WHAT TO STRIVE FOR ON ROSH HASHANA

IN SPIRITUAL PURSUITS - THE SKY IS THE LIMIT

We often wonder what we should pray for on Rosh Hashana for the coming year. Incidentally, there are authorities who forbid personal requests on Rosh Hashana as it is a day purely designated for crowning Hashem as King. When it comes to gashmiyut, material possessions, we should not strive for wealth and luxury - suffice it that we are comfortable with our level of food, clothing, and shelter. However, when it comes to ruchniyut, we should strive for greatness - not search for the minimum but rather for the maximum.

It is all well and good to wish to be a fine upstanding Yeshiva bachur in Netiv Aryeh, but this is not enough. Our goal must be to become gedolim, the greatest of all generations. The Mishna teaches: "who is the wealthy one, the one who is satisfied with his lot" (Avot 4:1). This commandment not to over-indulge, however, is limited to the physical world. When it comes to spirituality there is no limit: "'open wide your mouth and I will fill it' (Tehillim 81:11), that was written in regard to the words of the Torah" (Brachot 50a). Is there a limit to what one must strive for in the spiritual realm? Chazal write that one must ask himself "when will my actions equal those of Avraham, Yitchak, and Yaakov?" (Tanna DeBei Eliyahu Rabba perek 25). What did Chazal mean? Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov? What about first achieving the levels of the Gr"a, the Rambam, and the Neviim?! We are far from Rav Eliashiv Shlit"a and the Chafetz Chaim! What right do we have to desire to attain the level of our forefathers? Chazal explain that even if the level is in fact unattainable, one must nevertheless strive and yearn to reach the level of the forefathers. One who sets his eye on such lofty goals can perhaps reach the level of the Chafetz Chaim or Rav Eliashiv. If he limits his goals to becoming a Rav Eliashiv, however, then he will fall far short of even that. If he does not strive for the maximum then he possibly may not attain even the minimum.

STRIVING TO BE GREATER THAN THE FOREFATHERS?

Striving to be like the forefathers is not yet striving for the maximum - we can set our sights even higher. Chazal teach us: "'zeh keli ve-anvehu'" (Shmot 15:2), be like Him, just as G-d is gracious and compassionate, you also should be gracious and compassionate" (Shabbat 133b). This interpretation interprets the word anvehu as being comprised of the words ani vehu - myself and Him. The Torah is therefore telling us to strive to be like Hashem, if we can speak in such terms. We have no chance of actually reaching such a level, even Avraham Avinu was unable to. It is in fact not demanded of us to reach such a level, we are, however, required to aspire for it, we must "open our mouth wide" and Hashem will fill it. If we set our sights very high at the outset of our spiritual journey through life, we will be able to rise to higher and higher levels. The Torah wishes for us to come as close to the level of Hashem as we possibly can.

LIVING THE THIRTEEN ATTRIBUTES

We find ourselves in the midst of the days of the selichot in which we recite many times the Thirteen Attributes of Hashem. Hashem informed Moshe Rabenu that a prayer which includes these Thirteen Attributes will not go unanswered. Some of the Rishonim explain that Hashem did not mean that a person must simply recite the Thirteen Middot, but we must live according to these Attributes thereby emulating the ways of the A-mighty. Although we cannot live by all the Attributes - we certainly cannot be "Hashem Hashem" (the first two attributes) - but we are able to be "Compassionate, and Gracious, Slow to Anger, and Abundant in Kindness and Truth" (Shmot 34:6). Although there are Rishonim who are of the opinion that the covenant does refer to the reciting of the Attributes (see Rashi there), they are in agreement that much more is expected of man. The recital must be with the intent of cleaving to these attributes. Why after all did Hashem reveal His attributes to us? So that we learn what it means to follow in His ways. Whatever prayer we offer, Hashem will accept with His infinite love and chesed. We, however, must do our part and awaken these traits within us. We may not be able to be "preserver of kindness for thousands of generations" (Shmot 34:7) for we do not live for thousands of generations, but there is no reason why our short lifetimes cannot be filled with acts of chesed. We must recognize the good Hashem has done for us and cleave to all His traits. The Torah wants us to try to emulate Hashem, to be as close to Him as possible. If we follow the ways of Hashem, these Thirteen Attributes will certainly not be returned empty.

