Judging Everyone Favorably

Judging Everyone Favorably:

Sefer Tiferes Shmuel also writes that we see from Parshas Netzavim that the main preparation for Rosh Hashanah is to increase love and brotherliness amongst Klal Yisroel.

He cites the pasuk in Tehillim (98:6): "With trumpets and the sound of the shofar, you blow ('hari'u') before the King Hashem", and explains that the word “hari'u” also connotes "rayus", brotherliness. The pasuk is saying that if we are united as brothers during the sounding of the shofar, we will be "before Hashem", meaning that we will reach great heights of holiness and will be safe from danger.

He further explains the pasuk in Tehillim (96:12-13): "The field and all that is therein will sing; then all the trees of the forest will sing praises before Hashem, for He has come, for He has come to judge the earth." "The trees of the forest" are trees that bear no fruit. Thus, this is a reference to people who possess no Torah or mitzvos. The pasuk is saying that we must love and include them as well and judge even such people favorably. If we do so, we will be "before Hashem" – we will reach the level of being in His presence. "For He has come to judge the earth" – and in this merit, we will be judged for the good on Rosh Hashanah.

For this reason, the pasuk in Netzavim says that we all should gather as one "today", i.e., on Rosh Hashanah. It continues: "Your leaders...the wood choppers and water drawers” – every member of Klal Yisroel should be part of the united nation and everyone should be included in the bond of love and brotherhood.