Print PDF
By Rabbi Naftoly Bier
At first it seems puzzling and incongruous as to why Rosh Hashana, the Day of Judgment precedes Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Wouldn’t it be more logical to first articulate our past mistakes, sincerely regret them and proclaim to Hashem, “I will improve my ways” and then ask to be judged due to one’s newly developed proper focus to honor one’s obligations?
To analyze and understand the dynamic of תשובה, teshuva, let us examine the following.
This quote from the Rambam’s section on Repentance 3,4 is based on two passages stated in Tractate Kiddushin 40b. In his quote he explains that the concept of viewing oneself at a critical juncture is especial to this time of the year.
“Notwithstanding that the blowing of the shofar on Rosh ha-Shanah is a Scriptural statute, its blast is symbolic, as if saying:”You that sleep, bestir yourselves from your sleep, and you slumbering, emerge from your slumber, examine your conduct, turn in repentance, and remember your Creator! They that forget the truth because of the vanities of the times, care for your souls, improve your ways and your tendencies, let each one of you abandon his evil path and his thought which is not pure! It is, therefore, necessary for every man to behold himself throughout the whole year in a light of being evenly balanced between innocence and guilt, and look upon the entire world as if evenly balanced between innocence and guilt; thus, if he commit one sin, he will overbalance himself and the whole world to the side of guilt, and be a cause of its destruction; but if he perform one duty, behold, he will overbalance himself and the whole world to the side of virtue, and bring about his own and their salvation and escape, even as it is said: “But the righteous is an everlasting foundation” (Prov. 10. 25), it is he, by whose righteousness he overbalanced the whole world to virtue and saved it. And, because of this matter, it became the custom of the whole of Israel to excel in tzedakah, in good conduct and in the performance of duties during the intervening days of Rosh ha-Shanah and Yom ha-Kippurim above what they do during the whole year. It also became a universal custom to rise early during those ten days, to deliver in the synagogues prayers of supplication and ardor till the dawn of the day.”
What is the meaning that חז”ל, the Rabbis, taught that one should envision that one is in equal balance between good and bad deeds? After all, it’s logically impossible to be in an exact equilibrium? The Rambam himself declares that one good deed could outweigh countless bad deeds. Also, what does the Rambam mean, that during the Ten Days of Repentance that the custom is to diligently increase our charity and good deeds. Why not every day of the year?
We are being taught that one’s deeds during this period of the year are dynamically different. The essence of these days is a judgment not on the past, but rather an examination, scrutiny, or an analysis of one’s internal focus, one’s desired journey of life. It’s a major gift from Hashem. He is not judging us on the past, but rather brings Himself closer to us, enables us to feel His boundless love and declares to us, if we connect ourselves to Him with complete loving servitude, we will be judged accordingly. If one fails to connect, despite this love, then one is disparaging one’s Creator.
Understand the Day of Judgment as the crossroads of life, what path is one going to choose?
But is it possible to transform oneself into a “new person”? Is it logical to expect one to bring oneself close to Hashem, placing oneself completely on His stage?! Change is the most difficult process!
We are taught that if one sincerely wants to become more spiritual, Hashem will enable it to happen, by becoming a silent partner on one’s journey. What is the true motivating factor for this to transpire?
HaRav Nosson Wachtfogel זצ”ל would quote Rav Chaim Vital זצ”ל, “…we can understand that to distance oneself from negative character traits is more impactful on one than doing mitzvos. We are taught that humility, ענוה, (nobility of character) is the segue to Divine Inspiration – רוח הקודש.” The Rambam in his famous letter teaches that all success depends on humility. It’s not my world, it’s not about ME, it is a boundless gift to be a unique, necessary creation of Hashem!
מלכיות, the acceptance of Hashem as the focus of all is a result of one’s constant appreciation of His boundless, infinite benefactions.
Rav Yechezkel Levenson זצ”ל and HaRav Nosson taught that the most important part of the prayers on Rosh Hashana and and Yom Kippur is פסוקי דזמרא, wherein we articulate our wonderment and gratitude for Hashem’s unfathomable beneficience. Rav Nosson זצ”ל, would bemoan how is it possible that one can come even a moment late to פסוקי דזמרא; after all it is the fundamental foundation for Teshuva.
Teshuva means to sincerely place oneself in Hashem’s world due to one’s relentless appreciation of His loving gifting.
מלכיות, the true goal, is to place oneself on His stage; by doing so we will invariably want to emulate Hashem’s humility, kindness, mercy, tolerance and much more!
אני לדודי ודודי לי, If I am for my Beloved (Hashem) my Beloved will embrace me. May we merit that Hashem lovingly embraces us with the coming of Moshiach.
