Oneg Machzor Companion

DIVREI TORAH ON THE MACHZOR

מחזורThe OnegMachzor Companion

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THE ONEG MACHZOR COMPANION 3

DIVREI TORAH ON THE MACHZOR

מחזורThe OnegMachzor Companion


4 THE ONEG MACHZOR COMPANION

Rabbi Jonny RoodynAish UK and General Editor of Oneg Machzor Companion

INTRODUCTION

The forty days of Elul, Rosh Hashanah, Aseres Yemei Teshuvah (10 Days of Repentance) and Yom Kippur are the most powerful time in our calendar. They are known as the Yemei Haratzon, “days of desire”, our desire to recalibrate and return to a healthy sense of ruchnius (spirituality) and of Hashem’s desire to accept our teshuvah.

The tefillos of these days provide us with a framework through which we can express our greatest hopes, dreams and desires. On Rosh Hashanah, we set our priorities and think big. We look at the broader picture and daven for a perfected world where Hashem’s presence is readily felt by all of mankind. We ask Hashem, that we, Klal Yisrael, should be His faithful agents in bringing about a state of geulah (redemption) and that He should bless us individually and communally with all that we need to fulfil this most noble function.

The days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are a time for introspection, to reflect as to whether our actions really reflect our values. We invest more time and effort in our davening and mitzvah observance. We strive to make a change for the better even before we have reached the climax of these forty days – Yom Kippur.

By the time we have reached Yom Kippur, we are able to rise above our bodies and function on the level of melachim (angels) for a day. We are effectively spending 25 hours in shomayim (heaven), by deemphasising our physical needs and allowing our neshamos (souls) to soar to the greatest of heights. The purpose of Yom Kippur is to reach a state of tahara (purity), not to spend a day reliving our aveiros (sins), but to be so repulsed by our misdemeanours that we can honestly say, ‘That’s

not really me. That’s not who I want to be.’ When we stop identifying with those aveiros, we reach the state of purification necessary to achieve total forgiveness and a re-establishment of our natural state of being, one of connection to Hashem.

The tefillos of the Yomim Noroim are the ultimate vehicle to express these concepts. The challenge is that many of them are unfamiliar to us as we only say them a few times a year. Those prayers that are familiar to us, we often say by rote. The only way to fully appreciate and identify with the tefillos is to spend some time learning about them, what the words mean

and what the message is behind them.

It is with a great sense of privilege that we present the Oneg Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur Companion. This is clearly not a machzor and in no way comes to replace any of the davening. However, it does provide insights to enhance your tefillos and will hopefully improve the kavana (intentions) that you will have when you say them. We hope that you will spend time reading these articles, not instead of davening but during the many free hours that we have over the

Yom Tov period, so that these tefillos will be more meaningful for you.

This sense of privilege is coupled with a feeling of pride that this initiative has come from our kehilla of North West London (and further afield). We thank all those who have contributed articles as well as our sponsors who have given generously to make this dream into a reality.

May Hashem accept all our tefillos favourably and may we see the realisation of all of our hopes, dreams and aspirations both personally and for all of Klal Yisrael this year.

Introduction



אלול Rabbi Joseph Kaye

Chaplain for University Jewish Chaplaincy & Life Coach for Kitov

BE A WINNER / A REASON TO WIN

If you were to type into Amazon, ‘personal development’, thousands of results would appear. Each book and audio result suggests that they have the secret tool for life to achieve massive success.

This leaves you more than a little confused as to what, at the end of the day, is that one all-important tool?

That secret weapon is one word: knowledge. Do you agree with me? I sure hope not! Why it can’t possibly be knowledge?! How many of us know that we should change our eating habits, to better our relationships, to undertake career change, and yet we don’t? I guess that unfortunately this description may fit too many of us.

So what is that one tool that makes all the difference? That all important weapon is, Action. Massive Action.

When Steve Jobs was asked for the secret to his success, he answered ‘Action’.

When you start taking action, you start getting results. It makes no matter what the results are. The fact of the matter is that you are now further away from where you started, and you are much closer to where you want to be. Even if the particular result is deemed a failure, there really is no such thing as failure. There is only feedback. As Gordon Ramsay says, ‘my first restaurant failed, but that made me into the success that I am now’. No actions means no results. No actions means that you stay in the same place without obtaining enormous amounts of knowledge, experience, time management skills, and many other qualities .

That leaves us with one all-encompassing question… What can get us to take action?

Avraham decided to take steps to find a wife for Yitzchak by asking Eliezer to take on this task but getting him to first make a shevuah (an oath). What’s going on? Wasn’t Eliezer the trustworthy servant who ran Avraham’s entire household? So why the change in attitude? Why, now, the sudden distrust towards Eliezer?

The Shem Mishmuel answers that Avraham never doubted Eliezer’s loyalty, but he recognised that human beings have enormous reservoirs of strength… but only if they are absolutely determined to persevere. By imposing the shevuah, Avraham guaranteed that Eliezer would persist in the mission.

Avraham understood that as long as he was alive, their relationship would serve as a powerful reason and motivating force for Eliezer to continue the search for a wife. But if Avraham would pass away before the mission was complete, then that powerful reason would weaken, to the extent that Eliezer could stop taking action in the search for a wife. So Avraham realised that Eliezer needed a powerful reason in a scenario where he may no longer be around. The shevuah was intended to serve as the powerful reason in that specific scenario to motivate Eliezer to finish the mission.

Reasons create action. Powerful and compelling reasons create massive action. When you have a strong enough reason to achieve something, you find a way, even if the odds are stacked against you.

That’s exactly what hitting ‘rock bottom’ is. So many people make the change and reach their goals only after they cannot get any lower. Simply put, they now have a powerful reason to make that change – so that they never return to that place called ‘rock bottom’ again.

However, there is really no need to wait to hit rock bottom in order to change your circumstances. Remember that resolutions without powerful reasons will result in no action. Resolutions with powerful reasons will propel you to make it happen, no matter what. This Elul, let’s give ourselves the best fighting chance to achieve our all our new goals and commitments for the New Year. So hopefully, the time that next Elul comes around, we can be truly proud of our yearly accomplishments.

לעי"נצבי אשר בן פנחס מאיר ז"ל


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אלול Pamela Simonsson

Director of Learning of Jewish Studies at Hasmonean High Girls' School

“I WAIT FOR YOU”

Perfectly crafted petals fashioned into a scented embrace; a rose. A tool, with spell-binding intricacy, through which G-d whispers in man's ear: "I wait for you".

Whilst reflecting at this auspicious time of year, the Jewish soul contemplates the word "Ayeka?" "Where are you?" that was G-d's first question to man and is the continuous prompt to examine our spiritual standing (as taught by Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi on Bereishis 3:9). Transfixed, we become despondent at the unpalatable challenge that lies ahead about how to mend our ways. Yet, from our Father in Heaven, a gift awaits. The formula lies in the depiction of the Jewish People as a rose.

G-d promises: "I will be like dew to Israel, he will blossom like a rose..." (Hosea 14:6). The Sages explain that G-d will redeem His People when they turn their hearts heavenward like the upward facing rose (Yalkut). When we shift our longing gaze towards G-d, we can transcend the barriers of human thought and experience true blossoming.

Israel declares: "I am a rose of the Sharon, a rose of the valleys" (Shir Hashirim 2:1). "Ha'amakim" ("the valleys") can also mean "the depths". Even when a person feels disconnected from their Maker, G-d peers into the depths of their heart. The Jewish heart, dormant perhaps yet ever-present, is purity at its core. The inner essence of the Jewish heart yearns to call out and blossom once again. G-d urges only to "open up for Me" (Shir Hashirim 5:2), like the size of a needle-point, an opening of repentance. And He promises Divine assistance to transform this small aperture wide enough that metaphoric “wagons and carriages” can enter through (Midrash). Miraculous spiritual awakening, the guidance

we seek, ranges from the tiniest effort to move towards G-d. Here any good deed, any triumph over the evil inclination, counts. The condition is that the effort must be durable, representative of permanent resolve (Rav Dessler). Then G-d will shower His blessing as the Midrash states: “When You [G-d] deepen your gaze at me, I become saturated with good deeds like a rose and utter a song of praise to You”.

The rose stands out. It is unique, vulnerable, and powerful. Our one prayer, one plea for intervention, one glance toward G-d, has the ability to pierce the heavens and provide a receptacle for Divine assistance.

The rose is fragile with its petals amongst thorns but is still strong. The wind tilts the rose and the thorn pricks it. Nonetheless the rose returns to its upright stance, its petals facing upwards. The Jew in exile is "as a rose among thorns..." (Shir Hashirim 2:2), steadfastly positioning his heart heavenward despite oppression (based on Midrashic interpretation). The Divrei Yedidiah elaborates that this means that G-d accompanies the Jewish people in exile. He awaits for those moments of redemption when He will 'pluck them

up' from amidst other nations. This is in fulfilment of the phrase Israel says that G-d has "descended...to pick roses" (Shir Hashirim 6:2).

At this time of Divine favour, the month of Elul, may we be vulnerable, look towards our Maker whose kindness knows no bounds, with our uniqueness, our broken-hearted yearning to rely on His ways, to rely on His patient, understanding ways. May we flourish like an open rose in response to dew from Heaven, to merit both personal and national redemption.



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תשובה Jo Jacobson

Jewish Studies teacher, Wolfson Hillel

LOVE AND AWE – THE PATH TO REFLECTION

It is often said that the most practical way to prepare oneself for Rosh Hashanah, is to undertake a Cheshbon HaNefesh (literally an “accounting of the soul”) and reflect on the activities of the past year. Whilst there is no doubt that this is an immensely valuable activity, in order to truly benefit from this process, we need to first contemplate the essence of our relationship with Hashem.

Each individual exists in order to fulfil their own particular purpose that fits as part of the Jewish whole. Yet that role only has real meaning because Hashem gave us the freedom to choose the extent to which we fulfil that purpose – as well as the fallibility to err. Even Adam HaRishon (the first man) managed to stumble, despite being privy to the clearest perception of Hashem’s reality.

Fortunately, when Hashem created the world, the method through which we can mend our errors was sewn into its very fabric. Teshuvah (literally “returning”) is one of the fundamental facets of our relationship with Hashem. It allows us to make our choices. However, should we subsequently and genuinely regret those very choices, we are able to wipe our spiritual slate clean. Just as a child who can build himself up following a fall is a source of pride, not anger to his parents and teachers, so too, does Hashem relates to us with pride, not anger, when we acknowledge our mistakes and seek to rectify them.

We have two mitzvot which underpin our relationship with Hashem: Ahavat Hashem, love of Hashem, and Yirat Hashem, awe of Hashem. Though the former is a ‘higher’ level, a combination of both these modes of behaviour, are fundamental to our relationship. In accordance with these two elements, there are two diff erent types of Teshuvah, and one provides a foundation for the other. We begin with Teshuvah M’Yirah, returning prompted by awe, whereby

our inner desires are unchanged, but where we have a valuable future awareness of the seriousness of straying from our purpose. Teshuvah M’Yirah returns us spiritually to the same level we were on before we erred. We therefore retain the same ‘fault lines’ and retain the same potential to stumble upon similar circumstances in the future. However, when we do Teshuvah M’Ahavah, returning

through love, we align our inner will to fi t with the will of Hashem to the point where going against His will becomes inconceivable to us. Teshuvah M’Ahavah raises our spiritual level higher than it was before we erred – as though we have patched up a fault line so the risk in that area is removed. This idea echoes the Rambam’s writings on Teshuvah.

Only through integrating Yirat Hashem and Ahavat Hashem, can we expect to undertake a true Cheshbon HaNefesh to reflect upon our past and make decisions for the future – especially the forthcoming year.



סליחות Rabbi Rephoel Zev Godlewsky

The Edgware Torah Centre

MAKING THE MOST OUT OF SELICHOS – THE YUD GIMMEL MIDDOS (HASHEM HASHEM...)

“Vaya’avor Hashem al Ponov, Vayikra…”

The Gemara in Rosh Hashana (17b) tells of how Hashem, wrapped in a tallis like a chazzan before a congregation, demonstrated to Moshe Rabbeinu a special order of prayer known as the 13 Attributes of Mercy. Contained within was an unprecedented power of forgiveness, and a promise that whenever Bnei Yisroel would recite it, we would not go unanswered.

Unlike other tefilos of supplication, where we beseech Hashem for His help and invoke the z’chus (merit) of our ancestors, the 13 Attributes of Mercy involve only the mere mention of His middos and that in itself has the effect of awakening Hashem’s compassion. The effect of this tefiloh is beyond comparison with that of any of the other supplicatory prayers.

Rachum, V’Chanun

The fourth and fifth of the 13 Attributes of Mercy are the middos of ‘Rachum' and ‘Chanun’ respectively, both of which mean ‘compassion’. Tosfos explains that the two words refer to Hashem’s compassion in two different situations. Rachum describes the compassion of Hashem when he prevents a tragedy from occuring, whereas Chanun describes Hashem’s compassion when a person calls out in the midst of his anguish.

Tosfos cites an example where the Torah uses the word ‘Chanun’:

We find in Parshas Mishpatim (Shemos 22:27) the case of a lender who takes collateral from a borrower who is so poor he only owns his clothing and his bedding. The Torah says that in the evening, the lender must return the bedding to the borrower. Hashem warns us, “if you allow him to go to sleep without his pillow, he will cry out to me – ve shomaati ki chanun ani - and I will listen to his cry, for I am compassionate”. Even though the lender is fully entitled to take security against the loan, the middah of Chanun (compassion in the midst of anguish) cannot bear this level of pain to be caused to another Jew.

Along similar lines, in the time of the Chofetz Chaim there was a family that could no longer afford to pay their rent. One cold, winter night after several warnings and threats, the landlord forcefully evicted the family and all their belongings, leaving

them homeless. When the Chofetz Chaim heard about this incident he said that Hashem would not let this pass ignored. Many years later the landlord suffered a terrible death and the Chofetz Chaim attributed it to way the landlord acted so mercilessly against this family, even though the landlord was certainly entitled to collect rent.

The Gemara in Taanis (25b) talks of a time when there was a terrible famine caused by a lack of rain. In response, the Rabannon decreed several fasts. R' Eliezer acted as shaliach tzibur and said 24 special brochos of supplication but they remained unanswered. R Akiva then followed with the tefiloh of Avinu Malkeinu. Immediately rain came pouring down. The Rabonnon attributed it to R' Akiva being greater that R' Eliezer, until a Bas Kol (a heavenly voice) announced that it was only because R' Akiva had the special middah of being ‘maavir al midosov’ (suppressing one's attributes). As the people were not deserving of rainfall, only the tefilos of R' Akiva, who excelled at showing compassion, even where it wasn't deserved, could awaken Hashem's Mercy.

If we want to merit Hashem’s Rachum and Chanun ourselves, we must work on the middah of being maavir al medosov - showing compassion, even when we feel it is not deserved.

During selichos, the 13 Attributes of Mercy are repeated again and again. It is not uncommon for the congregation to rush through them in an undertone while other parts are said slowly and with chazanos. However, the fact that the yud gimmel middos appear so many times in the selichos (as well as appearing many times on Kol Nidrei night and in Neila) is an indicator of their central importance in the selichos. This is because no other tefiloh carries with it a bris kerusa – a sealed covenant that we will never be turned away empty handed. Viewed from this perspective, it wouldn't be far off from the truth to say that the Pizmonim (liturgy) in between serve to lead up to the next recital of the 13 Attributes of Mercy.

With this in mind, we would be wise to ensure our focus during the selichos is on saying the 13 Attributes of Mercy with kavano (intention) and hislahavus (fervour).

GOLD BOX


לע''נר' יעקב פסח בן ר' מרדכי מרקל נלב''ע כ'ג אלול תשמ''ט



סליחות Rabbi Hamer

Rav Finchley Federation, Executive Director, Shaarei Orah

SELICHOT

As we draw closer to Rosh Hashana, we remind ourselves of the importance of Teshuva and consider all possible strategies to ensure that we receive an atonement and are inscribed in the Book of Life. One of our most important weapons is the recitation of shlosh esrei middos harachamim, the 13 Attributes of Mercy. The Sages say that this is an extremely effective way of coming closer to Hashem. The Gemara (Rosh Hashana 17b), says in reference to these powerful words, Hashem says, im ya’asu bo’nai le’fonay k’seder ha’zeh – if My children do this before Me, in this way, they will receive atonement.

There is a famous discussion regarding how we unleash the power of the shlosh esrei middos harachamim. Is it sufficient to just say them or do we need to in some way emulate and internalise them? There are opinions who say that the only way these words will prove to be effective is to the extent that we, ourselves, act in a similar manner to our fellow Jews. Merely saying them, but not acting in kind, is insufficient. Others argue and hold that this formula is so powerful, merely saying the words together as a congregation will unlock its mystical power. The Bnei Yissoschor quotes Rav Pinchos Horowitz (author of Sefer Haflo’ah, Panim Yafos) who says we should be able to bring a proof and resolve this controversy from the 13 attributes themselves!

Granted most of them are characteristics which we could, in theory, emulate. The first one, however, we cannot! The first one in the list is ‘Keil’ which means G-d, which has a very specific connotation of kindness. We see this in several places, most clearly, in the passuk, Chesed Keil kol hayom, Keil/G-d does kindness the whole day. We cannot emulate the actual trait of Keil which means that He is G-d! If so, says Rav Horowitz, it must be that one need not emulate

these traits in order to unleash their power but merely to say them.

He goes on to say that this is what we mean to say in the selichos when we say, Keil horeisa lanu lomar sh’losh esreh. Normally we would translate this as “Keil/G-d, you have taught us to say these 13 attributes”. In light of what we are saying, it can be understood. We can prove through

the trait of Keil that one need not emulate the trait but can just say it. Keil – horeisa lanu, “Through our absolute inability to emulate this particular trait, you have clarified and taught us it is sufficient, lomar sh’losh esreh, just to say the 13 Attributes!”

After Esther and Mordechai had prayed to Hashem to annul Haman’s decree, Esther said, Keili, Keili, lama azavtani, “My G-d! My G-d! Why have you left me? Why did she use the name Keil in her tefillah? She was saying: “I know that just by saying the 13 Attributes your compassion is aroused. Why am I convinced of this? Because the first on

the list is the trait of Keil! One cannot possibly emulate that trait and it must be that saying it is enough. If so, lama azavtani?! Why have you left me? I have said the 13 Middos HaRachamaim!?

