Two gedolim whom I was privileged to know—to the extent that they were knowable at all—said seemingly opposite things about the essence of Rosh Hashanah. Yet, upon reflection, we will see that they are saying the same thing.
The Zohar Hakadosh (Bamidbar 231a) teaches that every time that the Torah uses the phrase hayom, today, without further context, the reference is to Rosh Hashanah. Examples are the first posuk in Parshas Nitzavim: “Hayom you are standing,” and the beginning of Iyov (1:6), “It happened hayom.” Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv (Divrei Aggada) sees the word in Nitzavim as conveying a strong message of admonishment to Klal Yisroel. “Why are you standing in the same place as you stood last year? Why haven’t you moved, changed and grown since then?”
However, Rav Yisroel Eliyohu Weintraub states that Rosh Hashanah is the day, because this is the day we have the power to make a change that could be impossible on any other. He cites a different passage in the Zohar (Ki Sisa 72b) that Rosh Hashanah corresponds to Yitzchok Avinu. He explains that the Zohar is referring to Sarah Imeinu’s reaction upon giving birth to a son at the age of 90. Avrohom named the child Yitzchok and Sarah declared that “Hashem has made laughter for me; whoever hears will laugh for me” (Bereishis 21:6). This was not laughter of derision or cynicism. As Rashi interprets, “they will be happy for me.” We may add that this passage is not only the Torah reading for the first day of Rosh Hashanah. It reveals the primary power of the day itself.
Although Rav Elyashiv appears to be giving mussar and Rav Weintraub chizuk, these are two sides of the same precious coin.
We have been given an exquisite gift, a day when we can accomplish anything, when we can bring about miracles and literally reinvent ourselves. But if we don’t seize the moment—indeed, the entire day—we might have, G-d forbid, lost everything. One story that illustrates this ability is about one of the rabbonim in Modi’in Ilit. The menahel of the yeshiva ran a catering business out of the yeshiva kitchen. This allowed him to make a modest living and to provide decent meals to the talmidim.
One day, the mashgiach of the yeshiva mentioned to the menahel/caterer that he would like to reserve meals for 80 in honor of an aufruf meal he was planning for a Shabbos. The problem, of course, was that “by the usual laws of nature, there was no way he could pay for this event.” He didn’t have anything even near the 8,000 shekel this would cost. “However,” he added with a smile,” I am not asking for a handout. I just want you to know that this happens to me all the time. Whenever I need to pay for something, I daven to Hashem and He always comes through. He always sends me the money in ways that I could never have predicted. I personally am not worried at all, but decency requires me to tell you the truth about my ‘payment plan.’” Not many people would accept this strange collateral, but the menahel responded, “I’ve known you for many years. Let’s go for it.”
The mashgiach waited, as always, for the last minute to daven for the yeshuah, because he was afraid that if the money didn’t miraculously arrive, he would find some way to pay and it would undercut his special relationship with Hashem. On the Erev Shabbos of the event, he traveled to Kever Rochel and began to daven for divine intervention. This follows the mandate from the Torah to “throw your needs upon Hashem and He will provide.” He wept bitter tears there, completed the entire Sefer Tehillim and was about to call the menahel.
In the meantime, the phone rang in the menahel’s office, but it was not the mashgiach at Kever Rachel. It was a voice he didn’t recognize. “Rav…, you don’t know me, but I have a request. I am a businessman and I am doing very well, boruch Hashem. I am about to make a wedding for my son, so I inquired of my rebbe as to how I can ensure that the young couple will be successful in building their Torah home. He answered immediately that ‘Hashem always says that if you make My children happy, I will make you happy as well.’ Help a poor family make a similar simcha and your new young couple is sure to succeed as well.’ I would like to send you 8,000 shekel to help a young poor couple of your choosing.’”
At that point, the mashgiach left Kever Rochel and called his friend, the menahel. He wanted to reassure him that here was nothing to worry about; Hashem will provide. The menahel interrupted, “Say no more. Hashem heard your prayers very clearly and already took care of it. The aufruf is fully covered.”
Although this didn’t happen on or about Rosh Hashanah, the moral of the story is not time-bound. If we are prepared to make changes, to improve ourselves and to rely totally upon Hashem, each day can be a new hayom with all its blessings. The best time to start is always Rosh Hashanah, which the Zohar taught us is the source for all rebirth and new beginnings.
My rebbi, Rav Yitzchok Hutner (Pachad Yitzchok, Rosh Hashanah 6:3, page 62) gives a source for the power of Rosh Hashanah to provide the changes and fulfillments of our hopes for the coming year. He points to the difference in terminology used by the Torah for the Korban Mussaf of Rosh Hashanah compared to those of all the other Yomim Tovim. When it comes to all the other korbanos, the Torah states “vehikravtem—and you shall offer,” but regarding the Mussaf of Rosh Hashanah, the Torah says “va’asisem—and you shall make” (Bamidbar 29:2). Chazal (Yalkut Shimoni, Pinchos 782) comment, “Since you have stood before Me in judgment, I consider it as if you become an entirely new person.”
Rav Hutner points out that this new terminology of va’asisem is used only for Rosh Hashanah, not for Yom Kippur, which carries the same “vehikravtem” as the other Yomim Tovim. This proves that the source of this seismic change on Rosh Hashanah does not flow from our teshuvah, because we repent at least as powerfully on Yom Kippur as Rosh Hashanah. One simple way to understand this distinction, without Rav Hutner’s elaborate and profound approach, is that man was created on the Friday of creation, which is our collective birthday. This is the ideal, although not only, day to recreate ourselves.
Rav Moshe Shapiro (Shuvi Venechezeh, page 390) adds to our understanding of this crucial aspect of Rosh Hashanah. He writes, “On this day, the phenomenon of man having been created all alone returns each year on our ‘creation day.’” It reaffirms what Chazal (Sanhedrin 37a) teach: “Man was created alone to stress that…each person is considered the equivalent of the entire universe.”
I would now like to elaborate that my rebbi always reiterated—and it is now infinitely clearer than ever—that mankind has lost most of its identity as the tzelem Elokim Hashem created. We were supposed to be—and sometimes rise to the appellation —as the pinnacle of the universe. On Rosh Hashanah, we reclaim our lofty status as the ultimate purpose of all the galaxies and animals, all the flora and fauna of the world, all the beauty and majesty of the earth and the heavens. It is because of this sublime stature that we can change and reinvent ourselves on Rosh Hashanah, because that is the day when we were invested with such grandeur.
For this reason, too, we don’t reduce ourselves on Rosh Hashanah to a series of sins, deficiencies and foibles. We are man and we are Klal Yisroel, the “second edition of mankind.” This is a day to emulate Hashem, to remain in His palace and speak of His divine royalty. It is a day of malchus and is therefore not reduced to confessions and viduy. That is left for Yom Kippur. On Rosh Hashanah, we must rise above our sins to a place where they will just naturally fall away because of the glory of being a tzelem Elokim and perhaps the only remnant left on earth of the glory Hashem brought into the world 5,786 years ago.
A kesivah vachasimah tovah to all.
