Tashlich

By Rabbi Joshua Flug

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I. Introduction- This shiur outline will discuss various aspects of Tashlich
II. The Origins and Reasons for Tashlich
a. Tashlich as we know it today does not appear in Torah literature until the late 14th
century. However, the practice seems to be based on a practice from the times of the
Geonim. Rashi (1040-1105) writes that the Geonim used to plant a seed fourteen to
twenty days before Rosh HaShanah and then on Erev Rosh HaShanah, after it
sprouted, they would wave it over their head and recite ‫ זה תחת זה‬and then throw it
into the river. {} This seems to have split into two separate practices: kaparos and
tashlich.
b. Maharil (c. 1365-1427) records the formal practice of Tashlich. He writes that we go
to the river and throw our iniquities into the river. The basis of the practice is zecher
l'akeidas Yitzchak based on the Midrash {} that the Satan created a river as an
obstacle to Avraham Avinu on his way to Har HaMoriah. {}
c. R. Yitzchak Tirnau (14th century) seems to put a different stress on the reason for
Tashlich. He writes that we go to the river and see live fish. {}
i. Rama (1520-1572) writes that the purpose of the fish is symbolic in that fish
are not subject to ayin harah and we want to have the same benefit. Also, we
want to multiply like fish. {}
ii. R. Moshe ben Avraham of Przemysl (c. 1550-1606) writes that we see the fish
and realize that just as they can get suddenly caught in a net, we too are
subject to getting caught suddenly and this should inspire us to repent.
However, he states that seeing the fish is an added benefit and the real reason
for Tashlish is a zecher laMikdash. {}
1. R. Mordechai Yoffe (Levush, c. 1530-1612) has the same idea. {}
iii. R. Yeshaya Horowitz (Shelah, c. 1565-1630) writes that fish have no eyelids
and we want the providence of God to be the same way- that His eye is
constantly on us, without even one blink. {}
d. Rama, in his Toras HaOlah provides an additional reason for the minhag. He writes
that the natural order demands that water should cover the entire planet and it is only
through the chesed of God that He allowed us to have portions of land on which to
live. Therefore, we go to the water to see that idea first hand and through that we
coronate God as King of the World and it causes us to repent. We don't throw our
iniquities into the water- they are figuratively thrown in the river when we are
inspired to repent. {}
e. Rama in his comments on Shulchan Aruch follows the reasoning of Maharil. {}
f. The Vilna Gaon (1720-1797) did not go to a body of water to recite Tashlich. {}
i. It is unclear whether he did not recite it all or whether he recited it at home.
 ii. R. Yechiel M. Epstein (1829-1908) writes that there are many who are
opposed to the practice. {}
III. When Should One Perform Tashlich?
a. R. Avraham Gombiner (c.1633-1683) writes that one should perform Tashlich after
Mincha on the first day of Rosh HaShanah. {}
i. R. Efraim Z. Margulies (1762-1828) agrees but writes that if it is difficult to
perform Tashlich after Mincha, it can be done before Mincha. {}
b. R. Chaim Elazar Shapira (1871-1937) notes that many Chasidim have the practice of
performing Tashlich on the day that the pizmon about the 13 attributes is recited.
[Either the fourth or fifth day of Aseres Yemei Teshuva depending on when Yom
Kippur occurs.] {}
c. R. Mordechai Leifer of Nadvorna (d. 1895) had the custom of performing Tashlich on
Chol HaMoed Sukkos. He stresses that as long as it is before Hoshanah Rabbah, it is
valid. {}
IV. What is done at Tashlich?
a. Maharil writes that one recites the verse in Micha (7:19) that states "‫'ישוב ירחמנו וגו‬."
{}
b. R. Yitzchak Luria (The Arizal 1534-1572) as cited in Sha'ar HaKavanos, notes that
one recites the three verses in Micha (7:18-7:20) beginning with ‫ל כמוך‬-‫מי ק‬. One
repeats those verses three times. These three verses allude to the thirteen attributes
and are therefore relevant. {}
c. While there other prayers that are found in the machzor, (‫ מן המצר‬and ‫)רננו צדיקים‬, R.
Moshe Sofer's (1762-1839) practice was to only recite the verses from Micha. {}
d. Throwing bread in the river:
i. The idea of throwing bread is mentioned by Maharil (quoting Mahari Segel).
He implies that one would do this so that the fish will surface but opposes the
practice because it is prohibited to feed creatures on Yom Tov that one is not
responsible for feeding. {}
ii. There is an interesting story recorded about R. Chaim Vital (1543-1620) who
was giving a dvar Torah at Tashlich and there was a frog that was very
distracting so the students began throwing pebbles at the frog so that it would
leave. R. Chaim Vital instructed them that they should not chase away the
frog because it might be a neshama coming to hear divrei Torah in the form of
a frog. {} R Chaim Elazar Shapira asks: How can they have thrown pebbles
on Yom Tov? Aren't pebbles muktzeh? He answers that one must conclude
that they were throwing the bread that they brought to throw in the river. {}
 1. This implies that he endorses the practice of throwing the bread in the
river even on Yom Tov.
2. Aruch HaShulcan endorses a similar practice of throwing bread
crumbs to the birds on Shabbos Shirah. He explains that the
prohibition is to overexert ourselves for the benefit of a creature that
doesn't need our help (‫)טירחא שלא לצורך‬. However, the purpose of
throwing the bread crumbs is to remember the shiras hayam and
therefore, it is for our benefit. {} One can propose a similar argument
if one assumes that the purpose of throwing the bread in the water is
symbolic of throwing our iniquities in the water (as implied by the
original practice of the Geonim)
a. If the purpose of throwing the bread in the water is to get the
fish to surface, it is questionable whether Aruch HaShulchan's
rationale applies.
e. There is a lesser known practice of shaking off one's clothing after reciting the verses.
It is symbolic of shaking off one's iniquities. This practice is recorded by a number of
Acharonim including Mateh Efraim. {}
 ‫‪ .6‬מטה משה ס' תתכ‬ ‫‪ .1‬רש"י שבת פא‪ :‬ד"ה האי‬

