The activities of a person on Rosh Hashana impact his entire year, since Rosh Hashana is the head of the year. Therefore one should use one’s time wisely on Rosh Hashana.
(שו"ע אדה"ז סי' תקפ"ג ס"ח)
The Frierdiker Rebbe writes: The main avoda of Rosh Hashanah is to accept ol malchus shomayim, the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, even for chassidim of stature, the avoda would be to simply say Tehillim, to sleep as little as possible, and to take care not to indulge in idle talk. In this they are like a servant whose service to his master leaves him not even one free moment, or like a son preoccupied with the joy of welcoming his father whom he has not seen for a whole year.
(אג"ק אדמו"ר הריי"צ, ח"י ע' 425)
One Rosh Hashanah, the sons of the Tzemach Tzedek and some other prominent chassidim asked him to deliver an additional maamar for them. He answered, “The people at large are saying Tehillim, and you are requesting Chassidus?! It is better to say Tehillim.”
The Tzemach Tzedek himself was seen saying Tehillim throughout the second night, his eyes flowing with tears. Even as he waited to say the maamar on the second day of Yom-Tov, he murmured words of Tehillim.
(סה"ש תש"ה ע' 10)
CONSIDER
What is the difference between our connection to HaShem expressed in the two meshalim?
Why did the Chassidim prefer to hear a maamar? What did the Rebbe explain to them?