Notwithstanding Rav Horowitz’s proof, it seems that the minhag Yisroel is to err on the side of caution and endeavour to actually emulate these traits to the best of our ability. Many have the custom, therefore, to learn Rav Moshe Cordevero’s Tomer Devorah, which explains how to practically cultivate these 13 Attributes and make them a reality in our lives.

May we merit to both, lomar shlosh esreh, say the 13 Middos HaRachamim and make them an integral part of our life!

לרפואת דניאל בן רחללהצלחת שמואל אליעזר בן משה דב הלוי



התרת נדרים Rabbi Yehoshua Frickers

Kollel Halacha Berura

A GUIDE TO THE FORMULA OF HATTORAS NEDORIM (ANNULMENT OF VOWS)

NB: It must be noted that if a person has a vow that he knows about he should seek a proper annulment rather than relying on this formula alone.

Listen please, my masters, expert Dayonim

שמעו נא רבותי דיינים מומחים

Hattoras Nedorim can be performed either by three laymen or by one highly-qualified expert. The three laymen must have at least a general knowledge of the annulment of vows (281:1). A Beis Din for Hattoras Nedorim does not have the same requirements as a Beis Din dealing with jurisprudence. One difference being that a relative may also perform Hattoras Nedorim.

Every vow or oath כל נדר או שבועה

A shavua or neder is essentially a way of creating new issurim (prohibitions) on items or deeds that are otherwise permitted.

Vows fall under one of two categories:

• Neder – This creates a prohibition on an item, so that the item henceforth becomes one that is forbidden to the person.

• Shavua - This creates an obligation (or prohibition) on the person either to do, or not to do, something.

Whilst awake or in a dream בהקיץ או בחלום

The Gemara says that someone who, whilst asleep, dreamed that he was placed in a Nidui (ostracised) must seek annulment as this is a form of vow. Some poskim hold that if one envisions himself making a vow in a dream, it also requires annulment. Other poskim say that only a Nidui requires annulment, because the dream has revealed that the person is found wanting. The Shulchan Aruch (210:2) rules that one should seek annulment. In this case the annulment ideally requires ten men.

And any form of prohibition וכל שום איסור

We shall now elaborate on expressions that are valid as a Neder.

Using any term of prohibition בכל לשון של איסור

Whilst there are specific terms that denote a neder, if one uses a term that colloquially denotes a Shavua or a Neder, it is also binding as a Neder (Kinui and Yodos 206:207).

Whether expressing a prohibition בין בלשון איסור

Even if one does not utilise a variant of a term of Neder but, for example, says “All types of a certain food are forbidden to me” with the intention of creating a Neder, these food stuffs thereby become forbidden as a Neder (204:1).

And any commitment וכל שום קבלה

Elaborating on terms that are forms of Shavuos:

Including commitments confirmed by handshake (339:2)

וגם הנעשה בתקיעת כף

If a handshake is done as a way of affirming one’s commitment, then it is a Shavua. However, the same does not apply to a handshake used to confirm a business deal.




And including any Mitzva (good deed) to which I have accustomed myself (214)

ובין שום מנהג של מצוה שנהגתי את עצמי

This formula is probably the most common way of entering into a Neder.

As a result of adopting and performing a meritorious deed (e.g. davening at sunrise), one is now considered as having made a vow, and he is therefore obligated to continue.

And all utterances that I may have spoken

וכל מוצא שפתי שיצא מפי

Merely announcing that one intends to perform a meritorious deed creates a binding obligation even without having expressed any term of Shavua (213:2). This concept is derived from the Halacha that one must honour a verbal commitment made to charity.

On all of these things I regret having ever made them

בכולהון אתחרטנא בהון מעקרא

The essence of Hattoras Nedorim is to demonstrate that the vow had been created at the outset on a mistaken basis. This then allows it to be considered null and void "automatically".

In order to achieve this, the Dayan performing the Hattoro must be able to ascertain that the person did not enter into the vow with a full commitment or with sincere intention.

There are two methods that enable the Dayan to do so:

• Pesach (an Opening) – This establishes that one did not take all consequences of the vow into consideration.

• Charoto (Regret) – This demonstrates that one regrets ever having made the vow.

A Pesach is specific to each and every vow and is not suitable for general Hattoras Nedorim. Consequently, Charoto is the method that is utilised.

I do not have remorse ואין אני תוהא

If the vow involves the adopting of a meritorious deed, one does not want to express regret at having performed the meritorious deed, since in doing so, he will forfeit the reward. Instead, one should express regret at having created a binding obligation upon oneself.

In truth, strictly speaking (228:14)

והנה מצד הדין

A person may have accepted a vow that is best left untouched (e.g. a vow that safeguards one from sin) such that a Dayan would not annul it. Therefore, normally one must detail the contents and context of the vow, in order to allow the Dayan to evaluate whether or not the vow is suitable to be annulled.

Here, one excuses oneself for not providing these details in order to allay suspicion that one is withholding details that might disqualify the vow from annulment.

All shall become permissible (228:3)

הכל יהיו מותרים לך

The formula of annulment should be recited three times as a way of reinforcing and confirming the annulment.

With this I am declaring (211:1)

הריני מוסר מודעה

This is a declaration that renders null and void all future vows. If one subsequently does make a vow, it is voided by default. This rule is provided that one had forgotten about his declaration at the time of making the vow.

There are differing opinions amongst the poskim as to when and how this declaration is effective, therefore, the declaration can be relied upon only in extenuating circumstances.



תפילה Rabbi Zvi Gefen

Aish UK

SHOULD WE DAVEN FOR OUR PERSONAL NEEDS?

There are different opinions whether or not someone is allowed to ask for his personal requests on Rosh Hashanah.

But one thing is for sure. Chazal didn’t include them in davening. So, whether it is allowed or not is up for debate among the poskim, but it is certainly not our focus. Why not? Shouldn’t we be using this Eis Ratzon, auspicious time, to daven for our personal needs?

In truth, the central focus of Rosh Hashanah is to proclaim Hashem as King. But what does that mean? It is an expression of the innermost desire within a person’s soul. We have to see ourselves as people who desire and feel at home with spiritual growth. We want to be in control and rule over our base instincts in order to move towards living according to the innermost desire of our soul to follow the Yetzer Hatov. That means identifying with Malchiyus, the Kingship of Hashem.

Spending Rosh Hashanah thinking about our personal needs or worrying about what will be in the coming year will surely detract from what the day is supposed to be. Personal needs and worries should be pushed aside by feelings of Malchus Shomayim, crowning Hashem as King of the world and bringing the world to this realisation. This must be the only thing on our minds. Everything else should be trivial.

But it goes deeper than that. Sometimes personal requests contradict man making Hashem into a King over him.

The way most people understand Kabbolas malchus shomayim is “accepting the yoke of Heaven” or “belief in one

G-d”. Maybe in the past there used to be idols that people would want to bow down to. But today what is the alternative? Sure, the believing Jew believes in the Oneness of G-d. So what are we doing by saying that we proclaim Hashem as our King?

Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits explains that it means the understanding that Hashem knows what he is doing. It is about knowing that Hashem is goodness, that everything he does for every one of us, including our challenges and troubles, is only for the best. We have total confidence that it all has meaning. Nothing could be better in my life. If these things

weren’t the best things for me, then they wouldn’t have happened.

That is truly accepting Hashem as King over ourse lves .

Let us not spend the whole Rosh Hashanah telling Him how to run the world: “If only You would give me more money, better health, an easier time with the kids etc. Anything that could imply that life could be so much better is a contradiction to what the day is all about!

Rosh Hashanah is a time to “let go”. There must only be one thing on our minds: to proclaim Hashem as the King of all kings.

We spend much of Rosh Hashana emphasising how Hashem is our King. Let us remember what that means: that Hashem is a loving King and is the source of only good. If we can internalise that, then we can emerge from Rosh Hashana triumphant.

לעי"נרבקה מירל בת ר' שמעיה ז"ל




ראש השנה Rebbetzin Shuli Liss

Highgate United Synagogue

TIME WATCH

Some see the hand of G-d in everything while others do not see it at all.

During the summer of 2005, a boy travelled into central London on the Underground every Thursday for choir practice. It was a long trip from his home and he needed to be there at 9:00am. One morning as the train was a couple of short stops away from his destination, he looked at his watch and saw that it was only 8:30am. There was a coffee shop across the street, so he figured he had enough time to stop off and get himself a cup of coffee and relax for a few minutes before getting back on the train and going to practice. Shortly after he exited the train he heard a deafening explosion, he turned and saw that his train had blown up. With tears running down his face, he saw the mayhem that ensued. Sirens blared as ambulances were rushing to the scene, he tried to call home but the phone lines weren't working. He started walking home and two hours later, he walked through the door. He found his parents sobbing and crying and as soon as they saw him, they rejoiced, "You're alive!"

They told him that there had been a terror attack on the London underground system at 8:50am that morning. He replied "No it wasn't, it was at 8:30am!"

"That's wrong" his parents argued "all the news stations reported that it took place at 8:50am”.

The boy looked at his watch and his mouth dropped. His watch had stopped and still read 8:30am. Hashem had orchestrated events that his broken watch made him think

that he had enough time for a cup of coffee and therefore get off the train which ultimately led to saving his life.

This boy told his story to Rabbi Shlomo Farhi of Aish UK who asked him "Do you still have the watch?"

"Yes, and I will give it to you as a gift. I know clearly that Hashem loves me and He saved my life."

I read this story in Rabbi Asher's book "Living Emunah" (Artscroll 2014). There, he quoted the teaching of the Zohar that we should focus our lives to strengthen our relationship with Hashem. The closer a person is to Hashem, the more assistance is available from Him. Success in life comes from Hashem. So we should not waste our time looking for it elsewhere. The more we look up to Hashem in our lives, the more we connect to Him and the more tranquil our lives will be.

Rosh Hashanah is an excellent time to look over the past year. Although many of us will not find miracles of a similar magnitude in our personal lives, we can find small daily miracles or messages of

love from Hashem but only if we are truly looking for them. Life is short, and after it, we will move onto the next world where the only reality is spirituality. All the physical items we spent so much time on in this world will become worthless. The only thing that we will have left is our connection with Hashem. Let us therefore use this time wisely and press ahead to forge a true, deep relationship with Hashem.

Excerpt reproduced from "Living Emunah" by Rabbi Asher with permission of the copyright holders, ArtScroll / Mesorah Publications, Ltd.



ראש השנה Rebbetzin Kimberley Schwartz

Aish Nottingham

HEAD START

Rosh Hashanah has been identified as the “Jewish New Year” for centuries. In actual fact, the literal translation of Rosh Hashanah is “Head of the Year”. There is no mention of newness here.

Our Sages teach us that each holiday corresponds to a different part of the human body. Indeed, Rosh Hashanah corresponds to the “head”. What is it about Rosh Hashanah that relates to the “head”? What insight does this provide us to our understanding of the fundamentals and foundation of Rosh Hashanah?

All other body parts are limited to an interaction with the immediate. Arms, for example, can only reach as far as they can physically extend. A hand can only pick up an object that fits inside the palm. Legs can only take steps based upon the stretch of their length but not further. As physical parts of the human anatomy, these bodily parts are, by definition, limited to their interaction with that which is immediate, tangible, close and present.

The human head, though, is not limited in the same way. The eyes are able to see stars thousands of light years away. The ears are able to hear sounds over great distances. The nose is able to sense and distinguish smells from a wide radius. The human brain is able to comprehend abstract and complex concepts. Both conscious and subconscious thoughts originate from our heads which is the control centre of the body and place of decision making. Our heads

are, forgive the pun, head and shoulders above the rest!

This is what is conveyed by the name of Rosh Hashanah – “head” of the year. This is the time period when we can get beyond that which we can immediately grasp

and contemplate. The abilities that a person has on this day as compared to every other day of the year mirror the difference in ability between the head and the rest of the body. Rosh Hashanah is the “head”, and therefore lets us focus, so to speak, on our unlimited potential. Here we can appreciate that which is beyond our immediate sphere and to make decisions that will affect us in the future.

According to tradition, Rosh Hashanah marks the birth of humanity as the day upon which Adam was created (Rosh Hashanah 10b-11a). Adam’s nature and potential was truly without limit. With one aveirah (transgression), however, he destroyed paradise and was expelled from the Garden of Eden. On Rosh Hashanah, every individual is similarly encouraged to identify with their own limitless potential― and then to commit to a path of action that will build the

world rather than to destroy it.

If we are able to take advantage of the unique messages of Rosh Hashanah, to understand that we need to use our “heads” and connect with that which is beyond the immediate, we will have not only a happy New Year but also a great “head start”.




תקעו בחודש שופר Rabbi Elie Schoemann

Rabbinical Coordinator, KLBD.

THE WORLD IS JUDGED

The Mishna (Rosh Hashanah 16) says:

The world is judged at four periods of the year. On Pesach the world is judged on the Harvest of the Field. On Shavuos the world is judged on Fruit of the Tree. On Rosh Hashanah all beings of the world pass before Hashem like מרון The Mishna brings a] .בני Posuk from Tehillim to prove this last point]: “Who fashions their heart together, who understands all their deeds” – This is understood to mean that on the day that Hashem created their hearts (referring to the creation of man on Rosh Hashanah), He understands, i.e. analyses and judges all their deeds. On Succos the world is judged on the Water.

The Ran asks: what is the source for these judgments on these days? He answers that the source for our judgment on Rosh Hashanah is from the Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 8) from the verse “Blow the Shofar on the month that is covered by the Chag”, Which Chag is it that covers up the month? This is Rosh Hashanah. The verse continues “This is a statute for Yisroel, justice for the G-d of Yaakov”– it is the occasion when Klal Yisroel will be judged. The other three periods of judgment (Pesach, Shavuos and Succos) are derived from their respective unique korbonos which, the Ran explains, correspond and parallel to those matters that Hashem is judging the world about – namely the Harvest (Pesach), Fruit (Shavuos) and Water (Succos).

If all the beings in the world are being judged on all their details for the up and coming year, asks the Ran, then surely their Harvest, Fruit and Water are also included in their judgment? If so, on what is Hashem judging the world on those other three occasions during the year? He answers that on the Three Festivals, Hashem judges the world in “general” terms, as to the quantity and quality of the worlds in Harvest, Fruit and Water. On Rosh Hashanah, however, each individual is judged regarding his own “personal” portion of these three.

The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 18) brings three explanations

as to what is meant by the expression: “On Rosh Hashanah all beings of the world pass before Hashem like the “בני .”מרון

1. The first one “מרון אמרנא is ”כבני like a flock of - כבני Sheep. Rashi explains that this is referring to when sheep are let out the pen through a narrow opening one at a time to be counted for maaser (tithes). So too, Hashem judges each being individually.

2. Reish Lakish offers a second interpretation; “כבני מרון” is Rashi explains this was a very narrow .כמעלות בית מרוןascent that one could only go up single file as there was a sheer drop on both sides of the pathway. So too, Hashem judges each being individually.

3. The third pshat from Rav Yehuda in the name of Shmuel; מרון“ דוד is ”כבני בית של like the army of – כחיילות House of David. Rashi explains the word “מרון” comes from מרות which can mean like אדנות - mastership. Just as the soldiers were counted one by one on their way out to war, so too, does Hashem judge each being individually.

The Maharsha says that these three 3 different explanations, refer to three groups of people: צדיקים, רשעים and בינונים.

1. The first interpretation כבני אמרנא - like a flock of Sheep – is referring to the group of רשעים that are sentenced to death like sheep being led to slaughter.

2. The second pshat is that כמעלות בית מרון – the narrow mountain path of בית מרון, is referring to the בינונים that have both merits and demerits; just like a person on a narrow mountain path with a sheer drop on either side of him whose fate is poised between life and death.

3. The third pshat is כחיילות של בית דוד - this is referring to the group of צדיקים, just like the soldiers of the House of David who had a prestigious family lineage (“Good Yichus”) (Kiddushin 76).



So there is no argument as בני מרון hints to all three groups, that are relevant to the Judgment ,בינונים and צדיקים רשעיםon Rosh Hashanah.

Perhaps we can borrow this idea and suggest an additional idea that the three explanations of בני מרון hint to the Three Festivals (Pesach, Shavuos, Succos) .

1. The first pshat, of the sheep, is referring to Pesach and the sheep hints at the Korbon Pesach.

2. The second pshat, of the mountain path, is referring to Shavuos and the mountain is hinting to Mount Sinai.

3. Finally, the third pshat of Dovid HaMelech’s Army, is referring by the term Succos (Succos 38) and in kabbalah that the Lulav is like a weapon to fight the war against the Satan.

Now if we can remember the Ran explained that on the Three Festivals, Hashem judges the world in “general” terms, as to the quantity and quality of the worlds in Harvest, Fruit and Water compared to Rosh Hashanah where each individual is judged regarding his own “personal” portion of these three. This connects with the explanations of מרון .בני

On Rosh Hashanah each individual is judged on his portion of what the world was ordained to receive on the Three Festivals. Each person passes before Hashem כבני namely to each of these three elements: the harvest – מרוןjudgment of Pesach, The Fruit judgment of Shavuos, and the Water judgment of Succos. Each person is judged about what his personal portion will be of these three elements, and this is all hinted to by these three explanations in the Gemara.




סמנים Rabbi Shimon Glickman

Director of Communal Activities, The JEC Leeds - Leeds Kollel

SIMANIM ON ROSH HASHANA NIGHT

On Rosh Hashanah evening, we dip the challah and apple in honey, and daven for a sweet new year. Many go through a whole range of simonim (symbolic foods), fish head, carrot, leeks etc. Indeed, we are told that the idea of simonim can be translated into any language and any pun. One would think that these things are a nice contemporary invention. Perhaps it’s a chassidishe inyan that somehow made its way into the broader Jewish world too. However, this is wholly incorrect. The minhag is actually brought down as a halacha in the Rema. What then is the source of such an interesting halacha?

Rosh Hashanah is yom haras olam, it is the anniversary of the day that Adam HaRishon was created. We view Rosh Hashanah as the day that Hashem annually remakes the world. In a sense, the world is actually coming into existence on Rosh Hashanah. When a new building is being constructed, there are two very distinct stages: the planning and the actual building work. In the planning process, if one would want to change the layout, it’s a matter of a few lines being erased and redrawn – a relatively easy task. However, once it is built to change a room or even a wall is a major job.

