BS"D
EXODUS EXAMINED: ROSH HASHANAH 5784
Shira Smiles shiur 2023/5784
Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein
We are well aware that our
Shabbat and holiday liturgy differs from our weekday liturgy. However, even
within these prayers there are subtle changes when Shabbat and Yom Tov
coincide. In the Shemoneh Esrai of Rosh Hashanah, we find the paragraph,
"Vatiten lanu.../And You Hashem our God, has given us with love
this Day of Remembrance, a day of sounding the shofar, mikra kodesh/a
holy convocation, a memorial of the Exodus from Egypt." When Shabbat
coincides with Rosh Hashanah, we add, "...A day of zichron/recalling
the sound... a memorial to the Exodus..."
Rosh Hashana commemorates the
creation of man, while the Exodus occurred several thousand years later. How
are these two connected? How does mikra kodesh/a holy convocation refer
to both Shabbat and Rosh Hashanah, and indeed to all the Festivals? How do they
all connect to the Exodus?
While the three Foot Festivals
can easily be connected to the Exodus, how do Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and
Shabbat connect? Here Rabbi Druck points out that these days were not given to
us as a result of our salvation from Egypt, but that because of our exodus, we
are called upon to sanctify God's name at all times, and the festivals are
indeed the most auspicious times to do so.
However, Rabbi Druck cites
Rabbi Nebenzahl in reminding us of two events that occurred on Rosh Hashanah
that do have a direct relationship to the Exodus. First, that Yosef Hatzadik
was freed from prison on Rosh Hashanah. Then, the more direct connection,
although the Exodus took place in Nissan, the actual enslavement ended earlier,
on Rosh Hashanah. As we recall these earlier kindnesses, we ask Hashem now for
similar kindnesses.
During this season, as
we focus on teshuvah, Rabbi Sosefsky teaches that there are two paths to
teshuvah. One path is individual while the other path is universal. On Yom
Kippur we are concerned with the individual, with repairing our personal sins,
and in man's search within himself, he discovers God as well. In contrast, on
Rosh Hashanah, we focus on God, on coronating Him, and in that process of
accepting His Sovereignty, we discover ourselves as well.
The major motif on Rosh
Hashanah, repeated constantly throughout the prayers, is coronating Hashem as
King over all the world, over all of creation, over all mankind. On every Rosh
Hashanah, writes the Sifsei Chaim citing the Ramchal, Hashem
recreates the world anew. The world was created not just 5,784 years ago, but
is being constantly recreated, every year on Rosh Hashanah. This does not
necessarily mean that all the earth and all the creatures are being formed
anew. Rather it is that the world is being restructured and redesigned so that
it better reflects the original purpose of the world, so that we again remember
that the world was created with chesed, loving kindness. How have we
fulfilled our mission in the past year? Using that measure, Hashem recalculates
what strengths, talents, means we need to fulfill the new mission He has
assigned to us. Hashem means for us to use all He gives us for His glory. The
sound of the shofar is meant to arouse us, to ask the same question Hashem
asked Adam on that first day of creation, "Ayekah/Where are
you," not what physical space you occupy, but what space does your mind
and your heart occupy? Where do you see yourself?
The Shvilei Pinchas
goes on to explain how the shofar blasts echo that original conversation. That
first pure tekiyah represents that pure state in which we were created.
But we sinned and were broken, the sound of shevarim. Nevertheless,
through our sincere sobs of teshuvah, we can regain that pure state, again have
a final tekiyah, we can still regain that purity of purpose.
In this vein, a person should
never make excuses, "If I only had..., I could serve You better."We
must have faith that Hashem has given us exactly what we need. Rabbi Brazile
hears in that original question a message. Not איכה
/where are you, but איה כ(ף) /where is your hand. Look at what you do have, what your hand
holds, not at what you lack. This was the serpent's argument, "You could
have so much more; you could be god."
In the introductory
paragraph to the Zichronot/Remembrance portion of Mussaf, we
reference past (All mysteries are known before Your eyes), present, (There is
nothing hidden from Your eyes), and future (All is revealed and known before
You).The Sifsei Chaim, again citing the Ramchal, explains that
Hashem observes all eternity. Each of us is one stone in the structure of the
world. How solid are we? Are we properly building up the foundation of past
generations? Are we a solid base so future generations will not topple? Every
one of our actions is being remembered for its effect on all of eternity.
In our observance of Pesach,
our faith in Hakodosh Boruch Hu is intellectual. We understand that Hashem
judged each person, even each Egyptian, individually. That belief is
internalized and actualized on Rosh Hashanah when we appear before God
trembling in the awareness that Hashem sees all, understands our innermost
thoughts, and judges each of us accordingly, individually, writes the Matnat
Chaim. Therefore, remembering exodus from Egypt, is recalling the
messages we learned from Hashem’s intimate involvement in our lives, which is
the basis of the ‘zichronot’ of Rosh Hashana. We have the opportunity,
and the obligation, to edit and re-edit the book of our lives, adds Rebbetzin
Smiles, until it comes up to proper standards.
