Orthodox Union
www.ou.org
Rosh HaShanah
Rosh Hashanah
Rosh HaShanah is the day on which G-d created Man, Adam, G-d’s final and most precious creation. Each Rosh HaShanah, the birthday of Mankind, we proclaim G-d as our one and true King. We then reaffirm our desire to serve him every moment of our lives. At this same time, G-d reviews the status of his creation and determines if he or she merits another year in this world.
On the first night of Rosh HaShanah, after prayer services, a special greeting is used, which is only said on this night "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year." On Rosh HaShanah, everyone is judged by G-d based on his or her actions during the previous year. The resulting judgment is inscribed by G-d and a person’s future is determined for the following year. Though that judgment is inscribed, it is not yet sealed and can still be changed at least for another ten days. G-d waits until Yom Kippur to seal the book for the year.
How can a person change their judgment for the better? "Repentance, Prayer, and Charity can remove the bad decree." G-d looks especially at three areas during the time between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, the Ten Days of Repentance. By doing teshuvah with true regret for the past and commitment for the future, a person can erase his misdeeds and hence improve his judgment before it is sealed on Yom Kippur. Similarly, by praying with greater concentration before G-d, and by giving charity with the proper spirit, one can also upgrade one's status.
Introduction To Rosh HaShanah
Rabbi Tanchum said: "If someone, who has recited the Shema every day of his life, misses it just one evening, it is as if he has never said the shema at all. (Berakhot, 63a). Imagine that! Here is someone, aged perhaps 85, who has faithfully said the Shema every day since before his Bar Mitzvah (and how many of us can say that we have done that?), and he feels under the weather just one evening and skips it, and he's blown the lot! A lifetime of reciting the Shema wasted!
How can we understand this? The Dubnow Magid explains it with an analogy. In parts of Europe, before the advent of the telephone or telegraph, it was the custom to transmit messages quickly from town to town by having a chain of men on mountain tops stretching from one town to the other, shouting the message down the line. As we know, there was a similar arrangement in Israel at the time of the Second Temple, to spread news of the date of the new month, by lighting fires on successive mountain tops. Anyway, suppose we have a chain of fifty men on mountain tops from one town to the next, and one man in the chain does not shout the message, or light the fire, when it is his turn. We can't say: Well, it's only one man out of fifty, the message system is still 98% perfect. The failure of that one man spoils it for everyone else, before and after him, down the line. So it is with that one missed recitation of the Shema.
On Rosh Hashanah we recite Psalm 24, which includes the line: "Who may climb the mountain of G-d, and who may stand in the place of His holiness?" The Baalei Mussar explain this in the following way. There are two stages in attaining new levels of observance. The first ["climbing the mountain of G-d"] involves trying out a new mitzvah, and the second ("standing in the place of His holiness"] involves constancy in its performance. The first stage corresponds to having a spiritual high, which most of us have had at some time or other. Such highs may last a few minutes, or a few months. They are valuable for giving us a taste of new levels of observance. But the important thing in Judaism, in the long run, is not such spiritual highs, but constancy in our observances. How do we reach this second stage? The best way is to make a commitment.
There seems to be an attitude prevalent in the modern world, certainly in America, of not making commitments, of keeping one's options open, of holding back as long as possible. I know many people who come to minyan for a week or two, and then drop out for a month or so, and then reappear at minyan, and so on. Imagine someone who wanted to boil water to make tea, but instead of boiling it for ten minutes at a stretch, he boiled it for one minute, then let it cool for an hour, then boiled it for another minute, and so on. At the end of ten hours he still wouldn't have boiling water!
In my classes, I have noticed that one mitzvah which always goes down well is the mitzvah of avoiding making oaths. ["Will you come to mincha tomorrow?" "B'li neder!"] This is an important mitzvah, but I get the feeling that people sometimes use it to avoid making commitments. Perhaps that is why the Kol Nidre prayer is so popular!
According to the Torah once you make a commitment for some greater level of observance, whether it be spending more time learning, or more time visiting the sick, or stricter Shabbos observance, or whatever it is, you immediately get the reward for it, even before you have started performing the mitzvah, provided the commitment was sincere.
Now, in the period of the Ten Days of Penitence leading up to Yom Kippur, is the time to search our souls and see what new commitments we should make. I am not asking for the impossible. Everyone knows what mitzvos they are ready to accept, and what level of observance they are ready for.
Three Basic Prayers of Rosh HaShanah
Three descriptions, so to speak, of G-d, through which we can relate to Him, are contained in the Mussaf Prayer of Rosh HaShanah. They are as follows:
1) Malchiyot - Kingliness:
G-d is the incomparable King of The Universe. The destiny of humanity is to come to this realization. Whereas human kings rule in accordance with the principle of :"might makes right," G-d is the Holy King, Who is, at the same time, beyond comparison in His power, "Vas er vil, Tut er" - "Whatever He wills, He can do," yet He is also the Father of the orphan and the Judge of the widow, Who is always on the side of the powerless.
He is the Incorruptible and Righteous Judge of the World, Who favors no one, and cannot be bribed.
He is the true G-d and His word, the Torah, is true and eternal.
2) Zichronot - Remembrances
We recognize that Hashem is above Time, and the idea of "forgetting" does not apply to Him, nor is He limited in "understanding" the inner thoughts of His creatures. Nevertheless, we ask that He "remember" only the "good" in our behalf when He Judges us.
For all of humanity, for the whole world is Judged today, we ask that He "remember" the faith of Noach who endured taunts and threats for 120 years while he built the Ark, and tried to explain its purpose to his wayward generation.
For the Jewish People in particular, we ask that He "remember" the early loyalty of our People, who followed Him as a bride, as He said "I remember your youthful devotion, the love of your bridal days, how you followed Me through the desert, in a barren land" (Yirmiyahu 2:2) and later as a precious child, "Is it because Ephraim is my favorite son, my beloved child? As often as I speak of him, I remember him fondly. My heart yearns for him, I will have pity on him, says the L-rd." (Yirmiyahu 31:19)
Most of all, we ask that He "remember" the supreme act of devotion performed by our fathers Avraham and Yitzchak, where Avraham suppressed his natural feelings of mercy towards his son, and was prepared to sacrifice him at the command of G-d, and Yitzchak was prepared to be sacrificed, thereby suppressing his natural feelings of self-preservation, in fulfillment of G-d's command. So should G-d suppress, so to speak, His Midat HaDin , His Attribute of Strict Justice, which would require that we be punished for our misdeeds, in favor of His Midat HaRachamim , His Attribute of Mercy.
3) Shofarot - Blasts of the Shofar
We recall the time that G-d revealed Himself on Mt. Sinai and gave us the Torah.
"The whole world trembled at Your Presence, Creation shook in awe before You, when You, our King, did reveal Yourself on Mt. Sinai to give to Your People the Torah and its Commandments, letting them hear your majestic voice, your holy words out of flashes of fire. Amid thunder and lightening did You reveal Yourself to them, amid the sound of the Shofar did you appear to them."
The Shofar will be blown during the final battles of Israel with its enemies.
It will be sounded when our Exiles return.
It will be sounded when the Temple will be rebuilt.
It is the sound signifying the Presence of the majesty of G-d.
We ask that it be sounded again with the arrival of the Mashiach.
U’Netaneh Tokef
"Let Us Tell How Utterly
Holy This Day Is"
The Background
The prayer entitled "U'Netaneh Tokef" is attributed to a Rabbi Amnon of Mainz, Germany, who lived about one thousand years ago. The story behind this piyut, a prayer-poem, is sad and poignant, and may shed light on the prayer itself.
The Bishop of Mainz summoned Rabbi Amnon, a great Torah scholar, to his court and offered him a ministerial post on the condition that Rabbi Amnon would convert to Christianity. Rabbi Amnon refused. The Bishop insisted and continued to press Rabbi Amnon to accept his offer. Of course, Rabbi Amnon continued to refuse. One day, however, Rabbi Amnon asked the Bishop for three days to consider his offer.
As soon as Rabbi Amnon returned home, he was distraught at the terrible mistake he had made of even appearing to consider the Bishop's offer and the betrayal of G-d. For three days he could not eat or sleep and he prayed to G-d for forgiveness. When the deadline for decision arrived, the Bishop sent messenger after messenger to bring Rabbi Amnon, but he refused to go. Finally, the Bishop had him forcibly brought to him and demanded a response. The Rabbi responded, "I should have my tongue cut out for not having refused immediately." The Bishop angrily had Rabbi Amnon's hands and feet cut off and then sent him home.
A few days later was Rosh HaShanah, and Rabbi Amnon, dying from his wounds, asked to be carried to shul. He wished to say the Kedushah to sanctify G-d's Name and publicly declare his faith in G-d's Kingship.With his dying breath, he uttered the words that we now know of as the U'Netaneh Tokef.
Three days later Rabbi Amnon appeared in a dream to Rabbi Kalonymous ben Meshullam, a scholar and poet, and taught him the exact text of the prayer. Rabbi Amnon asked that it be sent to all Jewry and that it be inserted in the prayers of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur for all time.
The prayer portrays G-d as a Shepherd over His flock, counting and examining each sheep one by one as it passes under His rod. So does He review the flock of humanity one by one, determining each individual's fate for the coming year.
But the individual human being is not just a helpless sheep! Rather, he or she can contribute to their verdict by altering their behavior towards G-d and Man, specifically in the areas of sincere Repentance, Prayer from the heart and Charity given with a cheerful spirit.
The Annulment of Vows
The Torah permits people to accept upon themselves personal obligations and prohibitions. Once made, these vows (or oaths) must be kept. There are two commandments in the Torah making it obligatory to keep such vows. The Torah, however, also provided a way to release oneself from a vow. By going to a Beit Din, a court of three knowledgeable individuals, the vow can be annulled. The annulment takes place based on the decision of the court that the vow was made based on a false impression.
The prevalent custom is to convene a Beit Din after prayer services on the day before Rosh Hashanah, but, if it is forgotten or impossible for some reason, also during the days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, to nullify any vows one may have made during the year. Though this Beit Din is not meant for any actual annulment of specific vows where a real competent halachic authority should be consulted, it nonetheless represents a means of repentance from the sin of having abused vows and a nullification of any future vows made unintentionally.
The three 'judges' sit while the petitioner seeking annulment stands before them and makes a formal request for nullification.
Full Text of U’Netaneh Tokef
The Full Text
(Scanned from the ArtScroll Rosh HaShanah Machzor)
The following is the full translated text of the great prayer, "U'Netaneh Tokef," attributed to Rabbi Amnon of Mainz, as related to Rabbi Klonimus ben Meshullam
THE ARK BEING OPEN:
Congregation and chazzan:
So now, the Kedushah prayer shall ascend to You, for You, our God, are King.
Congregation and chazzan:
Let us now relate the power of this day's holiness, for it is awesome and frightening. On it Your Kingship will be exalted; Your throne will be firmed with kindness and You will sit upon it in truth. It is true that You alone are the One Who judges, proves, knows, and bears witness; Who writes and seats, (counts and calculates); Who remembers all that was forgotten. You will open the Book of Chronicles - it will read itself, and everyone's signature is in it. The great shofar will be sounded and a still, thin sound will be heard. Angels will hasten, a trembling and terror will seize them - and they will say, 'Behold, it is the Day of Judgment, to muster the heavenly host for judgment!'- for they cannot be vindicated in Your eyes in judgment.
Chazzan:
All mankind will pass before You like members of the flock. Like a shepherd pasturing his flock, making sheep pass under his staff, so shall You cause to pass, count, calculate, and consider the soul of all the living; and You shall apportion the fixed needs of all Your creatures and inscribe their verdict.
Congregation then chazzan [in some congregations this is recited only by the chazzan]:
On Rosh Hashanah will be inscribed and on Yom Kippur will be sealed how many will pass from the earth and how many will be created; who will live and who will die; who will die at his predestined time and who before his time; who by water and who by fire, who by sword, who by beast, who by famine, who by thirst, who by storm, who by plague, who by strangulation, and who by stoning. Who will rest and who will wander, who will live in harmony and who will be harried, who will enjoy tranquillity and who will suffer, who will be impoverished and who will be enriched, who will be degraded and who will be exalted.
Congregation aloud, then chazzan:
But REPENTANCE, PRAYER and CHARITY
Remove the Evil of the Decree!
Congregation and chazzan:
For Your Name signifies Your praise: hard to anger and easy to appease, for You do not wish the death of one deserving death, but that he repent from his way and live. Until the day of his death You await him; if he repents You will accept him immediately.
Chazzan:
It is true that You are their Creator and You know their inclination, for they are flesh and blood. A man's origin is from dust and his destiny is back to dust, at risk of his life he earns his bread; he is likened to a broken shard, withering grass, a fading flower, a passing shade, a dissipating cloud, a blowing wind, flying dust, and a fleeting dream.
Congregation aloud, then chazzan:
But You are the King, the Living and Enduring G-d.
THE ARK IS CLOSED
Congregation then chazzan:
There is no set span to Your years and there is no end to the length of Your days. It is impossible to estimate the angelic chariots of Your glory and to elucidate Your Name's inscrutability. Your Name is worthy of You and You are worthy of Your Name, and You have included Your Name in our name.
Various Customs of Rosh HaShanah
It is customary on Rosh Hashanah, during the evening meals, to eat foods symbolizing sweetness, blessings, and abundance.
We dip the challah in honey; and afterwards, on the first night, we eat a piece of apple dipped in honey. In general, this time of year is a very profitable one for those in the honey business, as some families have the custom of using honey instead of salt for challah right through Sukkot and Shmini Atzeret, and honey is also a main ingredient in many holiday recipes.
After the appropriate blessing on the apple, we add: "May it be Your will to renew for us a good and sweet year." Other customs include eating the head of a fish (1), pomegranates (2) and carrots (3). These foods are eaten as "simanim," "good omens," of success and happiness for the coming year.
It is customary to refrain from sleep (4) during the day of Rosh HaShanah, and rather to engage in Torah study or other spiritually productive activity. If one is idle, it is as if he slept. The Talmud Yerushalmi writes, "If one sleeps at the year’s beginning, his good fortune likewise sleeps."
It is customary to avoid eating nuts (5) on Rosh Hashanah, mainly because the gematria (numeric value) of the Hebrew word for "nut," "egoz" is the same as that for the Hebrew word for "sin," "chet.".
One should be especially careful to avoid anger on Rosh HaShanah. Always remember that G-d judges us in the same manner that we judge other people. If we get angry easily, so too will He.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Head of a Fish, And Anything You Wish!
The symbolism of the head is that we should be "on top" and not "on the bottom." The symbolism of the fish is based on the fact that they are very fertile creatures, but their reproductive activity is hidden from view, and therefore one could say that they embody the very desirable characteristic of "tzniut," "modesty."
(2) Pomegranates (Count those Seeds!)
The symbolism of this fruit is based on the "fact" that it contains as many seeds as there are Mitzvot (Torah Obligations), namely six hundred thirteen (613); you are free to count them if you wish. We want to be as full of Mitzvot as the Pomegranate is full of seeds.