Next week's haftarah begins with "Shuva Yisrael ad Hashem Elokecha" "Return, Israel, unto Hashem, your G-d ..." (Hoshea 14:2) - this means returning and coming as close as possible to Hashem. Although man cannot reach as high as Hashem, he should try to reach as high as possible. Rosh Hashana is fast approaching, now is the time to accept upon ourselves the Kingdom of Hashem and to crown Hashem as King of the Universe.

WE ARE THE OFFERING ON ROSH HASHANA

Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh, and Yom Tovim are characterized by a musaf offering. Chazal point out the following anomaly regarding Rosh Hashana (see Yerushalmi Rosh Hashana perek 4, halacha 8): The Torah commands us with regards to all these offerings: "vehikravtem olah" "you shall offer an olah (burnt-offering)" (Bamidbar 29:8), while with regard to Rosh Hashana it is stated "vaasitem olah" "you shall make a burnt-offering" (Bamidbar 29:2). Hashem is telling the Jewish people that since they have entered in judgment and emerged with a positive verdict, they are viewed as having been created as a new entity. The main olah offering of Rosh Hashana is not the bull, the calf, or the sheep (these of course need to be offered as per the Torah's commandment), rather the man himself. Hashem has no need for the animals, he wants us to sacrifice ourselves - not literally, for at the time of Akeidat Yitzchak Hashem announced that He does not wish for human beings to sacrifice themselves. What He does want is for us to cleave to Him, to reach a high level of devekut - to try to be like Him.

Just as an animal must be inspected prior to being brought upon the altar, so too a person who makes himself into an offering on Rosh Hashana must make sure that he is unblemished by sin (see Mishna Brura 581:6). This period of selichot, our preparation for Rosh Hashana, are these days of inspection. Although the Sephardim have been reciting selichot the entire month of Elul, the Ashkenazim begin a minimum of four days before Rosh Hashana, this number corresponds to the number of days in which an animal about to be offered must be inspected. Just as an olah must be without blemish, so too must we be without blemish. Being free of blemish means our only desire is to fulfill the wishes of Hashem.

What does it mean to be davuk, to cleave to Hashem? It requires thinking of Hashem at all times - not being able to exist without Him. If the Torah commands us to emulate Hashem's ways then it must be within the realm of possibility. If we are expected to strive to be like Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov then it means that it is within our reach. I am not suggesting that any of us today should have the audacity to view himself on that level, but we should certainly give it our utmost. Even if in the end we do not reach the level of the forefathers, our striving for great spiritual heights may brings us to the level of later tzaddikim such as the Chafetz Chaim. If we do not reach for the stars then there is little chance of significant rise.

CHANA'S PRAYER

The haftarah for the first day of Rosh Hashana describes Chana's yearning for a child. Chana comes to Shiloh to pray for a son. If Hashem gives her a son, that alone would be a great gift, but she is not satisfied with that - "and give your maidservant 'zera anashim' male offspring" (Shmuel I 1:11). Chazal tell us that when Chana asks for "zera anashim" (in the plural) she is referring to "an offspring who is the equal of two men" (Brachot 31b), one ordinary son is not sufficient - he must be the equivalent of two people, and not two ordinary people, but two tzaddikim! She is not referring to just any ordinary tzaddikim either, not Yehoshua and Caleb nor Elazar and Itamar, her son has to be on the level of Moshe and Aharon! Is a son "only" of the status of Yehoshua and Caleb or of Elazar and Itamar insignificant? Of course not! But if she can get something greater then she must do her utmost to accomplish just that, she must pray for someone as great as Moshe and Aharon.

Chana's prayers were answered and she indeed merited a son of the stature of Moshe and Aharon, as we say in Kabbalat Shabbat: "Moshe and Aharon among His priests and Shmuel among those who invoke His name" (Tehillim 99:6). This does not, G-d forbid, mean that Shmuel was totally equivalent to Moshe and Aharon, after all "Never again has there arisen a prophet like Moshe" (Devarim 34:10 - see also the seventh principle in our thirteen principles of faith). In some aspects, however, Shmuel was the equal of Moshe and Aharon. Had Chana been satisfied with little, she would have asked for someone the likes of two ordinary tzaddikim or even simple Jews, but it did not satisfy her to have an ordinary son and not even one the equivalent of two "ordinary" tzaddikim. Her son had to be equal to the greatest tzaddikim who ever lived! Her prayers emanated from the depths of her heart, and they were therefore answered, for when it comes to spiritual matters we must ask for generosity: "open wide your mouth and I will fill it".

