Abbaye said, "Now that you have said that a sign is significant, a man should accustom himself to eating squash, beans, leeks, beets, and dates on Rosh Hashanah."

[Para.] Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer....Abaye Said...from here, the people of France have the custom to eat red apples on Rosh Hashanah. Similarly, in Provence, they eat white grapes, white figs, and the head of a sheep. Every new, easy, and good thing, is a good omen for all of Israel. [See Below the Shelah Hakadosh for the Kabbalistic reasons for the red Apple, as referring to Adam, the first man (can be translated as the color red). See also Bavli Sotah 11b below on the Kabalistic connection to birthing a New Year.]

Abbaye said,"Now that you have said that a sign is a [correct] matter, a man should accustom himself to eating citron, squash, beans (rubia, Rashi: clover), leeks (karti), beets (silkei) and dates (tamrei) on Rosh Hashanah." Rubia - our merits should increase (yirbu); karti - (the enemies) should be cut off (yikaretu), etc.; silkei - removed (yistalku), etc.; tamrei finished (yitamu), etc.; squash because it is quick to grow. And from this grew the [various] customs, every place according to its custom; as in Germany, where they are accustomed to eating sweet apple with honey at the beginning of the meal, to say, "Let this new year be sweet for us."...

And when these women would become pregnant, they would come back to their homes, and when the time for them to give birth would arrive they would go and give birth in the field under the apple tree, as it is stated: “Under the apple tree I awakened you; there your mother was in travail with you; there was she in travail and brought you forth” (Song of Songs 8:5).

Therefore, a person should be humble and their soul should be like dust before everyone, because the serpent's food is dust, and it grasps the heel. In the future, the heel will be refined and become great, similar to the heel of Adam, which was said to glow like the sun (Vayikra Rabbah 20:2). The notion of the "apple" (תפוח) alludes to the fruit that Adam ate, which, according to the sages (Bereishit Rabbah 15:8), was an etrog (citron). In Tractate Shabbat, in the chapter of Rabbi Akiva (88a), regarding the matter of the Israelites preceding "we will do" to "we will listen," it mentions the apple tree, whose branches precede its fruit. The Tosafot commentary (s.v. Periyu Kodem leAlaav) explains that this apple is, in fact, an etrog.

"See, the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field which the Lord has blessed" (Genesis 27:27). In the Zohar (Toldot 142b) and in the Talmud (Taanit 29b), it is explained: What is this field? It is the field of apples. The apple symbolizes a life filled with joy and a shining face with a clear expression, as it is stated in the Zohar (Lech Lecha 85a) regarding the verse "Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest" (Song of Songs 2:3): "This apple refers to the Holy One, Blessed be He, etc. This apple refers to Abraham, etc." And thus, the apple in the world was marked above all other beings. In various places in the Zohar, this concept is explained in different ways. In the Zohar (Naso 133a), in the seventh rectification (tikkun), it speaks of the two apples, and because of them, the verse "In the light of the king's face is life" (Proverbs 16:15) is fulfilled. The "field of apples" hints at a state where a person is prepared on their part to receive the illumination of the Divine face with an abundance of joyous life. For when a person is not prepared to receive this influence, it is called the "Field of Anathoth," as explained in the Zohar (Noah 63a), "Why is it called Anathoth? Because it has descended to a state of poverty." Therefore, Solomon said to him: "Go to Anathoth to your field" (1 Kings 2:26), indicating that the influence and shining face had ceased. The illumination of the Divine face, when a person is able to receive it, is called the "Field of the Holy Apples."

"And said, See, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field which Hashem has blessed" (Beresheet 27:27). The meaning of "and said" is not clear. Some say it is the Shechinah; some say it was Isaac who said "like the smell of a field which Hashem has blessed." What is this field? This is a field of apple trees (referred to as 'the field of Holy apples' which the supernal Patriarchs support and cultivate.

THE NAKEDNESS OF THY FATHER AND THE NAKEDNESS OF THY MOTHER SHALT THOU NOT UNCOVER. R. Hiya cited the verse: “As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons” (S.S. 2, 3). ‘Why’, he said, ‘does the Community of Israel praise God by comparing Him to an apple tree? Because it combines all excellences.

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