‫‪ .7‬לבוש או"ח תקצו‪:‬א‬

‫‪ .2‬מדרש תנחומא וירא כב‬

‫‪ .8‬שני לוחות הברית מסכת ראש השנה עמוד הדין‬

‫‪ .9‬תורת העולה ג‪:‬נו‬ ‫‪ .3‬מהרי"ל הל' ראש השנה‬

‫‪ .4‬ספר המנהגים‪ ,‬מנהג של ראש השנה‬

‫‪ .5‬דרכי משה או"ח תקפג‪:‬ב‬

‫‪ .10‬רמ"א או"ח תקפג‪:‬ב‬

‫‪ .11‬מעשה רב ס' רט‬

 ‫‪ .17‬שערי תשובה או"ח תקפג‪:‬ו‬ ‫‪ .12‬ערוך השלחן או"ח תקפג‪:‬ד‬

‫‪ .13‬מגן אברהם תקפג‪:‬ה‬

‫‪ .18‬שער הכוונות דרושי ר"ה ס' א‬

‫מטה אפרים תקפד‪:‬ז‬ ‫‪.14‬‬

‫‪ .15‬מנחת אלעזר ה‪:‬כז‬

‫‪ .19‬מנהגי חתם סופר ז‪:‬ו‬

‫‪ .20‬שער רוח הקדש עמ' ו‬

‫‪ .16‬קדושת ישראל ראש השנה ס' עא‬

 ‫‪ .21‬מנחת אלעזר ה‪:‬כז‬

‫‪ .22‬ערוך השלחן או"ח שכד‪:‬ג‬

‫‪ .23‬מטה אפרים תקצח‪:‬ד‬