Another opinion in the Gemara tells us that "zera anashim" refers to "an offspring who anoints two men, and who are they? Shaul and David" (Brachot 31b). What would be so terrible if he were to only anoint one king? Is anointing the kingdom of Shaul, descendant of our matriarch Rachel of little significance? What about the kingdom of David, the descendant of the matriarch Leah, the eternal kingdom from whom the Moshiach will ultimately descend speedily in our day, is this too of little significance? No! But nevertheless, she wants both - the kingdom of the house of Rachel and the kingdom of the house of Leah - no less. She refuses to compromise because in spiritual pursuits there is no room for compromise, in materialism we must restrict our intake, we must ask for the minimum. In spirituality, however, there is no compromise! Chana's prayers were answered here as well, it was her son who established the kingdom of the house of Rachel and then the kingdom of the house of Leah - the eternal kingdom whose restoration we pray for three times a day ("the offspring of Your servant David, may You speedily cause to flourish").

NAZIR - SINFUL OR HOLY?

There is a view in Chazal that Shmuel was a nazir. Chana declared him as a nazir in order that he be closer to Hashem. Although we generally do not issue halachic rulings based solely on incidents which took place, this opinion rules that declaring "I am like Shmuel" is a valid acceptance of nezirut as is the case when someone declares "I am like Shimshon". There is a discussion in the Gemara regarding whether a nazir brings a sin-offering because the act of becoming a nazir is sinful (for having abstained from things which the Torah permitted), or is the sin-offering brought for having descended from that incredible closeness the nazir had with Hashem - if he was able to reach such a high spiritual level, why did he return to the "real world".

It appears to me that these two opinions are not necessarily in dispute - not every nazir can be considered a kadosh and not every nazir can be viewed as a sinner. The Gemara cites incidents of those who would take this vow out of anger, as a means of getting back at someone who did something to them - according to all views this is not to be viewed positively. On the other hand, many take this vow upon themselves in an effort to defeat their yetzer hara - this is certainly positive.

The Torah refers to Rosh Hashana as the Yom Truah, which is generally interpreted as the day of the sounding of the shofar, a day of fear and trepidation. The word truah can also be interpreted as coming from the word reut - friendship. Hashem is our Friend, as the pasuk states: "re-acha vere-a avicha al taazov" "do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father" (Mishle 27:10) which Chazal teach us that this friend refers to Hashem (see Rashi there). On this Yom Truah we must feel closeness with Hashem, we must wish to be His servants, to be His olah and to feel this great love. The shofar serves to remind us of Akeidat Yitzchak, an expression of the ultimate love a person can have for Hashem. Yitzchak was willing to give up his life simply because Hashem asked him to. Yitzchak's only wish was to follow Hashem's wish - if Hashem wishes that Yitzchak die then this is what he must do. In truth Hashem did not wish for Yitzchak to die, but the fact that Yitzchak was willing to, is expression of the love he felt.

ELUL - A TIME TO FEEL CLOSENESS TO HASHEM

The spelling of the month of Elul is comprised of the first letters of the words "ani ledodi vedodi li" "I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me" (Shir HaShirim 6:3). The month of Elul is a time for us to feel this closeness. Rosh Hashana may be a day of judgment but it is also a Yom Tov, a time of joy. Although Yom Kippur is also referred to as a Yom Tov, it is purely spiritual - we do not eat or drink. Rosh Hashana is a time of joy because that is the day in which Hashem became King. Although He was always King, it was on Rosh Hashana that man was created - the first people able to call Him King.

There is a dispute among the authorities whether it is permitted to cry on Rosh Hashana. There is no dispute, however, that we may feel joy out of the knowledge that Hashem is our King and only does what is good for each of us, for the Jewish people, and for the entire world.

We recite in Shmone Esrei that Hashem "meivi goel livnei bneihem lemaan Shmo be-ahava "brings a redeemer to their children's children for His Name's sake, with love". One way to interpret this is that Hashem loves when people sanctify His Name because the Shchina is in exile and He wishes to redeem it. Another possible interpretation is that it is referring to the words written just above: "vezocher chasdei avot" "Who recalls the kindnesses of the patriarchs" - He brings redemption as a result of His love for the patriarchs. We can also explain that the love refers to Hashem's love for the Jewish people (the "bnei bneihem") we express this love every evening "ohev amo Yisrael" "Who loves His nation Israel". According to this interpretation Hashem redeems the Jewish people out of His love for them.

