A Glorious Rosh Hashana

by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger

Jews understand the difference between Rosh Hashana and the secular New Year. Rosh Hashana is not a time to party and let loose. True, it is associated with celebrations as the Bible states: "Go eat succulent foods and drink sweet beverages and send portions to those who have nothing prepared.... Do not be sad, for the joy of G-d is your strength." But the same passage gives the reason for the rejoi-cing:
"The day is sacred to our G-d."

More particularly, Rosh Hahana is the Day of Judgment, when G-d "opens the book of memories... and all the inhabitants of the world pass before Him like sheep.... And He writes out their decree."

Knowing the awesomeness of His judgment, many are concerned with their own future: "What will my coming year be like?" Some are concerned with their material future: How much will they make in the coming year? What will their health be? Will they marry? Will they have children? Others focus on spiritual desires: Will they be able to gain wisdom? Will they be inspired with the love and fear of G-d?

All of these desires can be expressed on many planes, with various motivations. When, however, they are reduced to their lowest common denominator, the question prompting all others is: Will G-d give me what I want in the coming year?

On Rosh Hashana, however, what we really should be thinking about is not what we want, but what He wants.

There is a classic Chasidic adage: "On Rosh Hashana, in some synagogues, it is when the cantor comes to the words: 'Repentance, prayer, and charity - teshuva, tefila u'tzedaka - nullify the evil decree,' that the emotions reach their peak. But in Chasidic synagogues, it is the words 'Reveal the glory of Your sovereignty upon us' that arouse the congregation most powerfully."

G-d did not have to create this world. On one hand, the fact that there is no reason compelling the creation introduces a dimension of utter randomness. There is no need for Him to conform to an existing plan; He can do anything He wants.

However, the very same logic necessitates that everything He did create was created for a specific desire and purpose. On Rosh Hashana, when we relive the dynamic of creation, we should hone in on that purpose and make it the focus of our conduct.

What is His purpose in creation? As foremost commentator Rashi states at the very beginning of his commentary to the Torah, all of existence was created "for the sake of the Torah and the Jewish people." Simply put, that means that G-d created the world so that a Jew could study the Torah and observe the mitzvot (commandments), not for our sake but for His.

Translating that into practical directives, this means when I see a person in need, I should help him, not because I feel sorry for him, but because G-d commanded us to go out of our way to help another person.
When I do a mitzva, I should be thinking not of the reward G-d will give me for fulfilling His will, but of the fact that I am fulfilling His will. When I am studying the Torah, I should be doing so not because it is intellectually edifying or interesting, but because it is His wisdom and He asked us to explore it.

On Rosh Hashana, our acceptance of G-d as King should have at its core a yearning to know true Sovereignty, and see G-d "reign over the entire world in His glory... and reveal Himself in the majesty of His glorious might over all inhabitants" with the coming of Moshi-ach. May it be speedily in our days.

From Keeping in Touch, published by Sichos In English