This is why the month of Elul is so important, with such enormous potential for growth. It is the planning stage. Everything we achieve over the month of Elul is creating the potential for the next year. By achieving the heights we strive for in Elul, we have prepared ourselves to be on a higher level when the New Year begins. We will thus be granted a higher, more spiritual year, seeing as the creation of the year happens on Rosh Hashanah, based on what we did to prepare ourselves beforehand.

The evening of Rosh Hashanah, which is already technically the New Year, but is before Adam HaRishon was created, is therefore the last chance. This is when a person realises that they are in a “now or never situation”. It is the ne’ilah (closing the door) of the planning stage. It is truly a time when im lo achshav eimosai, if not now, then when? Now if one isn’t ready for the New Year, then how will they be able to achieve the year they are davening for?

This is where the simonim come in. The world has been created, but man with his extra powers is not yet here. The ability to speak, the uniqueness of humanity, does not yet exist. However, we want to do all that we can to beg Hashem to grab these last precious moments of the planning stage. This is why we pray, not with words, but with actions. We turn to Hashem and, in a way of showing that we have not yet been created, do not use our human power of speech. Instead of a regular tefillah for a sweet new year, we use another method. When we eat the symbolic foods and use the eating itself as the tefillah, we are not only elevating our eating, but we are davening in

a way that epitomises our last chance to ask before it is too late.

The simonim therefore are not simply a modern day segulah. Rather, it is a very deep heartfelt tefillah. It is a tefillah that is so much more powerful than words. It is a final tefillah for the planning stages of the next year. It is a cry that words cannot describe. It is this tefillah of the pre-creation of the New Year that we use to ask Hashem one last time to grant us the kind of year that we need, to ensure our spiritual growth.

לעי"נמשה יהושע בן ר' יוסף שאול ז"ל


18 THE ONEG MACHZOR COMPANION 18 THE ONEG MACHZOR COMPANION18 THE ONEG MACHZOR COMPANION

סמנים Rabbi Yaacov Benzaquen

jle/Genesis and Rav of Gibraltar Minyan- Hendon

OF APPLES, HONEY AND NEW YEAR WISHES

The Gemarah instructs us to eat foods on Rosh Hashana because of their symbolism. It is through these traditional foods that Jews throughout the ages expressed their New Year’s thoughts, feelings and prayers.

Even though the Gemarah doesn’t outline an actual menu for the Rosh Hashanah feast, it does recommend certain foods.

“Now that we have established that symbols are significant, one should make it a habit to eat at the start of the year pumpkin, fenugreek, leek, beets and dates. (Horayot 12a)

Rashi explains that these foods grow in abundance, and are therefore symbolic of the prosperity that we wish for the coming year. According to Rashi, all of these vegetables share the same symbolism. Other mefarshim explain that these foods’ Hebrew or Aramaic names phonetically resemble some of our basic wishes for the coming year. According to them, each of these vegetables serves as a different symbol. In fact, Rishonim record prayers specific to each of these foods. The Abudraham, quoting Tshuvot from the Geonim, describes the minhag among the chachamim of those times:

They would bring to the table a basket containing gourds, dates and other boiled vegetables. They would then place their hands on each one of them and extract symbolic meaning for the New Year from their names. On the gourd (krah) they would say “our bad decrees should be torn up” (yikrah), on the fenugreek (rubya) they would say “our merits should be numerous” (sheyirbu). Some would preface, “May it be your will, G-d, that… Some bring to the table the head of a lamb, fish... On the head of a lamb they would say “we should be heads and not tails,” and [they brought fish] because fish multiply rapidly.

The Shulchan Aruch adds that we eat from the head of a lamb to remind G-d of the ram that was sacrificed instead of Isaac. This evokes the everlasting zechut of Avraham's and Yitzchak’s extraordinary resolve to perform G-d’s will.

The Rama cites the custom of eating apples and honey for a sweet New Year. There is also a minhag to eat fatty foods and sweet drinks based on verses in the book of Nehemia. The Rama also cites one practical and one symbolic reason for abstaining from

eating nuts on Rosh Hashanah. Practically, nuts are not easily digested and can interfere with one’s concentration while praying. And symbolically, the numerical value of egoz (17), Hebrew for nuts, is associated with the numerical value of chet, Hebrew for sin, excluding the letter aleph in the word (17).

Each of these food symbols represents a different aspect of our lives, both as individuals and as a community. Through these signs, we express our concern about our enemies and our mistakes, and we hope for a happy and healthy New Year. By eating these foods we materialize and strengthen our faith in Hashem on this holy day of Rosh Hashanah.

The Meiri, fond of the rational approach of the Rambam, insists that these symbols are not superstitious omens. Rather, they serve to set our priorities straight and awaken our hearts to the important things in life. The Meiri’s list of symbols and their respective prayers relate more directly to Hashem. In the Meiri’s nusach of the short prayers, “our enemies” does not refer to the persecutors of the Jews; rather, it refers to the character traits and behaviors that distance us from G-d. We say over the [food], “our attackers and our enemies and all who pursue our downfall should be excised.” This is not a plea for the physical destruction and annihilation of our enemies. We are asking Hashem to excise the enemies of our spiritual growth: our arrogance, our anger, our materialism. The Meiri warns us not to make the mistake of thinking that eating certain foods and reciting incantations will make you a better person. Teshuva and consciousness of Hashem’s sovereignty, mitzvot and maasim tovim are the true keys to a successful New Year. The symbols only serve to remind us of our values and goals. By relating to our negative traits as enemies we can begin to work on changing them. It is important to understand that people are essentially good. As the Talmud states, “it is revealed and known to the Almighty that it is our desire to do Your will” (Berachot 17a). It is the evil inclination and the negative impulses in man that prevent us from doing what’s right. By asking G-d to remove these negative impulses we begin the process of overcoming them.

Whatever you choose to eat or not to eat on Rosh Hashanah, make sure to pray for success and may you be blessed with a Shana Tova Umetukah!



שיר המעלות Elana Chesler

United Synagogue Living and Learning / Capita plc

PSALM 130 – ASCENT FROM THE DEPTHS

Songs of ascentsFrom the depths I have cried out to You, O G-d;“G-d, hear my voice. Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of

my supplication.If You, G-d, were to retain wrongdoing, who, O G-d, shall

stand?But with You is forgiveness, that You may be revered”. I trust in G-d; My soul trusts and in His word I put my hope.My soul waits for G-d, more than watchmen wait for the

dawn. More than watchmen wait for the dawn.Let Israel hope in G-d, for with G-d there is kindness, and

abundant redemption is with Him. And He will redeem Israel from all their wrongdoings.

Often printed as continuous prose, Psalm 130 is a beautifully arranged poem which is included in the High Holy Day prayers. The Hebrew is comprised of four tightly constructed stanzas; of 11 words, 12 words, 12 words and 11 words respectively, closing with a concluding sentence. The first phrase identifies it as belonging to the group of fifteen psalms each called a “Song of Ascent” which were sung in the Temple in Jerusalem.

It takes the form of a monologue that explores the journey of the individual, alone and disconsolate, and culminates in an expression of the fundamental Jewish theology of hope.

We meet the protagonist calling out to G-d from the lowest point – from the depths.

“Out of the depths I have called to You”. Traditionally, this is understood as referring to the depths of despair. Malbim (d.1879) notes the many aspects of despondency – poverty, illness, war and emotional turmoil – from which despair may originate. Perhaps that is the reason why this psalm is often recited in worrying times.

“Hear my voice”. The use of the word “kol”, “voice”, rather than “words”, highlights the primal emotion embedded in this cry. Sometimes the words are simply a vehicle to convey emotion. Certainly, on the High Holy days, the goal is to go

beyond the words of our prayers and to reach an emotional engagement, an expression of feelings of remorse, regret or longing for things to be better. The inchoate “kol shofar”, “voice of the shofar” is used in part to stir these emotions, representing our wordless cry heavenwards.

“If You, G-d, were to retain wrongdoing, who, O G-d, shall stand (in Your presence)?” This highlights the great human equalizer: the ubiquity of human wrongdoing. There is recognition of the conundrum – if we are identified only by our wrongdoing we fall impossibly short of the Divine expectation. But there is a way to break the impasse – forgiveness.

“But with you is forgiveness”. “Forgiveness is, in origin, a religious virtue as there is no such thing as forgiveness in nature.” (See Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: The Dignity of Difference) Forgiveness melts the distance created by wrongdoing. The possibility of forgiveness provides us with a cause for hope across the entire spectrum of human relationships.

“My soul waits”. From this point onwards we experience the transition to a yearning for deliverance. The waiting is palpable – enhanced by the metaphor of the night watchmen who are actively waiting and watching for dawn. Dawn is deliverance. It may be inevitable, but for the waiting watchman, the wait seems endless. For our protagonist, the vision now turns outwards, moving from trust in G-d on an individual level, to present a teaching that can be applied more broadly to the national collective who are perhaps awaiting a deliverance which seems endlessly delayed. The future orientated concluding line is the statement of a general principle of confidence in the collective redemption which ultimately rests with G-d. It provides an assurance that from the depths we can and will ascend.

This article draws from the work of R’ Elchonan Samet (Israel, b.1953)



המלך Rabbi Dovid Eisenberg

Rabbi, Prestwich Hebrew Congregation

YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS

I can still remember hearing my Rebbi say “Hamelech, the King” for the very first time.

I had grown up in a shul with a Chazan and the start of Shacharis was very official. When I started attending Yeshiva there was a sudden change. Before my Rebbi arose to lead the davening, he suddenly started singing a haunting melody from his seat that reached a crescendo as he finally calling out of the word "Hamelech".

The focus on royalty and G-d as the King of the universe is a great focal point of the entire Rosh Hashana. There is therefore no more fitting way to start the davening than to loudly proclaim his royalty.

Strangely, the word "Hamelech" is, in fact, in the middle of a sentence. But it is publicly highlighted for the high holidays to bring home the point.

The kingdom of Hashem is something that transcends the normative human understanding of what a king is. There is a famous saying: "There is no king without a nation". A king with no subjects can hardly be described as ruling over anything. With Hashem, however, it is different.

Every morning we recite in "Adon Olam" that G-d is the Master of the world Who ruled before anything else came into existence. Furthermore, after everything else will disappear, He will still reign Alone and Supreme.

How do we understand this rulership of Hashem?

I think the answer is that as the Creator of the world and infinitely powerful Being, G-d does not need us to worship Him. A king might try to rule over a nation. Should the nation rebel, however, he will lose his monarchy. But G-d does not lose any power even if we would rebel against Him. G-d is, was, and will always be the King. There is nothing we can do to change this.

Rabbi Fischel Schachter, a famous educator from New York, was once asked by a young man why he needed G-d. The rabbi replied that without G-d's help the questioner couldn't have even uttered that sentence.

This is the true rulership of Hashem that we celebrate on Rosh Hashanah. Therefore, there is really no better way to begin the davening other than to proclaim right from the very start at Shacharis that we realise G-d is not only a King but rather "Hamelech" the only One really worthy of this title.



המלך Rabbi Dov Ber Cowen

jle

THE KING AND HIS LOYAL SUBJECTS

Rosh Hashanah is a day that seems to contain a troubling injustice. It is called Yom HaDin and we know that we are being judged. Yet, we don’t find any opportunity to explain our actions. Where is the case for the defence? Where is our skilful legal team that can explain away everything? If it is Day of Judgment, then surely I should have the chance to exonerate myself?

The great Rebbe of Ruzhin would often tell his Chasidim the following story in the build up to Rosh Hashanah. The Russian Czar’s son had committed a treacherous act that was punishable by death. Although the Czar loved his son, he also knew that he could not make an exception and the execution date was set. Rules were rules. If he were to overlook his son’s action, then it could leave room for others to similarly be disloyal. So with a heavy heart, the Czar signed the death warrant.

On the day of the execution, the son was forced to shamefully walk down the route towards the execution site. He passed the jeering crowds who had gathered to watch and it so happened that on that day, the Czar and his entourage were riding past the site and encountered the son trudging along towards his death.

The Czar was broken-hearted but knew that he had to stay true to his word. ”My son” he said, “I wish there was something I could do to stop this. However, you know that your acts were so treacherous that there is no way I can stop this edict from happening.”

The son looked up and said: “Father, you are right. There is no way I can justify what I did. I do not deny that I will get what I deserve. Nevertheless, I have but one simple request. Please, for this last hour of my life, let me run in front of your entourage, in front of your majestic presence, and shout out loudly: ‘Long Live the King - Long Live the King!”

Hearing his son’s heartfelt request to show his deep-rooted love and honour, the Czar immediately decide to drop all the charges against his son. He broke all the rules and regulations, and his son was released and moved back into the Czar’s palace.

We may not be individually full of good deeds, explained the

Ruzhiner Rebbe. Quite the opposite! It is likely that most of us are probably guilty of “treason.” But what Hashem wants more than anything else in the world, and what we have to prepare to do before Rosh Hashanah, is for Hashem to hear us crowning Him as the King. To crown Him as Our King and the King of all Kings: Melech Malchei Hamlachim. We are His subjects, and without His subjects, there is no King and there is no Kingdom.

Herein lies the answer to our question. If we could sum up the whole Rosh Hashanah experience into one word, one phrase, into one all-encompassing concept that describes the experience of Yom HaDin, then surely that would be the word “HaMelech.” There is a King.

Perhaps in the past year we acted as if we didn’t truly believe that there was a Master running the show? Perhaps we convinced ourselves that our successes were down to our own prowess and our misfortunes were dismissed as random events attributed simply to “bad luck”? But when we say that word “HaMelech” on Rosh Hashanah morning, we come to the recognition that He was a King all along, dictating every aspect of existence. He was the One granting me life and gracing me with strength.

There will be a time to ask forgiveness. There will be a time to come clean and have a brand new start. There will be a time to initiate a new relationship based on repentance and the commitment to trying again. But that is in another ten days’ time. That will have to wait until Yom Kippur. But before I can say “sorry”, I need to know Who I am saying sorry to. Before I can start again, I have to be clear what I am meant to be doing with this life that I am so desperately begging for.

Therefore, on Rosh Hashanah, the anniversary of man’s creation, we all stand up and proclaim Him with the title: “HaMelech!” The world has a King. He expects and wants nothing more than for us to happily sign up to be His subjects.

With one heart rendering cry of “Hamelech” -” Long Live my ONLY King!” we can break down all barriers. We can then forge a loving connection with Hashem that will bring life, substance and meaning to the year ahead.



המלך Rabbi Zvi Portnoy

Loughton Synagogue

HA-ME-LECH! O KING WHO IS SITTING UPON A HIGH AND LOFTY THRONE!

These are the stirring words with which the chazzan’s voice reverberates across the shul as we begin Shacharis on both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Of course, HaMelech is the same word which is used in various points in tefillah throughout the Yomim Noraim.

The melody set by the Maharam of Rothenberg (1215-1293) and sanctified by the Maharil, is one of fifty which he classified as “Mi Sinai”, a euphemism for “very old”. These melodies, found in our tefillos throughout the year but primarily on the Yomim Noraim, were given the force of an ancient minhag that cannot be changed.

The Gemara in Gittin (56a) recounts the story of Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai who addressed the Roman field marshal Vespasian as King, an appointment which had been made in Rome but which Vespasian was not yet aware. The Roman responded “You deserve to be put to death. If I am truly the emperor, you should have come to me sooner.” Indeed, this is a message that we are all too cognisant of as we stand before the Melech Malchei Hamlochim, The King of all kings, on this, the most auspicious of days in our calendar.

Yet whilst this is certainly one of the many feelings we may have as we begin shacharis (morning service) on these awe filled days, it is also important to remember another aspect of how we, as individuals and as a community, coronate Hashem as our King.

Rav Dessler, explaining the gemara in Rosh Hashana (32b), writes that there are really two avenues to fulfilling our role as Hashem’s loyal subjects. The first is primarily one of fear. At this level, one makes every effort to fulfil the King’s wishes at the expense of one’s own needs and desires. Nevertheless,

one’s desires are still very much alive and they remain buried well beneath the surface despite subjugating oneself to the higher authority of the king.

Yet the ultimate path to become a true sincere subject, to achieving a meaningful relationship with the King, is through cultivating a relationship based on the second mode of

conduct: love for the King. (The British public, on the whole, have an incredible love of the monarchy even though they have little in common with their style of living!)

Indeed the Vilna Gaon and others write in reference to the non-Jewish world, G-d is referred to as a Moshel, a dictator, a ruler by force, rather than a Melech, a king, someone who is nationally coronated for the nation. This is the deeper understanding of the words we say just before Hamelech in Nishmas Kol Chai, from the pasuk in "Ki Lashem Hamlucha, U'Moshel BaGoyim; Hashem is our Melech, our King, however over the nations of the world he is only a moshel who dictates what will happen by force (Tehilim

22:29) . In the future, "V'Alu Moshi'im B'Har Tzion...V'Haysa Lashem HaMelucha; when Moshiach comes, then all the nations will realize the greatness of Hashem and accept His Kingdom. Only then will Hashem's Kingdom be complete over all the inhabitants of the world."

Once one understands the ideal relationship to G-d has to be one of love rather than one of coercion, we no longer feel a sense of having to ignore or suppress our own whims and desires. They simply fall away by the wayside. They are totally insignificant to the overriding love we have for our King Who is crowned as the Melech Malchei Hamlochim – Hakodosh Boruch Hu.



שמע Rabbi Jonny Roodyn

Aish UK

THE SHEMA

The Shema is the central statement in Judaism. This is the morning and evening cry that has accompanied us every day of our lives for the last 3,300 years. It features on our doorposts. It is tied to our arms and is at the forefront of our consciousness. Through it we declare our belief in the most basic truth: the existence of One Hashem.

Whilst the basic meaning of the words, “Hear O Israel, Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is the One and Only” (Devarim 6:4) are well known, there is a deeper idea that expresses the essence of Rosh Hashanah.

Rashi, based on the Midrash explains the verse in the following way: Hashem, who is now our G-d but not the G-d of the other nations – He will be declared in the future “the one G-d,” as it is said: “For then I will convert the peoples to a pure language that all of them call in the name of the Hashem” (Tzephaniah 3:9), and as it also says: “On that day Hashem will be one and His name one” (Zechariah 14:9).

This most basic statement of the Shema, the one that we are so familiar with, contains within it a dream for all of humanity. It expresses the wish that mankind – in its entirety – will become aware of that which we, the Jewish People, know with such clarity. That there is One Hashem that created and sustains the world, that He created us for the purpose of having a relationship with Him,

and that we can achieve this by doing His will.

