A friend of mine was instrumental in opening up a yeshiva in Tzvas several years ago that would cater to serious boys in the North. Being that I have a son who will be starting in yeshiva next year, and he's a pretty good kid, my wife and I were invited to see the yeshiva and meet with the Rosh Yeshiva.
So, we went erev Shabbos and met my friend there who was going to give us the tour. The first thing he says is, "Come … let's go to the toilets … you MUST see the toilets!" You have to understand. My friend is a known talmid chacham in his own right. He wears a long jacket and gets flown around to different countries to speak. (Personally, I hate him because he's younger than I am). And here he is: talking toilets.
Much to our surprise they were as clean as new. "We don't have any cleaning lady here; the boys are responsible for everything. It's part of the learning in the yeshiva, how to be responsible."
Imagine that? Teaching responsibility in today's age?
If there is anything that any Jewish home continues to do, is eat simanim on Rosh Hashana night. After all, who doesn't know about dipping the apple in the honey?
The Maharal M'Prag writes on this custom which dates back to at least the times of the Gemara. He asks the theoretical question, "Is this not like using magic?" to make these signs for a good year. He immediately answers that of course it isn't.
We see that when Yermiyahu prophesied the destruction of Babylon and wrote it down, "It shall be, when you have made an end of reading this book, that you shall bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates, and you shall say, 'Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise again because of the evil that I will bring on her; and they shall be weary.'" Thus far are the words of Yermiyahu" (Yermiyahu 51:63).
Then we see that Elisha, when speaking to the king Yoash, "And Elisha said to him, 'Take bow and arrows'; and he took bow and arrows to him. And he said to the king of Israel, 'Put your hand upon the bow'; and he put his hand upon it. And Elisha laid his hands upon the king's hands. And he said, 'Open the window eastward'; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, 'Shoot'; and he shot. And he said, 'Hashem's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory against Aram; for you shall smite the Arameans in Aphek until you have consumed them'" (Melachim 2 13:15).
In both cases, we see a prophet having a prophesy and at the same time making a siman, a sign, in this world that it will happen. And clearly, they are not using magic.
The Ramban (Bereishis 12:6) writes "Concerning all decisions of 'the guardians [angels],' know that when they proceed from a potential decree to a symbolic act, the decree will in any case be effected. It is for this reason that the prophets often perform some act in conjunction with the prophecies."
Rosh Hashana is a time of decrees. And very important ones. Ones that will affect our upcoming year. These are currently "potential decrees" that have yet to be signed and sealed, and our symbolic act brings those decrees into our world in a positive way, taking something spiritual and giving them a physical seed to grow in the physical domain.
We know that on Rosh Hashana one should be careful not to sleep more than needed, especially in the morning. And one should use their free time to learn and daven. These too are simanim. We are showing Hashem which direction we want to go on this year. We are taking OUR "potential decrees" and giving them a physical seed to grow in the future year.
May we all use our Rosh Hashanah properly and merit an easy and meaningful year ahead.
Have a wonderful Shabbos and a wonderful Rosh Hashanah.