As long as we are correcting
and editing, we should aspire to perfection, not to mediocrity, we should
aspire to be the head. For if we aspire merely for mediocrity, we are headed
for the tail, downhill, writes Rabbi Druck in explaining the symbolic foods of
Rosh Hashanah. Our aspiration is an expression of faith that Hashem will help
us increase our merits.
The Gemorrah mentions only
five instances that Hashem "remembered" on Rosh Hashanah. These were
Sarah, Rachel, and Chanah, who were each remembered to conceive on Rosh
Hashanah, followed by Yosef, who was freed from the prison on Rosh Hashanah,
and Bnei Yisroel whose actual enslavement (although not salvation and
redemption) ended on Rosh Hashanah. What do these five have in common? Rabbi
Dovid Hofstedter explains that in each of these, all natural hope was
shattered. Neither man nor politics could change the situation. At that point,
each turned exclusively to Hashem, in full, humble acceptance that no other
power could help them. When we reach that level of faith, Hashem effects the
necessary change. Underscoring this message we gained in our Egypt
experience is the necessary focus in our Rosh Hashana tefillot. We do
what we can, writes Rabbi Druck, but Hashem determines what the result will be,
often completely beyond our intent. A dropped coin may roll uselessly into the
sewer, or may be picked up by a pauper who uses it to buy food.
There is an idea that on Rosh
Hashanah we should be focusing on asking for help in building ourselves up
spiritually, and not asking Hashem for material things. But that thinking
presents a trap that would have us thinking that we, and not Hashem, controls
the physical and material aspects of our lives, writes Rabbi Biederman. That is
heresy. It is permissible to ask Hashem for help on Rosh Hashanah in both the
material and physical aspects of our lives, and this includes when Shabbat and
Rosh Hashana coincide, like this year. One should couch these
requests not as selfish, personal requests, but as including oneself for
community health and prosperity, writes Rabbi Hofstedter, and hope that through
receiving these physical gifts, one builds a closer relationship with Hashem
and achieves a spiritual elevation. All requests can be made before the
phrase ‘yehu l’ratzon’ right before we take three steps back at the end
of Shomne Esrai. Likewise, when the Aron is opened to take out the
Torah, it is an auspicious time to daven. As we say in the Shemonei
Esrai, "קדשנו במצותיך... שבענו מטובך/Sanctify us with Your commandments... satisfy us from Your
goodness." As Matnas Chaim points out,
"sanctification..." is our spiritual request, while
"satisfaction..." is a physical request. Hashem is the only One Who
can answer me in both these requests, and Rosh Hashanah sets the stage for the
rest of the year. In fact, adds R. Biderman all the "Horachamon/The
compassionate One..." sentences toward the end of the Grace After Meals
are requests for the entire year. One can in fact, and should, daven the entire
day not just in shul, as this day sets the pace for the entire year.
In Avinu Malkeinu, we
ask Hashem to inscribe us in the Book of Merits. Rabbi Mattisyahu Solomon
explains that we are not asking to be given unearned merits; rather we are
asking Hashem to provide us with opportunities to earn merits. We stand humbly,
like beggars, for the ability, the means and the opportunities to earn these
merits. Recognize the power of our prayers, for Hashem listens closely to them.
Hashem remembered Sara Imenu
on Rosh Hashanah. The Seforno gives a unique interpretation to Sarah's laughter
when she overheard the angel prophesying that she would give birth to a son.
The Seforno explains that she thought it was only a promise from a navi, and
that could not facilitate a state of resurrection which would be needed in this
case. Seforno explains that only a direct promise from Hashem, and
heartfelt tefillot could brin
How would we line up to get a
blessing from an "angel"? [How many people line up to wait for a
brachah from a tzadik who comes to visit our town? CKS] How much more so should
we "line up" to ask for Hashem's blessing; an angel's blessing may or
may not be fulfilled, but Hashem's blessing will always be fulfilled, and when
we have the opportunity to pray for that blessing, we must take it.
What is the power of prayer?
Rabbi Biederman points out that Hashem's prophecy to Avraham Avinu was that the
term of our suffering in Egypt would be 400 years. That was an Official Decree!
Yet, Hashem listened to our cries and our deep prayer, and shortened the term
of our suffering. Built into every decree is the ability to change that
decree with the power of our tefillot. On Rosh Hashanah, we recall the
lesson of the Exodus, the power of our tefillot, and try and tap into that
strength in our own lives.
The Be'er Hachaim
offers one more lesson. Just as we get kosher, sweet honey from a non kosher
bee, so do ask Hashem to transform any impending bitterness to sweetness. Let
us eat our challah dipped in honey this Rosh Hashanah with the prayer and the
faith that the coming year be a good and sweet year.