Rosh Hashanah
The Source of Goodness and Joy:
Rav Moshe of Kozhnitz zy"a (Sefer Daas Moshe on Rosh Chodesh Elul) describes the greatness of Rosh Hashanah by stating: "Although it is the Day of Judgment, it also creates holiness and purity that lasts all year because it is the head and all-inclusive day of the year. Although it is the Day of Judgment, since it is also a day of holiness and purity, it is a time of great joy because one can obtain influences of ruchnius and gashmius that last for the entire year."
He goes on to relate, "I recall that my father (the Magid of Kozhnitz zy"a) was always very happy on Rosh Hashanah. This was very confusing to me. How can one be happy on this day? However, this is, as we stated, due to the fact that it is the head of the year, the time when holiness and purity and all types of goodness descend to this world for the entire year."
Hashem Treats Us Like a Father:
In the Tefillos of Rosh Hashanah, as well as in the Haftorah, we recite the verse: “Haben Yakir li Efraim. Im yeled shashuim. (Is Efraim my beloved son? Is he a lovely child?)"
Sefer Toras Emes (Lublin – Rosh Hashanah) explains the connection between this pasuk and Rosh Hashanah by stating that on this day, Hashem treats us like a father of a very young child. When the child is a baby, his character traits and personality have yet to be revealed, yet the father loves him nonetheless. So too, on Rosh Hashanah we become instilled with holiness and purity that envelopes our hearts, but which has yet to be revealed externally. Still and all, Hashem expresses His love for us and says that He will surely show compassion.
The Gates of Purity and the Gates of Impurity:
In the piyyut of Rosh Hashanah, we recite: “Shavoseinu m'merchak alos l'har kadsho. (Your captives from afar ascend to Your holy mountain)." Rav Avrohom of Stretin zy"a (quoted in Sefer Ohalei Shem) explains that there are both 50 gates of holiness and 50 gates of impurity. We are saying that even if one is very far - meaning he is at one of the distant gates of impurity – if he does teshuva, he can ascend to a lofty gate of holiness.
Getting Out of Jail:
Chazal say (Rosh Hashanah 11A) that Yosef got out of jail on Rosh Hashanah. Sefer Siach Sarfei Kodesh (Erev Rosh Hashanah, Ois 15) states that this is symbolic of the fact that every Jew has the ability to escape from his own spiritual captivity on Rosh Hashanah.
Trusting in Hashem to Grant us a Good Judgment:
Rav Noach of Lechovitch zy"a (quoted in Sefer Toras Avos on Rosh Hashanah, Ois 7) states that although everyone is judged on Rosh Hashanah, and no one knows if he will be found worthy or not, one should remain positive and upbeat. One should retain trust in Hashem's kindness and, therefore, rejoice on this day, with confidence that he will be granted a good judgment. And through the power of simcha and bitachon, one will, in fact, merit a good judgment.
The Way One is Now:
One year, after Kriyas Hatorah on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, Rav Elimelech of Lizhensk zy"a raised his eyes upwards and said, "Ribono Shel Olam, we just read in the Torah the story of Hagar and Yishmoel. It says there (Bereishis 21:17) that You heard the voice of the lad 'like he is now.' Chazal (Rosh Hashanah 16B) explain this to mean that a person is only judged according to his current actions. What he has done in the past and what he will do in the future are not taken into consideration.
"All we ask of You is to judge us by our current actions. Right now, we are all gathered in shul. We are all praying and pouring out our hearts before You. We solemnly stood to listen to the sounds of the shofar, as You commanded in the Torah. On this day, we are fulfilling Your will completely. We ask You to judge us according to these actions. Don't look at the way we acted in the past or how we may act in the future. Treat us the way You treated Yishmoel and judge us only on the present."
Asking to be Blessed for Hashem's Sake:
Sefer Tiferes Yisroel writes that his father, Rav Dovid Moshe of Tchortkov zy"a, related that one year, on the night of Rosh Hashanah, Rav Levi Yitzchok of Berditchov zy"a, the great defender of Klal Yisroel, said, "Ribono Shel Olam, whenever a Jew has anything, he uses it for You. If a Jew obtains a bit of money, he spends it on hiring people to teach his son's Torah, on beautifying Shabbos, and on charitable causes. The main expense of the Jewish people is fulfilling Your mitzvos. Therefore, it behooves You to save us!"
