Rosch HaSchana 5786 – RYBA
Contents
What is actually Rosch
HaSchana?
Our King gives us
everything. We have nothing except from Him.
How can we achieve within
ourselves that we truly appoint HaSchem as King?
Sifsei Chaim - Ha Rav
Friedländer, student of Rav Dessler
First and foremost, a big thank you to my new study
partner (Chevrusa), Yehonoson Lev from Bnei Brak, who has started learning the
Sefer Sifsei Chaim on the holidays with me.
Much of what I write here comes from this lecture (Schiur).
With the help of HaSchem, we have now arrived
at this awe-inspiring holiday and sit together at the table.
What is actually Rosch HaSchana?
We learn in the Mishna:
משנה ראש השנה א':ב'
(ב) בְּאַרְבָּעָה
פְרָקִים הָעוֹלָם נִדּוֹן, בְּפֶסַח עַל הַתְּבוּאָה, בַּעֲצֶרֶת עַל פֵּרוֹת
הָאִילָן, בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה כָּל בָּאֵי הָעוֹלָם עוֹבְרִין לְפָנָיו כִּבְנֵי
מָרוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הַיּוֹצֵר יַחַד לִבָּם הַמֵּבִין אֶל כָּל מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם
(תהלים ל"ג:ט"ו). וּבֶחָג נִדּוֹנִין עַל הַמָּיִם.
(2) At four times in the year, the world is
judged: At Pesach, it is judged concerning the grain; at Shavuot, concerning
the fruits that grow on trees; at Rosch HaSchana, all creatures pass before Him
like sheep [benei maron], as it is said: “He who forms their hearts alike, who
considers all their deeds” (Psalm 33:15); and at the festival of Sukkot, they
are judged concerning the water, i.e., the rain for the coming year.
Regarding “He who forms their hearts alike, who
considers all their deeds” (Psalm 33:15), the Malbim says in his commentary
“Light of the Torah” on Devarim 29:14, according to ARI SaL:
The people of Yisroel are in the higher
spheres like a tree. Its root is HaSchem, and Moshe Rabbeinu its trunk. The
branches closest to the trunk are the generation of the desert. They learned
directly from Moshe for 40 years. And all generations after them are smaller
branches, down to the leaves of this eternal tree.
Why is this important in the context of Rosch
HaSchana?
HaSchem created the world with the purpose
that Adam and his heirs enjoy it, cultivate it, and contribute to its building.
Since this is indeed their actual purpose, and we, the heirs of the Torah, are
Adam’s heirs, this day, on which Adam was created, is also the ideal day to
thank the Creator of the world and to give an account. However, the main thing
is to appoint HIM as King over us.
Our King gives us everything. We have nothing except from
Him.
A king of flesh and blood collects taxes and
takes from the people, and at best, they receive protection from evil, and at
worst, suffering and plagues.
Ein od milvado.
Completely different is the King of the
world: HE created everything, He gives without end: our souls, our bodies,
every stone and every plant, everything that exists, exists only BECAUSE OF
HIM.
The Heavenly King is not like one of flesh
and blood. He comes TO GIVE YOU EVERYTHING!!
Why suffering?
The person who receives everything for free
feels ashamed. But a person who feels it is deserved is not poor. A brazen
person is impudent. A truly poor person is humble and ashamed.
Sufferings come to strengthen us in faith
(Emunah), so that we do not have to feel ashamed.
The challenges lead us to joy. That is why
Israelis are among the happiest.
Maschiach:
The process of the Maschiach is built
according to the soul of the generation (Doir). And there is a point where the
generation is exactly ready to grasp the meaning.
A person works in their garden, in the house,
and is in dirty clothes. And suddenly, the King arrives. What a shame and
disgrace.
The clothing is their soul (Neshama). Body
and soul are interconnected.
..like the sheep..
HE thus examines each year, in a benevolent
manner but also with strictness: What have we achieved this year?
Which branches of the tree can continue to
grow, which need to be pruned? Has it borne fruit?
Our sages have divided the heart’s work of
this day into three stages:
First, the person must crown HaSchem as King
over themselves. If they do not accept HaSchem as King, then no judgment makes
any sense.
This appointment of the King is individual
for each person in its intensity. We can learn this from the verse:
דברים ל':י"ד
(יד) כִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב
אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִֽלְבָבְךָ֖ לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃
For this matter is very close to you – in
your mouth and in your heart, to do it.
שמות ט"ז:ז'
וּבֹקֶר וּרְאִיתֶם אֶת כְּבוֹד י־ְהֹוָה
בְּשׇׁמְעוֹ אֶת תְּלֻנֹּתֵיכֶם עַל י־ְהֹוָה וְנַחְנוּ מָה כִּי [תַלִּינוּ]
(תלונו) עָלֵינוּ.
This is the highest level, where the person
completely becomes the servant of their King and Father.
Avraham said: I am dust and ashes. That is
still something, even if not something living.
David HaMelech said: I am a worm. That is
already more, something living.
The deeper a person feels and acknowledges
that HaSchem is THEIR King, the more they will strive to please HIM and delight
HIM.
How does this happen? Through hard work:
Learning! Doing! Changing!
And the more this happens, the closer they
come to the King.
Now the servant of the King is like the King
himself to the rest of the people. Not even the most important satrap is as
close to the King!