SEEK HASHEM WHEN HE CAN BE FOUND

Chazal teach us that the pasuk "dirshu Hashem behimatzo krauhu bihyoto karov" "seek Hashem when He can be found; call upon Him when He is near" (Yeshayahu 55:6), refers to the ten days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (see Rosh Hashana 18a). Tshuva becomes much easier when we feel close to the Creator. We do not fast on Rosh Hashana, as the pasuk referring to Rosh Hashana states: "ki kadosh hayom ladonenu ve-al teatzvu ki chedvat Hashem hi mauzchem" "for today is sacred to our L-rd. Do not be sad; the enjoyment of Hashem is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). We should eat and drink in celebration of this closeness and love which we feel. I want to strive for greatness, the greatness which Chana wished for her child, to come as close as possible to Hashem. It is my wish this year to become great in Torah, yirat Shamayim, observance of mitzvoth. I am not convinced that everyone will manage to reach the level of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, but we must strive to be as great as we possibly can. If we do so, then Hashem will grant us all a ketiva vachatima tova, a year in which we will be blessed with the revelation of the Kingdom of Heaven, with the building of the Beit HaMikdash where we will be able to offer the korbanot of Rosh Hashana and hear the sounding of the Shofar announcing the arrival of the moshiach speedily in our day. Amen.

Where are You?

One of the fundamental principles of Judaism is that every Rosh Hashana we are judged - as a nation and as individuals. Matters of life and death, war and peace, health and wealth are all determined on Rosh Hashana.

Why was this day chosen as the Day of Judgment? Because it was on this day that Adam HaRishon was created, sinned, and was subsequently judged. How did G-d react to Adam's sin? With one word - ayeka - where are you? I know where you should be, I know why I created you, I know what you should be doing, why aren't you there? This is the same question G-d asks each and every one of us. What has become of you? Will we have an answer?

On the surface there appears to be an easy solution to emerging from Yom HaDin, the Day of Judgment, with a positive verdict - why not observe Yom Kippur before Rosh Hashana? Would it not make more sense for us to do tshuva before being judged, then once we are forgiven for our sins we would then be prepared for the upcoming Day of Judgment. Why does our calendar establish Rosh Hashana before Yom Kippur?

A story is told that when the pious Reb Aharon of Karlin was leading the prayers on Rosh Hashana, he began Shacharit with the customary chanting of HaMelech when suddenly he burst into tears. He cried so bitterly that he was unable to continue. When asked later what had brought this on, he replied that he was reminded of the Gemara which relates that when R' Yochanan ben Zakkai greeted Vespasian during the siege around Jerusalem he said "peace unto you O king", at that point Vespasian responded: "if I am king, why have you not come to me until now" I realized, Reb Aharon said, that G-d is truly King and why have I not done teshuva until now.

We need the shofarot of Rosh Hashna to wake us up, we need the zichronot to remind us of our history and relationship with G-d, and we need the malchuyot to teach us that G-d is King and not only does He judge us, but He also provides for our every need.

We are about to begin the ten day period known as Aseret Yemei Tshuva where we will add in our Amidah the sentences beginning with zochrenu lechayim and besefer chayim, beseeching Hashem to be written in the book of life. There are two ways we can plea for life, we can say to Hashem: "look at our past, don't we deserve to be granted more life?" (Most of us are probably not confident enough to take this approach), or we can point to the future by taking upon ourselves to improve, think about what we would like to accomplish and pray to G-d for time to be able to succeed.

Only after recognizing G-d as King can we begin to take the steps towards teshuva.

Leshana tova tikateveu vetechatemu

Reality Check

Shana Alef can be difficult, especially during Ellul Zman. Not just because of the "stupid rules" (as Rav Bina likes to call them), but also because soon after we are confronted by the Yom HaDin. Rosh HaShana arrives and apparently it couldn't have come sooner as most of the Shana Aleph boys are beginning to realize that we need to do more teshuvah than we initially thought.

