The Hebrew incipit beginning blessings over symbolic dishes at a Rosh Hashanah seder is “Yehi ratzon,” meaning “May it be Thy will.” The phrase introduces hopes associated with the foods eaten at the festive meal.
These foods are commonly called simanim, Hebrew for “signs” or “symbols.” Their names, appearances, or traditional associations often suggest favorable wishes for the coming year. Apples and honey, for example, symbolize hopes for sweetness, while dates, leeks, beets, gourds, pomegranates, and other foods may express additional blessings.
The practice is especially associated with Sephardic and Middle Eastern Jewish customs, though symbolic foods are familiar across many Jewish communities. The exact menu and wording vary by family and tradition, so there is no single universally fixed seder plate.
“Yehi ratzon” is easy to confuse with familiar Jewish phrases such as “Shema Yisrael” or “Adonai echad.” Those belong to other prayers and declarations. Here, the distinctive opening signals a petition connected to the symbolic meaning of the food being eaten.