(3) Carrots (Bugs Bunny's Favorite Food)
The symbolism of this vegetable is based not on the eating habits of the animated rabbit, but rather on the fact that in Yiddish, the word for carrots is "merren," having the additional connotation of "more." We want to have more children, have more wealth, gain more Torah knowledge, give more charity and perform more good deeds.
(4) Refraining from Sleep
However, one need not "go overboard" here. That is, if one is extremely tired, and cannot function like a human being without some rest (this is not unlikely on the afternoon of Rosh HaShanah, when the morning services are the longest, and perhaps most meaningful, of the year, besides Yom Kippur, which is a different story altogether), it would be better to take a short nap and then return, refreshed, to activity appropriate for Rosh HaShanah.
(5) No Nuts (unless you're hopelessly addicted)
Gematria
From the Greek, but in this case, not referring to Euclid's ideas, but rather to the sum, for a given word or verse, of the "numerical equivalents" of its Hebrew letters. Eh? Let's give an example: The derivation of the "gematria" of the Hebrew word for garment, "beged" is shown below:
Gematria of "Beged"
Hebrew Letter Numerical Equivalent
"Bet" 2
"Gimel" 3
"Dalet" 4
Gematria = 9
The problem here is that the gematria of "egoz," is not exactly equal to the gematria of "chet." (To confuse matters, note that the word "chet," as an action, means "sin," but there is also a letter called "chet," which is undoubtedly significant)
Gematria of "Egoz"
Hebrew Letter Numerical Equivalent
"Aleph" 1
"Gimel" 3
"Vav" 6
"Zayin" 7
Gematria = 17
Gematria of "Chet"
Hebrew Letter Numerical Equivalent
"Chet" 8
"Tet" 9
"Aleph" 1
Gematria = 18
However, since the Torah sage who suggested this idea was undoubtedly as capable of doing simple addition as you or I, we must say that since the values are nearly equal, on Rosh HaShanah we want to be extra careful of even a " remez," a "hint" of sin. So nuts are out! If you are hopelessly addicted to them, and your response to the above is "Nuts!" because you can't imagine living without them, you can probably eat nuts.
Annulment of Vows Dialogue
The following text is lengthy, quite technical and detailed. It is based on Talmudic concepts, and is constructed, in Jewish "legalese," to cover all relevant topics. The petitioner begins by addressing the Beit Din as follows:
Petitioner's Statement
Listen, please, my masters, expert judges -- every vow or oath or prohibition, or prohibition that I adopted by use of the slang term 'konam' or the term 'cherem'; that I vowed or swore while I was awake or in a dream; or that I swore by means of God's Holy Names that it is forbidden to erase or by means of the Name HASHEM ("HASHEM" is not the Name of G-d that is actually mentioned here), Blessed is He; or any form of nazirism (see "NAZIR" in Glossary) that I accepted upon myself, except the nazirism of Samson [which does not include a prohibition against contact with the dead]; or any prohibition, even a prohibition to derive enjoyment that I imposed upon myself or upon others by means of any expression of prohibition, whether by specifying the term 'prohibition' or by use of the terms 'konam' or 'cherem'; or any commitment -- even to perform a mitzvah -- that I accepted upon myself, whether the acceptance was in terms of a vow, a voluntary gift, an oath, nazirism, or by means of any other sort of expression, or whether it was made final through a handshake; any form of vow or voluntary gift, or any custom that constitutes a good deed to which I have accustomed myself; and any utterance that escaped my mouth or that I vowed in my heart to perform any of the various optional good deeds, or good practices, or any good thing that I have performed three times but without specifying that the practice does not have the force of a vow; whether the thing l did related to myself or to others; both regarding vows that are known to me and those that I have already forgotten -- regarding all of them I regret retroactively and I ask and request of your eminences an annulment of them. [My reason is that] I am fearful that I will stumble and become entrapped, Heaven forbid, in the sin of vows, oaths, nazirism, cherems, prohibitions, konams, and [violation of agreements].
I do not regret, Heaven forbid, the performance of the good deeds I have done, rather I regret only having accepted them upon myself with an expression of a vow or oath or nazirism or prohibition or cherem or konam or agreement or acceptance in my heart, and I regret not having said, 'Behold I do this without [adopting it in terms of] a vow, oath, nazirism, cherem, prohibition, konam, or acceptance in my heart.
Therefore, I request annulment for them all. I regret all the aforementioned, whether they were matters relating to money, or whether they were matters relating to the body or whether they were matters relating to the soul. Regarding them all, I regret the terminology of vow, oath, nazirism, prohibition, cherem, konam and acceptance in the heart. Now behold, according to the law, one who regrets and seeks annulment must specify the vow, but please be informed, my masters, that it is impossible to specify them because they are many. Nor do I seek annulment of those vows that cannot be annulled, therefore may you consider as if I had specified them.
The judges repeat three times:
May everything be permitted you, may everything be forgiven you, may everything be allowed you. There does not exist any vow, oath, nazirism, cherem, prohibition, konam, ostracism, excommunication, or curse. But there does exist pardon, forgiveness, and atonement. And just as the earthly court permits them, so may they be permitted in the Heavenly Court.
The petitioner makes the following declarartion:
Behold, I make formal declaration before you and I cancel from this time onward all vows and all oaths, nazirism, prohibitions, konams, cherems, agreements, and acceptances of the heart that I myself will accept upon myself, whether while I am awake or in a dream, except for vows to fast that I undertake during Minchah. In case I forget the conditions of this declaration and I make a vow from this day onward, from this moment I retroactively regret them and declare of them that they are all totally null and void, without effect and without validity, and they shall not take effect at all. Regarding them all, I regret them from this time and forever.
Tashlich
The word "Tashlich" means "You will cast away." In this context, it refers to a custom dating from at least as early as the fourteenth century, but probably much earlier, based on the last verses of the Book of Michah (Micah) 7:18-20, shown below:
"Who is a G-d like You? You forgive sins and overlook transgressions
For the survivors of Your People;
He does not retain His anger forever, for He loves Kindness;
He will return and show us mercy, and overcome our sins,
[Note: The Prophet has switched, grammatically, from addressing G-d in the "second person" [using "You"] to addressing Him in the "third person" [using "He"]. This may have to do with the difficulty finite man has when addressing his infinite Creator, and comes up again in connection with the topic of Blessings. Anyway, back to Michah:]
And You will cast into the depths of the sea
all their sins;
You will show kindness to Yaakov and mercy to Avraham,
As You did promise to our fathers of old."
Consequently, Jewish communities have for many generations gathered on the First Day of Rosh HaShanah at bodies of water and recited the Tashlich Prayer, which consists of certain chapters of Tehillim (Psalms) and the verses shown above, to symbolize our wish to get rid of our sins, and to be forgiven by G-d.
Some people have the custom of putting bread crumbs in their pockets and shaking them out into the water to give more concrete expression (however, I don't think concrete would be usable for this purpose) to their desire to be free of their sins.
Historically, Jews would sometimes be instructed by their own community leaders to seek out bodies of water not near the center of town, so as not to be seen during Tashlich by their non-Jewish neighbors, for fear of a "poisoning the wells" accusation. This was certainly true if actual food was thrown into the water, but even if not, they would be accused of mumbling curses and poisoning the wells by witchcraft.
If the first day of Rosh HaShanah falls on Shabbat , Tashlich is said on Sunday, the second day. If it cannot be recited at all on Rosh HaShanah , due to inclement weather or "whatever," it can be recited until Hoshana
Rabbah.
Tashlich is preferably recited alongside a body of water containing fish, to remind us that just as fish are protected by the water in which they live, we pray to be protected by G-d. Also, just as fish swim freely and can suddenly be caught in a net, so too we can just as helplessly fall into the net of sin. And even as the eyes of fish are always open, so do we pray that G-d too will keep vigilant watch over his people.
The Shofar - A Cry From The Depths
Rav Abbahu said, "Why do we blow a ram’s horn? The Holy One, Blessed Be He, said: ‘Sound before Me a ram’s horn so that I may remember on your behalf the binding of Isaac the son of Avraham, and account it to you as if you had bound yourselves before Me."
"And Avraham lifted up his eyes and looked and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by its horns." (Breishit 22:13) This teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, showed our father Avraham the ram tearing itself free from one thicket and getting entangled in another. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Avraham: ‘In a similar manner are your children destined to be caught up in iniquities and entangled in troubles, but they will ultimately be redeemed through the horns of the ram.' "
Like Matzah on Pesach, which is a double symbol, expressing the ideas of freedom and slavery, the Shofar is likewise essentially a double symbol. On one hand, it reflects triumph and redemption, yet it also represents "Fear and Trembling," (a book by Soren Kierkegaard on the subject of the Akeidah). sighing and wailing, on the other.
According to the Talmud, the sequence of sounds should be "Tekiah, Teruah, Tekiah." The Tekiah is an unbroken note representing the positive, hopeful side of our attitude as we approach the Yom HaDin , the Day of Judgment. In between the Tekios is sandwiched a Teruah , representing our extreme anxiety as we approach the King of Kings for Judgment.
However, there is a dispute in the Talmud as to the meaning of "Teruah." One opinion is that it is a sighing, groaning sound; this is what we call "Shevarim" [from the root "shavor," "to break"] - a note broken into three parts. The other opinion is that it should be a wailing sound, a sound broken into many parts, as was heard in ancient times, and as is still heard today, especially in the Arabian countries, from women mourners. This is what we call the "Teruah."
Because of the uncertainty described above, we use both versions and a combination of both versions, as follows:
Tekiah, Shevarim, Tekiah
Tekiah, Teruah, Tekiah
Tekiah, Shevarim-Teruah, Tekiah
When it is blown, traditionally, 100 sounds are produced. 30 right before Mussaf. 30 during Mussaf and another 40 right after Mussaf, basically because of the uncertainty in the nature of the "Teruah" mentioned above. Which, actually, may be less of an "uncertainty" than a feeling that both the attitudes of sighing and of wailing, befit the aspect of being Omed L'Din, Standing for Judgment, before the Supreme Judge of the World.
Generally the Shofar is blown by a person who is of sound moral and religious character, not to mention possessed of a good set of lungs. A competent Halachic authority should supervise the Shofar blowing, as there are many complex laws and requirements involved with its proper sounding. If a person cannot attend synagogue, the shofar may be blown for him or her at home.
Reflecting one of the Names of the Holiday, "Yom Teruah," the "Day of Sounding the Teruah, the Shofar is blown on both days of Rosh HaShanah. When, however, a day of Rosh HaShanah falls on Shabbat, the Shofar is, by Rabbinical Decree, not blown (for fear of someone carrying the Shofar to a Master Baal Tokea (an expert at the art of blowing the Shofar), for instruction, "carrying" being considered a melacha, a purposeful, creative act, and therefore forbidden, on Shabbat).
Some of the meanings and ideas to focus on while listening to the blowing of the Shofar in shul are:
Proclaiming the coronation of G-d as King of the Universe
Awakening our minds from a state of spiritual sleepiness
Reminding us of the shofar heard at Mount Sinai, when we accepted G-d's Torah
Appealing to G-d with a simple, primal cry from the depth of the human soul. Indeed, as we ahve seen, the "Teruah" sound of the Shofar is based on the sound of a cry.
Sounding the call of the Shofar that will be heard with the coming of Mashiach, who will redeem us, G-d willing, soon
Two blessings are said over the blowing of the Shofar. One blessing is over the Mitzvah (Torah Obligation) itself, which concludes "...Who has commanded us to hear the sound of the Shofar." From the text of the blessing we see that the Mitzvah is to hear the shofar. Therefore, if you see someone blowing the Shofar, or even blow it yourself, you have still not fulfilled the mitzvah if you do not hear the sound itself. An example of this is if one blew the Shofar into a chamber such that the actual sound is drowned out by the echoes.
The second is the She'Hecheyanu Blessing which is said to thank G-d for, simply, giving us life, and allowing us to reach this moment, and this new experience, of hearing the sound of the Shofar in the New Year.
Two Teams
Here’s one way to think about the essence of the sacred holiday, Rosh Hashanah. (Inspired, perhaps, by everybody’s excitement at the approach of baseball’s post-season.) Rosh Hashanah is the time when we must decide which team we want to play for in the coming year.
"Team?" you ask. "Just who (or what) is in this particular league?"
I’ll give you a clue--a pretty big one, in fact. Here is an excerpt from one of the selichos (special penitential prayers) traditionally said on the morning before Rosh Hashanah, prior to the regular prayer service.
"Man serves two masters during the years of his life, doing the will of his Creator or serving his desire [evil inclination]; but well for him who clings to His Creator all of his [life] time. Then he is a servant free from his master."
Two "masters" are vying for our allegiance constantly…or, to stick with my chosen terminology (however corny), two teams in the Major League of (Spiritual) Life struggling to sign up us free agents.
On one side, led by our Creator, the Holy One, Blessed be He, stands "Hashem’s Heavy-Hitters," who are ready to uphold the dictates of that incredible (Master) Game plan known as the Torah. Opposing them (and Him), led by the Yetzer Ha’ra himself [the "evil inclination"], stands "Desire’s Doormats," ready to run after the dictates of their own desires, passions, appetites and self-interest (whether enlightened or not). It’s the Battle of the Century; rather, it has been the Battle of the Ages.
I think it’s fair to say that a lot of the time, we are all "serving our desire," that is--playing for the other guys, and not for Hashem’s squad. We do what we want to do in life, because we want to do it.
Now, we can sure have a load of fun in the short term being managed by the Yetzer Ha’ra, and perhaps we may even go for a certain time without hurting anybody else outright (or destroying ourselves completely). Sometimes, our actions might even be in accord with "higher ideals," and our goals may happen to coincide with (or, at least, not contradict) the larger good of society or the dictates of some moral code (like the Torah). But unless we consciously decide otherwise, we’re basically batting for Desire’s Doormats. Unless we make a real effort to transcend much that is in our surroundings, unless we strengthen ourselves to go "against the stream" (of society’s values, of ingrained habit, of our own immediate passions), we will not be on the roster of Hashem’s Heavy-Hitters (or even His occasional pinch-hitters!).
We have to wake ourselves up to join the winning side.
Because the sad truth for those on his team is that though the Yetzer Ha’ra appears to have a winning record as a manager (those wild champagne celebrations in the locker room are proof!), he’s bound to lose. Hashem will win out in the end, regardless of which team each of us joins for the coming year. We declare that in our Rosh Hashanah prayers:
"And so, too [in the messianic age], the righteous will see and be glad, the upright will exult, and the devout will be mirthful with glad song. Iniquity will close its mouth and all wickedness will evaporate like smoke, when You will remove evil’s domination from the earth." (Artscroll Machzor; my emphasis)
In those days, there will be only ONE team around, and much of what we request on Rosh Hashanah is that Hashem should speedily bring that to pass:
"Our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers, reign over the entire universe in Your glory; be exalted over all the world in Your splendor, reveal Yourself in the majestic grandeur of Your strength over all the dwellers of Your inhabited world. Let everything that has been made know that Your are its Maker…and let everything with a life’s breath in its nostrils proclaim: ‘Hashem, the G-d of Israel, is King, and His Kingship rules over everything.’" (ibid.)