This is the main message of Rosh Hashanah, the anniversary of the creation of mankind. It is the day of na’aseh adam (let us make man) (Bereishis 1:26). On this day Adam was formed from the ground, as a physical being with a neshama (soul) that comes from the Highest place. Man, created as a physical being with an untold amount of

spiritual potential, has the ability to connect to the Infinite Source of all existence and to achieve eternal life and bliss. On this day, Adam through eating from the tree, squandered that opportunity and all of history as we know it unfolded as a result of this one sin.

The purpose of Klal Yisrael is to be ‘kingdom of priests and a holy nation’ (Shemos 19:5). The Seforno points out that this is to bring all of mankind to an awareness of Hashem. This is, according to the Rambam, the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem, sanctifying the Holy Name. Our role is not to conquer the world through the sword but to transform the world by being a shining example of Kiddush Hashem.

When we do so, we bring mankind to a greater awareness of Hashem and pave the path for the geulah (redemption) which is the ultimate realisation of all of the tefillos of Rosh Hashanah and the message of the Shema itself.

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עמידה Rabbi Gary Bazak

seed UK

THE AMIDA

The Amida is a focal point for much of our Avodas Hashem during the Yomim Noraim. It holds the key to successful judgement on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (Rosh Hashanah 16b). The Rambam (Hilchos Teshuva 2:6) points out that all the aseres yemei Teshuva , 10 Days of Repentance, are distinguished as days in which tefillah is accepted more readily than the rest of the year. During these days, we seem to be able to raise our game and to daven with the seriousness we should all year round!

There is a difficult halacha which points towards a novel perspective into the nature of tefillah. The Shulchan Aruch rules that one is allowed to daven sitting down because of travel or other circumstances. But if he gets the chance later, he should daven again standing up. The obvious problem is this: if he is not fulfilling his obligation when sitting down then why daven at all in the first place? And if he is fulfilling his obligation, then why is he supposed to repeat the tefilla?

Rav Shlomo Berman (Shiurei Asher Le’shlomo Orach Chaim 2) explains that there is a duality inherent in the nature of tefillah. The Gemara (Berachos 26b) presents a dispute as to whether our 3 daily tefillos were instituted because they parallel the Avos or were they instituted to correspond to the 3 types of daily avodah of korbonos (sacrifices). The Ohr Sameach (Orach Chaim 94:9) explains that the ruling of the Rambam (Hilchos Tefillo 1:5 and Hilchos Melochim 9:1) takes account of both these positions. There are therefore two dinim in every tefillah. On the one hand, tefillah is a process of standing before Hashem and of beseeching Him for our needs as the Avos did.On the other hand, tefillah is also an experience akin

to bringing a korban (sacrifice). The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 98:4) explains that the idea that tefillah comes in lieu of a korban clarifies why it shares similar dinim (laws) including requiring that it be brought/said standing. If one can only daven sitting down, explains Rav Berman, even though he has not

fulfilled the dimension of tefillah as an avodah of korbonos, he has still fulfilled his obligation in terms of the dimension of tefillah instituted by the Avos. Still, if he can later fulfil both dimensions, then he must do so.

This duality is itself expressed in our Nusach HaTefillah. In the bracha of Shema Koleinu, we ask for our tefillos to be accepted with rachamim, mercy. But surprisingly, we then ask Hashem to accept our tefillos again in the next bracha: the bracha for Avodah (Retzei)! This teaches that the words of our tefillos are not just requests but they are literally the equivalent of korbanos!

Just as the korbonos of old in the Beis HaMikdash, the words of our tefillos have an incredible power!

Their impact is not just directly upon our lives, but also indirectly upon everything around us! This greatly empowers man with the realisation that Hashem has let him be in control!

However, there is one catch… the Shulchan Aruch HaRav explains that our enthusiasm and excitement in tefillah is now not just an added bonus. It now acts as the Ishei Yisroel, the fire on the mizbeach, to allow our words to be accepted as a substitute of the korbanos!

So as we step up before Hashem, in a moment of sublime silence and contemplation of what we are doing, let us tap into this incredible power placed into our hands and ignite the fires of our own personal mizbeach (altar).

This page has been sponsored in the zechus for a Refuah Sheleima for Mrs Hannah Rosenberg

Please daven for Chana Bracha bas Rus – חנה ברכה בת רות



ה' שפתי תפתח Rabbi Nissan Wilson

Senior Rabbi, Redbridge United Synagogue and Vice Chair RCUS

HASHEM SEFASAI TIFTACH

When you are following a script, you can never be at a loss for words. How strange it seems, then, that we preface the amida with a request: "Hashem open my lips so that my mouth may speak your praise"! True, the eyes, the cerebral cortex, lungs and larynx must all move in concert with the tongue and lips for speech to emerge. But this visceral and effortless act requires no special prayer for divine assistance.

We do not usually need divine assistance to open our mouths. Indeed, by the time we get to the Amida we will have already made it through the first hundred or so pages of the machzor! Better, surely, to request that Hashem open our hearts and minds, so that we do not blithely recite the words without thought or feeling. What is the meaning of this strange request?

The metaphor here of 'sealed lips' implies that there is something that I feel unable to express or that I am reticent about sharing. If I am simply reading the prescribed liturgy, following the script, there is no cause for reticence or embarrassment as I reveal nothing of my inner world.

I feel tongue-tied when I reach the Amida only when I put myself into the words and open my heart before Hashem. The moment I commit to open up and to engage in conversation with my Creator, I become overawed with the enormity of the occasion, self-conscious in the light of this personal audience.

In this respect, the introductory phrase "Hashem sefasi tiftach" acts as a benchmark of sorts. If it feels easy to breeze into the opening blessing of the Amida, it is likely that I have not fully grasped what is happening. To better

understand this idea, let us consider what happens when the script is removed.

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov taught that we should each speak to Hashem in our mother tongue and in our own words - a process he styled "Hisbodedus" (meaning seclusion or a private audience). Without the security of the set liturgy to fall back on, I become aware that my chosen

words are an expression of my inner thoughts. I am aware that G-d knows my deeds and my thoughts, and all words suddenly seem trite. I am tongue-tied: I want to speak to Hashem, but I do not know what to say. It is in this vein that we should approach the amida, with an overwhelming sense of occasion and an instinctive reticence.

Rebbe Nachman, though, had a solution, a way to break through this barrier to entry to Hisbodedus. Focus on the exquisiteness of the reticence itself as within this, the desire of man to reach out and

communicate with his Creator in a face-to-face relationship. Say, "Hashem, I want to talk but feel unworthy, distant, shy". This moment of desire can then become the spark that ignites that relationship.

With the words "Hashem sefasai tiftach" we acknowledge that the amida is an opportunity for a face-to-face relationship, that we truly desire such relationship, and that we may need some divine assistance to attain it.

The desire to connect, to speak to Hashem, is at the root of all spiritual struggle. No matter how deeply that desire is buried, it remains the most beautiful part of the human being. We must seek it, find it, and give it a voice.

Sources: Berachos 4b; Malbim, Tehillim 51:17; Likutey Moharan II, 25



ברוך אתה Rabbi Aaron Lipsey

Rabbi Aaron Lipsey, United Hebrew Congregation of Newcastle-upon-Tyne

BARUCH ATAH – BLESSED ARE YOU

What is the most awe-inspiring word we use in our Yom Kippur davening? Come to that, what is the most awe-inspiring word in our entire liturgy of prayers?

I would make a strong case for ‘atah.’ ‘Atah’ means ‘You.’

The story is told of the Rav of Chernigov, Reb Dovid Tzvi Chein, who lived approximately 150 years ago. He was well-known amongst the chassidic fraternity for the way he would recite a brocho, a blessing. He had the custom of placing his right hand on his forehead imitating the manner of someone concentrating very deeply and only after a short pause, would start saying the words.

When asked why he did this, he replied: “Just before my bar mitzvah, I went for a private audience with Reb Menachem Mendel, the third Rebbe of Lubavitch known as the Tzemach Tzedek.

“One of the things the Rebbe said was: ‘Listen to me. It’s time to stop behaving like a child. When you’re about to make a brocho over food or drink and have to say Boruch Atah; Blessed are You - remember to Whom you are saying Boruch Atah.’”

The Rebbe’s statement obviously had a profound effect on Reb Dovid Tzvi. But I think it is a teaching that each one of us could do well to contemplate. Addressing someone in the second person – ‘you’ – is only meaningful if the person you are talking to is present and engaged. Addressing G-d

directly in our prayers – atah – reminds us to be aware of His presence and to be engaged with what we are saying.

Children are in the habit of being easily distracted. They often lose focus and become preoccupied by something other than the task at hand. Too often in our prayers, we act like children. When sitting in Shul, it can sometimes feel as if anything and everything is a more interesting distraction than the prayer book in front of us. It is important to approach prayer with an adult mentality. We have to focus on what we are about to say and to Whom we are saying it to.

Whenever we make a blessing, we would do well to remember this. To visualise that we are standing before a listening and attentive G-d when we say “Blessed are You.” This also applies when we ask G-d to provide for our needs, to guard our families and to give us the good health to enjoy them, to bless us and the entire nation of Israel with prosperity, security and happiness. When we open our prayer books, we ought to remind ourselves that we are not addressing our prayers to a

messenger, holy man or even an angel, hoping that they will carry our prayers before His throne on our behalf. There is no intermediary; we are speaking directly to Him. No matter what is happening around me, I am about to speak directly to G-d!

And He is listening attentively.



זכרנו לחיים Rabbi Shlomo Odze

Associate Rabbi, South Hampstead Synagogue

ZOCHREINU LE’CHAYIM

Zochreinu Le’chayim, “Remember us for life” is the first of four additions we make to our Shemoneh Esrei during Aseres Yemei Teshuva. It introduces into our prayer two key recurring themes of this time of the year: remembrance and life.

On a basic level, we collectively ask Hashem that He remember us for life. Rosh Hashanah is both Yom HaZikoron, Day of Remembrance and Yom HaDin, Day of Judgement. It is inserted after mentioning that Hashem remembers the loving-kindness of the Avos. We therefore also ask that He remember us too for the good, and ultimately for life.

This seems to be a double request. Firstly, we ask Hashem to remember us for life and secondly, we ask that He inscribe us in the Book of Life. Surely, if He remembers us for life, He will write us in the Book of Life? Why mention both?

The request for Hashem to remember us is for our sake and not for His sake. Hashem does not forget in the human sense of the word. By asking Hashem to remember us, we are reminding ourselves that we need to be deserving of His remembrance. We need to be worthy that He will remember us.

Our requests of Hashem in tefillah are not because He does not know what we want and need. Rather, the very process of davening itself has to cause us to think about what we are doing so that we are considered deserving and so that our requests will be fulfilled. Hashem knows

what we need, but He wants us to merit it. This is why the petition “Remember us for life” continues with the words “the King Who desires life”. Hashem wants us to want life and to therefore act accordingly.

Now we can continue to say “Inscribe us in the Book of Life”. Until now we are referring to the concept of life and, in principle, being deserving of life.

Once we have understood the concepts of remembrance and meriting life, we can now request life in reality and to be inscribed in the Book of Life, due to our future resolution of our actions to merit it. Writing transforms the theory into practice.

We continue “for Your sake”. We ask that Hashem grant us life so that we can use it for “Your sake”. We are not interested to simply live a healthy physical life of emptiness and vanity. We want a life filled with Torah and Mitzvos to ultimately fulfil our purpose on this world and the purpose of creation itself.

Finally, we end with the words “G-d of Life”. The name ‘Elokim’ represents Hashem as He is characterised in nature and judgement. The Aseres Yemei

Teshuvah gives us the ability, through our actions and resolutions over this period, to ensure that ‘Elokim’ – judgement becomes ‘chayim’ – a meaningful life.

Our purpose, reinforced by this addition to our davening is to ensure that the result of the judgement is the granting of life and that we are inscribed in the Book of Life.

GOLD BOX

Rachel Charitable Trust wish the whole Kehilla

a Kesiva Vechasima Tova, with unity in Klall Yisroel



מגן אברהם Rabbi Yaakov Bennet

Limudei Kodesh Teacher, JFS

MAGEN AVRAHAM

If we look through the weekly Shemonei Esrei, we notice that all the brochos refer to the kind miracles that Hashem does or will do for the Jewish people. He heals the sick, grants them wisdom, listen to their prayers, and so on. Even the brochos dealing with the redemption are stated in the present tense to illustrate the ongoing process of Hashem bringing the ultimate redemption to the world. However, we never find a Brocho based on a miracle that happened in the past. What, then, does the Brocho of Magen Avraham refer to? Does it not relate to Hashem’s miraculous protection of Avraham from Nimrod’s furnace?

The Chiddushei HaRim answers that the phrase Magen Avraham actually refers to Hashem’s protection, preservation and conservation of the timeless spiritual DNA that Avraham created through his actions.

Avraham’s successful passing of his ten life challenges created a lasting legacy which is found in every Jewish soul stretching until today. In this Brocho we are praising Hashem for preserving this inner quality within the Jewish people, both on a national and on a personal level. Every Jew retains this as part of his essence which gives him the ability to return to Hashem.

This is a comforting and inspiring thought for the Yomim Noraim. This message is not easy to always see in ourselves at times when we feel we have become estranged and distant from our Father in Heaven. It is even more difficult to see this redeemable quality in others, especially those who seem to have rejected their Jewish identity, or become antagonistic and anti-Jewish.

Rabbi Akiva Eiger, the famed Talmudic genius, had the ability to see every Jew as the seed of Avraham. In his home town of Posen, there was a well-known slanderer, who

caused terrible problems for the Jewish community. One day this man’s wife arrived at the Yeshiva of Rabbi Akiva Eiger. There was a tumult when she demanded to see the Rav as the students veraciously refused her request. She pleaded that she had come to ask the Rabbi to pray for the recovery of her husband who was on his deathbed. Hearing this

disturbance, Rabbi Akiva Eiger inquired about the commotion and happily gave her a brocho of a refuah sheleimah (get well wishes) for her husband.

The Rav rebuked his students for their ignorance of a Mishnah in Keillim (17:13) which discusses which types of skins are susceptible to tumah (ritual impurity). The rule is “all skin from sea creatures are tahor (ritualy pure) – except for the ‘kelev hayam’. The reason why this sea creature is susceptible to tumah is because it is the only animal that, when it feels threatened, will come onto dry land for its survival. How it reacts when it is in danger indicates where it really identifies itself. So even if this ‘kelev hayam’ lives its entire life in the

water, the fact that it escapes onto dry land to survive, means that it is considered a land animal and its skin is susceptible to tumah.

Turning to his students, Rabbi Akiva Eiger explained this can be applied to the wicked slanderer. Despite his distance from Jewish life, the fact that he sent his wife to get a brocho (blessing) when his life was in danger, clearly shows who he identified with.

He was a member of the Jewish people, and therefore worthy of our tefillos. Perhaps when we say the brocho of Magen Avraham, we can inspire ourselves to know that no matter what mistakes we have made throughout the year, the inner qualities which we inherited from Avraham are still very much with us today.



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With best wishes

מגן אברהם Rabbi Avraham Zeidman

Senior Educator GIFT

MAGEN AVRAHAM

The first bracha of the Amida mentions all Three Patriarchs but concludes only with Avrohom (Protector of Avrohom). This is based on the verse where Hashem says to Avrohom “and you shall be a blessing” (Bereishis 12:2).

What’s the hidden message signing off the bracha only with Avrohom?

The Maharal gives a cryptic reason as an explanation: ‘…A son stems from the father, not vice versa. Therefore, by concluding the bracha with Avrohom, one is also signing off with Yitzchok and Yaacov.’ What does this mean?

Each of the Avos represent a different Middah (attribute): (1) Avrohom = Chesed (Outpouring/Kindness) (2) Yitzchok = Gevurah/Din (Justice/Limitations) (3) Yaacov = Tiferes/Emes (Balance/Truth)

Hashem’s purpose in creating the world was to give to mankind - ‘Olam chesed yibaneh’. However with an outpouring of blessings, one ironically has to limit them (din) for it to be a true chesed. Take, for example, rain. When the rain falls in the right time and sufficient quantities, then this is a bracha; too much rain is not a blessing but a curse. The rain must be limited for it to constitute a proper gift. Another example would be feeding a child. Again, too much – and the child will pop!

Limitations themselves also need balance. Not too much, nor too little a.k.a. ‘The Goldilocks Enigma’. This is called ‘Tiferes’ or Emes’. Balance is needed to ensure that the chesed thrives.

Emes itself can sometimes be inappropriate where it will lead to pain. One famous example would be a bridegroom on his wedding day who asks his best friend what he thinks of his new wife. Obviously, to provide an honest answer ‘she is ugly’ would be wrong (even it is true!). When truth leads to a result that opposes chesed it is certainly inappropriate.

With this, Pachad Yitzchak (Sukkos, Essay 20) explains the cryptic Maharal. Only once there is an outpouring, is there a concept of a limitation. There can be no limitations without there

first being something to limit. This could possibly be stated as follows: ‘the son’ (Yitzchok –middah of limitations) ‘stems from the father’ (Avrohom –middah of outpouring)’ –‘not vice versa’. In the same light, ‘balance’ can also only be attained once there are two concepts that need to be balanced. This is what the Maharal meant when he writes ‘the son’ (Yaacov –middah of balance) ‘stems from the father’ (Avrohom’s trait of outpouring and Yaacov’s trait of limitations) –‘not vice versa’).

In sealing the first bracha of the Amida with Avrohom alone, the message is that the ultimate goal of everything is chesed. The other traits are needed but are ultimately here to serve ‘the father’ – chesed.

Simply put: Yom Hadin is a serious time. But the purpose of this judgement is ultimately for the sake of Hashem’s great chesed.

How does this work? Rabbi Chaim Friedlander gives the analogy of a company’s end of year accounts. The judgement is in order to know what merchandise is needed for the coming year.

Hashem gives us ‘merchandise’ to use in performing Mitzvos. The more tools and resources He provides us with – the greater the responsibility. For someone that uses their resources correctly, it would clearly be a chesed to give them more. More opportunities, more potential reward. (This is actually the meaning of ‘Tizku Le’Mitzvos’ – may you merit further mitzvah opportunites). However, for one who misuses their ‘merchandise’, there is clearly no chesed in giving them extra as they will be penalised more for their failures. For this person, the greatest act of chesed would be to reduce the resources.

In conclusion, from our viewpoint, we are often distracted by Hashem’s din without seeing His chesed. Even so, we believe that everything Hashem does is for the sake of chesed. This is the reason why we end the initial bracha of the Amida solely with Avrohom.



