Q. Dear Rabbi. Can people who much enjoy eating jalapeno (chili) peppers, can they add them to the list of fruits and vegetables one eats on Rosh Hashana and says a Yehi Ratzon on them? I this case it may be appropriate to bless us with having a Shana Tova, full with sharpness in learning Torah. Is that correct?
A. Nitei Gavriel (1: 29: 7) mentions that indeed one may add other Simonim to awaken the Kavanah and intention to recite a Tefila and bracha that is meaningful on Rosh Hashana.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that it can be done.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller and Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu Shlit’a.