On Rosh Hashanah, we are called upon to declare our allegiance to Hashem, to abandon the bench (or the starting line-up) of Desire’s Doormats and join the winning team of those who serve Hashem…and sanctify themselves through the mitzvos. The shofar blast is meant to awaken our souls to abandon all false gods (and losing teams), and acknowledge that Hashem is the One and Only King--both over myself (with all my energies and desires), and over all of Creation. We can then begin the process of teshuva ["return," or "repentance"] that culminates in the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). As Maimonidies writes of the symbolic meaning of the shofar blast:
"[it calls out] ‘Awake, awake, O sleeper, from your sleep; O slumberers, arouse yourself from your slumbers; examine your deeds, return in repentance, and remember Your Creator. Those of you who forget the truth in the follies of the time, and go astray the whole year in vanity and emptiness [i.e., what the yetzer ha’ra loves to peddle to us]… look to your souls; improve your ways and your works. Abandon, every one of you, his evil course and the thought that is not good."
There is a special mystical power in the sound of the shofar, in fact, that can weaken the hold of the yetzer ha’ra in our hearts. Spiritually, Rosh Hashanah (and the whole ten-day period of Teshuva it inaugurates) is "designed" to help us switch teams, to begin afresh to acknowledge the Kingship of G-d wholeheartedly. It marks the start of a brand new year, with the inherent potential of facilitating our spiritual renewal. Rosh Hashanah is the anniversary of the Creation of man…and therefore, its "spiritual energy" enables us even now—and every single year—to recreate ourselves…as Heavy-hitters of Hashem! The gates of heaven are open, as it were, wide wide open to receive the prayers of those prepared to desert that other shoddy team (Desire’s Doormats). Hashem is ready to hand out new uniforms…and new, exciting spiritual tasks to all of us for the coming year.
But we have to show that we are ready to bat for Him. As mentioned before in passing, we are not forced to serve (or play for) anybody. We are free agents. And deep in our hearts, we know that the way of Hashem is truly the path of blessing and joy and fulfillment in this world and the next. No matter how we may have chosen in the past, the point is that we are free now to choose differently (and more wisely). We can recreate ourselves, and revitalize our commitment to Hashem and His Torah. Our yetzer tov (good inclination) can prevail over our yetzer ha’ra. Far more than the mistakes of the past year (or years)—mistakes which we are meant to examine, and abandon, during the Ten Days of Repentance—what counts in the heavenly judgment (din) on Rosh Hashanah is our present resolve to do better. Are we ready to choose Life…and accept G-d as our King (and Manager)?
I hope and pray that all of you (and K’lal Yisrael) have a sweet and healthy New Year, a year of blessings and spiritual growth…a k’siva v’chasima tova. We should all be inscribed in the Book of Life, and quickly see that time when the whole world will unite to serve Hashem, the One and Only King…and all "competing franchises" will fold forever!
The Akeidah
Some are bothered as to why the akeidah plays such a central theme in Rosh Hashanah. That is to say - there are so many other examples in which our ancestors put their lives on the line to show their belief and commitment to God (such as Nachshon at the Yam Suf, as well as over a dozen other personalities mentioned in the daily "Mi She'anah" section of Selichos). Why is it that the akeidah is the prototype of such faith-based courage and its merit on Rosh Hashanah?
It should be noted that the akeidah can be divided into two distinct parts. The first section ends when Avrohom Avinu follows God's command and is about to sacrifice Yitzchak, at which point the malach tells him that he need not do so and that he has proven his devotion to God. The second part of the story displays Avrohom's persistence, in which he sees the ram in the thicket and insists on serving God with a korban - even though he has already passed the test at hand.
The eternal promises and blessings which conclude the parshah of the akeidah are only granted after Avrohom brings the korban. This seems to indicate that this latter act - under the circumstances - demonstrated an even higher level level of avodas Hashem than the fulfillment of the initial akeidah command. Let's explore this a bit further.
When Avrohom offered the ram even after he had fulfilled his mission the day of the akeidah, his act was one of love for God. Service of God out of love - which is on a plane higher than service out of fear - was the pinnacle of the akeidah process. Avrohom could have left Har Hamoriah after he passed the test and was told to hold back the knife. However, out of love of God, he insisted on bringing a sacrifice to show his devotion.
It is with this in mind that we enter Rosh Hashanah. For, as we mention daily in Selichos, we cannot expect to be vindicated in God's judgment on our merits. Any act of transgression - and certainly many such acts - are incongruous with our prayers for blessings of goodness and sweetness for the new year. Such requests simply defy logic and proper judgment, as - if we have sinned, how can we expect rewards? However, we are taught that one thing supercedes the onus of mishpat - the love relationship between God and His people. We thus ask God to recall that this higher plane of our relationship - the bond of ahava - should override the logic of inescapable mishpat, such that the mishpat be tempered and we be blessed to serve God with a renewed commitment each year. Thus, we call to God in prayer for His mercy and benevolence with the shofar of the akeidah, as we invoke the merit of the Avrohom's (and our) love of God, which can override strict judgment which we would otherwise deserve. (This seems to explain the phrase in the chazzan's shemoneh esrei of Rosh Hashanah, "Od yizkor lanu ahavas Eisan - May He remember for us the love of Avrohom" [Midrashically referred to as 'Eisan'].)
May we be blessed to serve God in the manner displayed by our forefathers, and may God grant us all a sweet year!
The Torah Reading
The Torah reading and Haftarah of the first day of Rosh Hashanah raise a big question. That is, how are the overall themes of these texts essential to Rosh Hashanah? While it is true that both stories speak of barren women whose prayers were answered in the affirmative (and we, too, seek such response to our own tefillos on Rosh Hashanah), the bulk of the Torah reading presents us with events (Yishmael, Avimelech) which seem unrelated to this theme. Similarly, there are many other miracles recorded in Tanach in which individuals' prayers were answered with an overwhelming display of divine mercy. Why, then, are the story of Yitzchak's birth, alongside the events of Yishmael and Avimelech, as well as the actions of Chana and the birth of Shmuel especially appropriate to the theme of Rosh Hashanah above and beyond other possible texts?
If we take a step back and look at the developments in Bereshis beginning with Yitzchak's birth, we can detect a sublime theme. The name Yitzchak - as is clear in many passages which relate to his birth - is due to the tzchok - the laughter - which was precipitated by his birth. Laughter represents that which is unreal, which does not coincide with the world as we know it. Whether laughter is a response to extreme simcha (see Rashi based on the Midrash regarding the many joyous events which transpired on Yitzchak's birthday) or an expression of disbelief, it connotes that which is beyond reality. Yitzchak's name, moreover, indicates that his persona was other-worldly (see Ramban in Toldos), and - as we know from the Midrash (quoted by Rashi) which describes Rivka's reaction to her first sighting of Yitzchak - he had an angelic, holy aura about him.
In light of the above, we can better understand the import of God granting Yitzchak to Avrohom and Sara as it pertains to Rosh Hashanah. A significant portion of our prayers to evoke God's mercy is in the framework of His remembering the uniqueness of Bnei Yisroel. This uniqueness is based on our spiritual qualities, and such qualities have enabled us to reach heights otherwise reserved for celestial beings. We thus ask God to refrain from judging us according to natural law and strict mishpat, as this system is suited for those whose existence is earthy and relates to the material, mundane and natural order of the world. However, we ask that those who are rooted in holiness and are really not based in the here-and-now world not be judged by its strictures. Rather, the supernatural qualities of Bnei Yisroel warrant God's middah of Rachamim, as our inner potential and other-worldly qualities associate us with God in a much tighter bond, such that we are like His like His personal servants or emissaries, and we thus seek to be judged as such, reflective of our internally-holy and elevated characteristics.
The other-worldly qualities of Bnei Yisroel - as epitomized by Yitzchak and the miracles of his birth - are then contrasted in the Torah reading against Yishmael's and Hagar's performances, as critiqued by the commentators. Hagar's actions (when Yishmael was sick) were based in self-interest, while Yishmael's behavior represented the lowest, most base side of Man. The Torah then further displays the other-worldly characteristic of Bnei Yisroel when it depicts Avrohom Avinu's interaction with Avimelech. In that event, Avimelech approached Avrohom because because 'he saw that God is with him', to paraphrase the pasuk (attesting to the divine association of Bnei Yisroel). Furthermore, Avrohom used the event of his covenant with Avimelech to praise God [establishing an "eshel"], such that the mundane, earthy qualities of the story's well were associated with an elevation of the mundane to the holy. This upward, heavenly thrust to bring all to God's service represents the role of Bnei Yisroel in the world. (So, too, is it with the story of Chana. She clung to God and then dedicated her son to His service, and this association further reflects the other-worldly qualities of Bnei Yisroel which we pray will endow us with favorable judgment on Rosh Hashanah.)
However, we may never be haughty. We must always bear in mind that our unique persona and mission are divinely gifted to us, and any self-aggrandizement on our part is an utter, severe distortion of our purpose and is thus a chillul Hashem.
May it be God's will that we be continually blessed as His dearest children, and may we live up to this noble role.
A New World
Close your eyes and imagine what the world must have looked like on the first day of creation. Pristine, fresh, untainted, healthy and unpolluted. Man is created. He is naïve, pure and innocent. His face shines from the goodness of his unadulterated soul. His tongue is holy because he has never told a lie. His heart can only love because he has not learned how to hate. Don't we all wish we were there? Don't we all wish we could catch a whiff of the freshest air in history?
Welcome to Rosh Hashanah. HaYom Haras Olam! Today the world is created. It's a new world. Today we can start afresh, our hearts and souls can be renewed, our relationships can begin again and even our environment can change. Today we can be rejuvenated with the same exuberance and enthusiasm that we have when we start an exciting new project. The world does not have to be at war. Jews don't have to be fighting with each other. Today the world is created afresh. HaYom Haras Olam!
At the very beginning of creation G-d created a light that didn't require the sun. It was the light of newness and creation. G-d cherished that light and didn't want evil people to ruin it, so He put it away for Tzadikkim in the future. (Talmud) Today is the future!
For the past month we have been reciting "LeDovid" every day. The custom to recite this psalm during the period of repentance is based on the following Medrash.
"Hashem ori veyishi". "Hashem is my light", on Rosh Hashanah, "and my salvation", on Yom Kippur. "He will hide me in His shelter", is an allusion to Sukos. The light, ori, is the light G-d hid away at the beginning of creation. It is a fresh, untouched, pure, and uncomplicated light. It is the light of Rosh Hashanah. This Medrash is deeply Kabalistic, yet its message is very simple. On Rosh Hashanah we can start fresh. Yom Kippur is a time for repentance and restructuring of our lives. Rosh Hashana is a time to plug into the original light of creation.
Imagine for a moment you are moving to a place where nobody knows you. They have not seen any pictures of you nor will they ever meet any of your friends. You now have the opportunity to start anew. You can look in the mirror of your soul and ask yourself if there is anything that you'd like to change. You now have the chance to shed some parts of yourself that you may have felt you were stuck with. You can start doing things for yourself that you've always really wanted to do.
While being at home you may have wanted to change some things about the way you dress, the way you speak, the way you eat, your behavior in the Synagogue, your business practices and your whole priority system, but it was too difficult to even consider. At home you may have fallen into patterns of relationships with your spouse, your children or your friends that may not be for the best. You may have developed habits that are destructive. You may have become negative about certain people. But at home it's too hard to change. What will my friends say if I start dressing different? Will people view me as an impostor if I suddenly refuse to gossip? What will my wife think if I give up my favorite TV show for Daf Yomi? It is very difficult to change the terms of your relationships, midstream. But now that you are moving to a brand new place there is no reason for inhibition. Just do it!
Rosh Hashanah is your new place! HaYom Haras Olam! The world is created today! It's new! You can shed all the baggage, all the complications, and all the worries and as they say on TV, "Just do it!" If not now when? This is what Rosh Hashanah is all about. On Rosh Hashanah we make a fresh new start.
On a practical level I would like to suggest that we look at the ten days from Rosh Hashana to Yom Kippur as a testing ground. Use these ten days to experiment with some new behaviors. Most of us can get through a week without drinking alcohol or smoking. If we it would mean that we are addicted to destructive behavior. Can we get through the week without saying anything negative about anyone else? Can we get through the week without criticizing or insulting others? Can we get through the week without losing our temper? If we can't - are we addicted? Are we stuck?
Today is the day to get unstuck, to start anew and to grow. May you all be blessed with a beautiful new page in the book of life.
Insights into Rosh Hashanah
"Let us now relate the power of the day's holiness, for it is awesome and frightening. On it Your Kingship will be exalted; Your throne will be firmed with kindness and You will sit upon it in truth. It is true that You alone are the One Who judges, proves, knows, and bears witness; Who writes and seals; Who remembers all that was forgotten. You will open the Book of Chronicles-it will read itself, and everyone's signature is in it. The great
shofar will be sounded, and a still, thin sound will be heard. Angels will
hasten, a trembling and terror will seize them-and they will say, 'Behold, it is the Day of Judgment…All mankind will pass before You like members of the flock…and You shall apportion the fixed needs of all Your creatures and inscribe their verdict." (From the Rosh Hashanah liturgy; Artscroll Machzor.)
Rosh Hashanah is serious business.
A quick glance at the famous passage quoted above, or at just about any given page of the special Rosh Hashanah prayer book, will quickly dispel any doubts on that score. So will the harsh and awe-inspiring blast of the shofar, a sound that can arouse depths of feeling in even the most unflappable synagogue shmoozer.
Other nations may celebrate their New Year reveling in Times Square (or its equivalent); we spend ours standing in court, pleading for mercy from on high. "Remember us for life, O King Who desires life, and inscribe us in the Book of Life-for Your sake, O Living G-d." We come before G-d, our Father and King, to ask for Life: both in the physical sense (a year of health, happiness and prosperity…with record-breaking gains on the Nasdaq), and in the spiritual (a year of heightened sensitivity and connection to the greatness of G-d and the Torah).
When you look beyond the apples dipped in honey (beautiful, important and sacred custom though it is) to really think of what's at stake on Rosh Hashanah…it could get you pretty worried.
Which is why I think some of the best advice I can offer you is what singer Bobby McFerrrin tunefully (some would say vapidly) urged us way back when I was in high school: "DON'T WORRY; BE HAPPY."
You think I'm kidding you. I'm serious, my friend. DON'T WORRY; BE HAPPY.
In fact, I can quote two individuals of even greater stature and more unimpeachable integrity than the talented McFerrin: Nechemya (Nehemiah) and Ezra, towering leaders of the Jewish people at the time of the return of the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem. They reinvigorated a demoralized Jewish population in the Holy Land, who had strayed from Torah observance in the years of the Babylonian exile following the destruction of the First Temple.