ובכן תן פחדך Rabbi Naftali Schiff

Executive Director, Aish UK

U'VCHEIN… U'VCHEIN… U'VCHEIN…

The fourth bracha of the Amida is the one that encapsulates the spirit, the power and the magnificent vision of the day. The essence of Rosh Hashanah is one of anointing Hashem as the ultimate omnipotent King over all of creation. In life, it is all too easy to get caught up in the details and risk losing sight of the wood from the trees - even whilst being fully committed to mitzvah observance.

Rosh Hashanah is a time to think big! The Jewish New Year is an opportunity to reset our lives and recalibrate our vision. It is a time to set our sights on the endgame – both for ourselves as individuals and for our People as a nation. What are we really living for? What is genuinely important to us?

This is reflecting in the fourth bracha that captures the day’s yearning whereby our ultimate goals and aspirations for Hashem's world and our place in it become a reality. It is a prayer of hope and vision whereby all small and petty concerns are cast aside. We remind ourselves what Torah and Judaism is all about, what the world was created for, and what our role, in bringing this to fruition, can or should be. The words should not be a mere recital but rather a means by which, having harnessed the power of the prayer, we commit ourselves in the coming year to play an active role in bringing our words of prayer to become reality. Our prayer is one of Kiddush Shem Shamayim, making Hashem’s name known and His presence felt by all of mankind.

Rosh Hashanah is very much the day of Avraham Avinu. It is a day to be real with our own emunah, faith, and a time to think about sharing it with others. It is a day to follow in the footsteps of our first Patriarch, to dream the biggest dreams and to aspire to change the world for the better.

Upon arriving at the recognition of the truth of Hashem’s existence, Avraham dedicated his life’s mission to spread and share his emunah with the world. He realised that the ultimate fulfilment that can be gained from a relationship with Hashem is something that ought not to be the raison d’etre of just a group of select individuals. On Rosh Hashanah, we

articulate the vision that all of mankind should similarly come to a sense of awareness of that which we know to be true.

We ask Hashem to reveal Himself to the world so that all of existence can play their part in serving Him as aguda achas, a single society, focused on and dedicated to living a life in accordance with the will of Hashem.

As well as declaring the universal nature of Hashem’s plan for the world, the Jewish People also recognise and appreciate the special role that they have to play within that. As descendants of Avraham Avinu and as a nation who received the Torah, we have a unique role to fulfil in enabling mankind to come closer to the fulfilment of this dream.

The challenge of golus is that whilst we may recognise and appreciate our inherent value, the rest of the world certainly does not. Jewish history has been one of forced conversions, ghettoes, expulsions and crematoria. Since the Jewish People represent Hashem in this world, Hashem’s honour and Klal Yisrael’s honour are intertwined.

As a way of fulfilling the dream of kovod shamayim, honour of Heaven, in this bracha we beg Hashem to grant honour to His people. In fact, the level of honour that we ask for is dependent on the role that the individual plays in bringing Kiddush Hashem into the world. On a basic level, we ask for kovod, honour to the nation as a whole. Those who go a step further and fear Hashem should be praised, and for those who actively seek out Hashem, should experience good hope. For those who are on the highest level, the meyachalim, who are totally focused on the hoping for Hashem, we ask that they be granted eloquent speech so that they can continue to make His name known. These highest levels are for those individuals who remain faithful to the mission of the Jewish people even during the darkest periods of the golus.

As we recalibrate on this Day of Judgement, we ask not only that all of mankind should know the truth, but also that we should have the privilege of being able to share it with them. This is the key to meriting a good verdict on this day.



ובכן צדיקים Rabbi Harvey Belovski

Senior Rabbi, Golders Green Synagogue

U'VCHEIN TZADIKIM

A climactic triad of profound aspirations is pivotal to the expanded third brochah of the Amidah for Rosh Hashanah. The first predicts the universal worship of G-d, while the second recognises those who have devoted their lives to G-d and anticipates the arrival of the Mashiach. The third reads:

And so the righteous will see and rejoice, the decent shall exult and the pious shall sing in celebration. Injustice shall close its mouth and all wickedness shall entirely dissipate like smoke, when You eliminate the reign of malice from the earth.

Kol Bo (Siman 64/5), a medieval compilation of laws and rituals, offers a fascinating gloss to these paragraphs. In his view, the first is about establishing G-d’s sovereignty over the world, the second asks G-d to remember us favourably, and the third reflects the core themes associated with the shofar, such as liberty, self-determination and the eradication of evil.

Predictably, Kol Bo maps these to the themes articulated in the three special brochos of Rosh Hashanah Musaf – malchiyos, zichnonos and shofros (Divine sovereignty, Divine remembrance and the transformational role of the shofar in Jewish history and eschatology). Seen through Kol Bo’s lens, the third paragraph – ‘and so the righteous will see and rejoice’ – offers a universalist dream which encourages us to imagine a world in which all human righteousness is rewarded, benign spirituality has triumphed and the

ephemerality of evil has been finally exposed.

Kol Bo’s approach, which is cited approvingly by Beis Yosef (Orach Chaim 582), suggests that this triad of ideas is so dominant in Chazal’s understand of Rosh Hashanah that

they inserted it into every tefillah.

In Sefer HaIkarim (1:4), Rabbi Yosef Albo offers an important insight into why these three ideas are so important, especially on Rosh Hashanah. He famously reduces the foundational principles of Jewish belief to three: the existence in G-d, divine supervision of the world manifest in reward and punishment and Torah from Heaven. These three obviously correspond to the three cores Rosh Hashanah themes: malchiyos to the existence of G-d, zichronos to reward and punishment and shofros (which explores the role of revelation and divine intervention in history) to Torah from heaven.

Rosh HaShanah, the anniversary of the birth of humanity, is the perfect occasion on which to revisit the core principles on which Judaism is founded. It is a time to reflect on our aspirations as thoughtful, spiritual members

of the Jewish people, and to re-emphasise the fundamental concepts which drive our religious objectives. As such, it is hardly surprising that the three doctrines which, for R’ Albo, constitute the very essence of Judaism, are the leitmotif which pervade every aspect of the tefillos of Rosh Hashanah.



אבינו מלכנו Rabbi Ben Kurzer

Assistant Rabbi, Edgware United Synagogue

AVINU MALKEINU

Avinu Malkeinu beautifully encapsulates one of the most fundamental dichotomies of Jewish prayer and, in a sense, the entire religion. The notion of Hashem as ‘Malkeinu’ – our King – is central to Rosh Hashanah, the time every year when we crown Hashem anew. But the introduction of ‘Avinu’ – our father – while surprising at first, teaches us a vital lesson about our relationship with Hashem.

It is understandable that we relate to Hashem as our King at times and our Father at others. But the biggest lesson of Avinu Malkeinu is that we relate to Hashem as both Father and King at the same time. If we imagine the child of a Prime Minister, he would relate to his parent as a parent almost all of the time, and perhaps, on occasion, as the leader of the country. Yet the two relationships would remain separate and manifest at different times. However, when it comes to our relationship with Hashem, we are able to combine the two together as one. We do not only relate to Hashem as King of Kings sometimes and our Father at others – the relationships are uniquely fused together.

This lesson is particularly powerful in light of the fact that the author of the formula “Avinu Malkeinu” was Rabbi Akiva (Taanis 25b). Rabbi Soloveitchik notes that there is another important part of our tradition, also authored by Rabbi Akiva, which helps us to understand his outlook and the remarkable lesson he is teaching us through Avinu Malkeinu. The Mishnah (Yoma 85b) tells us, regarding Yom

Kippur, “Happy are you, O Israel! Before whom do you purify yourselves? Who purifies you? Your Father in Heaven”. Why does Rabbi Akiva refer to Hashem as our ‘Father in

Heaven’ here? Furthermore, he continues by citing not one but two verses to bolster his statement: “I shall sprinkle pure water upon you and you shall be purified” (Yechezkel 36:25), and, “The hope [mikveh] of Israel is Hashem” (Yirmiyah 17:13). Why are both verses necessary?

When one considers the historical events that Rabbi Akiva lived through, his message becomes instantly clear. The Beis Hamikdash had recently been destroyed. One can only imagine how hard it must have been for the Jews of the time to adjust to a Yom Kippur without the service of the Kohen Gadol. To conceive of atonement without the priestly service that they were used to was nearly impossible. But Rabbi Akiva helped them see how the power

of individual atonement, relating to Hashem as our ‘Father in Heaven’, was just as effective. The two relationships are part of one whole. Despite the bitter loss that the Jews of the time had suffered, their transition to a new type of Yom Kippur could actually be seamless

We too, can recognise that although we may feel like just another ‘subject’ of the King when standing in synagogue, we are in fact speaking directly into our Father’s ear as He waits for us to show Him that we want to strengthen our bond with Him. After all, He is our Avinu Malkeinu, both our Father and King at the same time.

לע''נ הב' משה יוסף בן ילחט''א ר' שלמה טבלי הי''ו



קריאת התורה Rabbi Michael Leitner

US Living & Learning and Finchley Synagogue

THE MYSTERY OF KERIAT HATORAH FOR ROSH HASHANAH

The main Keriat HaTorah for Rosh Hashanah (Bereishit 21-22) for the first and second days respectively, is amongst the most puzzling selections of the year.

Usually, the Keriat HaTorah on chagim refers to information about the mitzvot and nature of the day (Megillah 32a). But there is no such ostensible reference in the Keriat Hatorah on Rosh Hashanah. This is even more curious given that the Keriat HaTorah was, and remains, one of the main educational weapons in Chazal’s armoury, a way of teaching Torah to people in shul.

The ‘mystery’ deepens, since although the Mishna (Megillah 30b) rules that the Keriat HaTorah should be material about Rosh Hashanah (from Vayikra 23), the Gemara (Megillah 31a), in the context of two days of Rosh Hashanah, brings a ‘yesh omrim’ (an unnamed source) which mentions the passages from Bereishit. Why does this ‘yesh omrim’ overrule the Mishnaic ruling?

One theme which runs through the passages from Bereishit is G-d’s attention to and the impact of individuals. This stands out in the Keriat HaTorah selected for Rosh Hashanah which may, in part, explain Chazal’s choice.

The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 11a) records that Sarah conceived on Rosh Hashanah (which parallels Channah, according to Rashi to Megillah 31a).

Yitzchak becomes the son who carries on the traditions of Avraham and Sarah in place of Yishmael, whose behaviour and that of his mother presage their expulsion. Avraham made a pact with Avimelech, king of Gerar, which would

not just affect them, but also later generations (such as Yitzchak), where ownership of parts of the Land were contested. Avraham even gave sheep to Avimelech as part of the pact, reminiscent of the Unetaneh Tokef prayer, which describes how every individual stands on Rosh Hashanah as sheep before G-d, the Shepherd.

Finally, this message is amplified reading Akeidat Yitzchak. This episode shows how, as individuals, we each need to

be subservient to the will of G-d – sometimes an incredibly difficult task. It also shows how G-d focuses on each individual, not just the world ‘at large’.

Perhaps the greatest take-away lesson from this is one cited by the late Rabbi Isaac Bernstein, formerly rabbi of Finchley Synagogue quoting Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik. Why at the end of this leining are the apparently mundane details of Avraham’s extended family? The answer should resonate with all of us as we go through Rosh Hashanah.

The Akeida changed the world. It was part and parcel of what made Avraham and Yitzchak so great. Yet for other members of their extended

family, it was still business as usual the day afterwards. This event did not affect them and the way they lived their lives.

Maybe Chazal gave us these passages so that we, as individual Jews, should not make similar mistakes after Rosh Hashanah. Drawing on all of the individuals who we have considered, may each one of us be blessed with an uplifting Rosh Hashanah and a wonderful year ahead.

נא לתפלל עובררפאל בצלאל מרדכי בן חחנה רייזל

לרפואה שלימה בקרוב בתוך שאר חולי ישראל



קריאת התורה Rabbi Shalom Morris

Rabbi at Bevis Marks Synagogue, The S&P Sephardi Community

SEEING IS BELIEVING

The central Torah reading of Rosh Hashanah is Akeidat Yitzchak, the Binding of Yitzchak. It demonstrates Avraham's complete submission to G-d; his willingness to even sacrifice his beloved son Yitzchak. Within the narrative, however, there is a peculiar exchange when Yitzchak asks his father “Where is the sacrifice?” and Avraham replies ‘Elokim Yir’eh Lo,’ ‘G-d will show it’ (Bereishis 22:7-8). At this point in the episode, Avraham is still under the impression that the sacrifice is to be Yitzchak, so what are we to make of his seemingly dishonest response?

There are several other instances in the Torah where we find similar scenarios and language. When Avraham is commanded to go to the Land of Israel, he is simply told to go ‘El Haaretz Asher Ar’eka,’ ‘to the land that I will show you’ (Bereishis 12:1). Furthermore, when G-d commanded the eventual construction of the Beis HaMikdash, there He mysteriously describes the location as ‘hamakom asher yivhar Hashem,’ ‘The place that G-d will choose’ (Devarim 12:5). Lastly, in the story of the Akeidah itself, Avraham was not told of a precise location; he was just told to offer up his son ‘Al Ahad Heharim Asher Omar Elekha,’ ‘On one of the mountains, that I will show you’ (Bereishis 22:2).

In all of these instances G-d knew the ultimate destination, but withheld that information until a later time. Why?

The Kli Yakar, Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz (17th century Prague), believed this phenomenon reflected some sort of ‘secret’. He cryptically explained that G-d intentionally left the final destination a mystery, ‘because the Holy One, Blessed be He, is the Seer, and we know not…’

One possible way of understanding this, is as the famous twentieth century British writer J.R.R. Tolkien wrote in his epic ‘The Lord of the Rings’: “Not all those who wander are lost.” In other words, there are times when G-d wants us to live in the here and now. He does not wish for us to exclusively focus on the destination but rather to focus on the journey. G-d asks that we focus on the present, and have faith that He will ultimately enlighten us to reach our goal.

Indeed, if we become too preoccupied with where we have to go, then we risk losing ever getting there. Sometimes, we have to take the journey without a particular destination in mind in order to discover, en route, the path that we are to take.

In the same vein, this is what Avraham was saying to his beloved son Yitzchak. It was not for him to concern himself with the conclusion. Rather, he had to strive to fulfil the Divine Will. His only concern was to journey in the performance of the command of G-d and to do it with all of his heart. Indeed, once G-d saw that they were of one heart in their commitment to fulfil His Will (‘Ata Yada’ti ki lo hasakhta’), the actualisation of the Akeidah became moot, and a ram would suffice in his stead.

Too often we become preoccupied and distracted by the end game. We want to know how everything will work out before we even start. It is a responsible attitude, but it can also take us away from the present - from living the moment moving on to find the next moment…and so on.

In addition, when we focus on our present responsibilities we demonstrate our faith in G-d. We give it our best – that is our obligation. And whatever ultimately comes about, that will work out in accordance with His will.

This is certainly the case with Teshuva. We yearn and pray for forgiveness and for blessing in the year ahead. But our ultimate lot lies beyond us; it lies within G-d’s purview. Our responsibility is to consider our actions, the decisions that we’ve made, and how we’ve treated one another. Better to consider the present and how we wish to live in the future than to worry about exactly how that future will look. We need to engage in introspection without pre-emptively knowing the conclusions we are to reach. Instead, as we search our souls during these Yamim Noraim, let us truly be introspective about the moment here and now. Let us then leave the rest up to G-d. Just as with Avraham and Yitzchak at the Akedah, we know “Elokim Yir’eh” - that Hashem will surely show us the way.

לע''נ אהרון צבי בן ר' יעקב ז"ל



הפטרה Rabbi Dovid Lewis

Rabbi, South Manchester Synagogue, Bowden

HAFTARA

“Because I feel that, in the Heavens above,The angels, whispering to one another, Can find, among their burning terms of love, None so devotional as that of “Mother.”

Edgar Allan Poe

Within the Haftoros for both days of Rosh Hashana, we read of the exceptional love and devotion that a Yiddishe Mama has for her children. In particular, the Haftorah for the first day tells us in great detail of the outpouring of love that Channah has for her son Shmuel even before he began his physical life in this world. Her tefillah to the Heavens above, resulted in the birth of Shmuel, the Navi described by Dovid Hamelech as being on the same level as Moshe and Aharon.

The Gemara tells us of the many Halachot regarding our own Tefillot that we learn from Channah’s first heartfelt cries. Let us however look at her second Tefillah. This was sung with the bittersweet tears of joy as she fulfilled her promise and handed her three year old son to Eli the Kohen Gadol for him to raise in the Mishkan.

Channah’s Tefillah begins: “Olatz libi B’Hashem”. The word ‘Olatz’ is translated by all the Meforshim as to ‘rejoice’. The Metzudas Dovid connects it to the end of the Pasuk, “Kesomachti beshoo’osecha” - to rejoice in Hashem’s salvation. The Radak sees it as a rejoicing specifically in comparison to Channah’s earlier despondency and bitterness over her childlessness.

The difference is subtle but important: do we rejoice in Hashem’s salvation regardless? Or is everything a

comparison with what was or what can be? Can we be thankful for what we have or are we always looking, in comparison, at what others have? This is not a criticism of Channah, just a reminder for us to rejoice and be satisfied with whatever Hashem gives us.

Targum Yehonason and Ralbag both see Channah’s Tefillah as being a Nevuah and speaking about Shmuel Hanavi’s future success against the Pelishtim and the false idols of Ba’al and Ashteros. In the words of the Ralbag, Channah was rejoicing and declaring that it would suffice if Shmuel’s “only” success for the Bnei Yisrael would be that of destroying Ba’al. This might possibly explain why the Targum translates “olatz” as “takif” – my heart is “strong” with the portion that Hashem has given me.

Where does our strength come from? Who do we thank and give credit to for our success?

Channah’s Tefillah, which we read right before Tekias Shofar, reminds us to not only daven to Hashem when we want His help or need His

blessings, but to also return and thank Him once He has answered our prayers.

Channah introduces her Tefillah: “el hana’ar hazeh hispalolti” – it is for this child that I prayed. She was expressing gratitude and recognizes that there was and is a two way relationship with our Heavenly Father. So as we prepare for Tekias Shofar, we need to take the time to say thank you to Hashem for what He has given us, to recognise that our success is due to His help, and only then, to ask for the next year’s Brochos.

