Menachem Y. Weiss

The gabbai at the shul I was visiting held out two siddurim before me, one very old and one very new. I chose the old one. “But this one is much nicer,” he said. “Yes, I know,” I replied, “but I prefer this one.” Why was the old one so much more attractive? It was battered, stained, pages missing, the paper beginning to yellow with age. Yes, but if that siddur could talk, how many heartfelt words would emanate from its pages, how many hopes and fears, and how much comfort?

THE QUESTION YSL. Chanel. Prada. Louis Vuitton. Once upon a time, designer brands were reserved for people willing to spend thousands of dollars on a handbag or pair of shoes. Today, they’re everywhere — or at least they appear to be. Convincing “dupes” have become remarkably accessible, making luxury fashion look almost ordinary. So what exactly are dupes doing to our culture? Are they simply a budget-friendly way to enjoy beautiful things?

Few images evoke Rosh Hashanah as vividly as an apple dipped in honey, accompanied by the other simanim that usher in the opening night of the year. Far from being just a nice minhag, the concept of simanim is mentioned explicitly in the Gemara (Horayos 12a): “Now that we have established that signs are meaningful, a person should be accustomed to seeing at the beginning of the year gourds, rubia, leeks, beets, and dates.” This Gemara raises an obvious question.