The Book of Nehemiah records a scene that took place "on the first day of the seventh month"Rosh Hashanah. Ezra read from the Torah on Rosh Hashanah to the assembled masses in Jerusalem: though they enthusiastically pledged to commit themselves once again to G-d's Law, they were brokenhearted at their past misdeeds. Worried (like us) about how Hashem would judge them on the awesome day of Judgment. But Ezra and Nehemiah told the people, in so many words, "DON'T WORRY; BE HAPPY."
"Then Nehemiah…as well as Ezra the Kohen, the scholar, and the Levites who were helping the people understand, said to all the people, 'Today is sacred to Hashem, your G-d; do not mourn and do not weep.' For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the Torah. He said to them, 'Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet beverages, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared, for today is sacred to our Lord. Do not be sad; the enjoyment of Hashem is your strength!'" (Nehemiah: 8, 9-10; Artscroll Tanach)
Nehemiah was not telling the people to have a wild party; he was not counseling, "Eat, drink and be merry," in the commonly understood and profane sense. Rather, he was reminding them that Rosh Hashanah is, after all, a Yom Tov, a Jewish holiday with its requisite obligation to rejoice and eat beautiful meals and wear special clothes; his message was, "Eat, drink…and rejoice in Hashem!" What is our true strength-as individuals and as a nation? Our joy in serving G-d, in the special closeness to the Holy One, Blessed be He, that is our portion and our inheritance as the Jewish people.
Though it's true that on Rosh Hashanah the prayers emphasize G-d's Kingship (and the role of Supreme Judge that accompanies that) still we should not lose sight of the fact that Rosh Hashanah begins a period that culminates in the Divine compassion of Yom Kippur; and even on Rosh Hashanah itself, we recite the famous prayer of Avinu Malkeinu-"our Father, our King"-which should remind us that even as He judges us, He is still (and ever) our loving Father. That is a constant source of joy for us.
But I'll go further. There is joy in the very fact that G-d is King, the absolute ruler Who governs all aspects of Creation and lays claim to our complete allegiance as His servants. There is joy in the clear and lofty vision of ultimate meaning and purpose to our lives, and to existence as a whole, that lies at the center of the Rosh Hashanah service. (The mere fact that we are judged is a sign of our-and life's-importance!)
King David expresses this sentiment exactly in the second chapter of Psalms, in a verse whose second half, I think, captures the tone of Rosh Hashanah exactly: "Serve the Lord with awe, and rejoice greatly with trembling." (2, 11) Rejoice with trembling? Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch explains:
"It is only in serene joyousness that man as a whole blossoms forth and that those energies are liberated which man needs in order to discharge his task. But this unclouded joy is only found "biradah" ["with trembling"], in the complete disappearance of any opposition to the will of G-d, in the awareness of the fact that, without G-d, we are nothing and that our being and striving begin to have some meaning only if we permit them to be completely absorbed in G-d and His will. If we attach ourselves to the great sovereign purpose of G-d with our every achievement, great or small, then no contribution of ours, however small, shall be lost, and we may rejoice in it…" (Commentary on the Psalms, p. 13)
True rejoicing can be found (only) in the awe and "trembling" that accompany the awareness of G-d's absolute sovereignty…and the commitment to live one's life according to that awareness.
Is that not the essence of what Rosh Hashanah communicates to us?
Perhaps I would modify McFerrin slightly in light of all that we have said. WORRY…BUT BE HAPPY! (It won't sell as many records.) Reflect on your life, and its direction, this Rosh Hashanah-a line of thought that might well lead you to worry (or weep). But above all, REJOICE. The only way we can strengthen our resolve for the future-and remember, it is the first day of the New Year, a year during which we all are resolving to live better lives-is to rejoice while you tremble.
Do not be sad; the enjoyment of Hashem is your strength.
MAY WE ALL USE THE GREAT GIFT OF ROSH HASHANAH TO REFLECT AND REJOICE…AND MAY HASHEM INSCRIBE, AND SEAL, US IN THE BOOK OF LIFE…for a sweet, happy and healthy year. For us, and all of K'lal Yisrael.
Day of Joy - Day of Judgment
Rosh Hashana appears twice in the Torah: first in Vayikra
23:24 - "...In the seventh month, on the first day of the
month, shall you have a sabbath, a remembrance of blowing of
horns ["zikhron teru'ah"], a holy gathering...", and later in
Bamidbar 29:1 - "...It is a day of blowing the horn ["yom
teru'ah"] to you". What is the significance of this "yom
teru'ah"? On what basis do the Sages identify this day as the
Day of Judgment (Yom HaDin)? Why do the Sages call this day
'Rosh Hashana' while the Torah makes no mention of this term?
Apparently we have only one source to guide us in
understanding the biblical significance of the 'Yom teru'ah' -
the 'Parshat HaHatzotzrot', the portion dealing with the
trumpets. For our purposes the last two pesukim of this
parsha are of particular note:
"And if you go to war in your land against the
enemy that oppresses you, then you shall blow an
alarm with the trumpets ["veharei'otem
b'hatzotzrot"]; and you shall be remembered
["veniz'kartem"] before the Lord your God, and you
shall be saved from your enemies. Also in the day
of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in
the beginnings of your months, you shall blow with
the trumpets ["ut'ka'tem b'hatzotzrot"] over your
burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your
peace offerings; that they may be to you for a
remembrance ["l'zikaron"] before your God - I am
the Lord your God."[Bamidbar 10:9-10].
Once again the concepts of remembrance (zikaron) and
blowing (teru'ah) are juxtaposed, and the connection between
them begs explanation.
Firstly, we see that blowing horns is not particular to
Rosh Hashana, but rather is characteristic of every Rosh
Hodesh (new month) - in the form of the blowing of the
trumpets. (As we know, in the Beit HaMikdash the trumpets
were blown on Rosh Hashana as well - see Mishna Rosh Hashana
3:3.) Rosh Hodesh in biblical times was celebrated in a far
more festive fashion than it is today (see Shmuel I 20;
Melakhim II 4:24; Yishayahu 1:13; Amos 8:5 - which emphasizes
the prohibition of melakha on Rosh Hodesh; Hoshea 2:13, etc.)
and the blowing on Rosh Hodesh is defined as "a statute for
Israel, an ordinance of the God of Yaakov" (Tehillim 81:5 -
according to 'peshat' the reference is not specifically to
Rosh Hashana). What, then, is the meaning of "zikaron" on
Rosh Hodesh? What is the significance of 'zikaron'
specifically on festivals and days of rejoicing?
It seems that there is more to remembrance than simply
the opposite of forgetting. Zikaron implies that there is
special attention paid to the object of remembrance. The
Torah says of God that He "remembered Noah" [Bereishit 8:1] as
well as Avraham [ibid. 19:28] and Rachel [ibid. 30:22].
Surely this cannot mean that until that moment God had
forgotten them, as it were. Rather, the Torah is teaching us
that from that moment onwards special providence and close
guidance ['hashgaha'] was provided for those individuals. The
meaning of remembrance is special attention. Following the
period of Bnei Yisrael's servitude in Egypt, the time comes
for their salvation - "And God remembered his covenant... and
God knew" [Shmot 2:24-25]. From that moment, Bnei Yisrael
were under Hashem's special 'hashgaha'.
The opposite of this 'zikaron' is forgottenness - not the
abyss of oblivion, but rather that of God "hiding His face"
['hastarat panim'] and obliterating us, as it were, from His
heart. "God has forsaken me, and God has forgotten me" - so
laments Bat Tzion [Yishayahu 49:14]; and an even clearer
example is provided by the psalmist [Tehillim 10:11] - "...God
has forgotten, He hides His face...". The forgottenness means
the hiding of God's face, the removal of 'hashgaha', with its
terrible consequences: "I will hide My face from them, and
they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall
befall them..." [Devarim 31:17].
Now we can understand why at times of trouble and war we
pray to God in the hope that "you shall be remembered before
the Lord your God and you shall be saved from your enemies."
The Torah is teaching us that remembrance is achieved through
the blowing of horns, as a symbol of the nation's cry to God.
The purpose of the blowing is to renew God's special guidance
over the nation of Israel, thereby bringing about their
salvation.
Additionally, on the occasion of each festival and joyous
occasion the Torah promises God's special guidance: "And in
the day of your gladness... you shall blow on the trumpets...
that they may be to you for a remembrance before your God."
The blowing of the trumpets is part of the festivity, part of
the expression of the special hashgaha of God over the nation
of Israel.
The above applies to every Rosh Hodesh. What, then, is
the specific renewal of Rosh Hodesh of the seventh month,
which is designated as an entire day of blowing horns: "Yom
Teru'ah"?
It seems that the special nature of the day is derived
from the special nature of the month. There are two cycles of
festivals in the Torah - the Shalosh Regalim (three pilgrimage
festivals), and the festivals of the seventh month. The
seventh month is endowed with special holiness, in the same
way that the seventh day and the seventh year have special
kedusha. "Kol hashevi'in havivin" ["All [events which are]
seventh [in the cycle] are beloved"], says the Midrash
[Midrash Tehillim 9:11]. During this month Yom Kippur occurs
- the day upon which God forgives Israel for all their sins -
as well as Sukkot, which has significance beyond being one of
the three Regalim. (See Rav Breuer's article entitled "Hag
HaSukkot" in his book Pirkei Mo'adot) During this month God's
hashgaha over Am Yisrael is particularly evident. Therefore,
Rosh Hodesh of this month has the same characteristic, and is
referred to as "zikhron teru'ah" - an expression which
reflects the entire essence of the day.
Ramban comments on the connection between "teru'ah" and
"zikaron" in his commentary on Vayikra 23:24: "But 'zikhron
teru'ah', like 'yom teru'ah yihyeh lakhem', means that we
should blow [the shofar] on that day, and it will be a
remembrance for us before God, as it says further: 'And you
shall blow on the trumpets and they shall be to you for a
remembrance before your God...'." (And with regard to Rosh
Hashana as Rosh Hodesh of the seventh month, Ibn Ezra's
comment is obscure but worthy of note; see the Mosad HaRav
Kook edition, and Asher Weizer's commentary).
Hence it seems that on this day the rejoicing should be
greatly increased. And so indeed it appears from the
description in Sefer Nehemia of the Rosh Hashana that was
celebrated after the Sefer Torah was found: "And Nehemia...
said, ... 'Go your way, eat well and drink sweet drinks, and
send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this
day is holy to our Lord, do not be grieved for the joy of the
Lord is your strength... And all the people sent their way to
eat and to drink and to send portions and to make great
celebration..." [Nehemia 8: 9-12].
It is also possible that blowing the shofar on Rosh
Hashana has special significance beyond that of every Rosh
Hodesh. The Sages learned that the 'blowing' referred to in
the Torah means blowing of the shofar, from a 'gezeirah
shavah' regarding Yovel: "Then you shall have the shofar blown
on the seventh month... and you shall sanctify the fiftieth
year..." [Vayikra 25:9-10]. The blowing of the shofar serves
as the symbolic commencement of the Yovel year (which occurs
after a cycle of 7 x 7 years), and on an annual basis, it
seemingly also serves as the symbolic commencement of the
seventh month.
From all of the above, the question arises - how did this
day become Yom HaDin in the eyes of the Sages, the day on
which "melakhim yehafezun ve-heil ur'adah yo'heizun" (angels
are in trepidation - and all quaking with fear) - a day on
which Hallel is not recited for fear of judgment?
The root of the answer can be understood from Rav Kook's
idea in his article "Le-Mahalakh HaIde'ot BeYisrael". Rav
Kook holds that with the disappearance of the Shekhinah
(Divine Presence) after the destruction of the First Temple
and the consequent exile, the glory of Israel was dashed to
the ground. As a result, "all the practical individuality -
of keeping Torah and mitzvot in their individual detail and
conceptual individuality the beliefs concerning the
individual's personal connection with eternal life and the
individual striving towards it - which had formerly revealed
itself and existed as the manifestation of the Divine Idea...
now, with the disappearance of the great light of the nation
during the time of the Second Temple, was confined and
manifest in its special individual character." Israel lost
its nationhood, and now each individual stood on his own
merit.
From then on, God did not "remember" Am Yisrael as a
whole, but rather "remembered" each individual separately.
And when each person is judged individually, the Day of
Remembrance obviously takes on a much more profound aspect of
judgement, and fear replaces joy. The individual is no longer
able to hide himself among the many - he stands alone before
the King of Judgment.
Now we can understand why the Sages refer to the day as
Rosh Hashana, even though the Torah emphasizes the beginning
of the seventh month rather than the beginning of the year.
There is no doubt that the month of Tishrei did serve as the
New Year for certain purposes - parallel to the month of Nisan
(see Mishna Rosh Hashana 11:1). Proof of this can be brought
from the very necessity of defining the month of Nisan as
"Rosh Hodashim" - this seems to indicate that until then a
different month had served this purpose. According to
Josephus Flavius and other historians, Tishrei indeed served
as the beginning of the year, based on the tradition that the
world was created in that month. So it seems, too, from the
designation of Sukkot as 'tekufat hashanah" ["the year's end"]
[Shmot 34:22], the blowing of the shofar on Yom Kippur of the
Yovel year which sanctifies the Yovel [Vayikra 25:9-10], and,
most importantly, from Yehezkel who says, "on Rosh Hashana on
the tenth of the month" [40:1] - by 'Rosh Hashana' he refers
not to a specific day, but rather to the beginning of the
year.
But the Torah determined that "This month [i.e. Nisan] is
for you the beginning of the months, it shall be the first
month of the year to you." All counting is to be in
accordance with the Exodus from Egypt, since by counting thus,
Israel is distinguished from the other nations; counting from
Nisan marks the date on which God's majesty was revealed to Am
Yisrael. And specifically on "yom teru'ah", the day on which
Israel's special character is manifest, we understand the idea
of counting the year starting from the month of Nisan making
Tishrei seventh in that cycle.
But as mentioned above, with the destruction of the First
Temple, the national dimension of Israel was diminished and
the day became one of judgement, the day on which "kol ba'ei
olam ov'rim lefanekha kiv'nei maron". There is no longer an
outstanding special quality pertaining to the nation of
Israel, and the universal Rosh Hashana - the day on which the
world was created - takes on a more practical character: now
we may emphasize that the same day on which the world was
created, is also the day on which the world is judged.
But ideally this day is special for Am Yisrael, and
therefore we do not emphasize that it falls on the same day as
the creation of the world, since the latter has a more
universal significance.
We can understand why the Sages emphasize the Kingdom of
God over the whole world - since at this time God's majesty is
manifest over the whole world - as opposed to Rosh Hashana as
presented in the Bible, when this aspect pales next to the
majesty of God over Israel specifically. Hence the Sages laid
down the formula for the blessing in the Rosh Hashana prayer:
"Rule over THE WHOLE WORLD in Your honor... and EVERY CREATURE
will understand that You created him, and EVERY LIVING BEING
will say, 'The Lord God of Israel is King, and His majesty
reigns over all.'"