לע''נ חנה בת ר' דוד ז''ל



שופר Dr Joanna Nevies

Medical Doctor and Jewish Educator

THE DUAL NATURE OF THE MITZVA OF SHOFAR

The mitzva of blowing the shofar is fundamental to the day of Rosh Hashana, as described in both the chumash and gemara. Neither text clarifies the exact parameters of the mitzva. This is the subject of a legal dispute.

Many rabbis, including the Rambam (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, 1135-1204), posit that the mitzva is to hear the shofar being blown. However, Rabbeinu Tam (Rabbi Jacob ben Meir, 1100-1171) posits that the mitzva is to blow the shofar.

The Rambam argues that if the mitzva were merely to blow shofar, then every individual would have to blow it, which clearly is not the case. Rabbeinu Tam deals with this issue by invoking the halachic principle of shomea k’oneh – listening is like saying – to explain that listening to the shofar being blown is equivalent to blowing it oneself (provided that both the blower and the listener have kavana – intention to fulfil the mitzva). Why doesn’t the Rambam agree with this solution?

It would seem that there is a fundamental difference in the way that the Rambam and Rabbeinu Tam relate to the sound made by the shofar. The Rambam sees it as exactly that, a sound. One cannot employ the principle of shomeah k’oneh, which applies only to speech, rather than the making of sound. In contrast Rabbeinu Tam views the sound of the shofar as a type of speech. If so, what are the words supposedly being spoken by the shofar? A possible explanation is that for Rabbeinu Tam, the sound of the shofar is a form of tefilla, prayer. It is as if we are crying out to Hashem to employ His middot harachamim, characteristics of mercy, on this Day of Judgement.

So how does the Rambam understand the shofar sound? In the third chapter of his Hilchot Teshuva (laws of repentance) he explains that the sound of the shofar should act as an alarm bell, calling us to “awaken from our slumber” and repent our misdeeds. It makes sense then, that the Rambam should view the shofar blast as a sound, rather than as speech.

As with many disputes in halacha, we can view these two opinions as representing two aspects of the mitzva of shofar. It functions both as a wakeup call to begin the process of repentance and also as a prayer directed towards Hashem as we stand before Him in judgement.

Both these opinions align with the theme of Rosh Hashanah as the Day of Judgement and forms part of the teshuvah process. There is, however, an additional dimension to Rosh Hashanah. It is a day upon which we proclaim G-d as King over the world. And the shofar is used as the tool for proclaiming G-d’s kingship over the world, as we see in Tehillim 47 which it customarily recited just before blowing the shofar.

So in fact these central themes of the day of Rosh Hashana – judgement and kingship – are both alluded to in the central mitzva of the day: the blowing of the shofar.

The gemara in Rosh Hashana 32a connects these two themes by stating that whenever zichronot (remembrance, i.e. G-d’s judgement of us) are mentioned, malchuyot (kingship) must also be mentioned. It seems that malchuyot are a necessary prerequisite to reciting zichronot. Only once we recognise G-d as King over the world, can we realise that our prayers must be directed towards Him, as ultimately He is the only one who has control over our future.



שופר Rabbi Eliezer Zobin

Associate Rav, Ner Yisrael and Rosh Beis HaMidrash, Immanuel College

TEKIAS SHOFAR

In a famous passage, the Rambam departs from his normal practice and explains the message behind a Mitzvah:

Even though the sounding of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah is a decree, it contains an allusion (remez). It is as if the shofar's call says:

Wake up you sleepy ones from your sleep, and you who slumber, arise. Inspect your deeds, repent, remember your Creator. Those who forget the truth in the vanities of time and throughout the entire year devote their energies to vanity and emptiness which will not benefit or save: Look to your souls. Improve your ways and your deeds and let every one of you abandon his evil path and thoughts.(Hilchos Teshuva 3:4)

Significantly, the Rambam does not place this explanation in the “Laws of Shofar”, but rather in his “Laws of Repentance”. It would seem that understanding the call of the Shofar is essential to our understanding of the Teshuva process. What exactly might this message be?

Immediately after explaining the message of the Shofar, the Rambam continues:

Therefore, throughout the entire year, a person should always look at himself as equally balanced between merit and sin. Similarly, the world is equally balanced between merit and sin. If he performs one sin, he tips his balance and that of the entire world to the side of guilt and brings destruction upon himself.

If he performs one mitzvah, he tips his balance and that of the entire world to the side of merit and brings deliverance and salvation to himself and others.

How are we meant to understand the sequence of the Rambam’s words? In what way does the first half of the Halacha, in which the Rambam explains the cry of the shofar lead to the logical conclusion (“…therefore…”) that “a person should always look at himself as equally balanced between merit and sin”?

Moreover, in what sense is it reasonable for a person to assume that he or she is equally balanced and therefore one Mitzvah or Aveira (sin) is what might tip the balance? Surely it is exceedingly unlikely that our merit should exactly equal our sins?

The Rambam has previously explained that:

Each and every person has merits and sins. A person whose merits exceed his sins is [termed] righteous. A person whose sins exceed his merits is [termed] wicked. If [his sins and merits]

are equal, he is termed a Beinoni. This reckoning is not calculated [only] on the basis of the number of merits and sins, but also [takes into account] their magnitude. There are some merits which outweigh many sins…and one sin may outweigh many merits. The calculation is made according to the wisdom of the Knowing God. Only He knows how to measure merits against sins.(Hilchos Teshuva 3:1-2)

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The Rambam’s sequence of his words is now clear. The message of the Shofar indicates that most of us spend the year “asleep”. Most sins are not committed following careful consideration and with deliberate malice. Rather, they are transgressed out of apathy, lethargy and laziness. Similarly, many Mitzvos are performed out of habit or routine. It is this aspect of the Shofar’s message that makes it reasonable to assume that qualitatively, if not quantitatively, our merit and guilt are equal. Our Aveiros are not real sins. But neither are our Mitzvos true good deeds. We are classic cases of a Beinoni – sleepwalking our way through life!

The call of the Shofar, the experience of the judgment of Rosh Hashana and the opportunity provided by the Aseres Yemei Teshuva, 10 Days of Repentance, mean that we can no longer claim to be asleep. At least momentarily, we are awake. Consequently, for these few days, being a Beinoni is no longer an option:

The sins of every inhabitant of the world together with his merits are weighed up on Rosh Hashanah. If one is found righteous, his [verdict] is sealed for life. If one is found wicked, it is sealed for death. A Beinoni's verdict remains tentative until Yom Kippur. If he repents, it is sealed for life. If not, it is sealed for death.(Hilchos Teshuva 3:3)

The call of the Shofar, therefore, serves both a challenge and a privilege. It grants us a moment of clarity. It is the chance to step out of our busy lives and routines. But we must use these precious moments of alertness to make choices and to take control of our lives. We have to engage in honest self-reflection about what sort of people we are, and whether or not we are living up to our own expectations. We must engage in some tough thinking about the changes we need to make to our lives to ensure that this time next year we will be a little bit better.

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שופר Rabbi Reuven Stepsky

jle Director of Education

THE CALL OF THE SHOFAR

One of the highlights of Rosh Hashonah is the Mitzvah of Tekias Shofar. Although this is a great mitzvah, the Torah is actually very brief in its description of the Mitzvah. The Torah makes mention of “Zichron Teruah”, remembrance of teruah (Vayikra 23:24) and “Yom Teruah yihyeh lochem”, a day of teruah it should be to you (Bamidbar 29:1). But there is no description of what a “Teruah” actually is or even why we need to perform it. In fact, the Torah doesn’t even mention with what we should make a Teruah sound as there is no mention of a Shofar!

The fact that we blow with a Shofar is learned out through a comparison to Yovel, the Jubilee Year (Vayikra 25:9) where the Torah explicitly makes reference to “Shofar Teruah”. Just like the Teruah at Yovel is done with a Shofar too, so on Rosh Hashanah must we blow a Teruah with a Shofar. All the details of this Mitzva are revealed by Chazal through the Mesorah (Jewish tradition) (Rosh Hashanah 33b).

Why is such an important mitzvah as Shofar only briefly mentioned in the written Torah?

Rabbeinu Bachaye (Vayikra 23:24) says there is a fundamental principle in our holy Torah: The more hidden and deeper a concept is, the more concealed it is. This is the reason why the Torah expresses Shofar briefly with only a few words.

The Torah is accessible to every Jew. It is not unique to individual Torah scholars. Concepts that most people are not able to grasp are concealed. Just like a fish that lives in the water will never be able to understand or grasp the concept of fire which is the opposite of water, so too, a physical human being is not able to truly grasp the spiritual world and its concepts. But the glimpses of his elevated state make him appreciate that as a Jew he is proud to be a member of Hashem’s special and unique nation.

Though we cannot fathom the deepest meanings of the Shofar, there are nevertheless many seforim over the generations that offer hints and allusions that offer us a

tiny glimpse. The Rambam (Hilchos Teshuva 3:4) notes that the Shofar is a Divine calling, crying out to us “Wake up you sleepy ones from your deep sleep and slumber, shake yourself up from your dreaming! Check out your deeds, do Teshuva and remember your Creator!” In this physical world, we don’t even think about the true reason and purpose of our existence. We are all so busy just being busy! This is especially true in the modern world of the 21st century, where there are so many distractions. The Shofar is like that blue flashing light grabbing our attention, reminding us to slow down and pay attention to the road upon which we are travelling.

Let’s conclude with a beautiful allusion brought by the Sheloh HaKodosh who explains the Tekiah Shevorim Teruah Tekiah sounding sequence (TaShRat). The various notes symbolize various types of cries. The three short blasts of the “Shevorim” are like a groaning cry of an ill person while the nine very short blasts of the “Teruah” is like the hysterical shriek over the dead.

Hashem created man right and just placing him on the straight path. This is symbolized by the first and single note of the “Tekiah”.

Just like a body can be in a healthy state or in a state of sickness, similarly, man’s soul can either be healthy or sick. When a person sins, his soul becomes sick and ill. This is hinted at by the next note of the “Shevorim”. Sometimes the sins can be so severe that man dies as alluded to by the “Teruah” shriek over the dead.

But in His eternal kindness, Hashem gave man the gift of Teshuva. If he takes these tears and the cries of sin and turn them into tears of remorse and regret, then he can get back on track to return back to the original straight and healthy path – as hinted at in the final Tekiah.

לע''נ לאה בת ר' יהודה הי'ד



היום הרת עולם Rabbi Joseph Dweck

Senior Rabbi of the S & P Sephardi Community

ROSH HASHANA: TODAY THE WORLD WAS CONCEIVED

After hearing the sound of the shofar on Rosh Hashana, we say “Hayom harat olam, today the world was conceived”. Rosh Hashana is the date in the Jewish calendar when we celebrate and acknowledge all of the world’s possibilities, dreams, and goals that G-d put into it at its conception. Rosh Hashana assumes that the world has a purpose and a future and that all of history is the story of the universe coming into itself.

Knowing that G-d has a plan for the world allows us to see all the days of our lives as elements of a continuum. To celebrate Rosh Hashana is to celebrate the idea that existence is comprised of more than just the current moment. Because G-d “announced the generations at the start” (Yeshaya, 41:4), we see past and future as realities that exist and that inform our local experiences.

It is, as Viktor Frankl writes in Man’s Search for Meaning:

‘I never tire of saying that the only really transitory aspects of life are the potentialities; but as soon as they are actualised, they are rendered realities…for in the past, nothing is irretrievably lost but everything irrevocably stored’.

Seeing the world this way makes every day become a

precious piece of life in its entirety. As we live our days, the degree of care that we put into each of them directly affects the quality of the whole. The more we love, care, feel, think, focus, and learn, the more vibrant and vivid is the life that emerges. On Rosh Hashana, we take the time to pause and

meditate on the path that our lives are following.

The sound of the shofar awakens us so that we ask ourselves core questions about the course of our lives. Am I on a successful path? Am I living consciously? Is it time for change? Have I chosen to live my best possible life? Together with the Creator, we make these judgements on Rosh Hashana. On the anniversary of the world’s conception, we look at our current life superimposed against the backdrop of the life that we wish to create.

Rosh Hashana, also referred to as Yom HaZikaron, the Day of Memory, brings our past, present and future before us. In our mind’s eye,

we can see ourselves both as children and elderly people simultaneously. We understand that life is a passing shadow, and there is no day like today to go about the business of making it the best life that it can be. May the New Year and its blessings begin.

Tizku LeShanim Rabot

לע''נ ר' מאיר יהודה בן ר' צבי הי'ד



מוסף Rabbi Elchonon Feldman

Rabbi, Belmont Synagogue

HINENI ‘HERE I AM’

Many things distinguish the Mussaf prayer service during the Yomim Noraim from the rest of the year. Beyond the extended length of the actual prayers, a remarkable feature of Mussaf is its introduction.

During the rest of the year, the introductory petition reads “When I call out the name of Hashem render grandeur to our G-d. Please G-d, open up my lips so that my mouth can speak your praise”. Whereas these comments seem to suffice as a preamble to our silent prayers, during the High Holy Days, an extended entreaty is clearly required.

The Hineni supplication recited by the chazzan immediately prior to the congregation’s commencement of the silent Amidah is a heartfelt and moving prayer. Once heard, its haunting chant is unlikely to be forgotten.

Here the leader of the prayers sets the tone. It captures the urgency of the moment and the awareness of how much is at stake during the Yomim Noraim. Whilst the experience of standing before the King of kings during the course of the year is never something to take lightly, this pales in comparison to the days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur where man has been summoned to the highest of courts and where his life hangs in the balance. It is our duty to pledge loyalty and commitment to our sovereign King by accepting His dominion over us all. If this was not frightening enough, we must then move on to request clemency for all previous indiscretions in His service.

These prayers are truly game-changers. The outcome of the judgement hinges upon these days. Therefore, our Rabbis understood that a more extensive and awesome introduction is warranted.

The Hineni prayer is recited by the Chazzan, the selected prayer-leader who stands to represent our community.

Nevertheless, the contents of this supplication very much set the tone for the individual’s own emotional and spiritual state. The Hineni prayer includes a humble declaration of unworthiness and of inadequacy. There is the admission that he, a mere creature of flesh and blood, is actually unfit to the task to dare to approach and beseech Hashem.

The Chazzan inextricably links himself to the community. As their representative, no matter how woefully lacking he may be, he still has to open his mouth and speak. He must come and pray, he must even make demands, for the people have appointed him and so much is riding on this moment.

What should the community be thinking of when the Chazzan begins the Hineni prayer? Close your eyes and think back to the days when the Beit Hamikdash still stood. Then, the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, would conduct the Divine service on Yom Kippur culminating with bringing the incense offering right into the Holy of

Holies. The danger was great but the need was desperate. The Kohen Gadol was then acting on behalf of the whole Jewish community.

This is exactly how we should envisage matters as we enter into Mussaf. The Chazzan and the community stand united as one. We come before Hashem Who has our interests at heart and wants to shine upon us His merciful Divine assistance. This fantastic combination creates such a powerful ruach, spiritual energy, that when it is heard, we will be moved to prayer that will be accepted before Him with favour. We will merit to inscribe ourselves, our Shul, and the larger Jewish community in the Book of Life for a sweet and blessed year to come for us all…

Hineni!

לע''נ פרומט בת טודרס



מלכוית Rabbi Daniel Rowe

Education Director of Aish UK & National Director of ShabbatUK

KINGSHIP

"Say before Me Malchuyos in order that you should make Me king over you" (Rosh Hashonoh 16a)

Malchuyos are not just pesukim (verses) that we read in Musaf. They represent in many ways the essence of Rosh Hashonoh. Throughout the Amida we refer to the Malchus of Hashem, and our desire to see His kingship manifest on earth. As such there are many parts of Davening in which we strive to make ourselves subservient to Hashem and His vision for the world.

But how does reading pesukim about how Hashem is King actually serve to make Him ruler over us? The problem becomes even more acute when we realise that of the ten pesukim of Malchuyos, neither the first nor the last ones actually mention malchus at all! Rather they point to the uniqueness and Oneness of Hashem.

The Vilna Ga'on (mishlei siman 27) explains that there is memshala - political power and dominion; then there is malchus (kingship). Malchus is not the ability to control someone against their will, but the ability to integrate a group of distinct and individuated things, producing an integrated whole that offers each component a value they could never have had alone.

Maaseh Bereishis (creation of the universe) operates according to a sequence of manifestations of Hashem’s malchus. At every level of organisation, there are entities that appear of relatively little value that integrate with one another to produce something vastly more magnificent. Atoms combine to produce molecules yielding the magnificence of chemistry. Molecules alone can produce elements, but when combined, they can also produce something vastly more significant - living cells. Cells themselves can perform amazing feats but are not conscious. Yet a few trillion of them given individuated and specialised roles can produce a body and brain that is conscious, capable of understanding the mathematics and science of the entire universe, capable of realising that there is a Creator, relating to Hashem, housing a soul and so much more.

But the malchus of Hashem involves a vision even greater. Individuals can achieve only so much. But integrated together, there is so much more we can become. When Klal Yisroel stood at Har Sinai, ke'ish echod beleiv echod, we stood literally like a single organism, each tribe functioning like an organ, each family like an organelle, and each individual like a single cell. Each had a unique role, and together we built something vastly greater than any of us. Together we built a super-being called Yisroel, capable of hearing the word of Hashem, and bringing His Torah down to this world.

Kol Yisroel yesh lohem cheilek le'olam haboh - it is the entity Yisroel that will be alive and complete in olom haboh world to come). Individuals can exist in olom haboh only to the extent that they live as a part of something much greater than ourselves - as Yisroel. And Yisroel lives as the organism that manifests the malchus - the integrated oneness that lives according to the vision of the Force that brings the parts into the whole - the Divine will. It is that being, Yisroel, that will be there at the end, as ultimately all of mankind becomes a part of the vision and Oneness of Yisroel, in Olam Haboh.

The world we live in right now is one that is torn apart. Nations at war with one another, communities, even families torn apart. Even when people coexist, they often do so under the banner of rugged individualism, indifferent to the plight of others. It is a world with areas of power and politics, but no one overarching malchus to integrate it all, and to bring out the greatness of each individual part.

In parallel, history appears to us as fleeting moments, with little apparent pattern or reason. It appears fleeting, fragmented and incomprehensible. It does not look like part of a unified plan.

The first of the pesukim of Malchuyos proclaims that contrary to the way things look, there really is nothing but Hashem. In the same vein the last posuk says that Hashem is One. Together, they proclaim that, despite appearance to the contrary, history is directed by one Director with one plan. As Rav Hutner points out (Pachad Yitzchok Rosh Hashana 24) a malchus - is an integrated oneness whose staggering complexity and interconnectedness may only be revealed at the end.