The Ar"i states that 'Every year, everything returns to its source'. Unlike the holidays of the Christian calendar whereby festivals are used to commemorate events in their history, our chagim literally return us to their source. On Pesach we are literally leaving Egypt, on Succot we are dwelling in Sukkahs in the desert, on Tisha B'Av we are mourning the loss of the Beit Hamikdash as if it has just been destroyed, and on Rosh HaShana we are returned to the point of the world's creation.

We say every morning at Shacharit, "hamechadesh betuvo bechol yom maasei bereishit meaning that everyday HaShem renews the world (first of the Birchot Kirat Shma). If the world is being recreated every day of the year, what then is the uniqueness of Rosh Hashana? A possible difference could be that whilst without Hashem's continuing sustenance of the world, it would not exist and as a result it is as if HaShem has bestowed the gift of creation every day, renewing the world, on Rosh HaShana however HaShem destroys and recreates the world entirely, re-determining the existence of everything that He creates.

As HaRav Bina would say, 'This is very scary', taking a look at the Mussaf amidah on Rosh HaShana we see that the language is ominous and dramatic. We see clearly that Rosh HaShana is an awesome and holy day whereby - 'all the children of the world' pass through Hashem's Judgment. In Netivot Shalom, the Slonimer Rebbe explains that this means that all things within the world, those with bechira (free will) and those without, things that are animate and things that are not, are all judged by Hashem on Yom HaDin. This seems strange as 'judgment' in the secular sense implies that the one who is being judged has made a conscious decision or undertaken an action for which he is being judged. As a result it is difficult for us to understand how and why HaShem is not just judging only us, but also the rocks, trees, animals and even melachim (angels). Melachim lack the bechira that mankind possesses and as a result it is not possible for them to achieve anything other than the 'Will of HaShem', so how can they be judged as well? It would appear that the Slonimer Rebbe is calling for us to re-evaluate the nature of the Judgment taking place and ultimately the very essence of Rosh HaShana.

On Rosh HaShana HaShem does not judge us based on our actions or our past sins, rather HaShem is judging our pertinence to his Divine Plan. Are we still capable of fulfilling our role in the world? By way of example, if we view the world as a stage, we are the actors, HaShem is the Director and He is deciding if we are able to fulfill the script for His 'Divine Play'. Not only does He have to decide whether we pertain to the play's overall success, He also has to determine whether all of the stones, trees, animals, etc. are necessary to provide a backdrop that is necessary for the success of the actors. The question is how do we prove to HaShem that we still deserve roles in His play? Every year we promise that we will follow His halachot, every year we make mistakes, forget our lines, and miss our cues and yet still He maintains faith in us. It becomes difficult as we get older and realize that every year no matter how much we truly desire to fulfill our obligations in their entirety, we fail. We begin to view our own pleas and promises as meaningless and worthless as we cannot achieve what we set out to do, despite understanding that it should not be impossible. HaRav Katz expressed that despite these concerns it is imperative that we not become disheartened and that we view each year not as a second year whereby we fail to achieve our potential but instead as another opportunity to make the right decisions, taking steps towards returning to the will of HaShem.

On Rosh HaShana, we re-audition for the show's next season. This is where the analogy ends however as unlike with acting, we cannot put on a performance for HaShem. HaShem can see in our heart the strength of our desire to do teshuvah and return to Him, the genuineness of our desire to fulfill His mitzvot and the authenticity with which we align ourselves to His authority. On Rosh HaShana He explores our hearts to determine whether or not we are truly willing to make His play a success regardless of past shows. Initially in Ellul we begin the audition process, we do teshuvah for the sins we have done and we make peace with our fellow man in order to reveal to HaShem the genuine nature of our desire to no longer transgress His commandments.

On Rosh HaShana we proclaim His Kingship through his 'Coronation' revealing ourselves to be aligned to His dominion over us. It is clear from much of the Rosh HaShana davening that the theme of Rosh HaShana is in actuality not just the 'Day of Judgment' but also the 'Coronation of HaShem'. We align ourselves to the Kingship of HaKadosh Baruch Hu in order to show that whilst we have not always been able to overcome our yetzer hora and fulfill His commandments we are entirely subjugating ourselves to His authority.

Rosh HaShana is not a day whereby HaShem evaluates where we have succeeded and failed in the past year and decides whether or not we deserve to live. Rather He is determining whether or not we are compliant with His will and whether we have the desire to be a part of His Divine Plan and if we are committed to His Torah. It is not about what we have and haven't done, but rather what we will and want to do.

Shana Tova U'Metukah