1) I think you are referring not to Tosfos but rather to the Gemara itself on 106a. The owner of the field told the tenant to sow wheat but instead he sowed barley. There was a plague on most of the fields in the vicinity, including the tenant's field. However, the owner can still say that if the tenant would have sown wheat, his prayers at the beginning of the year would have been answered, but since he sowed barley his prayers were unsuccesful because he prayed for the success of wheat, not barley.

The Chidush is that this Gemara is recorded as Halachah in Shulchan Aruch (Choshen Mishpat 322:2). Even though most of the country was struck by the plague, the tenant farmer still has to pay the percentages of the produce that were agreed upon at the beginning of the year, because the owner claims that if he would have planted wheat his prayers would have been answered. We learn from this that the power of prayer is recognized in monetary Halachah, and we make the farmer pay up based on the owner's argument that Hash-m would have answered his prayers for wheat even though most of the country's crops were anyway ruined.

2) (a) You are referring to what Rashi (DH va'Tigzor) writes, "I did not ask from Heaven at the beginning of the year that He should give me success with barley, but rather with wheat." This suggests that at the beginning of the year one prays for success for personal material matters. One could argue that when Rashi writes "the beginning of the year," he does not mean actually Rosh Hashanah, but rather the weekdays between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. However, I suggest that this is a rather forced interpretation, and that the simple reading of Rashi is that one may pray for mundane matters on Rosh Hashanah itself.

(b) Possibly the most basic source that I am aware of on this topic is that of Rav Yehonasan Eibeschitz, in Ye'aros Devash (vol. II, Derash 1, DH umi'Zeh Tavin). He writes that the Zohar is very angry with people who pray on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur only for life, Parnasah, and the needs of this world. The Zohar desribes such people as "bad dogs who demand their food."

Rav Eibeshitz writes that, instead, the primary request should be for eternal life. In addition, all his prayers for success in this world should be focuses on this theme: that he be able to serve Hash-m without material disturbance and prevention.

(c) We learn from Rav Eibeschitz that one may pray on Rosh Hashanah for success in this world, but one's reason for asking for this success is so that it will be easier for him to serve Hash-m.

(d) According to this, we can explain that the person in the Gemara who prayed at the beginning of the year for the success of his wheat was doing so in order that he should have a good Parnasah so that he would be able to sit and learn Torah without worries of his livelihood, and be able to carry out the Mitzvos of the Torah (for example, to be able to give Tzedakah generously).

3) This year, at the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, somebody told me he had heard a Shi'ur from a well-known Magid Shi'ur in Jerusalem, who said that one should pray on Rosh Hashanah only for Malchus Shamayim and Ruchniyus. However, I think that now, with the help of Rashi on Daf 106a, and with the help of Rav Yehonasan Eibeschits' teaching, we can understand this better: The main purpose of the Tefilos should be for Ruchniyus, but one may also pay for the Gashmiyus that will help one to the Ruchniyus.

4) See also Kuntres Avodas ha'Tefilah on Rosh Hashanah by Rabbi Meir Birnbaum, page 37, in the name of Rav Chaim Kanievsky shlit'a, who said that the Chazon Ish said that Rosh Hashanah has been established for any kinds of requests that one wants. See also Teshuvas Rivevos Efrayim, volume 8, 235:1, pp. 129-130.

Kol Tuv,

Dovid Bloom

1) A couple of colleagues, to whom I mentioned the proof suggested above from Rashi 106a, that one may pray on Rosh Hashanah for mundane needs, argued that when Rashi writes "at the beginning of the year," he is referring to the weekdays of the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, but not to Rosh Hashanah itself. In fact, I mentioned this possible way of learning (in 2(a) of my previous response).

2) However, I have found that one of the Mefarshim clearly learns that Rashi is referring to Rosh Hashanah itself. First, I will give some background. The Mishnah in Rosh Hashanah 1:2 teaches that on Pesach the world is judged for how much crops the fields will produce, while on Rosh Hashanah everyone in the world passes in front of Hash-m for judgement. The Tosfos Yom Tov asks that since we learn that on Rosh Hashanah man is judged, this certainly must mean that he is judged concerning everything relevant to him, including how much produce will grow in his fields. This means that the judgement for everything is on Rosh Hashanah. Why, then, does the Mishnah say that there are other times of judgement, such as Pesach for produce? The Tosfos Yom Tov answers that on Pesach it is decided how much produce will grow in the entire world, while on Rosh Hashanah it is decided how much produce will grow in each individual's field. By way of example, on Pesach it is decreed that 10 billion tons of wheat will grow all over the world, while on Rosh Hashanah it is decreed that Chaim Cohen will receive 10,000 tons in his fields.

3) One of the Mefarshim on the Mishnayos (the Chidushim of Rav Eliyahu from Greiditz, which is printed in the back of standard editions of the Mishnayos), writes that according to the Tosfos Yom Tov it is now possible to understand what Rashi here (Bava Metzia 106a) writes. Rashi writes that this person prayed on Rosh Hashanah that his wheat should succeed. This statement of Rashi seems to contradict the Mishnah that the judgement for crops is on Pesach, not on Rosh Hashanah. However, now, according to the idea of the Tosfos Yom Tov, we can understand why Rashi says that one prays on Rosh Hashanah for wheat; this is when it is decided in Shamayim how much wheat every individual will receive.

4) At any rate, it is clear that according to the above Mefaresh, just as the judgement for wheat is on Rosh Hashanah itself, so too must the prayer for wheat be on Rosh Hashanah itself.

5) What I wrote in the first reply in the name of the Chazon Ish (that one may pray for anything) is in fact also cited in Piskei Teshuvos (by Rav Rabinovitz, on the Mishnah Berurah), 582:7, p. 199, note 22 in the name of the Chazon Ish. However, as I wrote in the name of Rav Yehonasan Eibeschitz, when one prays for material success one should do so in order that he be able to serve Hash-m better.

Kol Tuv,

Dovid Bloom

Sam, you make a very interesting observation, as always!

However, I would argue that the initial requests in the Birchas ha'Chodesh prayer -- for (1) long life, (2) peace, (3) goodness, (4) blessing, (5) Parnasah, (6) health, (7) fear of sin, (8) no shame or disgrace -- are all things which are very necessary for Ruchniyus (a basic Parnasah, at least, is certainly necessary for Avodas Hash-m).

It is only after this long list that we ask for (9) wealth and (10) honor, and as soon as we ask for this, we immedately add that this should be accompanied with (11) love of Torah and (12) fear of Heaven, because we are aware that wealth and honor might disturb us from Torah and Yir'as Shamayim.

B'Hatzlachah Rabah,

Dovid Bloom