Yom HaKippurim Corresponds to the Tenth Utterance
Now, let us focus on Yom HaKippurim. As the tenth day of Aseres Yimei Teshuvah, it aligns with the tenth utterance. But what is the tenth utterance? We find several different opinions concerning the enumeration of the Ten Utterances. We will follow the opinion of Chazal in the Midrash (ibid. 17, 1): "תנינן בעשרה מאמרות נברא העולם, ואלו הן, בראשית, ורוח אלקים מרחפת, ויאמר אלקים יהי אור, ויאמר אלקים יהי רקיע, ויאמר אלקים יקוו המים, ויאמר אלקים תדשא הארץ, ויאמר אלקים יהי מאורות, ויאמר אלקים ישרצו המים, ויאמר אלקים תוצא הארץ, ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם". This Midrash clearly identifies the tenth utterance as (Bereishis 1,26): "ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו"—And G-d said, “Let us make man in Our image and Our likeness.” It turns out, according to this opinion, that Yom Kippur, the tenth day of Aseres Yimei Teshuvah, aligns with the tenth utterance: "נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו"—“Let us make man in Our image and Our likeness.” Hence, it is the task of every Jew on Yom Kippur to rectify this utterance.
Let us elaborate. Seeing as the decrees concerning every individual’s life in the year to come are sealed on Yom Kippur, it is appropriate to rectify the utterance of “let us make man” on this day. This is the poignant message conveyed by the divine poet Rabbi Amnon of Mainz in U’Netaneh Tokef: "בראש השנה יכתבון וביום צום כפור יחתמון, כמה יעברון וכמה יבראון, מי יחיה ומי ימות, מי בקצו ומי לא בקצו"—on Rosh HaShanah they are inscribed, and on the fast day of Yom Kippur they are sealed: How many shall pass away and how many shall be born; who shall live and who shall die; who shall live out his allotted time and who shall depart before his time. Therefore, on this holiest of days, it is imperative to rectify the tenth utterance uttered by HKB”H in relation to the creation of man: “Let us make man in Our image and Our likeness.” By doing so, we renew the contract, so to speak, to create man for another year—for a good, positive life.
Now, we have already explained how the first utterance: "בראשית ברא אלקים"—corresponding to Rosh HaShanah—encompasses all of the Ten Utterance. We will now explain how the same holds true of the tenth utterance: "נעשה אדם". We will also explain what our sacred duty is on Yom Kippur to complete the tikun of this utterance associated with it.
To do so, we will introduce a precious teaching from our master, the Arizal, in Likutei Torah (Ki Sisa) in the name of the Zohar hakadosh (Pinchas 238b), interpreting the utterance: "ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם". Why does HKB”H employ the plural term "נעשה"—“let us”? Since He is the One and Only, He, seemingly, should have said: "אעשה אדם"—I will make man—rather than “let us.”
The Zohar explains that man is a microcosm incorporating all of the universes and all of the heavenly malachim. When he rectifies himself through Torah-study and good deeds, he essentially rectifies every element of creation contained within his being, as well. If, however, he goes astray, chas v’shalom, he damages all the elements of creation contained within his being. By including them in his creation, it behooves them to pray on his behalf—that he should succeed in his service of Hashem. For if he succeeds, he will also rectify all of them.
This enlightens us as to the tikun and atonement we are obliged to complete on Yom HaKippurim. As explained, it is the tenth day of the Aseres Yimei Teshuvah corresponding to the utterance "נעשה אדם". With this utterance, HKB”H addressed all of creation—both on earth and in the heavens—requesting that they all contribute a part of themselves to the creation of man. As a result, man would be an aggregation of all of creation. Thus, when he sins, he harms his own being and all the parts of creation within him. Therefore, on Yom Kippur, he must seek atonement for himself and all the parts of creation within him that were harmed by his iniquities.
This explains beautifully how the tenth utterance encompasses all of the Ten Utterances. Since the utterance "נעשה אדם" was a request from HKB”H to all of creation to participate in the creation of man by contributing parts of themselves; it turns out that everything that was created with the other utterances is also included in this tenth utterance.
It is precisely for this reason that HKB”H endowed Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur with heightened kedushah above and beyond that of the other Aseres Yimei Teshuvah. For, these two holy days correspond to the first and tenth utterances. The first utterance: "בראשית ברא אלקים"—states that the Almighty created the heavens and the earth for the sake of the Torah and Yisrael, which are both referred to as “Reishis.” While HKB”H invited all of creation to participate in the creation of man with the tenth and final utterance: "נעשה אדם". By completing the tikun of these two utterances that encompass all of the Ten Utterances with which the world was created, a person rectifies every part of creation.