The Structure of Tekiyot
The Ramban in his "Derasha le-Rosh Ha-shana" recounts a certain episode which occurred during the life of his rebbe, Rav Natan (of Trinquetaille, the 13th century Talmudist). Evidently, when the latter traveled to study with the Ritzba, the following incident took place: the ba'al tekiya on Rosh Ha-shana, instead of blowing three blasts for shevarim, blew four. The Ritzba compelled him to repeat all the tekiyot, ruling that a shevarim must consist of precisely three sounds. After the service, the worshippers gathered in front of the synagogue and questioned their Rabbi's ruling. The Ramban addresses this debate, quoting their exchange and offering his opinions.
The crux of the matter appears to be the issue of "hefsek" (break, gap) in tekiyot. Whenever two actions are meant to be adjacent, no interruption is permitted to come between them. For example, the donning of the tefillin shel- rosh must immediately follow the fastening of the shel-yad so that the initial berakha can apply to each. Talking between them destroys this continuity and necessitates the recital of a new berakha. Similarly on Purim, one must listen to an entire uninterrupted reading of the megilla. By talking in the middle, one creates a hefsek and invalidates the reading. It is reasonable to suggest that an extra shevarim sound inserted between the original three sounds and the ensuing tekiya constitutes a hefsek and that this lack of continuity disqualifies the series of sounds. Indeed, this logic appears to be the foundation of the Ritzba's decision, and when the Rambam quotes this ruling he initially cites hefsek as the reason.
There are several ways in which this conclusion may be disputed. First and foremost, we must determine whether the concept of hefsek is at all relevant to tekiyot. What exactly is the nature of the series, tekiya-shevarim-tekiya? This sequence can be understood in two distinct ways. On the one hand we might view these sounds as being only loosely associated. They are to be a group of sounds blown in a certain order, part of one bar, but not fully unified as one "note." Alternatively, we might view them as a series of connected notes with a degree of integration which demands continuity and brooks no interruption.
Presumably, it is this very issue which propels a machloket between Rabanan and R. Yehuda in Sukka (53b) concerning our method of counting these sounds. R. Yehuda considers a sequence of tekiya-teru'a-tekiya or one of tekiya- shevarim-tekiya as a single sound. In contrast, Rabanan list them as three distinct units. (It should be noted that this machloket relates primarily to the shofar blown in the Mikdash during the sacrificial process. We can assume, however, that the same method applies to the shofar sounds of Rosh Ha- shana). In fact, the gemara amplifies this machloket and perceives ramifications well beyond the mere technical issue of the numerical scheme. The gemara concludes that according to R. Yehuda, one must not allow any disruption between the tekiyot and the teru'a or shevarim sandwiched in between them. Since they represent a single note they must be blown one after the other. Based on this position and specifically the gemara's application of it to the pesul (disqualification) of hefsek, one might justify the Ritzba's position which does not allow an extra shevarim sound to intervene between the basic, tri-part shevarim and the tekiya which follows it.
There is, however, one slight problem with this reasoning: by and large, we do not rule according to R. Yehuda. We opt instead for Rabanan's approach which holds that the units, though associated with one another and organized into sets are not fully integrated into one note. After all, our basic obligation of hearing thirty kolot (sounds) on Rosh Ha-shana stems from the counting scheme of Rabanan which labels a set of tekiya-teru'a-tekiya as three separate kolot. This position is further borne out by the halakha cited by the gemara in Rosh Ha-shana (34a) that one may hear the basic nine kolot (the minimal number necessary to fulfill the Biblical mitzva) in separate installments; even if these nine kolot are heard during nine different hours of the day, one has properly fulfilled the mitzva. Evidently, we adopt the position of Rabanan that the set is only loosely affiliated. If so, we can seriously question whether hefsek actually applies within the set of sound. If the sounds are intended to be only loosely affiliated, presumably there is no requirement of continuity and hence no halakha of hefsek.
There does remain, however, a possibility of maintaining that hefsek does apply within a set of three kolot. The gemara in Rosh Ha-shana (34a) describes the modifications to tekiyat shofar enacted by R. Abahu. Ambiguity arose concerning the exact identity of the sound the Torah refers to as "teru'a." It is clearly some sort of cry; what is less certain is whether it is a series of three short groans (what we nowadays call shevarim) or nine staccato bursts (our teru'a). At an early stage the gemara thought that R. Abahu, hoping to cover all bases, implemented three sets of tekiya- shevarim/teru'a-tekiya. By instituting this sequence he would create a series of sounds which would be acceptable regardless of the true identity of "teru'a." Whether the Torah intended "teru'a" to be three short groans between two tekiyot or nine staccato bursts between tekiyot, this set would in either case remain valid. The gemara, however, questions this formation: If a shevarim is called for, then the subsequent teru'a separates the shevarim from the ensuing tekiya. Similarly, if the Torah had wanted a present-day teru'a (nine quick sounds), the preceding shevarim divides between the teru'a and the initial tekiya. In fact, this arrangement, far from being a perfect solution, is actually flawed according to both options.
Many of the Rishonim scrutinize the gemara's own question: Why are we suddenly concerned with a hefsek between the opening or closing tekiya and the intervening teru'a? After all, we do not rule like R. Yehuda and do not view the set as completely integrated. We even tolerate scheduling the shofar sounds at separate intervals during the course of the day. To answer this question many distinguish between two forms of hefsek in the following manner. Time may indeed elapse between the various sounds of the shofar. However, an interruption of a different or extraneous sound will invalidate the series. Though they are not one note they still constitute a "bar." As a bar of loosely integrated notes they may be scattered but they still must be sequential. If indeed the Torah's "teru'a" is to be our shevarim then the subsequent series of nine staccato bursts interrupts the continuity between that shevarim and the final tekiya. Even Rabanan who do not fully incorporate the series of sounds into one unit require some degree of association.
In light of this distinction between two forms of hefsek and in light of the structural integration of the series EVEN ACCORDING TO RABANAN, we may justify the Ritzba's ruling. By adding extra sounds to the shevarim (four instead of three), the ba'al tekiya created a hefsek between the basic shevarim and the closing tekiya. According to R. Yehuda, given his more intense form of integration, any break (even a lag in time) invalidates the series. But even according to Rabanan, the interference of foreign sounds constitutes a hefsek.
The Ramban, however, develops an independent idea to explain the decision of the Ritzba. In examining the issue the Ramban points to one additional factor. If, the ba'al tekiya blew the extra shevarim within the same breath, the integrity of the series is maintained. In thiinstance the whole shevarim is incorporated into one entity and one need not address the issue of hefsek because there hasn't been an intervening sound. The definition of shevariis to blow AT LEAST three short moans; if more are blown within the same exhalation, they are all considered one shevarim. If, however, the ba'al tekiya blew three moans and then took a breath and blew an additional, one we must view these as SEPARATE units of shevarim. The problem, however, is not one of hefsek (creating a prohibited division between the shevarim and the concluding tekiya) but one of SEDER. Though we adopt Rabanan's position and don't demand juxtaposition (allowing the sounds to be scattered throughout the day), we do demand a set ORDER to the sounds. By adding an extra shevarim we have altered the desired seder. Regardless of any concern for continuity, and independent of the degree of series integration, we still might demand a precise order to the shofar sounds. By blowing an extra unit of shevarim (designated as such because it is blown in a separate breath), we no longer maintain the order of tekiya, shevarim and then again tekiya. Thus we find that, the Ramban, attempting to defend the position of the Ritzba, isolates a new and distinct factor - preserving the proper sequence of shofar sounds.
METHODOLOGICAL POINTS:
1. Whenever items exist in a series we must inspect their degree of integration. For example we discussed in a previous shiur whether the forty-nine nights of counting the omer are one mitzva or a series of many affiliated mitzvot.
2. Very often, disruptions invalidate a sequence either because of hefsek or because there is a need for a distinct order which is compromised. A primary example of the latter is the special avoda on Yom Kippur. Though we are not familiar with any halakha which disallows the kohen gadol to take a break, we do know that the order of the avoda must be preserved. If the shechita of the sa'ir (goat) precedes that of the par (bull), for instance, the avoda is pasul.
Yom Tru’ah - Zichron Tru’ah
To our surprise, Chumash appears to have left out the two primary aspects of the holiday which we call Rosh Hashana: * that it marks the beginning of the NEW YEAR, and * that it is a Day of Judgement. This week's shiur attempts to uncover them.
INTRODUCTION Chumash contains only two brief and ambiguous references to Rosh Hashana: 1) In Parshat Emor: "On the SEVENTH month, on the first day of that month, you shall have a day of rest - ZICHRON TRU'AH..." (Vayikra 23:23-25) 2) In Parshat Pinchas: "On the SEVENTH month ... You shall have a YOM TRU'AH...". (Bamidbar 29:1-6)
In both of these Parshiot, the Torah commands us to observe a holiday on the first day of the SEVENTH month without even hinting as to why this day or month is special. Furthermore, the Torah tells us to observe this day as a ZICHRON TRU'AH, or YOM TRU'AH, without explaining precisely what these phrases mean! How does the SEVENTH month ['MID-year'] become the NEW year? How does YOM TRU'AH become a day of judgement?
To answer these questions, we must first explain the biblical concept of a 'year'.
THE BIBLICAL YEAR Although it is commonly assumed that Rosh Hashana marks the anniversary of God's creation of the world, this specific issue is a controversy in the Talmud between R' Eliezer and R' Yehoshua (see Mesechet Rosh Hashana 10b-11a). According to R' Yehoshua, who claims that the world was created in Nissan (the first month), is there nothing special about the first of Tishrei (the seventh month)? And even according to R' Eliezer, who claims that the world was created in Tishrei, why should the anniversary of the Creation provoke a yearly 'Day of Judgement'?
In Chumash itself, we find TWO yearly cycles. The cycle which begins in Nissan is best known, for the Torah explicitly commands us to count all of the months from Nissan ("parshat ha'chodesh"/ see Shmot 12:1-2). However, the cycle which begins in Tishrei is less well known, for it is only implicit. Nonetheless, a quick analysis of several mitzvot and psukim can show how obvious it really is. The most obvious proof is from the mitzvah of "shmita": "Six YEARS you shall plant your fields... and gather your produce, but on the seventh YEAR the land shall have complete rest... (Vayikra 25:3-5)
Although the Torah does not specify the precise time of year when this cycle begins, it can be inferred from the law of the "yovel" (jubilee) year which follows: "You shall count seven cycles of seven years... then you shall blow the shofar on the SEVENTH MONTH, on the tenth day of the month... (Vayikra 25:8-9)
If the Yovel year begins on the SEVENTH MONTH, then obviously the entire shmita cycle must begin in the SEVENTH month. In addition to this textual proof, there is a very logical reason why the shmita cycle should begin in the SEVENTH month. As we know, the mitzvah of shmita relates to planting and harvesting one's field. Since the fall season (i.e. Tishrei) marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the next year's planting season, it makes sense that the shmita cycle begin in Tishrei. In other words, in addition to the yearly cycle which begins in Nissan, and relates to the Exodus and our national redemption, another yearly cycle exists which begins in Tishrei and relates to the natural cycle of the agricultural year. Proof of this 'agricultural cycle' is found in the Torah's presentation of the "shalosh regalim": "Three times a year you shall hold a festival for Me: Observe chag ha'matzot... in the spring... chag ha'katzir, when you first reap your grain harvest, and chag ha'asif - AT THE END OF THE YEAR - when you GATHER YOUR PRODUCE (fruit harvest) from the fields..." (Shmot 23:14-16)
Here, the Torah specifically states that the harvest holiday, better known as Succot, is the END OF THE YEAR. [Parshat Emor states specifically that this holiday is to be celebrated in the SEVENTH month. (See Vayikra 23:39!)] If the previous year ends in Tishrei, the new year must also begin in Tishrei.
Our final proof is found in the Torah's presentation of the mitzvah of HAKHEL, which connects both the shmita cycle and Succot to the END OF THE YEAR: "At the END of every seven years, at the turn of the SHMITA cycle, on CHAG HA'SUCCOT... you shall read this Torah..." (Dvarim 31:10-11)
Once again we find that the Torah considers the time of year of Succot as the end of the agricultural year. Thus far, we have proven that the SEVENTH month is indeed the beginning of the NEW YEAR, i.e. the agricultural new year. Based on this understanding, we can now explain why it becomes a day of judgement.
RAIN - AND THE NEW YEAR Before we continue, we must review the different stages of the agricultural year in the Land of Israel: * The planting season begins during the autumn months of Cheshvan & Kislev, continuing into the winter. [Recall, that in the Land of Israel, it only rains between Succot and Pesach.] * The grain harvest begins in the spring with the barley harvest in Nissan and the wheat harvest in Iyar and Sivan. * The fruit harvest begins in the summer months of Tamuz and Av, and continues until Tishrei.
With this in mind, we can proceed. Due to the nature of this cycle, the ultimate success of the agricultural year hinges on the amount of RAIN that falls in the months of Cheshvan and Kislev (late autumn and early winter). This early rainy season is so critical that the first three chapters of Mesechet Taanit describe in detail the public fasts which are declared should the first rain be only a few weeks late! Should more than a month go by without rain, more severe public fasts are declared, SIX brachot are added to "shmoneh esray" - including ZICHRONOT AND SHOFROT, similar to the brachot added on Rosh Hashana! [I recommend that you scan through the mishnayot of Mesechet Taanit in order to appreciate this point.]
It is not coincidental that on these fast days we daven as on Rosh Hashana. As mentioned above, the month of Tishrei marks the beginning of the new agricultural year, and thus the forthcoming rainy season. It is precisely this rainy season which DETERMINES THE FATE OF THE ENTIRE YEAR. Insufficient rain in the autumn leads to thirst, drought, famine, and disease in the spring and summer. Thus, from nature's perspective, it is the early rainy season which determines 'who will live and who will die, who by thirst and who by famine, who by war and who by disease...'. Due to the importance of this early rain, man will do everything in his power to make sure that indeed it will fall. In ancient Canaan, people believed that worshiping a pantheon of rain and fertility gods such as Baal and Asheyra would secure adequate rain. Modern man, on the other hand, believes that rainfall is simply determined by chance, according to the whims of nature. Chumash tells us exactly the opposite - the rain that falls in the land of Israel is a DIRECT function of God's "hashgacha" (providence). "For the land which you are about to enter is NOT like the land of Egypt [which receives a constant water supply from the Nile] ... the land which you are about to possess [Eretz Yisrael] contains hills and valleys, [there] you will drink water from the RAIN FROM HEAVEN (matar ha'shamayim)..." (Dvarim 11:10-11)
After stating the land's DEPENDENCE on RAIN FROM HEAVEN for its water supply, the Torah informs us that God Himself oversees this rainfall: "It is a land which the Lord your God LOOKS AFTER [doresh otah], always He keeps EYE on it, from - REISHIT Hashana - the year's beginning to the year's end." (Dvarim 11:12) [See previous shiur on Parshat Ekev.]
Interestingly enough, this is the only time in Chumash where we find the name ROSH HASHANA [=REISHIT HASHANA]; precisely in the context of the rainy season, at the start of the agricultural year!