Rav Yisroel of Tchortkov zy"a uses this idea to explain the words we recite in Shemonah Esrei during the Yomim Noraim: "Remember us for life... and write us in the Book of Life, for Your sake." We are saying that our entire lives and all the money we have are dedicated for the sake of Hashem, and we ask Him to grant us life for this purpose.
We Have No One Else to Rely On:
The Gemara (Sotah 49B) says about the generation before the arrival of Moshiach: “Who will we be able to rely on? On our Father in Heaven."
The Satmar Rov zy"a (Divrei Yoel on Rosh Hashanah, Ois 9) asks why it says these words specifically about that time. Don't they apply in every generation?
He answers that in earlier times, we had a Bais Hamikdosh, where we brought korbanos to atone for our sins. We also had prophets who helped us do teshuva. Even after the destruction of the Bais Hamikdosh, we had Tannaim and Amoraim, and the tzadikim of all subsequent generations, who helped us merit atonement. Since the world is judged based on the majority, we could be found meritorious through the mitzvos of the tzadikim.
In our times, however, we don't even have this. If we were to be judged by the malachim, they wouldn't understand the difficulties we face, and they would find us guilty. Our only hope is to be judged directly by Hashem.
Thus, this is a time when the only one we can rely on to judge us favorably is Him.
When We Ask Hashem to Remember Us, He Says That He Will Have Mercy:
On the Yomim Noraim, we recite the words of the pasuk (Yirmiyahu 31:19): “For whenever I speak of him, I still remember him (zachor ezkirenu): therefore, My very innards are agitated for him; I will surely have compassion on him, says Hashem." Rav Mordechai of Lechovitch zy"a explains the words "zachor ezkirenu" to mean that Hashem remembers when a Jew is "zachor”, meaning that when a Jew remembers Hashem and recognizes that He rules and guides the world, Hashem has compassion on him.
Traveling With Tears:
The Imrei Chaim of Vizhnitz zy"a was a son-in-law of Rav Zev of Rachmastrivke zy"a. The first year after his wedding, the Imrei Chaim wanted very much to travel to be with his father, the Ahavas Yisroel zy"a for Rosh Hashanah so that he could say Malchius, Zichronos and Shofros with "the Vizhnitzer Nusach". However, a number of issues got in the way, and it looked like he wouldn't be able to go.
In later years, he related, "What do you think I did? During the week of Selichos, I took my machzor and went into a private room. I said the nusach of Malchius, Zichronos and Shofros and cried copiously. In the end, I did, in fact, travel to my father."
For Me and For You:
Sefer Imrei Yehuda (Berzhan, Parshas Ki Seitzei) relates that Rav Hirsch Leib of Alek zy"a once told Rav Boruch of Mezhibozh zy"a, "Last year on Rosh Hashanah, I saw that there was a tremendous accusation against Klal Yisroel. The Satan created a barrier so that no tzadik could come forward in defense of the nation. However, I was informed that you walked through the barrier and made one claim that broke down the wall and upended the accusation. Please tell me what it was that you said."
Rav Boruch told him, "If you promise me that you will come to me for Shabbos, I will tell you."
Rav Hirsch Leib replied, “First tell me and then I'll decide if it is worth it."
Rav Boruch then said, “I know about a hidden place in the Heavens that the Satan cannot block. I entered through that place and saw him making his accusations. He was saying, 'Hashem, Your children are sinners. Even when they do a mitzvah, they don't do it because You commanded them to. Rather, they do it for themselves. They just want to be rewarded.'
"I answered him by saying, 'Hashem. You treat everyone measure-for-measure. Since people do mitzvos for their own benefit, please save them for Your own sake, like the pasuk says (Yeshaya 48:11): 'For My sake, I will do it.'"
"This claim was accepted over the Satan's claim."
