The world is falling apart, right?
No, the world is not falling apart. The world of Edom is falling apart and the world of Yishmoel is falling apart, but the world of Torah is about to be re-born in complete accordance with the writings of our Neviim andChazal.
Last week I quoted the words of Ovadiah ha Novi. Our grandson, Shmuel ha Kohain Hess, pointed out one possuk which I had quoted, but about which I had not commented. The possuk reads, “Behold, on that day – the word of Hashem – I will eradicate wise men from Edom and understanding from the Mountain of Esav.” (Ovadiah 1:8)
The fact is that today, the leaders of the Western nations are acting in a way that is devoid of wisdom. It should be a sign to us that the only direction in this universe comes from the King of Kings and not from the actions of foolish mankind. As Shlomo ha Melech says, “Rabos machashavos … Many designs are in man’s heart, but only the counsel of Hashem will prevail.” (Mishlei 19:21)
Chazal tell us that “The Holy One, Blessed is He, said ‘On Rosh Hashanah recite before Me [verses of Hashem’s] Sovereignty, Remembrance [of all events] and Shofar blasts ….” (Rosh Hashanah 16a, 34b) According to this Gemara, the three elements of Rosh Hashanah are Hashem’s Sovereignty, His Remembrance of all events and the Shofar blasts.
Last week we discussed Sovereignty, the significance of Rosh Hashanah as the anniversary of the Sixth Day of Creation, the day mankind was created. Mankind -- with our free will -- is the only creation in the universe capable of choosing voluntarily to crown Hashem King.
This is our avoda on Rosh Hashanah: we choose to make Hashem King over us!
The second element of Rosh Hashanah is Zichronos, Remembrance. We desire that the image of us which arises before Hashem should be one of loyalty to Him and His Torah. For this reason we try to elevate ourselves, especially during Chodesh Elul. We desire that the image of ourselves which arises before Hashem should show improvement in character in order that we merit a good judgment in His eyes. Skeptics can say, “He is only trying to make himself look good in Elul, but he will forget about it after Yom Kippur,” but the truth is that every Yid wants in his or her heart to make the improvement real and lasting.
What about Shofar? Last year we lacked Shofar on the First Day of Rosh Hashanah and the result was catastrophic. But on this Rosh Hashanah, unlike last year, the Voice of the Shofar will advocate for us in the Heavenly Courts! What does that mean?
Think back, my friends, upon the events of this year. Do we have the words to express what happened to us? Can we describe the pain? Our utter helplessness to free the hostages! The gallant men of Israel – both the soldiers in the field and the soldiers in the Bais Medrash – all fighting for our victory in a year drenched with tears. What about the North? The constant attacks and disruption of daily life! All Israel is suffering! Where are the words to express our pain?
That is why we need the Shofar.
The cry of the shofar expresses what words cannot express, a cry deeper than the ocean and higher than the sky. The Shofar carries our heart and soul upward, speaking for us and saying, “Ana Hashem Hoshia Na! Ana Hashem hatzlicha Na … Please Hashem save us now! Please Hashem let us succeed in our total desire to serve You!”
This is the Voice we did not have last year and that we will b’ezras Hashem have this year. (This explanation was inspired by Rabbi Nosson Scherman’s lucid Overview to the Artscroll Rosh Hashanah Machzor.)
I want to tell you a story straight from the holy streets of Yerushalayim.
One day last week, I was walking to shul, wearing tallis and tefillin (which I always do when I am in the Holy Land). I was also carrying another precious item: a bag of garbage!
Why is garbage “precious?” Because I was carrying it for my wonderful wife. For Shalom Bayis even a bag of garbage becomes precious!
I heard a sound. What was it? The garbage truck making its early-morning rounds. Suddenly a garbage collector jumped off the truck and ran toward me. Please note: this man was not wearing a yarmulka. He shouted to me, “Tzaddik, give me the garbage!” Then he grabbed my garbage bag and threw it into the truck!
This apparently non-religious Jew sees a man walking to shul and he runs to help him because they are brothers and because the tallis and tefillin are precious in his eyes!
Is there another nation like this? “Mi k’amcha Yisroel goy echad b’aretz!”
Almighty G-d, in the merit of this tzaddik, the holy garbage man, in the merit of our deeply embedded achdus, I beg of You … Give us a year of Your Kingship!
Give us a year of achdus, sanity, peace, prosperity, healing, health, strength, glory, teshuva, nachas, simcha, techias ha maisim, give us Moshiach, give us the Bais Hamikdosh … give us a world without enemies, hatred, pain, a year in which our blood is not spilled, a year without bullets and missiles. Give us a year in which we make You proud!
“Let the [old] year and its curses end! Let the [new] year and its blessings begin!”
Ksiva v’chassima tova to Am Yisroel, the Holy Nation!
GLOSSARY
Acharis ha Yamim: the End of Days, the period preceding the revelation of Moshiach
Achdus: Jewish unity
Avoda: spiritual work
Chazal: The rabbis of the Mishnah and Talmud
Edom: Western World Culture
Elul: the Jewish month before Rosh Hashanah
Ger: convert
Lehavdil: indicating separation between two totally different entities
Techias hamaisim: resurrection of the dead
Yishmoel: the Moslem world