{"id":58149,"date":"2025-09-18T17:23:27","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T17:23:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/holidays\/?p=58149"},"modified":"2025-09-18T17:23:27","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T17:23:27","slug":"rosh-hashanah-the-individual-and-the-nation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/holidays\/rosh-hashanah-the-individual-and-the-nation\/","title":{"rendered":"Rosh Hashanah: The Individual and The Nation"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

As Rosh Hashanah approaches, it\u2019s crucial to understand how we stand before G-d as individuals and as a nation. This will prepare us for the avodah<\/i>\u00a0needed to prepare for the Day of Judgement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Learning from the Singular and Plural Tochacha<\/b><\/p>\n

The Ohr HaChaim (Devarim 28:63) has two powerful questions that relate to last week\u2019s parsha\u2014Ki Tavo. Ki Tavo along with Bechukotai contain the\u00a0tochacha<\/i>\u00a0with the blessings and curses. There are two key differences, however, in the two\u00a0parshios<\/i>. In Bechukotai, it\u2019s in plural form directed at all of\u00a0Bnei Yisrael<\/i>. Additionally, at the end of the curses,\u00a0nechama<\/i>, comfort is inserted. But Ki Tavo is said towards the individual and there\u2019s no comfort inserted at the end.<\/p>\n

The Ohr Hachaim explains that because Bechukotai is related to\u00a0Bnei Yisrael<\/i>\u00a0as a whole, there will always be comfort, because the nation will never be annihilated. Our covenant with G-d will never be cut, we are his chosen nation. However, in Ki Tavo, when curses against the individual are enumerated, there is no comfort at the end because the individual is in a precarious state. If he goes astray, he risks being cut off by.<\/p>\n

Relating it to Rosh Hashanah<\/b><\/p>\n

The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah<\/i> 18a) brings down three opinions on how everyone is judged: like lambs one by one, as going through narrow pass, or being reviewed one by one. Later, another opinion holds, \u201cThe Creator sees their hearts together and considers all their deeds with a single scan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here we have a dichotomy of two opinions on understanding whether judgment is on the individual or on the nation. We can suggest that two judgments exist: on the individual and on the nation. As individuals, we are being scanned carefully and deliberately by G-d, but as a\u00a0tzibbur<\/i>, we are being judged together, where the actions of everyone are taken into consideration as a whole.<\/p>\n

We must be ready for both judgments but understand that as being part of the nation of Israel, we have the merit of being G-d\u2019s chosen nation that will not be cut off, and that as a group, with a mixture of\u00a0tzaddikim<\/i>,\u00a0beinonim<\/i>\u00a0and,\u00a0reshaim<\/i>, we have inherent merits.<\/p>\n

Rabbi Eli Mansour explains that\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to be connected to activities of the\u00a0tzibbur<\/i>. For instance, if one is part of a learning group, he is now judged collectively and has all the merits of the group, no matter his own contribution or spiritual stature.<\/p>\n

Kedusha\u2019s Role<\/b><\/p>\n

There are many manifestations and references to\u00a0kedusha<\/i>\u00a0in the Torah. Many can be interpreted to be directed at the individual and others at the\u00a0klal<\/i>. For instance, when the Torah says (Vayikra 19:2) \u201cKedoshim tihyu<\/i>,\u201d it may be said to be going on the individual, where according to Rashi it means separation, while the Ramban understands it as a directive to act righteously even within what is permitted. However, there is also kedusha<\/i>\u00a0that can only exist in the\u00a0tzibbur<\/i>. For instance, to say\u00a0kedusha<\/i>, ten people are required. This already gives one an advantage by davening with a\u00a0minyan<\/i>, because G-d is judging the\u00a0klal<\/i>\u00a0as a whole, without examining the individual\u2019s shortcomings. However, when one davens alone, G-d examines the heart and deeds as an individual. That\u2019s a difficult test to pass.<\/p>\n

But even more than that, it\u2019s astonishing that part of the source of the fact that ten people bring\u00a0kedusha<\/i>\u00a0is from the spies who were considered a congregation. From the spies, who brought destruction, we learn about the power of ten. This highlights the power of the\u00a0tzibbur<\/i>, which is derived from the most unlikely of sources. This is why on Sukkot, one of the species represents the\u00a0rasha<\/i>. Because the\u00a0rasha<\/i>\u00a0is part of the group, and he can gain merits as well. Therefore, we need to be\u00a0mekarev<\/i>\u00a0him, so the participants in the group will be on an even higher spiritual level.<\/p>\n

Our Mission<\/b><\/p>\n

We all want to be\u00a0tzaddikim<\/i>\u00a0and be sealed for life. And, as the Rambam says, if we do one mitzvah, we can tip the scale for the entire world, showing the power of the individual. But we also want to make sure we\u2019re part of the\u00a0klal<\/i>, where we have many more ways to prevail in judgment. The nation of Israel is beloved to G-d and will not be cut off. We want to be part of that nation and unify as one to bring the\u00a0geulah<\/i>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As Rosh Hashanah approaches, it\u2019s crucial to understand how we stand before G-d as individuals and as a nation. This will prepare us for the avodah\u00a0needed to prepare for the Day of Judgement. Learning from the Singular and Plural Tochacha The Ohr HaChaim (Devarim 28:63) has two powerful questions that relate to last week\u2019s parsha\u2014Ki […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":133844,"featured_media":58151,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[337],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-58149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rosh-hashanah"],"yoast_head":"\nRosh Hashanah: The Individual and The Nation - Jewish Holidays<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/holidays\/rosh-hashanah-the-individual-and-the-nation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Rosh Hashanah: The Individual and The Nation - Jewish Holidays\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As Rosh Hashanah approaches, it\u2019s crucial to understand how we stand before G-d as individuals and as a nation. 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