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Rosh HaShana

Rosh HaShana Perspectives

By Ozer Alport

"And she (Chana) made a vow and said: Hashem, Master of Legions, if You take note of the suffering of Your maidservant, and You remember and do not forget Your maidservant, and give Your maidservant a male offspring, then I shall give him to Hashem all the days of his life." (Samuel 1 1:11 Haftorah for 1st day of Rosh Hashana)

An American Rabbi once visited Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach shortly before Rosh Hashana. Rabbi Auerbach asked him whether he had any congregants in difficult financial situations, to which the Rabbi sadly replied in the affirmative. Rabbi Auerbach then asked whether there were any wealthy members of the synagogue, to which the Rabbi again responded in the affirmative. Rabbi Auerbach continued, asking whether any of the down-on-their-luck congregants were as poor as the poorest beggars in Jerusalem or whether any of the rich congregants was a billionaire. The Rabbi, becoming confused, answered in the negative on both counts.

Rabbi Auerbach smiled and asked what would a member of the Forbes 500 think if he were seated on Rosh Hashana next to the poorest of the vagabonds and overheard him praying to become so wealthy in the coming year that on the following Rosh Hashana, the billionaire would be working for him? The Rabbi, taking the bait, responded that a person making such ridiculous requests would be viewed as crazy.

Rabbi Auerbach disagreed strongly. On any other day of the year, such a far-fetched request would indeed be considered grossly inappropriate. On Rosh Hashana, however, the entire universe is being recreated for the upcoming year, and with nothing set in stone, the sky is the limit for our prayers.

As proof, Rabbi Auerbach noted that the Medrash teaches that Chana was barren for 19 years prior to the birth of her son Samuel. Although she surely beseeched Hashem daily to grant her a child, the Haftorah which we read on the first day of Rosh HaShana teaches that on Rosh Hashana she prayed for a special child: zera anasim. Although this literally refers to a male child, the Talmud (Berachos 31b) understands it as a plea for a child who would be considered equal to Moses and Aaron combined.

This would be quite a tall order even for a woman who had no difficulty conceiving, but for a woman who had suffered the anguish of being childless for almost 20 years, such a request seems absurd. Any other woman who had been barren for so long would be ecstatic just to conceive a healthy child. Why did Chana make such an unrealistic request?

Rabbi Auerbach explained that Chana understood that on Rosh Hashana, the only barriers to what we may ask for are self-imposed ones. She asked for a son who would lead the generation, and after two decades of suffering, she merited to give birth to the great prophet Samuel.

Clearly, Rabbi Auerbach's message is relevant to each and every one of us. When we pray on Rosh Hashana, we are surely cognizant of the tremendous import of the day, and we pray appropriately on behalf of ourselves and our loved ones. We pray for years of health and happiness, of spiritual and material blessing, and of joy and success for our family and friends. However, the scope of our requests may have been limited to what we considered reasonable and appropriate for our circumstances. This year, as we read the story of Chana on Rosh Hashana, let us remember that when it comes to prayer, the sky is literally the limit.

Talking Points

Rabbi Elazar Meisels

1. Fighting For Our Lives

"At four junctures [of the year] the world is judged: on Pesach for the grain; on Shavuos for fruit of the tree; on Rosh Hashanah all who inhabit the earth pass before Him like young sheepand on Succos they are judged on water." Mishnah, Tractate Rosh Hashanah 1:2

• All of mankind passes before Hashem to be judged individually like young sheep who pass through a small opening in the corral for the purpose of tithing the animals. Rav Ovadiah Bartenurah

Although Rosh Hashanah can sometimes be mistaken for a festive holiday and a time to encounter old friends who are not regular synagogue attendees: in reality, it's an intensely serious time. No one, whether they realize it or not, will escape judgment on that day. The analogy to sheep is rather appropriate in another sense as well, as it highlights how oblivious many people are as they approach Rosh Hashanah. Before going on trial, one obtains the most competent legal representation in an effort to present himself in the best possible light. Similarly, we must ready ourselves for this most important trial of our lives, when the Almighty Himself, presides over the proceedings.

2. A Birthday Gift

"Today is the birthday of the universe..." Rosh Hashanah Liturgy

• The first of the six days of creation occurred on the twenty-fifth day of Elul. The sixth day of creation, when the world was completed upon the creation of Adam, was on the first day of Tishrei, the first day of Rosh Hashanah.

Hashem created the world intending for mankind to worship Him. Each year, on the birthday of the universe, He conducts a thorough review to determine whether His will is being fulfilled to His satisfaction. Thus, Rosh Hashanah presents a special opportunity for all to stand up and be counted among those whose existence is dedicated to satisfying our mandate to fulfill the will of Hashem.