In articulating the pesukim of malchuyos, we proclaim the day when the deep Oneness, the malchus of Hashem will be fully revealed. In doing so, we recognise that the true meaning of our lives can never lie in the singular individuated achievements of our own puny lives, no matter how important they may seem to us. The true achievement of one life can only be to the extent it is lived for the whole of the 'big picture'. That means the extent to which we live as a part of Yisroel, and as a piece in the picture of history; the extent to which we live the plan and vision of the Architect and Integrator of it all.

In speaking of Hashem as King, we share in His vision. We commit to living out the role He has assigned for us. We make His dream our dream, His plan our plan, and His vision for us our vision for ourselves. He becomes our King.

לע''נ ר' אברהם בן ר' שלמה טבלי הי'ד



זכרונות Osher Levene

Orah

REMEMBER ME?

The three central themes within the Rosh Hashanah Mussaf are Malchiyus, “Kingship”, Zichronos, “Remembrance”, and Shofros, “Shofar Sounds”. G-d states: “Recite Zichronos before Me, so that your remembrance should rise before Me for the good” (Rosh Hashanah 16a). In actual fact, “Remembrance” comes to define Rosh Hashanah: the Jewish New Year is referred to in prayers as Yom HaZikaron, “Day of Remembrance” and the Torah calls it Zichron Teruah, “A Remembrance of Shofar Blasts” (Vayikra 23:24).

What is the role of “Remembrance”? And why does “Remembrance” take centre stage on Rosh Hashanah when the world stands in judgment before the Master of the Universe?

The three themes of the Rosh Hashanah Mussaf famously correspond to the three basic tenets of Jewish faith formulated by Rav Yosef Albo: (1) Malchiyus, “Kingship” connects to Existence of G-d, (2) Zichronos, “Remembrance”, parallels Reward and Punishment, and (3) Shofros, “Shofar Sounds”, parallels Torah from Heaven (that was given with sounding of the shofar).

What does it mean when we say G-d ‘remembers’? This really refers to how He activates a specific response of how to react (read: ‘remember’) His creations either for the good or or for the bad (Sifsei Chaim). Indeed the concept running through the blessing of Zichronos is the realisation G-d reacts to how man behaves.

Man’s thoughts, speech and actions shape the course of world history and the destiny of Israel. It is for this reason that they are therefore subject to reward and punishment through G-d’s Judgment.

G-d ‘remembers’ everything and ‘forgets’ nothing. Nothing that man does is hidden, lost or overlooked. But man-made memorials come to perpetuate something in the long-term. A human remembrance is a mortal attempt to guarantee something does not disappear or lose meaning with the passing of time. The Zichronos on the Day of Judgment

reveals to every Jew the weight of “who he is” and of “what is he doing”. It urges him to live with an eternal “remembrance” bearing the weight of accountability for whatever he does, says or thinks.

It is “standing in the dock” on Rosh Hashanah that forces man to take a reality check. True, it is a painful and sobering experience. But he has to eventually come face-to-face with an accurate depiction of “who he really is” and “what he has really done”!

Regrettably, how man is wont to see himself is not automatically the same as how G-d sees himself. His attempt at a self-portrait or auto-bibliography is quite likely to be a work of fiction. The Books of Life and Death opened up present the “Divinely-authorised” version of his bibliography. Is he a hero or a villain? Is he a tzadik, a righteous person or a rasha, wicked?

Every year on Rosh Hashanah, upon the anniversary of mankind’s formation, an individual is granted the opportunity to “review” his bibliography as a work in progress. Inside, the manuscript faithfully records every area of his life. Every Jew has to ‘read this’. He has to carefully take stock of his life. And he has to ‘edit’ or ‘rewrite it’ if he needs to do teshuvah.

“Remembrance” is the term used to determine the totality of man’s life. On Rosh Hashanah he therefore has to explore the following: Why was I created? What am I doing with my life? What will I be remembered for? Is my life dedicated to proclaim the Malchiyus of G-d? Is my legacy and “remembrance” wholly dedicated to a life of Torah as received at Sinai with the sounding of the shofar?

Every Jew has to remember G-d – placing Him before us at all times – in order to merit that G-d remember us. Then, man can plead to G-d in the heartfelt cry: zochreinu l’chaim, “remember us for life.”

לע''נ ר' יהודה בן ר' יעקב ז''ל



שפרות Rabbi Dovid Roberts

Rav, Kehillas Netzach Yisorel, Edgware

THE SOUND OF SILENCE

The Shofar is the only Mitzvas Assei (positive comandment)that is specific to this most important day – it’s the equivalent of standing in the dock in the Old Bailey charged with the most serious crime, and instead of hiring the most eloquent and experienced barrister, when called upon to speak in your defence, you start whistling!

It would be seen not only as totally ineffective, but downright contemptuous of the entire judicial process, a clear indication that the gravity of the situation has not been grasped at any level.

Yet, this is precisely what the Torah demands of us at this most solemn moment, when the Heavenly Hosts are summoned to sit in judgment, adopting the format and structure of a temporal court, replete with prosecutors, advocates, and defenders.

This difficulty is further compounded by the prevailing view of the Shulchan Aruch who follows the opinion of the Rambam and Rosh that the essential, defining characteristic of the Mitzvah is the listening, and not the blowing of the Shofar.

(Whilst this concept has important Halachic ramifications, we will limit ourselves to the conceptual underpinnings of this Mitzva.)

This means that we are, in effect, to face this celestial courtroom drama, armed only with our passive faculty of … listening. Inactivity, doing nothing seems to be the key.

The understanding of this from a Jewish perspective is, of course rooted in the historical event that this day commemorates… Brias Ha’olam (creation of the world). Or to be more precise, Brias Ho’odom (creation of man).

An incredible, unique creature, fashioned with a Tzelem Elokim (in the Divine image), the ability to make moral,

meaningful choices based either upon knowledge of what is correct, or the capacity to blithely ignore Emess, and descend into a world of selfishness and hedonism.

Adam Horishon, though far greater than anything that we can conceive of, a creature to whom the angels wanted to sing Shirah, was charged with the most difficult task, that a being of his stature could possibly be challenged with: namely, doing absolutely nothing!! He was commanded NOT to eat. In a world that conflates and confuses progress with activity, advancement with involvement, this concept is alien and difficult to comprehend. The core values of Western society are moral autonomy and self-expression. The impulse to intervene and act, and aim to improve the perceived imperfections of the world is overwhelming. We, however, embrace the values of the Divine, and see our purpose in being Avdei Hashem (servants of G-d). This fundamental tension manifests in our approach to every interaction with Yiddishkeit. In Adam Horishon submitting and yielding to Hashem’s sovereignty and authority, he would, paradoxically, have demonstrated the most meaningful and significant form of self-expression. Precisely because he was endowed with such immense cognitive and spiritual abilities and understanding, his compliance would have been so ennobling and powerful.

Instead, he chose to intervene, to act, and the world was changed forever.

And so, on this momentous day, as we face the full force of Divine scrutiny, we deploy our most powerful weapon, and in so doing, we endeavour to address in some small way the failing of Adam Horishon. We step up to the plate, and stand in reverential silence, and we listen with intent. Conscious, meaningful listening. We acknowledge the world as Hashem’s dominion. And that is the most eloquent defence anyone can hope for.

לעי''נ אסתר בת מהור"ר שמואל ז''ל



ונתנה תוקף Chava Wulwick

Educator

TESHUVA

On Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur we say: Teshuva, repentance, Tefillah, prayer and Tzedakah, charity avert the evil decree”.

Teshuva is normally translated as repentance. But what exactly does Teshuva actually mean?

The Hebrew word Teshuva comes from the verb “Lashuv” – meaning ‘to return’. Although human beings are not perfect and are prone to making mistakes, there is a process to allow them to return to G-dliness following their errors and to wipe the slate clean. The Talmud (Nedarim 39b) tells us “Teshuva was created before the universe”, meaning the possibility of Teshuva is fundamental and embedded in the world from the outset.

The Torah states: “You shall return to Hashem your G-d and listen to His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and all your soul” (Devarim 30:2).

Practically speaking, a number of key stages in this return process are set out by Rambam in Hilchos Teshuva Chapter 2 as follows:

a) Acknowledge the offensive action and ceaseb) Regret the past action;c) Resolve not to repeat the action again d) Verbal expression of wrongdoing and resolution for the

future to avoid this past behaviour

Is it possible for everyone to do Teshuva? The Talmud (Kiddushin 40b) teaches that even “someone who is completely wicked all his life, but repents in the end, is not reproached for his wickedness.” Everyone, regardless of their previous conduct, has a chance to repent for their sins.

The Talmud provides accounts of several individuals who managed to return to G-d on the very day they died.

Elazar ben Dordiya is perhaps the most interesting example (Avodah Zarah 17a). He gained notoriety for his immoral way of life, but one day a passing remark made him realise the error of his ways. He repented with utter sincerity, cried and immediately died. A Bas Kol (Heavenly voice) descended and proclaimed “Rabbi Elazar ben Dordiya is destined for life in the World to Come!”

Why would such a prolific sinner be awarded a formal title? The Maharal explains that Elazar ben Dordiya was a Moreh LeRabbim – someone from whom others can learn. It is true that Elazar ben Dordiya was less than a perfect role model in his lifetime. Still, he teaches an important lesson about the power and impact of genuine repentance. Perhaps his very name gives us an insight into what we can learn from his life. Elazar means ‘G-d helps’ and Dordiya means ‘sediment or dregs’. Elazar ben Dordiya was from the dregs of society. Nonetheless, he managed to attain authentic teshuva and return to G-d. No matter who we are, no what we

have done, we all have the possibility of returning to G-d who will accept us.

The Midrash on Shir Hashirim (5:3) reveals that if we open our hearts to Teshuva, even if the opening is only as wide as an eye of a needle, G-d will open for us a doorway wide enough for wagons to pass though. The Kotzker Rebbe notes that a needle can only be functional if the hole penetrates all the way through! Our Teshuva must similarly be totally genuine! The prophet Yeshayah (55:6) advises “Seek G-d when he can be found – call upon Him when he is near”.

During these months of Elul and Tishrei, God is nearby. We just need to make the effort.

Hopefully this year, we can attain complete teshuva and be inscribed in the Book of Life.



ונתנה תוקף Rabbi Yoni Golker

Limudei Kodesh Teacher JFS

U’NESANEH TOKEF

This is perhaps one of the most stirring, awe inspiring moments of our liturgy during the entire Yomim Noroim. The moment when we come face to face with the reality of what the Yomim Noroim really mean to us, our family our community and the wider world. We grow up learning that the winning ticket for this time of year, i.e, to be inscribed in the Book of Life, is dependent on three things; Teshuva, Tefillah and Tzedaka, Repentance, Prayer and Charity. There seems to be a clear difference between Teshuva, Repentance, and the other two. With regard to Tefillah and Tzedaka the sin still seems to be in force; however, our shortcomings are overlooked and the decree doesn’t take effect.

Teshuva, on the other hand, completely eradicates the sin, and if there is no sin, there is no reason to punish; there’s no evil decree. So in that case what is the Chiddush (novel teaching)?! Obviously when one repents the bad decree is removed?! Also, the word used is “ma'avirin” “removes”, surely the word “mevat'lin” “cancelling” would be more apropos?

The answer can be found in a true and powerful story in the Navi. (Daniel; Shemos Rabbah 30;24)

Nevuchadnetzar had a nightmare, and Daniel interpreted it. The Babylonian king would be expelled from his palace and condemned to live in the forest like a wild beast. He would eat vegetation and grow his hair and nails long. Only when he acknowledges Hashem as the true king would he be able to return to his throne. Daniel gives the king advice. He instructs him to give Tzedaka, which would result in the decree being cancelled. And so, Nevuchadnetzar gives generously from his treasury to the poor. A year later the King becomes complacent, and, convinced that his nightmare will not come true, he orders his treasury locked once more again from the poor.

The moment he seals his treasury, he loses his mind and is

banished to the forest. He lives there for seven years, until he finally does Teshuva, acknowledges Hashem and is then reinstated as king.

The Chafetz Chaim explains these events with a Parable; a dangerous river divides two regions. There is no way to cross unless the river is diverted so that it flows through another channel, and one then crosses on to the dry river bed, or alternatively to build a bridge. The bridge is the easier and quicker solution. However, if it breaks, people can fall in to the

river and drown.

This is the difference, explains the Chafetz Chaim, between Teshuva and Tzedaka. Teshuva “dries out” the aveirah (sin). It makes it past history, something you once did. It is not who you now are, or who you are in the process of becoming. Tzedaka, on the other hand, resembles the bridge. It acts as a “bypass” to your misdemeanour. As long as Nevuchadnetzar gave charity to the poor, he built a bridge. But as soon as he stopped giving, the bridge broke.

In light of this, all our questions are answered. We must keep at the forefront of our minds the statement of the Zohar (III:82a) that says that when a person commits a sin, he creates a prosecuting angel that stands before Hashem demanding the heavenly court to remove a person from this world. When a person does Teshuva, however, even if the Teshuvah is not yet complete, even if it's only the first steps one takes, Hashem removes the prosecutor from before Him.

This is what U’Nesaneh Tokef is telling us. Teshuva, repentance (even the beginning of it), and prayer and charity, remove a bad decree. Even if it doesn’t cancel the decree, it postpones it until the person can do Teshuva and eradicate it completely.

Based on Vehigadata, Harav Yaakov Galinsky zt”l

Wishing all Oneg Shabbos readers a Kesivah Vechasimah Tovah

and a happy healthy and successful year ahead

תשובה

תפילהצדקה



ונתנה תוקף Rabbi Boruch M. Boudilovsky

Associate Rabbi Borehamdwood and Elstree Synagogue

SEEING A FOREST TOGETHER WITH ITS TREES – THE CALL OF ROSH HASHANA

“On Rosh HaShana, all who have come into this world pass [in judgment] before Hashem like Bnei Maron” (Mishna, Rosh HaShana 1:2)

This passage, although short and simple, profoundly describes the nature of our annual judgment before Hashem. Indeed, this passage is the source of the moving prayer titled “Unetaneh Tokef”. This liturgy, recited during the Mussaf service of each of the Yamim Noraim, dramatically powerfully and quite chillingly portrays our trial before Hashem.

INDIVIDUALITY

“All who have come into this world pass before Hashem like Bnei Maron”. The Talmud suggests three interpretations for the phrase “Bnei Maron” (Rosh HaShana 18a).

The first interpretation identifies the word Maron with the Aramaic word Imrana, which means sheep. On Rosh HaShana, we pass before Hashem like sheep. When counted, sheep pass through a narrow gap that leads from one enclosed space to another. The narrow gap is only large enough for one sheep to pass through at a time. Each sheep is then counted as it passes through the gap. This system enables a very accurate count.

A second interpretation draws on the Hebrew word Meron – an ancient village located near Mount Meron. At approximately 1,208 meters (3,963 feet) above sea level, Mount Meron is the highest peak in the Upper Galilee. Naturally, there were areas where the pathways were so narrow that only one person could safely walk by without risking a deadly fall down the steep valleys below. These

pathways became known as the high trails of Meron. According to this interpretation, on Rosh HaShana we pass before Hashem like those who ascend and descend the narrow mountain trails of Meron.

Finally, a third interpretation associates the word Maron with the Hebrew word Marut which means “authority”. King David’s military exemplified the presence of royal authority. His soldiers are therefore referred to as “Bnei

Maron” or “subjects of authority”. When these soldiers would leave for battle, they would march out in a row to be accounted for. In a similar order, on Rosh HaShana we pass before Hashem in judgment.

Clearly, there is a common denominator between these three in te rpre tat ions .

All three of them highlight our individuality within the context of the Rosh HaShana judgment. The sheep are counted individually, the hiker must walk alone with no one at his or her side, and each soldier is separately counted. Similarly, we are judged by Hashem individually, not collectively. On Rosh HaShana, all who have

come into this world pass before Hashem independently, uniquely, and in absolute solitude.

Everyone is important enough to stand alone before Hashem. No one is insignificant in the eyes of Hashem and therefore everyone is judged by Him. This is one of the most important messages of Rosh HaShana. The judgment we all undergo is directed at the human greatness that lies within every single individual. We each have a personal mission that needs to be accomplished, potential that needs to be realized, and mistakes that need to be corrected. We would not be accountable to Hashem if we would not matter.

לעי''נ הילד רפאל יוסף ז''ל בן ילחט''א

ר' משה דוד ברקוביץ הי''ו



UNIVERSALISM

Rosh HaShana is unique. All other Jewish festivals celebrate a Jewish event. Rosh HaShana, however, is generated by a universal event. On Rosh HaShana, creation was completed. Every year Rosh HaShana commemorates the creation of the world. Indeed, subsequent to every set of Shofar blowing during the Mussaf service of Rosh HaShana, we proclaim: “This day is the birth of the world. This day commands the entire world’s creations to judgment”. Hashem judges his creation on the anniversary of creation.

Creation and world judgment are universal concepts. All human beings were created, and therefore all of them are judged. “On Rosh HaShana, all who have come into this world pass [in judgment] before Hashem like Bnei Maron”. In spirit of these universal themes, the Yomim Noraim liturgy is abundant with prayers that emotionally express our aspirations for a healed refined and purified world. We pray for what may seem as utopia. We long for a world with prevailing goodness, an absence of wickedness, and one ruling G-d.

SOLITUDE AND SOLIDARITY

We see that the twin values of universalism and individuality are both at the core of the Rosh HaShana theme of judgment. Too often, each value undermines the other. The individual can put himself before the needs of society, and society can put its own interests before the rights of the individual.

Rosh HaShana teaches how to merge and combine the two. As Hashem judges us individually, uniquely to our own personal accomplishments, failures, successes, disappointments, aspirations and dreams, we are simultaneously challenged to embark on deep and personal self-reflection. Hashem judges all of humanity. We are therefore inspired to look beyond ourselves, and pray for G-d’s global sovereignty, justice, life, faith, unity, peace, joy and redemption.

לעי''נ הילד רפאל יוסף ז''ל בן ילחט''א

ר' משה דוד ברקוביץ הי''ו



תשובה תפילה וצדקה

Rabbi Ephraim GuttentagRabbi of St Annes Hebrew Congregation and Manchester Region Jewish Student Chaplain

TESHUVAH, TEFILLAH AND TZEDAKAH

We read: “On Rosh Hashana it is written and on Yom Kippur it is sealed…who will live and who will die”. With this we declare, as it were, that our future is determined on these days. But we then go on to say the opposite, namely that “Teshuvah, Repentance, Tefillah, Prayer, and Tzedakah, Charity, can avert the evil of the decree”.