This theme develops in the next parsha - "v'haya im shmoa" (the second parsha of daily kriyat shma!): "Should you listen to my mitzvot... then I will grant the RAIN for you IN SEASON (lit. at the proper time) -'YOREH u'MALKOSH' - the early rain and the late rain... BEWARE, should you go astray... then God will shut the heavens so that there WILL BE NO RAIN..." (Dvarim 11:13-16)
Yet again, we find that the amount of rain which falls, especially during the critical season, is a DIRECT function of God's "hashgacha", and thus, a direct result of our religious behavior.
Based on this interpretation, the biblical importance of celebrating a holiday on the first day of Tishrei now becomes clear. As we anticipate the forthcoming agricultural year and its critical rainy season, we dedicate a special day in which we abstain from work ("shabbaton"/ Vayikra 23:23) in order to gather together ["mikra kodesh"] and proclaim God's DOMINION over the entire Creation. Based on our deeds, and our willingness to serve Him, He will determine the fate of the forthcoming year. Our fate lies in HIS hands, NOT in the hands of nature or any other god. [We therefore dedicate the month of Elul to repentance, in preparation for this day, in order to prove to God that we are indeed worthy of a good judgement [according to the guidelines of parshat "v'haya im shmoa"].]
Up until this point, we have uncovered the biblical reason why the SEVENTH month is considered the beginning of a NEW year and a time of judgement. In anticipation of the rainy season and its influence on the fate of the agricultural year, the Torah commands Bnei Yisrael to set aside a special day in which we must recognize that the fate of the forthcoming year will be determined by God. With this background, we can better appreciate the significance of the special mitzvah which the Torah commands us to keep on this day: 1) ZICHRON TRU'AH (in Parshat Emor) 2) YOM TRU'AH (in Parshat Pinchas) Why does the Torah command us to sound a TRU'AH specifically on this day?
"YOM TRU'AH" IN THE BIBLE Today, a shofar is considered a 'religious artifact', usually purchased at the local "sforim" store or Judaica shop. Back in the time of the Bible, things were a little different. Then, a shofar would have been sold by the local 'arms dealer', for it was used as the primary communications tool in war. Military commanders and officers used the shofar to communicate important signals to their troops (e.g. Gidon and his 300 men / Shoftim 7:16-20). Similarly, civil defense personnel used the shofar to warn civilians of possible attack and to mobilize reserves (see Amos 3:6). Therefore, in a manner similar to one's gut reaction to the sound of a siren today, the sound of a tru'ah in biblical times meant immediate danger. Hearing that sound was associated with going to battle or being under attack, i.e. a situation where one's life is on the line. For example, the prophet Tzfania uses the phrase YOM SHOFAR U'TRU'AH to describe a situation of war and terrible destruction. "At that time [on the YOM HASHEM], I will search Yerushalayim with candles and I will punish the men... who say to themselves 'GOD DOES NOT REWARD NOR DOES HE PUNISH' [i.e. no hashgacha!]... The great day of the Lord is approaching... it is bitter, there a warrior shrieks. That day shall be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress ["tzarah u'mtzuka"], a day of calamity and desolation...., YOM SHOFAR U'TRU'AH ..." (Tzfania 1:12-16)
According to this pasuk, "yom tru'ah" and "yom shofar" clearly imply a day of imminent danger and war.
The prophet Amos also refers to the shofar in a similar context: "Should a shofar be sounded in the town, would its people not be frightened (ye'cheradu)? Could misfortune come to a town if God had not caused it?" (see Amos 3:6 and its context) [See also Yoel 2:1-3,11-14 & 2:15-17, & Yirmiyahu 4:3-8.]
Therefore, the Torah instructs us to make a "yom tru'ah" on the first day of the seventh month in order to create an atmosphere which simulates the tension and fear of war. We are supposed to feel on this day, just as we would on a day of war - that our lives are truly in danger. This explains "yom tru'ah". What is the meaning of "zichron tru'ah"?
ZICHRON TRU'AH Luckily, there is a pasuk in Parshat Bha'alotcha which ties together these two words: "Should war take place in your land...- v'HA'RAY'O'TEM - you must sound a TRU'AH with the trumpet [b'chatzotzrot], v'NIZ'KAR'TEM - and you will be REMEMBERED by the Lord your God, and He will save you from your enemies." (Bamidbar 10:9)
Should war break out, God commands us to sound a TRU'AH in prayer to God - in anticipation of that war. In doing so, we are recognizing God's hashgacha over the outcome of the forthcoming battle, and thus show Him that we deserve His special providence. This parallels the situation on the first of Tishrei. In anticipation of the forthcoming rainy reason, we must sound a TRU'AH in order to remind ourselves that God will determine the fate of the year and ask for His special providence. Therefore, this day is not only a YOM TRU'AH - a day of AWE on which our lives are judged, but also a ZICHRON TRU'AH - a day on which we must sound the shofar in order that God will REMEMBER us.
SHOFAR SHEL AYIL Even though Rosh Hashana is commonly referred to as the JEWISH New Year, it is actually the NEW YEAR for ALL mankind. Nonetheless, Am Yisrael is first to declare God's kingdom on this day, for it is our national duty to proclaim His Name. As we begin the year by sounding the TRU'AH, we specifically use a shofar from an "ayil" (a ram) - the symbol of "akeidat Yitzchak", a testimony of our total devotion to God. In doing so, we remind the Almighty of His choice of Avraham Avinu and His special relationship with his children, in order that He NOT judge us like any other nation; but rather as His own special Nation.
The Epitome of G-d’s Kindness
The meaning of the words Rosh HaShana literally is "Head (beginning) of the year." However, this holiday carries much more significance than merely being the day on which a new calendar becomes necessary.
The Sefer HaChinuch explains that Rosh HaShana is the day on which the whole world is judged. Each individual creature is judged as an individual. This judging has been compared to sheep passing in single file under the watchful eye of the shepherd. Just as each sheep is scrutinized alone, separate from the flock, so too are we judged on Rosh HaShana, as individuals, separate from everyone else.
Why do we have a day of judgment? The Sefer HaChinuch explains further that this holiday on which we are judged is truly a kindness of Hashem. Hashem, because we have this yearly holiday, reviews our deeds yearly, thereby preventing our sins from amassing. As we "only" have to deal with our sins one year at a time, there is still room for repentance and atonement. Furthermore, as Hashem judges us with kindness, if there are few sins, they are pardoned. If there are sins for which punishment is needed to cleanse the person, the punishment is exacted in small doses, bit by bit. If the accounting of our deeds did not take place on a yearly basis, our sins would accumulate until the point that Hashem would decide to end the existence of the world, because of all the evil and disregarding of His words.
Rosh HaShana is the day which ensures the continued existence of the world. It is therefore fitting to have this day as a holiday. However, as this is the day on which we are judged, it is only proper that we conduct ourselves on Rosh HaShana with a level of fear and awe not seen on other festivals. This is the reason why we do not say "Hallel" (a special prayer of praises of Hashem): It is not fitting for a person to sing songs of praise while standing in judgment.
The Shofar: A Wake-Up Call
We find that when the Torah speaks of Rosh HaShana, it tells us "Yom Teru'ah yih'yeh lachem", "a day of teru'ah (sounding the horn) should be to you". Although the verses do not elaborate on what type of horn or instrument is being sounded, our sages have taught us that it refers to the Shofar, which is usually a ram's horn.
Why do we sound the Shofar? What is it supposed to accomplish? The Sefer HaChinuch tells us that we must understand the nature of "man", human beings. As 'man' is a creature from the physical realm, he is only aroused and inspired to action by something stirring, something that will cause him to snap out of the ordinary routine. We see this concept in practice at a time of war: In order to stir up the troops, trumpets are sounded, in hope that this arouses and motivates the soldiers to action. On Rosh HaShana, we do the same. We "awaken", by means of the Shofar, all who are to be judged on this day. We try to incite all who have sinned to plead with Hashem and request mercy from Him when judging. Hashem is receptive, as he is gracious, compassionate and forgiving, of those who return to Him with a complete heart. If the sounding of the Shofar has its intended effect, Hashem will graciously accept the repentance of all on Rosh HaShana.
The sound that eminates from and the shape of the Shofar are meant to inspire us as well. The Sefer HaChinuch writes that the Shofar is a reminder that man should strive to break the impulses of his heart which are evil with the sinful cravings of the world. How does the sound of the Shofar accomplsih this? The actual sound emitted from the Shofar is broken; it is not one straight note, but a series of staccato blasts. The broken sound reminds us that we have a job of "breaking" to do as well - the breaking of our evil inclination.
The shape of the Shofar is not straight like a trumpet. Rather, the end of the Shofar is curved and bent. This bent shape is to remind us that we should bend our hearts in subservience to Hashem.
Eating Symbolic Foods
The Gemora in the tractate of Kerisus (6a) states "Abaye said 'Now that you have said that an omen is significant, at the beginning of each year, each person should accustom himself to eat gourds, fenugreek, leeks, beets and dates...'." Because of this Gemora, it is a custom to eat these listed foods, as well as other foods, which represent good things. (We will soon explore how exactly these foods are representative of good things.) The issue that must first be addressed is why do we "indulge" in omens at the beginning of the year, on Rosh HaShana? As we will soon see, there are many, many different omens and customs. Why do we eat these foods on this occasion?
The goal of these omens is to act as a reminder. By eating all of these foods that have positive connotations, a person realizes that now is the time he needs to be asking for these good things, because now is the time he is being judged. As soon as the person realizes that now is the time that he is being judged, he will realize that omens alone will not be enough for his salvation, and that repentance is needed. Therefore, eating these omens, which are a reminder that now is the time for repentance, is extremely appropriate for Rosh HaShana.
Another reason given for why we eat these "omens" has to do with the "spirit" of the holiday of Rosh HaShana. If one looks over the prayers on Rosh HaShana, one will find that the basic theme is one of proclaiming the kingship and greatness of Hashem. Although Rosh HaShana is the day on which we are being judged, we do not make requests for sustenance, health, long life, etc.. We instead demonstrate how we have accepted Hashem as our king, and that we will listen to Him and follow His dictates.
Yet, asking Hashem for one's needs really is not so far out of the realm of proclaiming the kingship of Hashem. By asking Hashem for our needs, we vividly illustrate the fact that Hashem is our superior, and that we depend on Him for everything. In reality, if we asked Hashem for our needs, it would demonstrate how we are the subjects of Hashem, and that we have accepted Him as our king.
In order to reconcile these two realities, we have the omens. By eating these omens (and with some, saying the accompanying liturgy), we are covertly asking Hashem for our needs. We do not want to do such blatantly, as that is not in the strict spirit of the day. However, as it does demonstrate that we have accepted Hashem as our king, and today is the day we are being judged, we "ask" Hashem that we be remembered for a good year in a fashion that is not outwardly a request.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Omens Themselves
The foods mentioned by the Gemora all are omens because the food itself symbolizes a good or because their names connote or sound similar to words that indicate some sort of good thing. These words are used in the liturgy which is said upon eating the food, known by its first two words "Yehi Ratzon..." "May it be your will...."
(For a listing of the appropriate Yehi Ratzon's transliterated and translated in to English, see Supplement to 38: Yehi Ratzon - Text and Instructions (I:38a).)
The first food that the Gemora mentions is gourds, or "K'ra." The word "K'ra" sounds both like the word for "read/proclaim" and the word for "tear." When we eat the gourd, there are two possible "Yehi Ratzons" that can be said. The first goes "Yehi Ratzon milfanecha... _sheyikaru'u lifanecha zechuyo'seinu" "May it be your will Hashem that our merits _ be read/proclaimed_ before you." The other is"...sheyikora g'zar de'nainu." "...that the decree of our sentence should be torn up." There are varying customs as to this Yehi Ratzon, and a prevalent custom is to recite both endings together in one Yehi Ratzon.
The second food mentioned is "Rubia," or fenugreek. The word "Rubia" sounds like the word "yirbu," the word for "increase." We therefore say a Yehi Ratzon that contains the request "may...our merits increase."
The word for the third food, "Karsi," leeks or cabbage, sounds like the word "kares," "to cut off/destroy." We therefore say a Yehi Ratzon that asks "may... our enemies be destroyed."
The word for the fourth food, "Silka" or beets, sounds like the "siluk," meaning "removal." We therefore say a Yehi Ratzon that requests "may our adversaries be removed."
The word for the fifth and final food "Tamri" or dates, sounds like the word "sheyitamu," "that they be consumed." Hence, we sat a Yehi Ratzon that implores "may... our enemies be consumed."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another food that we eat is honey, because of its sweet taste. We dip Chalah (holiday loaves of bread) and apples in honey. Upon eating the apple and honey, we say a Yehi Ratzon that beseeches from Hashem that "You (should) renew us for a good and sweet year."
Why do we eat apples? The Maharil explains that we find in Bereshis 27 that Yaakov disguised himself as Esav in order to "trick" Yitzchok, his father, into giving him the blessings of the first-born, which Esav had previously sold to Yaakov. When Yaakov came close to Yitzchok, who was blind, Yitzchok noticed a sweet smell emanating from Yaakov. Yitzchok commented (Bereshis 27:27) "See, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field which Hashem has blessed." He then continued to bless him with blessings of wealth and power. According to many commentators, the "field which Hashem has blessed" refers to an apple field, and the smell of that apple field is also the smell of the Garden of Eden. The Vilna Gaon continues to explain that this incident with the blessings occurred on Rosh HaShana. It is therefore fitting to eat an apple, a fruit whose smell is associated with the blessings of Yaakov (which were given on this day) as well as with the Garden of Eden, on the day on which we ourselves want blessings.
The First Rosh HaShanah
On the 25th day of Elul the world came into being (Midrash - Jewish Lore).
Adam, the First Man, and Chava, the First Woman, were created on the last of the Six Days of Creation, the Eve of Shabbat - This day is celebrated as Rosh HaShanah.
Thus, when we say on Rosh HaShanah "Today is the Birthday of the World," we mean that it was the Date of Creation of the first Human Beings.
The Midrash (VaYikra Rabbah 29:1) tells us that on the very first Rosh HaShanah Adam and Chavah committed the very first sin. G-d judged them and forgave them. G-d said, "Just as you were judged before me on this day and emerged forgiven, so will your children be judged this day and emerge forgiven."
For this reason, G-d sees fit to judge all the people and nations of the world every year on this day.
What is the Shofar?
The Shofar is a ram's horn, which is blown throughout the month of Elul and on Rosh HaShanah. Its sound is meant to arouse us to do Teshuvah.
The Shofar also serves as a reminder of the ram which was "caught by its horns in the bush." (Bereshit {Genesis} 22, 12)
As the Torah recounts, G-d brought this ram to Avraham, who was at the time demonstrating his willingness to sacrifice his son, Yitzchak, as G-d had commanded him. At the last moment, G-d made this ram appear, "caught by its horns in the bush, " and told Avraham to sacrifice the ram rather than his son Yitzchak - thus teaching Avraham the concept of Divine mercy.
