By Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin – Rov of Anash in Petach Tikvah

On the first night of Rosh Hashanah, after eating at least a kezayis of challah (to minimize the interruption between kiddush and the meal¹), we begin the meal by eating an apple in honey. We recite ha’eitz on the apple, but the bracha acharona is covered by birkas hamazon.

In his Shulchan Aruch, the Alter Rebbe writes that the Yehi Ratzon should be recited after eating some of the apple.² This follows the view of the Magen Avraham, considering the Yehi Ratzon a hefsek between the bracha and eating. Yet, the minhag Chabad, as seen by the Rebbeim and recorded by the Rebbe in Hayom Yom, is to recite the Yehi Ratzon between the bracha and eating the apple.³

In another context, the Divrei Nechemia writes that in his youth, the Alter Rebbe was more hesitant to disagree with the accepted later poskim, especially the Magen Avraham. Yet later on, after reaching greater heights in his Torah knowledge, he took more liberty to form independent views and relied more on the views of the mekubalim.⁴

Likewise, says the Rebbe, it would seem that the Alter Rebbe himself shifted his opinion after writing his Shulchan Aruch. Especially since there are ruchniyusdike reasons to preface the Yehi Ratzon before eating, and even the Magen Avraham agrees that it’s not a hefsek b’dieved since it’s relevant to the eating.

The Rebbe explains that by reciting the Yehi Ratzon directly after the bracha of ha’eitz, it can function as a bracha hasemucha lachaverta, with the bracha’s opening applying to the Yehi Ratzon as well. And because our nusach of the Yehi Ratzon omits Hashem’s name, it’s considered a direct continuation of the bracha and doesn’t constitute a hefsek.⁵

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From The Weekly Farbrengen by Merkaz Anash