The holy Zohar (3:93b) elaborates further:
“To You my heart has said. The holy chevrah (group) said it means the following: King David said this on behalf of Knesses Yisrael before the Holy King. For Your sake, my heart tells the people of the world: Seek My Face. These are the zemanim and festivals [when people seek Hashem’s countenance], all of which are summoned to a place called ‘holiness,’ in order to crown each one in its time, in its season, so that all should draw from the deepest of depths from where rivers and springs emerge. Thus, all are sanctified together, and joy is found within them.”
This is to say, David prayed on behalf of the holy times and festivals of Yisrael, that for You sake, Yisbarach, my heart says: Seek My Face during these elevated times and festivals—that we should be able to seek His Face, during these holy times, and sanctify ourselves by drawing from the profound depths where flowing rivers spring forth, so that we may all be sanctified together in joy before Hashem.
The Ohr HaMeir (derush for Rosh Hashanah) offers a beautiful explanation of how the festivals and Days of Favor are considered “the King’s Face”—fulfilling the concept of Your Face, Hashem, I seek.
Let us bring a brief excerpt of his illuminating words, which exalt the concept of seeking Hashem’s face during these holy days. He writes:
“The essence of the matter is that we, the Jewish people, are one unified entity. When we better our ways, we enable the revelation of Hashem’s Divinity, as it was His will from the beginning to reveal His Presence through the stature of Adam HaRishon and through the chosen times of the year. His will ordained that His Divinity would be revealed through different times.
“This is the meaning of To You my heart has said—for Your sake, my heart tells me Yisrael should seek My Face. Yet it is unclear what Face means. Therefore, the Zohar interprets, ‘These are the festivals and zemanim,’ for the festivals and zemanim are the ‘Face of the King.’ Through them, the King is revealed to the world and called by name. David says, אֲבַקֵּשׁ‘האֶת פָּנֶיךָ - Your Face, Hashem, I seek—Your Face. The word אֶ ת comes to include the radiance which is revealed through the various colors. Through this, I hear the call to seek Your radiant Face, to perceive the goodness revealed through the holy times and festivals.
Similarly, Hashem asks of us, the Jewish people, Do not appear before Me empty-handed (Shemos 23:15)—so that the Divine Revelation during these holy times not be in vain. If we, the Jewish people, arouse ourselves to serve Him with enthusiasm and love during all these appointed times, desiring and yearning to hasten them with bonds of love, then we will perceive the Divine radiance.
“Thus, David poured out his plea before Hashem: Do not hide Your Face from me. That is to say, since my primary desire is to grasp the light radiated through these colors—the festivals and sacred times—do not hide from me, so that I may long for and hasten the arrival of the Day of Judgment, Rosh Hashanah, etc.” (See there at length for the full beauty of his holy words.)
[In summary, the pasuk expresses King David’s heartfelt commitment to seek Hashem’s presence, prompted by a Divine call to Klal Yisrael to connect with Hashem during holy times and festivals. The commentaries (Rashi, Zohar, and Ohr HaMeir) emphasize that these times—festivals and holy days—are opportunities for Klal Yisrael to draw close to Hashem, unify in holiness, and experience the joy of His Radiant Presence. Each moment is uniquely suited to reveal Hashem’s divinity, and Klal Yisrael is urged to approach these times with devotion and love to ensure the Divine revelation is not empty-handed.]
The holy Rav Moshe Aaron Stern zt”l, the renowned mashgiach of the Kamenitz Yeshivah in Yerushalayim, was known as profoundly righteous, God-fearing, and meticulous in fulfilling every mitzvah, great or small. He merited to raise numerous talmidim who were God-fearing and whole in their avodas Hashem.
Among his many virtues, his devotion to tefillah shone as a crown upon his head as he poured out his heart like water before his Creator. This was true throughout the year, and much more so during the Days of Favor in the month of Elul and the Yamim Nora’im, when he was entirely enveloped in holy awe, reverence, and love. His talmidim saw a living example of true tefillah during these auspicious times, fulfilling the pasuk: To You, my heart has said, “Seek My Face”—Your Face, Hashem, I seek
(תהילים כז:ח)
לְךָ אָמַר לִבִּי בַּקְּשׁוּ פָנָי אֶת פָּנֶיךָ ה' אֲבַקֵּשׁ
To You, my heart has said: “Seek My Face.” Your Face, Hashem, I seek. (Tehillim 27:8)
Rashi explains that לְךָ means “for Your sake” or “on Your behalf.” The Sweet Singer of Yisrael, King David, expresses this yearning: “For Your sake, and as Your emissary, Yisbarach, my heart speaks to me and says, ‘The Jewish people should seek My Face.’ And I indeed heed the stirrings of my heart that arouse me, as Your agent, and thus, Your Face, Hashem, I seek.”