The Shofar is an eternal symbol, which we ask G-d to "remember" in our behalf, for the act of Avraham, known as Akeidat Yitzchak (the "binding" of Yitzchak, as if for a sacrifice) represented the greatest height to which a human being can rise.
With the blowing of the Shofar we ask that just as Avraham suppressed his natural feelings of mercy towards his son, G-d suppress His attribute of Strict Justice which would require the inflicting of deserved punishment upon us.
The Shofar also represents "majesty." It was blown when G-d gave the Torah to the Jewish People at Mount Sinai, and will be sounded again upon the arrival of the Mashiach.
The Rosh Hashanah Seder
Symbolic Foods and Why We Eat Them, With Recipes
As Rosh Hashana approaches, the preparations begin. And at my home, that's an understatement. Getting clothes in order, setting up the seating chart at the synagogue, taking haircuts, you name it! All of these things must be done. And of course, I'm thinking through my menus for the holidays. Naturally, food for such festive meals should be both special, and appropriate to the occasion. But more than that, in a holiday so rich in meaning, it is my pleasure to imbue each dish on my table with the flavor of the Simanim, the symbols of our hopes and prayers for the New Year. At the Rosh Hashana meal we eat foods that are symbolic of our wishes for the coming year.
Most Rosh Hashanah Machzorim have a service for the Simanim, to be celebrated upon return from synagogue on the first night of the holiday. Various symbolic foods are eaten and a short prayer (a יהי רצון - Yehi Ratzon - May it be Your will) that alludes to the symbolism is recited. The Simanim(symbolic) foods vary from minhag to minhag (custom to custom). I have used the foods from the Balkan Ladino Jews of Greece, my husband's minhag. For the Seder of the Simanim, it is important to use the foods in their most easily recognizable form, like the Lady Apple Cordials. However, eating plain pumpkin or leek is not really an option in our house, so we use the recipes here to make the Seder more enjoyable.
When our Simanim Seder is done, we always begin our meal with a special salad I make for us called a Simanim Salad where I bring together all the Simanim from the Seder. Many of the dishes I make for the Seder go on to become part of the meal, like the Lubiya and the leek patties. Some dishes that I make contain elements of the Simanim like the typical Rosh Hashanah dessert, Honey Cake. But however we do them, the most important thing about the Simanim is making our Yehi Ratzones wholeheartedly, deliciously and joyfully. L'shana tova U'metuka! Anyada Buena! A Sweet, Healthy and Happy New Year to you and yours.
(c) 2008 Debby Segura. Debby Segura holds an AB in Design from UCLA. She designs dinnerware and she teaches and writes about cooking. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and children. Visit her at http://www.debbysegura.com
Watch Webcast - Rabbi Steven Weil Discusses the Prayers of Rosh Hashanah
"Why Rosh Hashanah Musaf is the Most Misunderstood Tefillah of the Year"
Watch archived video
The Same Old Story?
One fateful Rosh Hashana Day, the soul of Gershon Kleinbard stood in an endless line of living souls, each waiting to appear before the Master of the Universe for the moment of judgment and reckoning. Only the great tzaddikim sense this encounter; the vast majority of mankind is oblivious to this occurrence. Nonetheless, in the hidden recesses of their unconscious, each person is aware when they stand before the Almighty.
They were all here together with Gershon Kleinbard; the rich and famous, the poor and unknown, the strong and mighty, the weak and infirm. Each soul stood alone, unsupported by family and friend and gave an accounting for the past year to the Creator.
The stirring blasts of the shofar from synagogues around the world pierced the silence and announced that the Day of Judgment had arrived. Fear and trepidation prevailed as six billion souls marched in a single file procession, with the fate of the coming year hanging in the balance. The haunting chants of chazonim and congregations proclaimed the awesomeness of the day. As the words of Kivakoras roeh edro ascended to heaven, mankind trembled in response to the solemn words.
Like a shepherd pasturing his flock, who passes his sheep under his staff, so do You pass and count and judge the soul of every living being. And You record the verdict of their judgment.
On Rosh Hashana it will be recorded and on Yom Kippur it will be sealed. How many will pass from the world and how many will be created? Who will live and who will die? Who at his time, and who before his time?
Standing in judgment with all of humanity, the trivial trappings of life fade into inconsequence. Material wealth, physical pleasure, prestige and honor lose their value, and the meaning and purpose of life becomes clear. Alas, the clarity of the moment, experienced in the depths of each soul, rarely rises to the level of human consciousness. Yes, here and there a spark of recognition breaks through, and tears of remorse swell into people’s eyes at the moment of justice, but the teardrops dry quickly and life goes on as before.
As Gershon Kleinbard waited on line, a malach suddenly drew near.
“Gershon,” called the angel, “Are you prepared for the powerful question G-d will ask you and every living being today?”
“What question is that?” said Gershon.
“It is a simple question, but very difficult to answer,” said the malach. “Here it is.
“What have you accomplished this past year?”
Gershon was taken aback by the accusatory tone. “Why I accomplished a great deal. I oversaw scores of successful projects, was promoted to a better position and earned a salary increase as well. I view myself as a person of great achievement.”
The malach was undeterred. “That’s what you did for yourself, but what did you accomplish for others? Have you grown spiritually and religiously?”
Gershon continued to defend himself. “I’ve accomplished a great deal spiritually too. I daven three times a day, observe Shabbos, keep kosher and perform numerous mitzvos. What more do you want me to do?”
The malach shot back, “Gershon, you have been coasting. Yes, you did many mitzvos but you did the same ones in previous years as well. You failed to inject new feeling into your mitzvah observance and you are on the same spiritual plateau today as you were years ago.
The malach continued his assault. “Look, did you daven better this year than in the past? Did you have greater kavannah? Did you sense that you were standing before the Almighty when you prayed? Did you talk to your friends less during davening time?
"You put on tefillin daily. Were you inspired by the mitzvah even one time? Did you spend more time studying Torah? Do you speak less lashon hora? Did you practice greater integrity in your business affairs? Is your Shabbos more spiritual? Do you control your temper any better? Do you show greater sensitivity to others? Have you improved your character? If the answer to these questions is no, there has been no progress at all.”
“Wait,” Gershon protested, “It’s not true what you say. I thought of one thing. For years my employees have complained that I never show appreciation. This year, I began to say thank you on occasion.”
The malach laughed. “Is that it? There are more than thirty million seconds in a year. That’s thirty million opportunities for accomplishment and all you can show is a few thank you’s? No other growth and development? As a matter of fact, you have stagnated for the last two decades since you left Yeshiva, and you are no further advanced today than you were twenty years ago."
Gershon would not yet concede the point. “You keep focusing on growth. Why is that the goal? What is wrong with simply doing mitzvos, even if I do remain the same?”
The malach responded. “Did you ever notice all living things have stages of development? A rock stays a rock and never evolves, but a person goes from infancy to childhood, then adolescence and adulthood and so on. Even a plant has many stages of growth. It takes years for a small oak seed to blossom and grow into a magnificent tree. Why did G-d make the world this way? To teach a fundamental principle: The purpose of life is to grow.”
Gershon was still resistant. The angel produced a mirror. “Gershon, look inside. What do you see?”
Gershon let out a piercing cry. The mirror showed a reflection of Gershon’s form, but instead of standing six feet tall, Gershon was only twelve inches high. “If your physical growth was stunted,” said the malach, “you would be devastated. Why are you indifferent and complacent with being a spiritual midget? Why should G-d renew your lease on life to remain just as diminished as the year before?”
Gershon could not stop gazing in the mirror as he contemplated how his life was a complete failure and loss. The words of the malach finally penetrated and hit home. Just then, another shofar blast wafted through the air, and the clarion call of the shofar pierced through Gershon’s heart.
After a long silence, the malach spoke once again. “Gershon, you have wasted your life and accomplished almost nothing. You are undeserving of a renewal this coming year.”
Gershon began to cry uncontrollably, and pleaded for his life. “Please, I’m too young to go. Do you think G-d will give me one more chance? I promise, things will be different this coming year, and I will not be the same.”
The malach inquired, “OK, Gershon, what changes do you plan to make? What course of action will you pursue? What areas of growth will be your focus, and what target dates of completion do you anticipate for this process of growth?”
Gershon couldn’t answer. “I’m not really sure yet, but trust me, this year will be different.”
The malach was about to point out that without a solid plan, nothing would ever change. Just then, Gershon’s turn was called and he was whisked away to face his Maker. The angel called after the soul, “Gershon! You said the same thing last year and the year before, and the year before that too.” But Gershon was already gone.
The malach moved on to the next person on line. “Excuse me sir. Are you prepared for the powerful question G-d will ask you and every living being today?”
The Nullity of Being; the Greatness of Being
A Meditation on Sin and Repentance
At the core of man is duality. Some might suggest contradiction. Regardless of how it is characterized, man’s essential duality creates tension in his life. For man is both corporal, like every other being that walks the face of the earth, and he is spiritual, imbued with the dignity and divinity of his Creator. At every instance of his life, man teeters and totters, seeking balance between the dual facets of his nature. At each step, he seeks to imbue the natural with the spiritual, lending grace to the most basic of tasks, and to lend humanity to the divine, bringing holiness within his grasp.
No moment is more rife with the tension of man’s duality than his confession on Yom Kippur. The process of repentance and its accompanying recitation of the confession – Viddui – highlights the contradiction of man’s nature. On the one hand, Viddui is a singular manifestation of courage, creativity and spiritual and psychological strength. On the other, it is a powerful statement of self-defeat, a pathetic recognition of human frailty, inferiority and unworthiness.
Sincere and authentic repentance depends upon the strength, ability and insight to accuse oneself not only of doing wrong but of possessing a nature that makes such failure inevitable. Viddui is an acknowledgment that one's intentions and deeds are unworthy and tarnished, a shameful cry that "I have sinned."
Repentance is a merciless and boundless expression of self-accusation. However, the irony – and some might suggest, the beauty – of this admission of necessary failure is wholly dependent on man's unique superiority and spiritual greatness. Without such inherent holiness, self-accusation would be impossible. It is only when one is cognizant of freedom, that he can recognize guilt, fragility and temptation and then – and only then – contemplate genuine repentance.
The Viddui experience is meaningless without both aspects of man’s duality. His praise and shame are equal parts of the Viddui experience. Regret requires recognition. Yet, recognition is futile unless man simultaneously has faith in his own sacrality; in his creative abilities and talents, which ultimately allow him to repent, to change and to be renewed and reinvigorated.
Call it a fundamental irony, a fundamental contradiction or a duality, but the praise of man is one and the same as the enabler of his confession. One without the other has no meaning.
Rav Soloveitchik Z'L derived these two inseparable elements of the repentance experience from the Viddui recitation of the Jew who apportions his Ma'ssrot during the fourth and seventh years of the Sh’mitta cycle. Such a Jew boasts that he has not violated not even one iota of the commandments; he has fulfilled the Mitzvah of Ma'ssrot to the letter.
“According to all your Commandments which You have commanded me: I have not transgressed any of Your commandments, neither have I forgotten. I have harkened to the voice of the Lord my God, I have done according to all that You have commanded me."
Such statement in praise of a man extolling his virtues as a God-fearing and obedient servant is categorized by the Sages as a "confession?!" How is it possible to ascribe "confession," a word which conjures up images of weakness and helplessness, to a man elevated to the point of not having "transgressed any of Your commandments?" the Rav Z'L asked. But, that is precisely the point. Only a person proud enough to announce that he has done "all that You have commanded," is also to be expected to humbly submit and admit that he has "not done according to all that You have commanded.
The one who possesses the insight and strength to do right is also expected to acknowledge that which is not right. The ability to recognize success is a prerequisite to admission of failure. Both emanate from the same source; both lead to mutually exclusive conclusions – the nullity of being and the greatness of being.
The nullity of being leads to the Yom Kippur confession. The greatness of being leads to the Ma'ssrot confession. Both are rooted in humans, created from earth's dust in the image of God.
Both forms of confession can at times be integrated. The greatness of being can indeed overshadow the nullity of being.
When the Klausenberg Rebbe Z'L addressed survivors from Hungary, Rumania, and Czechoslovakia in the Feldafin DP Camp on Kol Nidre night in 1945, the greatness of being overpowered the nullity of being, despite the dire circumstances and the historical context, which might have led a “rational” thinker to focus on the nullity of existence. Lieutenant Birnbaum reported that he "had never heard so powerful a speech and never will again. When he finished, more than two hours later, I was both emotionally drained and inspired for the best davening of my life."
What did this great Rebbe who himself had lost his wife and eleven children to the Nazis say to those who could still see and smell the stench of the crematoria? How could he speak of confessions to those who had witnessed such depraved acts? How could he speak of such things in the presence of millions of fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives and children?
The Rebbe stood with his Machzor in hand, calmly flipping through its pages. Periodically he would ask rhetorically, “Wher haht das geshriben – who wrote this? Does this apply to us? Are we guilty of the sins enumerated here?”
One by one, he went through each of the sins listed in the Ashamnu (we have become guilty) prayer and then the Al Chait and concluded that those sins had little to do with those who survived the camps. He analyzed each of the possible transgressions one by one:
Ashamnu. “Have we sinned against Hashem or man? I don't think so.”
Dibarnu dofi. “We spoke no slander. We didn't speak at all. If we had any strength to speak, we saved it for the SS guards so that we could avoid punishment.”
Latznu. “But we were so serious in the camps. There was no scoffing; no such thing as smiling or making a joke.”
Moradnu. “Rebelled? Against whom should we have rebelled? Hashem? We weren't able to rebel at all. If we had tried to rebel against the Nazis it would have been our last rebellion.”
And so, the Klausenberger concluded with the Ashamnu prayer and turned his attention to the more detailed Al Chait. Once again, he concluded with the pride of one whose greatness of being supersedes the nullity of being; that the recitation of sins enumerated in Al Chait hardly applied to the worshipers in Feldafig Block 5A.
Al Chait she'chatanu lifanecha b'ones uvreratzon – for the sins that we have sinned before You under duress and willingly – “We certainly did not observe the mitzvot in the camps because we were forced to.”
Bevili daas – for the sins that we have sinned without knowledge – “Our minds were in such a state that we did not have knowledge of anything.”
B'tipushus peh – for the sins that we have sinned with foolish speech – “That's a gelechter (funny). Who spoke foolishly or lightheartedly in the situation we were in?”
B'Yetzher hara – for the sin that we have sinned with the evil urge – “To sin with the yetzer hara you must first have possessions of your physical sense of touch. We were skin and bones, incapable of touching. The only thing we could feel were the corpses we carried out every morning. We heard only one thing, the commands of our guards. We had ears for nothing else. Our eyes were only looking around to see whether our guards were watching when we wanted to take a rest. Otherwise we were as blind men seeing nothing. Smell – yes, we had a sense of smell. The unforgettable stench of death was constantly in our nostrils making us nauseous. Taste – the only taste we knew was the thin soup they gave us so we could have enough strength for another day's work. On these, I forget, we did have the yetzer hara for food, for the slop that we saw thrown to the pigs. What the SS officers would not eat they threw to the pigs. How we envied the pigs.”