 3. Recalling Our Past

"Hashem spoke to Moshe saying: Speak to the Children of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, on the first of the month, there shall be a rest day for you, a remembrance with shofar blasts, a holy convocation." Vayikra 23:23,24

• A Remembrance With Shofar Blasts This refers to the recital of the verses [in addition to blowing the shofar] that speak of remembrances and shofar blasts and are designed to recall before Hashem the incident of Akeidas Yitzchak (the Binding of Isaac), where Avraham [in an incredible act of devotion to Hashem] offered a ram in place of Isaac, his son. Tractate Rosh Hashanah 32b

By recalling the incident of the Akeidah, we are attempting to influence the outcome of our judgment in two ways. (1) Rather than focus on our actions, we prefer to speak of our undying loyalty to Hashem that overshadows the particulars of our behavior. (2) Furthermore, even when attempting to demonstrate our loyalty to Hashem, we recognize that we're more effective when we reference the merits of our patriarchs, than our own. Doing so indicates a willingness to acknowledge that we are deficient, and lack confidence in our ability to emerge from the judgment intact: a prerequisite for proper repentance.

4. A Golden Opportunity

"Although repentance and importuning [for forgiveness] is always received favorably, during the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom HaKippurim, they are especially favorable and are immediately accepted " Rambam Hilchos Teshuvah 2:6

• It is well known that even prior to creating the world, Hashem created the possibility for Teshuvah [repentance]and this is one of the great kindnesses of the Holy One, for He knew that mankind would sin and He provided a mechanism by which man could overcome his weaknesses even before they actually sinned... Rabbenu Bachya-Kad HaKemach [Teshuvah]

Rav Yuda Nashya said in the name of Rav Yuda bar R' Siman, In the normal course of the world, if one shoots an arrow; it travels only a short distance. Teshuvah however, is so great and powerful that it reaches all the way up to the Heavenly Throne.' P'siktah D'rav Kahanah 24:12-5th Century, Israel. If someone offered a gift of fifty thousand dollars to anyone willing to travel to his city to pick up the gift, there is little doubt that everyone would hurry to make travel arrangements, and think nothing of the hardship or expense of the trip. After all, considering the profit, only a foolish person would allow this opportunity to pass just because of the inconvenience involved. Similarly, the opportunity to repent for ones misdeeds during the Ten Days of Repentance is an offer that no sensible person should contemplate forgoing. Hashem makes Himself readily available and assures us that efforts in the right direction will merit success. It is truly an opportunity not be missed.

High Holiday Talk

Why is this year different?

Dear Rabbi Gewirtz,
Year after year, our family attends services on the High Holidays, thinking this is going to be the year that we "upgrade" our Jewish commitment. We love the services, pledge to come more often, and then life happens. And before we know it, it's time again to purchase High Holiday seats. We know that we could be better role models but try as we may, life just gets in the way. Are we going about this the wrong way? Are we fooling ourselves? We're open to all (well, not really all) suggestions.
Jill and Adam A.

Dear Jill and Adam,

Thank you for presenting such an honest question which touches on several important points. The first thing that stands out is your desire for an upgrade. You may consider this point trivial, especially if you haven't acted on it yet, but the bulk of American Jewry unfortunately isn't concerned about this. We're more focused on upgrading our homes than our spiritual ranking. Take pride in that and stay focused on your goal.

I applaud your desire to attend services more often but you may do better to focus your initial efforts at home. By showing your children that Judaism is valued at home, you'll be planting an important seed. Planting a variety of seeds is sometimes a good idea but by all means, be realistic. Keep in mind, baby steps are fine.

Friends of ours, Bob and Carol, would infrequently attend some of the family-oriented events at our Synagogue but never attended services, not even on the High holidays. When this couple showed up for a class about the laws of Passover, we were, to say the least, caught off guard. I thought that the laws about koshering utensils and about the need to remove all leaven from one's home would be a bit much for someone who had no knowledge of even the basics of keeping kosher. Conscious of people's reaction to their presence, they explained that they were hoping to become more Jewishly involved and, since the kids had such fond memories of the Seder with their grandparents, they thought that "keeping Passover" would be a good place for them to start. Carol, who may have picked up a twinge of skepticism from my wife, called her a few days later saying, "Chany, guess what? I drove the boys yesterday (on the second day of the holiday) to a Little League competition over an hour away. I was hoping the kids could wait until we got home but they were totally famished. So we stopped off at a Burger King, and I'm telling you Chany, you're gonna be real proud of me, I scraped off every bit of that bun before giving it to them." My wife truly was proud.