For the servant washes the King’s feet,
brings him food, and clears the table again. He makes his bed and ensures clean
laundry. And if he has a question – well, then he simply asks: Honored King,
how is it then...? Great King, a poor widow has been evicted from her home...
Greater King, which shoemaker should I ask for new shoes...? Great King, the
rich man from Nundingen always pays his taxes on time, and now he has a
liquidity problem, what should he do...? Great King, the rich man’s daughter
has fallen in love with a scoundrel... And so on.
And at the end of the year, when the
reckoning is made, the servant comes, contrite and frightened, with a long list
of things he did wrong... he ate at the baker’s and didn’t pay... he yelled at
his wife, covered his children with anger, he took a bribe from the blacksmith
X for the big contract at the gate, and so on.
And the King, because He is merciful and sees
how much the servant loves Him, will judge him gently and even help him
straighten out the crooked things.
This is written in Tehillim.
This is what we call: Appointing the King.
How can we achieve within ourselves that we truly appoint
HaSchem as King?
Today, especially in this war, we have seen
countless miracles.
But it is actually even simpler: Let us
consider this seemingly finite world, which is, in fact, entirely infinite!
Look at the starry sky, see how tiny we are
and how infinitely vast the universe is.
Look into matter, as we can today, and see
how infinitely profound and interconnected the entire creation is.
The only thing we need to do is remain honest
with ourselves.
And then the awe of the Creator of this
infinite world comes entirely on its own.
The next question is: How do we know that the Torah is
truly the eternal book and the blueprint of this world?
For this, we have the entire process between
Moshe, the people, and HaSchem at Mount Sinai.
See the document
https://ryba2613.blogspot.com/p/yisroi-lernprotokoll-mit-alexander-baran.html: The most important
contract in the world.
Our King gives us everything. We have nothing
except from Him. Ein od milvado.
When we have appointed the King, only then
comes the next stage:
Sichronois, the remembrance.
Now we can come and remember HIS great
kindness.
Sifsei Chaim - Ha Rav Friedländer, student of Rav Dessler
Study notes from learning with Yehonoson Lev, Bnei Brak
Feeling
Reason
Appointing the King – must happen with both
systems.
Day of Judgment – on the countries and on the
people.
Who to the sword and who to peace.
Who lives, who dies.
עמוס ג':ו'
(ו) אִם־יִתָּקַ֤ע
שׁוֹפָר֙ בְּעִ֔יר וְעָ֖ם לֹ֣א יֶחֱרָ֑דוּ אִם־תִּֽהְיֶ֤ה רָעָה֙ בְּעִ֔יר
וַי־הֹוָ֖ה לֹ֥א עָשָֽׂה׃
רש"י עמוס ג':ו'
(ו) If a shofar is sounded – when the watchman sees armies
approaching the city and blows the shofar to warn the people, these are but
parables and metaphors.
If a shofar is sounded in the city – so it
should have been that you were fearful of the words of the prophets, who are
watchmen for you to save you from the evil that should not come. And when the
evil does come to you, do you not know that the Holy One, blessed be He, does
it to you because you did not heed His prophets?
What is the connection of the judgment with
the first day of the year?
Why appoint the King now?
Brias HaOilom (Creation of the World).
Ovinu Malkeinu – must always be connected!
The King is not only judgment (din), but also
mercy (chesed).
The servant of the King is a king!
Whoever is so close to the King, eats his
bread, can ask him questions, and so on. Moshe was truly in this position. And
he was in this position because he was the servant of HaSchem. And we should
strive to reach this level. And in the attribute of judgment (Midas HaDin) on
Rosch HaSchana, there is much mercy (chesed).
Chag! Joy! One makes an accounting. But it is
with mercy.
Why did HaSchem first create judgment (din)
and then say that without mercy (rachamim), nothing works? This is, of course,
only to show us that we must temper and limit everything. Fire. Water. Stone.
Metal.
Avinu – our Father must be combined with
Malkeinu – the King. Chesed cannot exist without din. And even the King is with
a great deal of mercy.
The ARI SaL says the first day is stricter
than the second. But it is a holiday, and that is joy! And therefore, the
judgment (din) cannot be too heavy.
The first day of the year is like the entire
year.
This means: What happens on this day affects
the entire year, and judgment (din) and kingship (malchus) are identical.
Corresponding to the appointment of the King
is the judgment. Whoever strongly clings to HaSchem has a less severe judgment.
The more someone is truly devoted, the better their judgment. This means that
the person causes their own judgment through attachment (dveikus).
Why the shofar in the city (Amos): The city
gathers all individuals. The city awakens, not just the individual. The
atmosphere changes. There is a sound that can shake the city, and one that
cannot.
In a place where I have a good community
(chevra), I receive its influence.
The next question arises: What is holiness
(Kedusha), how does it work, and how can we even approach the King when it is
written:
שמות ל"ג:כ'
וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא תוּכַל
לִרְאֹת אֶת פָּנָי כִּי לֹא יִרְאַנִי הָאָדָם וָחָי. Shemois 33:20 – and HE said: You cannot
see My face, for no human shall see Me and live.
Now, “Chai – live” in Scripture always also
refers to eternal life in the World to Come.
This also means: Even in the world of souls,
a person cannot see My face. They can come very close, but only to a certain
degree.
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