And so the Rebbe Z'L eliminated the Al Chaits one by one, emphasizing how all of these transgressions did not apply to his congregation.
In conclusion, he brought the cover of the Machzor to a close.
Seeing the Rebbe close the Machzor, Lieutenant Birnbaum was certain the Rebbe was finished. But then the Rebbe asked once again his original question, “Who wrote this Machzor? I don't see anywhere the sins that apply to us, the sins of losing emunah and bitachon (faith and trust in G-d)!
“Where is the proof that we have sinned in this fashion? How many times did we recite Krias Shema on our wood slats at night and think to ourselves: Ribbono shel Olam, please take my neshama, so that I do not have to repeat once again in the morning. ‘I'm thankful before You who has returned my soul to me.’ I do not need my soul. You can keep it. How many of us went to sleep thinking that we couldn't exist another day, with all bitachon lost? And yet when the dawn broke in the morning, we once again said Modeh Ani and thanked Hashem for having returned our souls.”
“None of us expected to survive. Every morning, we saw this one didn't move and that one didn't move, and as we carried the dead out we looked upon them with envy. Is that emunah in Hashem? Is that bitachon in Hashem?
“So, yes, we have sinned. We have sinned and now we must klop al Chait. We must pray to get back the emunah and bitachon that lay dormant these years in the camps. Now that we are free, Ribbono shel Olam, we beg You to forgive us. Forgive everyone here. Forgive every Jew in the world."
Rav Soloveitchik Z'L taught that every confession expresses itself in the outcry: “I am black, and I am beautiful, Oh daughter of Jerusalem.” For, when we fail to see the “beauty” we cannot hope to discern the “blackness.”
Genuine repentance demands that the sinner view himself from the seemingly two antithetical viewpoints, the two fundamental truths of his being – from the nullity of being and the greatness of being.
The Klausenberger Rebbe Z'L clearly saw both.
May He grant us the strength, courage, humility and wisdom to see both as well.
Shanah Tovah
Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu Safran serves as OU Kosher’s Vice President – Communications & Marketing. His book: Meditations at Sixty- One Person, Under God, Indivisible KTAV 2008, was published last summer.
The Long Way Home
28 Elul 5769
It is always hard to sit down and write since writing doesn't come naturally to me and the words don't necessarily flow easily, but as the events of the year have played out so unexpectedly I felt compelled to follow up on a story that many of you read back in January of this year. The story reminds us as we stand before our Creator that life and death are in G-d's hands and that nothing can be taken for granted as we begin the new year.
This past year, during the early days of the Gaza War, I traveled down South with Yad Eliezer and had the opportunity to visit with our wounded soldiers in Soroka Hospital. At the time, I wrote about a number of my trips and my experiences with the soldiers, but I stopped reporting about my visits after I felt that the incremental news and feelings would only serve to make the original stories seem mundane. Now standing before Rosh Hashanah 8 months later, enough has transpired to relay to you what in my eyes is an incredible if not miraculous story.
The most heart wrenching story of my visit down South was a visit we had with the father and family of a young man (Li'el Hoshea ben Miriam) who had been wounded on the first day of the war and now lay unconscious in the hospital:
Next I met a father of one of the injured soldiers. We shook hands and I explained that we had come to express our gratitude to his son and the other soldiers who were on the front lines protecting our country. He began to cry and asked me to give a bracha (blessing) for his son. In a choked voice, I wished him a refuah shleima me'et Hashem (God should send him a complete recovery). The father would not let go of my hand and asked me again to give a bracha to his son by name that he should regain consciousness. It took some time for me to get his son's exact name through his tears and broken voice, but he would not let go of my hand until I got it right. By the time I had gotten his son's name, Li'el Hoshea Hacohen ben Miriam, and was able to give him a bracha, we were both crying. He then insisted that b'ezrat Hashem the next time we would meet it would be to celebrate a simcha and the package would be a present, "Mi k'amcha Yisrael Hashem…"
Later on, I had the opportunity to speak to this soldier's father once again where he explained to me that his son had just come out of surgery for a tracheostomy and was unconscious (I had earlier seen someone being wheeled post surgery into the ward which turned out to be his son). He then began to explain to me his son's incredible story.
His son was a member of Sayeret Golani, the elite commando unit of Golani. The unit was one of the first to enter the Gaza Strip on motzei Shabbat (Saturday night) at the beginning of the ground war. The soldiers had fought for eleven hours straight in very difficult house to house warfare. They made slow and difficult progress managing to kill two or three terrorists here and there. The commandos had to back off numerous times because many of the Hamas terrorists were wearing explosive belts which made the soldiers scared to shoot in close proximity for fear of detonating the explosives. As they entered the twelfth hour of fighting, the soldiers had gained the upper hand killing numerous terrorists and sending the remaining terrorists fleeing. While retreating, one of the Hamas terrorists fired a rocket high in the air from about 500 meters away and the explosive landed 3 meters away from his son.
The impact of the explosion sent his son flying in the air. His son was wearing a flak jacket, helmet and radio and was carrying a gun, bullets, grenade launcher and grenades. Despite all the protection, the explosion tore a cut through his son's head and left him unconscious. He said that miraculously none of his son's equipment detonated and that his son had landed eight meters from a doctor. The doctor was able to intubate him on the spot which likely saved his life, but he never regained consciousness. His son had just undergone surgery to drain the blood away from his brain and to reduce the pressure on his skull. Doctors had also given him a tracheal oxygen apparatus to ease his breathing. At this point, the only thing this father wanted to see was his son regaining consciousness to give them hope that he could recover despite the oxygen deprivation at the time of the injury. Before I left, he implored me again to pray for his son's recovery and insisted I meet the rest of his son's family. He then introduced me to his son's wife (they were married only 15 months ago), in-laws, mother and brother. Holding back tears, I wished each one of them B'ezrat Hashem good news and a refuah shleima me'et Hashem for their beloved son, husband and brother.
Despite many visits to the South, I did not have a chance to return to Soroka Hospital until the day after the unilateral cease-fire had been declarerd. When we entered the hospital, we were told the good news that all the wounded soldiers had been discharged except for one that still remained in the ICU. We went up to visit the soldier and had an opportunity to meet with his mother who had been sitting vigil by her son's side since his being wounded in Gaza. His mother told us the incredible story of her son who had received shrapnel wounds to his legs. Due to the severity of his wounds, he was evacuated under fire from the front lines by a Medivac helicopter. On his way to the hospital, he managed to call his parents to tell them he had been wounded in Gaza, but everything would be just fine. When his parents arrived at the hospital, they found their son unconscious. He had managed to call his parents with the last of his energy and then he had fallen into a coma. The emotional toll was apparent on his mother's face. She had spoken to her son and thought him to be fine only to find him in a coma which was now stretching on a month's time. During that time, she had seen other wounded soldiers and their families come and go and now she was left alone to cope with what seemed to be a very bleak future. After a couple of minutes with us, she was unable to continue and asked us to please daven for her son (Dvir ben Leah).
The nurses on the ICU floor told us that while there were no more soldiers in their ward, they thought there might be one soldier who remained in the neurological ward. The nurses didn't know his status or his name. My heart dropped when I heard this news because I knew it had to be Li'el Ha'Cohen. My brother-in-law, Michael Charish, had visited Li'el about two weeks after my first visit and at the time Li'el remained in a coma. It was so disheartening because after all those prayers and surgeries, I was hoping that we might have gotten better news. As we made our way over to the neurological ward, the uneasy feeling in my stomach turned to knots not knowing what I could say to this family that was suffering so greatly. When we reached the ward, the nurses told us that Li'el was recuperating from his thirteenth surgery to his head, something that only served to confirm my initial assessment of the bleakness of the situation.
As we entered the recovery ward, my mind was racing about how to handle seeing Li'el's wife and mother who were not even able to look up or speak with me the last time I had visited. When we reached them and asked how Li'el was faring, my heart began to race as I sensed something was profoundly different this time. They were looking right at us and telling us that Li'el had just undergone surgery to place a second shunt in his head to help him drain the fluid that was causing pressure on his brain. And then the news that we had all been praying for came out- Li'el had regained consciousness just that week.
The last week had been touch and go life-wise for Li'el and an emotional rollercoaster ride for his family. After regaining consciousness, Li'el had suddenly blacked out and through the week he had been fading in and out of consciousness. The doctors felt the cause of the problem was the pressure building on his brain and that the only hope was for him to undergo a thirteenth surgery. He was now heavily sedated to recover from the surgery, but his family felt optimistic with the prognosis given the glimmers of hope they had experienced over the past week. The news and the optimism were exhilarating, a mixture of joy and disbelief, akin to the feeling that Yaakov Avinu must have had when he received the news that his son Yosef was still alive. We spoke with the family for a while and found out that Li'el was one of eight children (with his siblings living in diverse places, from the Galil to Bnei Barak to Yerucham) and that one of his brothers was reporting to active duty the next day. To top it all off, we found out that Li'el's wife was expecting and due in July. It was just too incredible to believe.
We then went out of Li'el's room and rejoined the rest of our group where Li'el's father met us. Amazingly, he still remembered our visit from when his son had first been admitted to the hospital. He reiterated to us that he believed that his son's fate was in G-d's hands and that he sincerely felt that the prayers from around the world were responsible for his son's recovery to date. Li'el's father repeated the story of his son's injury to those who had joined us for the visit and added the following incredible detail.
He said this will never make the news, but it is something that the world should know. When the medics were evacuating his son, they had to do it under fire. The Hamas terrorists who claimed to be fighting in G-d's name were firing at clearly marked medical vehicles and personnel in clear violation of the Geneva Convention. Just a short while later, at the very moment that he was accompanying his wounded son into the hospital, a wounded Hamas terrorist was being wheeled in (with his father at his side) by the army. His son and the Hamas terrorist were being given identical treatment and the two fathers were simultaneously sitting in the waiting room anxiously awaiting word from their children's respective surgeons. He said that this is the way the true people of G-d act. We left the hospital with our spirits lifted, but well aware that Li'el still faced a long way to recovery.
As the weeks turned to months, I stayed in touch with Li'el's father calling to get periodic updates as to his well being. It was amazing that in each call, Li'el's father always displayed an unwavering belief in G-d and a resolute conviction that the prayers of Jews around the world were helping in his son's recovery. The initial reports continued to be very positive. Then there was an update about 6 weeks later which left me in complete shock. Li'el's father informed me that his son had just been discharged from Soroka hospital and was now in the Tel Hashomer Rehabilitation Hospital. I was no Pollyanna, but the news seemed to be a huge positive turning point in his recovery. The initial rehab was very successful, but as time went on his progression curve flattened out and the updates became more mixed with Li'el becoming frustrated or despondent over the lack of progress.
In a call in late July, Li'el's father told me of the wonderful news that Li'el's wife had just given birth to a baby boy and he would love if I could attend the Brit Milah. Unfortunately, I was flying abroad a day before the Brit, but I insisted that I wanted to visit with Li'el and his new baby before I left. His father told me that I would have to speak to Li'el in order to arrange such a visit and that I should make sure to reconfirm with Li'el a number of times since he still had a tendency to forget things and lose a sense of time and scheduling. When I first spoke to Li'el, it was a little awkward explaining who I was and why I wanted to visit with him and his family. Nevertheless, he cheerfully acquiesced to our coming to visit him and his new baby in Masuot Yitzchak (by his in-laws) where he was currently residing.
A couple of hours before my flight abroad, Yossi Kaufman (of Yad Eliezer) and I traveled down South to visit Li'el, his wife and their new baby. It is hard to describe in words going to visit a person who on the one hand you feel so close to-almost like family yet on the other hand you have no idea who they really are. The last time I had seen him he was post-surgery vacillating between life and death and despite all the updates from his father, it was hard to assess or picture exactly how Li'el's condition would manifest itself in his appearance. On our way into his house, we saw a young man assisted by crutches approaching us. Despite our uncertainty, we surmised that this was Li'el. It is a vision that I think will stay with me for the rest of my life, a surreal experience of seeing someone you thought to be dead, an individual that doctors had given little chance of recovery walking towards you. It was akin to techiyat ha'metim and at that moment I made the bracha, Baruch Mechaye Ha'Metim (Blessed be the One who resurrects the dead). When we finally met and hugged, I felt like I was holding onto life itself.
Li'el has no recollection of anything from the moment before his injury until the time he awoke from his coma. His parents did not take any pictures of him while he was in a coma and in some senses he doesn't really believe that he was ever in such a precarious state. He said that his parents had told him that people from all over the world had visited him while he was still in the hospital and prayed for his well-being. Meeting us he felt was a glimpse into a world and time that had passed him by without his actually being there. We spoke about his last Shabbat off with his family before entering the war that night where the excitement of the news of his wife's pregnancy had been tangible and they had begun to contemplate their lives after his upcoming discharge from the army.
Not even a day later, a small delay in his unit's mission had left the soldiers exposed to fighting after dawn and in the blink of an eye a fateful rocket had shattered their lives and dreams. He laughed as he told us that the first thing he saw upon awakening from his coma was his letter of discharge from the army. His optimism shone through his fatigue as he described to us the ups and downs of his ongoing rehabilitation. The initial optimism he had felt at his amazing progress moving from bed to wheelchair to walking as well as the realities of the long and slow path that he now struggles with in order to reach as complete a recovery as possible. Over the months, he had the opportunity to meet with the doctor who had saved his life in the field and others who had been instrumental in his recovery. During his rehab, he had heard of other young men struggling through their recoveries including a soldier named Dvir ben Leah (mentioned earlier in the article). We reiterated our profound thanks to him and his family for all that they had endured to ensure that we could continue to enjoy living safely and securely in the Land of our Forefathers.
After speaking to Li'el for nearly an hour (the headaches make it hard for him to endure much more), I told him that before we left I had to complete a promise I made to his father at the beginning of the war. At the time, his father had only accepted the package that we had brought from Yad Eliezer on condition that I agreed that it would serve as a present for a future simchah we would share together. As we were speaking, we moved to the adjacent room where Li'el's wife and baby were sitting. Looking at the three of them, I was overcome by emotion, feeling choked up as I explained to him that I had brought a baby gift from my family to celebrate their new baby and to fulfill his father's request. Only a couple of months back, not believing that I would ever have to live up to this seemingly bizarre commitment, I had shaken my head in consent to help placate his inconsolable father.
Now incredibly here I was holding back tears of joy replacing what only a short while ago were tears of anguish and despair. Realizing that over the last year, our calm and precious lives that we take for granted were in an instant shattered and replaced by hopelessness then only to be shocked backed to our senses by a miracle of G-d. It was a feeling of utter insignificance in front of our Creator and his will and an important reminder that our G-d is benevolent in judgment and hears our prayers. May we merit having our prayers heard as we beseech G-d to look down favorably upon his children and grant us a Gemar Chatimah Tovah.
Simon
Postscript: The baby was later named Yonatan Dvir after one of Li'el's friends who had fallen in combat.