While I don't necessarily suggest that you choose Passover as your first step, I'd encourage you to make a list, together with your kids, of all the Jewish things you may some day want to do, or want to do better. Rank the list from easiest-to-implement to hardest and then, choose the easiest one as "this year's mitzvah". I'm not suggesting that you ignore the rest of your list; only that you resolve, come what may, to staying focused on your mitzvah-of-the-year throughout the year. By next Rosh Hashanah, you'll be able to look back at this year with a sense of pride and accomplishment, ready to take on another baby step.

Wishing you and your family a year of blessing and accomplishment,
Rabbi Eli Gewirtz

Rosh Hashanah Talk

Signs of the Times

Dear Mrs. Bulow,
Although I was not raised religious, my family was particular to observe many Rosh Hashanah traditions since I was very young. They always made sure to eat special holiday foods and to dip the apple in honey as a sign for a sweet new year. Recently, I was introduced to a custom that I've never heard of before and I was wondering if you could enlighten me with some background for this custom. I was told that although Hallah is traditionally braided, on Rosh Hashanah it is customary to eat a round Hallah. Is there a symbolic message in this custom as well?
Thanks so much,
Sara Z .

Dear Sara,
Thank you for your excellent question. It's true that there are many special foods associated with Rosh Hashanah in addition to the famous apple dipped in honey. It is traditional to serve sweet dishes like tzimmis (a mixture of carrots, sweet potatoes, prunes and honey), and to add extra sweetness to the challah dough with honey and raisins. Gourds, dates, leeks, cabbage, carrots, pomegranates, fish, beets, and the head of a sheep or fish are also traditional Rosh Hashanah foods as they comprise a list of special "simanim" or edible allusions. Serving the special foods is a beautiful custom that engages everyone at the table and helps to set the tone for contemplation and conversation for the rest of the festive meal.

Some families simply incorporate those foods into the evening menu; others create more of a ceremony by first serving a taste of each of the foods followed by a short prayer. A list of the foods and their corresponding prayers (along with a more detailed explanation for each food) can be found in the Artscroll siddur (prayer book) following the evening Rosh Hashanah prayers.

Almost every family begins the meal by dipping their challah in honey (in contrast to the year round custom of dipping the challah in salt) and follow that by eating a slice of apple dipped in honey as well. After the first bite of the apple, a short prayer is recited, "May it be Your will, our G-d and G-d of our forefathers, that You renew for us a good and sweet year." Honey, of course is sweet, hence the allusion and the request, but on a deeper level, the gematria (numerical value of the word in Hebrew) for honey is the same as for "Av HaRachamim" or Merciful Father. Eating honey on Rosh Hashanah is recognition that the source of the sweetness we seek is a deeper relationship with G-d.

A deeper reason for why we eat these special foods stems from a common theme in Jewish practice: "the use of the physical to access the spiritual". Since we are, at our essence, spiritual beings journeying through a lifetime of physical experiences, the Torah helps us navigate which physical experiences will enhance us spiritually and which ones we should avoid. The practice of eating special foods on Rosh Hashanah is an example of using the physical as a gateway to spiritual realms. Each of the special foods has a prayerful allusion attached to it through its name. According to the Talmud, it doesn't matter in what language the name reminds us of the essence of prayer we utter following the food. So, for example, carrots might be eaten before the request of "may our merits increase" because in Yiddish, carrots are called "mehren" which can also mean "to increase", or, they may be eaten before the request that "the decree of our sentence be torn apart" because in Hebrew carrots are called "gezer" which sounds like "g'zar", the Hebrew word for decree.

As you mentioned, the round challah is also a significant allusion. It is the same shape as a crown and reminds us that the theme of the day is the coronation of G-d as King. Additionally, it is the shape of the year, a circle that repeats itself over and over again. But when we stand before the King on Rosh Hashanah, the last thing we want to feel is that we are standing in the same place we stood last year. That's why the round challah is often in the shape of a spiral. A spiral is a circle that is elevated every time it comes around to the same place. After all, our goal on Rosh Hashanah is not to become a perfect individual, for that's a task well beyond human capacity and G-d holds no such expectation for us. What is demanded of us however, is that we never stop developing our character and deepening our relationship with G-d. So long as we've managed to ascend to a higher level over the course of the year, we stand an excellent chance of meriting a favorable judgment.

May you, your family and all of Israel be inscribed for a good and sweet New Year!
Aliza Bulow

Hey, I never knew that!

