Introspection

Freely translated and adapted

18 Elul, 5744 [1984]
To the Sons and Daughters of Our People Israel, Everywhere
G-d bless you all!

Greeting and Blessing:

Bearing in mind that the last twelve days of Elul, beginning with Chai
((18) Elul, are days of introspections relating to the months of the outgoing year, each day corresponding to its respective month -

It is especially appropriate to extend to each of you, in the midst of all our Jewish people, the traditional and all inclusive blessing of "a good and sweet year" both materially and spiritually.

All the more so, since the said introspection, although it is a personal one, made by every Jew for himself, it is at the same time also an introspection which everyone makes as part of the whole Jewish people.

The purpose of the said introspection, an honest self-appraisal, is that it should determine most resolutely one's correct behaviour in the everyday life of the coming year. This is also indicated and emphasized in the name of the festival - Rosh Hashana - meaning that in addition to being the "beginning" of the year, it is also, and essentially, the "head" of the year: Just as the head directs all the organs of the body, and it is only in this way that each organ carries out its purpose in the fullest measure, also as an organ per se - so should Rosh Hashana direct and animate each and every day of the year, in all particulars of the daily life, in order that the person should attain his or her fulfilment according to the design of the Creator.

Through the fulfilment of the human being, also the entire created order in all its four divisions: domem, (inanimate), tzomeyach (vegetable), chai (animal), and medabber (man, the "speaker") - attains its fulfilment, both individually and collectively .

This is also underscored by the fact that Rosh Hashana has been designated to take place not on the first day of Creation, but on the sixth - the day when the first man, Adam, was created; and with his creation, the entire created order was concluded and completed, and through man's fulfilment all of Creation is fulfilled.

Because the order and purpose of Creation is that the inanimate (mineral), in addition to its task of serving its own end, should sustain (and be absorbed into) plant life, and thereby be elevated to the "world" of the vegetable; and the latter should sustain, and thereby be elevated to, the animal world; and all three - animal, vegetable and mineral - should support and serve mankind, and thereby become part of, and be elevated to, the world of man, "the chosen one of all creatures."

And through man's serving the Creator, man and (through him) all the said four divisions of Creation attain their complete and perfect fulfilment.

Indeed, as our Sages of blessed memory declare, this was attained in the very same day that the first man was created, when Adam immediately called upon all creatures, himself included: "Come, let us worship, bow down, and kneel, before G-d our Maker."

The said concept, namely, that the central point and original purpose of the whole created order is that it should attain perfect fulfilment - as it was attained when the Creator completed His creative work of the Six Days of Creation, in preparation for, and then by, the creation of man (Adam), and also that this fulfilment should be attained every day, year after year, through man's conduct in compliance with the teachings of the Torah -

[Can be actualized in] man's everyday service to his Creator:

After awakening from sleep, during which a person, with his intellect, abilities, knowledge, etc., is like an inanimate - yet it is the time when all forces of the soul and body should be refreshed and invigorated for serving G-d - one must rise from one's sleep, "immediately, with alacrity, to serve the Creator." Then one begins to grow ever higher through the fulfilment of the Creator's commandments, such as washing the hands, reciting the Morning blessings, etc., in preparation for the Morning Prayer; then one goes on to carry out the Divine edict, "and conquer (the world)," going about one's worldly affairs in the manner of "All your actions shall be for the sake of Heaven" - actions that involve all four categories of Creation (inanimate, vegetable, animal and man), the world all around, which one accomplishes with the aid of one's nefesh habehamis ("animal soul"). Thus, one attains the complete fulfilment expected of the "chosen creature" by "creating an abode for Him, blessed be He, in this lowest world," which is the ultimate purpose and fulfilment of the whole created order.

All this also brings closer the true and complete Redemption through Moshiach Tzidkeinu,

With esteem and blessing for success in all above, and that you be written and sealed for a good and sweet year, both materially and spiritually,