The Zohar Hakadosh reveals to us the meaning of the Pasuk שִׂימֵנִי כַּחוֹתָם עַל לִבֶּךָ – Set me as a seal upon your heart. The seal is the strength of the תָם. Yaakov Avinu! The power of Torah, embodied by Yaakov, is the seal that guards us. And so we said in Musaf today: בְּאֵין מֵלִיץ יָשָׁר מוּל מַגִּיד פֶּשַׁע – when there is no advocate to stand against the accuser, what is left? תַּגִּיד לְיַעֲקֹב דְּבַר חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט – remind Hakadosh Baruch Hu of Yaakov, remind Him of Torah. If we seal ourselves to Hakadosh Baruch Hu through Torah, He will seal us for Bracha. If we take upon ourselves this year to add more Torah, then Hakadosh Baruch Hu will, in turn, seal us with life, forgiveness, blessing, and peace.
Among Ashkenazim, there are five such seals – חָתְמֵנוּ – mentioned. Among Sephardim, there is even an additional one: חׇתְמֵנוּ בְּסֵפֶר יְשָׁרִים וּתְמִימִים. Whatever the custom, the essence is the same: Hakadosh Baruch Hu seals us all, each in His way, for life and blessing.
And so, may He seal each of us, together with all of Klal Yisrael, for good years filled with Torah, with light, with joy. And may we all merit, as we sang together at the conclusion of Ne’ilah, to declare this year: לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם. May we be worthy in this very year to greet Mashiach Tzidkeinu, speedily in our days. ◊