Amazing Insights About the Weekly Rosh HaShana
By Ozer Alport

Q: At the beginning of each holiday, we recite the she'hechiyanu blessing, thanking Hashem for keeping us alive and sustaining us to reach this holiday. What is unique about the she'hechiyanu blessing that we say on Rosh Hashana?

A: Rabbi Pinchas Goldwasser writes that as a person goes through the year, on each of the holidays, he recites the she'hechiyanu blessing thanking Hashem. Nevertheless, as he progresses through the year and recites the blessing with tremendous gratitude and enthusiasm on Sukkos, Chanuka, Purim, Passover, and Shavuos, he has no way of shaking the doubt that he may not survive that year. The fact that he has survived to enjoy yet another holiday mandates a blessing expressing his appreciation, yet it still provides no guarantee that he was sealed last Yom Kippur in the book of life. Sadly, we have all heard tragic stories of people dying just before Rosh Hashana, at which time it becomes clarified that they were inscribed in the book of death, but were granted more time to enjoy their final year.

The moment at which it becomes retroactively revealed that a person's repentance last year was accepted and he merited to live another year is the night of Rosh Hashana. As the solemnity appropriate for the Day of Judgment descends upon a person with the onset of Rosh Hashana, he may take inspiration from the simultaneous recognition that it is precisely the arrival of this awesome day which signals that he succeeded last year in the repentance which he is about to embark upon anew. As a person raises his cup to make Kiddush, it behooves him to reflect upon the mercies Hashem showed in granting him another year of life. This recognition should fill him with abundant gratitude, and in the credit that he properly expresses his appreciation during the recital of the she'hechiyanu blessing, he should merit to do so once again next Rosh Hashana!

Q: The Mishnah in Shabbos (2:5) discusses if and when it is Biblically prohibited to extinguish a burning candle on Shabbos. If he does so because he is afraid of non-Jews or robbers, or for medicinal purposes or so that a sick person may sleep, it is Biblically permitted. If, however, he extinguishes the flame because he wishes to preserve the candle, the oil, or the wick, it is forbidden. However, the Mishnah uses a peculiar expression when discussing the latter case. It discusses a person who puts out the fire because it is ??? as if he wants to save the candle, oil, or wick. Why does it refer to him as somebody who seemingly wishes to save money and not as one who is actually doing so?

A: The Vilna Gaon answers by noting that the Talmud (Beitzah 16a) teaches that a person's entire income for the year is determined on Rosh Hashana. However, the Talmud adds that the money one spends for the honor of Shabbos or Yom Tov or for the education of his sons is an exception to this rule, as they are considered to be in a separate category and whatever additional money a person spends for these purposes will be added to his preordained annual salary. Therefore, a person who extinguishes the candle on Shabbos in an attempt to save money by sparing the candle, the oil, or the wick, is in reality saving nothing. Had he allowed it to burn fully for the sake of Shabbos, the additional cost thereby incurred would have been repaid to him. The Mishnah therefore stresses that one who puts out the flame on Shabbos is only attempting to save money, as in reality the expenses of Shabbos are part of a separate calculation and he ultimately will have no additional funds to show for his sin!

Q: King David writes in Psalms (119:160) - Your very first utterance is truth.
Where is the concept of truth mentioned or alluded to in Parshas Bereishis, which represents Hashem's first utterance?

A: Rabbi Yaakov ben Asher, better-known as the Baal HaTurim, points out that the final letters of the first three words in the Torah (Genesis 1:1) spell the word emes truth hinting to the fundamental importance of the value of truth in Hashem's eyes. Indeed, the Talmud (Yoma 69b) teaches that Hashem's "seal" is emes. Further, the final letters of the last verse describing the creation (2:3) also spell the word emes, alluding to the fact that the universe was created with Hashem's attribute of truth from beginning to end.

Rabbeinu Bechaye points out that the first verse in the Torah contains every vowel sound except for one. The shuruk is missing from this verse. He explains that this is because the letters which spell the word shuruk can also be rearranged to spell the word sheker falsehood and because Hashem created the world to be a place of truth, there was no room for a shuruk in describing the beginning of the Creation!

It is not only the Written Torah which is emblazoned with Hashem's seal of truth, but the Oral Torah is as well. The Ten Commandments begin with the letter alef (anochi), the Mishnah begins with the letter mem (mieymosay), and the Talmud starts with the letter tav (tana), again spelling the word emes!

Table Talk: For discussion around the Yom Tov Table

Why does Rosh Hashana precede Yom Kippur, when it would seem more logical to be judged only after we have had an opportunity to repent our sins and have them forgiven?

SHIDDUCHIM for RUSSIAN BAALEY TESHUVAH Worldwide in Russian

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