu is still recited over the Yom Tov.