A Broken Hearts Breaks Through All Barriers:
Sefer M'Zekeinim Esbonen quotes Rav Mordechai Chaim of Slonim zy'a as relating that the Sar Shalom of Belz zy"a once was entering the bais knesses for Shacharis on Rosh Hashanah when he saw two young men conversing. He told his son, Rav Yehoshua of Belz zy"a, to go listen in on what they were saying. He heard them sadly saying to each other: How can we daven on the Yomim Noraim? We are so lowly and far from Hashem?
When he told his father what he heard, the Sar Shalom said, "You should know, my son, that since these two young men have broken hearts, they can break through all barriers between them and Shomayim."
He continued to say that there had been a major accusation against Klal Yisroel due to their sins. One defending angel then came and said that the people give a lot of charity and do much chesed. The prosecutor countered that even non-Jews do those things. When these young men began to converse, the defender jumped up and said, "Yes, gentiles also give charity, but only Jews have broken hearts like these men."
With this defense, he annulled the decree.
Asking for Blessings on Credit:
The Dubno Magid zt"l explains the fact that we recite the words "Avinu Malkeinu, show us grace and answer us, for we have no deeds" quietly, with the following moshol:
A clever merchant once went to a large warehouse where a lot of merchandise was being sold wholesale. He acted like he was a wealthy businessman who wanted to purchase large quantities of goods. It goes without saying that all the salesmen gathered around him, trying to interest him in their merchandise.
After loading up his wagon, he walked over to the owner and whispered to him that he didn't have a penny in his pocket. He asked if he could have the goods on credit, promising to pay as soon as he made some money.
If he had disclosed this in the beginning, no one would have given him any attention, and he certainly wouldn't have been helped with so much respect. Only because he kept his secret until afterwards was he treated nicely.
On Rosh Hashanah, we act like this merchant. We loudly ask to "purchase" a good year, wealth, health, and blessing. Only at the end, we say quietly, “Please show us grace because we have no deeds." We admit that we need it all on credit and ask Hashem for mercy.
A Good and Sweet Year:
We ask Hashem to grant us “a good and sweet year." Rav Yehoshua of Ostroha zy"a explains that even things that seem bad to us may actually be good. Therefore, we ask Hashem to grant us a good year that is also sweet, meaning that we can clearly see the goodness.
Remembering the Avos Only for Good:
We recite: "And Akeidas Yitzchok for Your children, remember today with compassion." The Shlah Hakadosh states that the memory of the Avos has both a benefit and a downfall. On one hand, their merits are a zechus for us. On the other hand, we are supposed to learn from their ways and emulate them. Thus, bringing up their memory may lead to accusations against us. Therefore, we ask Hashem to remember Akeidas Yitzchok with compassion, meaning only in the positive way.
Believing that Everything is Good:
We say on Rosh Hashanah: "He is garbed in vengeance. His concealment is uprightness. His advice is emunah. His actions are just." Rav Moshe of Kobrin zy"a (Sefer Ohr Yesharim) explains this to mean that even if it appears that Hashem is acting in a vengeful way by sending us difficulties, this is, in fact, only a concealment of His goodness. The advice for this is to have emunah – to believe that whatever He does is for our benefit – and then we will see how everything He does is just and good.
Yirah Silences Din:
The pasuk states (Tehillim 76:9-10): "From Heaven, You let judgment be heard; the earth feared and became calm. When Hashem rises for judgment, to save all the humble of the earth forever."
Sefer Siach Arfei Kodesh (Erev Rosh Hashanah, Ois 18) quotes Rav Dov Berish of Biala zy"a as explaining that when the shofar is blown, the judgments begin to be called out. If one feels fear in his heart from the judgment he is facing, this can silence the judgment.
Accordingly, the pasuk is saying that when the judgment from Heaven is heard but is not yet finalized, the earth fears but then remains calm. But on Rosh Hashanah, when Hashem truly rises in judgment, the only way to be saved is to be humble and annul oneself to Him.
We learn two important things from this. 1. Feeling fear on Rosh Hashanah quiets the judgment. 2. Through humility, one can avert harsh judgment completely.