Isn’t this a contradiction?

We must explain that when we are saying there are 3 things to annul the decree, we are really expressing our deep-rooted faith in Hashem that He forgives, pardons and exercises clemency. Judaism teaches that no fate is final. All is not lost. Even the harshest decrees can be annulled if we truly repent, pray and give to others.

Our sages teach us that these 3 things represent our 3 different relationships: Teshuvah, Repentance, is our relationship to ourselves. Tefillah, Prayer is our relationship to Hashem. Tzedakah, Charity, is our relationship to other people.

It is truly encouraging to know that when it comes to improving ourselves, we only need to start by making the smallest change. Through this, we show Hashem that we are on the way up and coming closer to Him.

Spirituality can be likened to a ladder. The first rung is where

a person is the furthest that he could possibly be away from Hashem. But remember that there is no such thing as rung zero! The first rung is still on the ladder. Every Jew has the inner spark, and the highest rung is the closest one that can possibly be to Hashem.

In truth, more important than where we are on the ladder, is the direction we are heading in. Better to be on rung 11, struggling to grip onto rung 12, than to be on rung 76 but slipping down to rung 75.

There is a verse in Koheles that teaches there is no perfect person on earth that only does good deeds and never sins. We recite this verse in the memorial prayer. This same prayer is said about the greatest Torah sage and the fellow who has never seen the inside of a synagogue! No one is perfect. Indeed, Hashem doesn’t expect us to be perfect. All He wants for us is to strive for perfection by being the best that we can. And we achieve this by making small changes, with that in goal in mind.

By making small resolutions to improve our service of Hashem (Teshuva), pouring our heart out in prayer (Tefillah) and being charitable with our money and deeds (Tzedakah), we have the power to avert the evil of the decree. These deeds can, indeed, be our “make it or break it”.

GOLD BOX

לע''נ א''מ ר' מרדכי בן הר'ר שלום ז''ל נלב''ע ט''ו סיון תשס''ב

ת.נ.צ.ב.ה




Rabbi Yoni BirnbaumHadley Wood Jewish Commmunity

TESHUVA, TEFILLAH & TZEDAKAV

There are many different explanations behind the meaning of this key phrase in the tefillah of Unesana Tokef. Some machzorim have the words ‘tzom (fast), kol (voice), mammon (money)’ printed above these words, designed to encourage us towards undertaking positive action in these areas as we daven. But perhaps these words can also be understood as asking three distinct and vital questions of us, each one relating to a different aspect of our lives and particularly the state of our relationships in life.

The first question concerns ‘Teshuva’ and relates to our personal relationship with our self. The passuk in Hoshea (14:2) ‘Shuva yisrael ad Hashem Elokeicha’ (Return, Yisrael, to Hashem your G-d) indicates that ‘Teshuva’ does not actually mean to ‘repent’ but to ‘return’. It asks us whether we have ‘returned’ during the past year to those values that were instilled in us during our childhood. Have we been true to what we know we are capable of?

Have we increased our performance of mitzvos? Have we utilised the opportunities for spiritual growth which have presented themselves to us during the year? Or have we stood still in our limmud hatorah (Torah learning) and shemiras hamitzvos (mitzvah observance)? Can we honestly say that this year we have done more, reached higher than the last?

The second question, Tefillah, relates to our relationship with HaShem. It asks us whether we have taken the steps during the past year to develop our connection to Hashem through tefillah. Have we utilised the precious moments in shul to the best of our ability? Have we listened to Hashem’s voice as refracted through the voices of a hundred generations of the Jewish people?

And have we fully appreciated the value of the kehilla (congregation) – as an extension of the concept of beis tefillah, a house of prayer? Have we involved ourselves with our own kehilla as often as we know we should, appreciating the opportunities it provides us with for growth in our avodas Hashem?

The third and final question is about Tzedaka. This question relates to our relationship with others. Have we treated those

closest to us in the way they deserve? Have we given attention to our spouses, shown love to our children, graciously given of our time to those in need? In particular, have we done everything in our power to help those in distress, people who are less fortunate than ourselves?

Sir Moses Montefiore zt’l, the great philanthropist of Victorian Jewry, devoted much of his long life to helping Jewish people in Britain and around the world. The story is told that someone once had the impudence to ask him how much he was ‘worth’. He replied with a certain figure, and the person reacted with surprise. ‘I know you are worth much more than that!’ he exclaimed.

But Sir Moses answered, ‘You didn’t ask what I own, but what I am worth. The figure I gave was how much tzedaka I have given this year, because we are only worth what we are willing to share with others.’ That is true tzedaka, and the question that this final key word asks of us all.

Seen in this light, Teshuva, Tefillah and Tzedaka are the three searching, probing questions of the Yamim Noraim. Together, they remind us that we can always reach higher and strive to achieve more in life - in our relationship with ourselves, with Hashem and with each other.

GOLD BOX


ת.נ.צ.ב.ה




Rabbi Alex NadlerYouth Rabbi for South Manchester Synagogue, Bowdon

TESHUVAH, TEFILLAH AND TZEDAKAH

“L’alter chaim, tovim ul’shalom” – We want Yomim Noraim to come around with the notion that Hashem will grant us a year of sweetness and success. But goodness is limitless. With His Infinite Mercy, Hashem can grant us an even better year than we hoped for. But how do we succeed in Hashem granting us these gifts?

U’Nesanah Tokef is probably one of the most powerful tefillos of the day. (In the words of the ArtScroll Machzor, it is "one of the most stirring compositions in the entire liturgy of the Days of Awe.") We mention the three famous concepts that are able to nullify the evil decree: (a) Teshuvah, Repentance, (b) Tefillah, Prayer and (c) Tzedakah, Charity. How are we to respectively perform these 3 things?

In the standard Machzor, there are 3 words printed above these three concepts: (a) Tzom, Fasting, (b) Kol, Voice and ‘Mamon’, Money. Each of these 3 words share the same gematria (numerical value) of 136 – the implication being that all 3 have equal importance in our Avodas Hashem.

In addition, the Roshei Teivos, acronym, of these words can stand for

Tzom = Tzaaka v’shinui maaseh, cry out and change your ways,

Kol = Kedusha v’taharas lev, become holy and purify our hearts (See Taanis 2a that tefillah is Avodah of the heart) and

Mamon = Motzi mechaveiro v’gam nosein, to encourage oneself and his friend to give Tzedakah.

Teshuvah, Repentance, was created for EVERY SINGLE PERSON. The simple term of repentance is the need to have regret and contrition for one’s sins, to ‘turn over a new leaf’. In fact, teshuva means something far greater. It is not newness but it denotes ‘to return’. A person ideally wants to be kadosh and tahor, holy and pure. Know that sinning is antithetical to your

true nature. A sin is never intrinsic to man; it is foreign matter to his true essence that is his Neshama. Doing Teshuva means to reform that essential union of his Neshama to its Divine Source.

Tefillah, ‘Prayer’ means supplication or petition. Tefillah means a union between man and Hashem (Rashi. Bereishis 30:82).

The soul, as mentioned, is constantly striving for union with its Divine Source. Tefillah is that time of communion with Hashem. It is a time for any individual who wants to join with his Creator to reaffirm his love and reinforce his bond.

Tzedakah, ‘Charity’ means gratuitous benefactions for the poor – a benevolent person giving when one needs not to. ‘Tzedakah’ however doesn’t just connote benevolence, but rather that of Justice, ‘Tzedek’. A person is obligated to give to another and like Hashem is not beholden to man, but still gives to him

anyway, all the more so should we act in this righteous fashion before Hashem.

The possuk in Amos [3:8] “Aryeh Sha’ag mi lo yiroh” (A lion has roared, whi shal not fear?) – Aryeh has Roshei Taivos: Elul, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Hoshanah Rabbah. When these days are roaring, shouldn’t we be afraid? We need to take the days of introspection, to check our middos and our actions and how to be make the ultimate tikkun (rectification).

Teshuva, Tefillah and Tzedakah represent a person returning his true self to his Creator, building a union with Him and acting justly before Him. Does Hashem withhold his gifts to those that walk in his ways? Ani L’Dodi v’Dodi Li (I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me)!

It is our Avodah to open our hearts and make the will of Hashem our wish then we should all be zoche to a Shana Tova U’masuka for all our families and Klal Yisroel and be zoche to witness the real Divine service in the Beis Hamikdash that should be rebuilt in our days.

GOLD BOX


ת.נ.צ.ב.ה



תשליך Rabbi Dr. Moshe Freedman

Rabbi, New West End Synagogue

TASHLICH: THE WATERS OF SATAN

As a child I often wondered how shaking out our pockets by the River Thames could possibly help to spiritually purify us! The origins are taken from the verse in Michah (7:19) that hints to the idea that God “will return and grant compassion, hide our iniquities and cast (v’sashlich) all of their sins into the depths of the sea.” Tashlich is still shrouded in mystery and wonder.

The Geonim (589 CE to 1038 CE) would plant beans such as Egyptian Ful or other kitniyot two to three weeks before Rosh Hashanah. Once it had sprouted, on erev Rosh Hashanah they would wave it around their heads and say ‘zeh tachas zeh – this one instead of that one, zeh chalifasi – this is my exchange, zeh temurosi – this is my substitute’ (Rashi, Shabbos 81b). Interestingly, this appears to be remarkably similar to the kapporos we perform shortly before Yom Kippur. Yet the additional comment notes that once the sprouted beans had been waived seven times, they would throw them into the river.

The earliest record which refers directly to Tashlich is the Maharil (Rabbi Yaakov Moelin, d. 1427) who writes that after the festive meal on Rosh HaShanah, it was customary to go down to the rivers or the sea to throw our sins into the deep waters (Sefer Maharil Laws of Rosh HaShanah 9).

The Rema also draws on a Midrash (Tanchuma Vayeira 22) which explains a deeper aspect to Tashlich. When Avraham went with Yitzchak to perform the Akeidah, the Satan blocked his way with a river. Undeterred, Avraham

entered the river and struggled on until the water reached his neck, at which point he cried out to God and was saved (see also Yalkut Shimoni Vayera 99).

There is a deeper meaning behind this Midrash. The role of the Satan is to ensnare a person to sin where he take the evidence of this transgression to the Heavenly court to accuse and prosecute the sinner. In fact, the Yetzer HaRa (Evil Inclination), the Satan and the Malach HaMaves

(Angel of Death) are the same metaphysical force designed to test and indict us should we fail (Bava Basra 16a).

The Satan’s use of water is also highly significant. Water absorbs and assimilates whatever is put into it. Avraham faced annihilation by entering the river. Yet, he displayed tremendous faithfulness and loyalty to the Word of Hashem by continuing his mission.

On Rosh Hashanah we take the very symbol used by the Satan against our first forefather and empty the crumbs from our pockets. We take the remnants of our own indiscretions and spiritual failures and throw them into the water so that they dissolve into nothing. While the

Satan would try to destroy us through our sins, we must counterattack by willingly doing our best to continue undeterred, notwithstanding whatever ordeals that the Satan may throw at us. Even when we’re unsuccessful, provided that we are willing to learn from our mistakes, Hashem will dissolve our transgressions away, guiding us to an even greater connection to Him.

לעי''נ ר' יעקב בן ר' יוסף ז''ל



עשרת ימי תשובה Rabbi Marc Levene

Assistant Rabbi HGSS

ASERES YEMAI TESHUVA

A couple of months ago, it was all over the news that Oskar Groening, the Bookkeeper of Auschwitz, was to be brought to trial in Germany at the age of 94.

Photographs and video clips from these dramatic proceedings were broadcast around the world. Those sitting comfortably in their homes were able to stare directly into his eyes but with mixed emotions. On the one hand here stood a frail elderly man, but on the other hand, here was someone who had a hand in the deaths of so many thousands. What should have been the world’s reaction?

However, the story what I wish to explore is not that of Oskar Groening but of Eva Kor. Now living in America after surviving the camps, Eva was encouraged to attend the trial to give evidence against Groening. In a truly remarkable interview with the BBC, she spoke of her time at Auschwitz and meeting the infamous Doctor Josef Mengele. She went on to describe the selection process and other various aspects of the camp. But her final message was not about hate but about forgiveness. In her own words, this inspiring woman declared “I no longer carry any anger or hatred for anybody, because once I alleviate myself from hatred, I can open myself up to many other emotions.” Included in the interview was a clip from the trial where you actually see Eva approach Groening and embrace him.

Of course, it is impossible for me to personally comprehend the pain, suffering and loss that Eva experienced in her

lifetime. But to know that this man was implicit and still be able to forgive him is truly inspiring.

Somehow, Eva was able to look into the hearts of other people and to see them for who they want to be and not what they have done. She wanted to live with the purpose

of healing instead of ongoing suffering. During those few minutes, she taught me – and many others – such a profound lesson in forgiveness – which I am pressed to now incorporate into my own life.

If we use our time wisely during the High Holy Days, we can all journey through amazing self-growth and gain new insightful perspectives on our own lives. The purpose of this time of year is not only to grow, but to repair what might be broken, something which impacts not only upon our relationship with G-d but also upon the connections that we have with others.

We are all too quick to expect G-d to forgive us in the same light that Eva was able to forgive her captor. But, I

wonder, can we ourselves apply this same mantra when it comes to forgiving others? As we navigate the relationships we build on a daily basis, can we adopt Eva’s pure and holy attitudes – to be slow to anger, gracious, compassionate and forgiving? These familiar sounding traits resonate with the 13 Attributes of Mercy that we repeat through the Days of Awe. Let us look into our own hearts to find a place within us to love and forgive. If Eva can, so can we.



עשרת ימי תשובה Mrs Debbie Rowe

Jewish Educator and facilitator of 'Al Pi Darko' parenting workshops

TURNING DISTANCE INTO CLOSENESS

Recently my child misappropriated something belonging to me knowing that he did not have permission to use it. Having ‘let slip’ what he had done, my husband and I realised we had to choose the right response to deal with his misdemeanour. We wanted him to be able to own up in the future to having done something wrong but at the same time not to be scared to face up to any future mistakes for fear of retribution. We also wanted to avoid the risk of him feeling bad about himself.

Honestly, our initial response was the shock and horror that he could do such a thing. Then, our thoughts turned to anger that he would do such a thing! I spoke to my son describing my feeling of disappointment that I could not trust him to be alone with my possessions. I plainly explained to him that it would now take time to regain that trust. I showed no anger and gave no punishment. The strain on the relationship was the consequence in itself of the crime.

An hour later a piece of paper appeared under my bedroom door. It was an apology letter written by my child complete with a promise that he would never again take/use my possessions without permission. Later that evening, I saw a reminder he had written to himself on the blackboard next to his bed. It said “do ‘teshuva’ for taking…..”

My heart melted. Then I found myself contemplating exactly what he meant by the ‘teshuva’ he intended to do.

The following morning, he asked if I had seen his note. I said yes and asked him what he had meant by ‘doing Teshuva’. His answer was that he wanted “to concentrate on the wrong thing I did during davening this morning”.

My Jewish maternal feelings were easy to identify: pride, respect, humility and, of course, forgiveness.

What had my son felt and done that was so powerful? To appreciate the answer, one must examine the concept of teshuva.

The Rambam (Hilchos Teshuva 2:2) specifies that Teshuva is ‘distancing oneself from the wrongful action, removing it from his thought, and resolving in his heart not to do it again…’ Thus, Teshuva rectifies the flaw caused by the mistake. This is the generally accepted concept of Teshuva. There is, however, a deeper perspective.

The literal meaning of the word Teshuva has at its root the word ‘return’. Conceptually, this implies the desire to create closeness to Hashem. It strengthens the bond between Creator and His creation. This is why Teshuva can be translated as both ‘repentance’ (the correction of mistakes) and ‘return’ (creating a close relationship).

Actually, both of these aspects are fundamentally one and the same. Returning to Hashem is really the only aspect, as it contains the desire to return. Here our mistakes are not only rectified, but actively turned into positive deeds. It is the foundation of everything.

Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzatto (1707-1746) writes in Derech Hashem: “the true intention in all the Mitzvos is turning towards Hashem….Avoiding sin means fleeing from that which distances us from Him. This is the true purpose of the Mitzvos”

The feelings of pride, love and forgiveness I had towards my son were rooted in his awareness of the distance that his actions had caused between us and his sincere desire to want to be close again. His apology letter, his written reminder to do teshuva, and his mature attitude towards praying for ‘forgiveness’, showed me that it wasn’t his wrong actions that bothered him most; it was the breakdown in trust and closeness of our relationship that he really wanted to fix.

As a mother, with a deep and unconditional love for my son, I gained a new insight into the power of teshuva and how much Hashem desires us, His beloved children to be close to Him; whatever we have done, however far we have strayed. It is with this confidence that I approach the High Holy Days.



עשרת ימי תשובה Rabbi Aron Litwin

The Jerusalem Kollel

THE TRUE FEAR

When I think of Elul and the Ten Days of Teshuvah, the image of an old sage with deep-set eyes and a long flowing white beard appears in my head. The sage looks at me with a harsh, stern stare and cries out: “Do תשובה”. I often find myself paralyzed from the fear and magnitude of what lies before me.

The אברהם asks a powerful תורת question. The days of Elul are such wonderful days of opportunity and there is unlimited potential for growth in the air. If so, what is all the fear about?

Joel Ifergan decided to buy a lottery ticket. He had seven days in which to purchase the key to his dreams. But Joel had a career as an accountant and other domestic jobs to deal with. The week began slipping away. Before he knew it, he now had only one day left in which to buy his ticket. Twenty four hours can seem like a long time. But Joel had to eat breakfast, chat to his friend and before he realized it, it was 8:59pm on May 23rd. He had one minute left in which to acquire a ticket. He ran into a kiosk on a Quebec high street, filled out his form and hoped for the best. Every single number on Ifergan’s ticket came up. The jackpot was a whopping 27 million dollars.

But there was one problem… Joel had purchased his ticket s e v e n seconds too late. A few weeks ago Canada's

highest court rejected Ifergan’s appeal that the machine was too slow and confirmed that Joel was simply too late.

The תורת אברהם explains that Elul is all about Joel Ifergan. During the days of Elul, we do indeed have limitless potential for growth and gain. But this is exactly our fear; our greatest worry is that of missing the opportunity. The anxiety every Yid should feel is that he may miss a golden chance.

My Rebbe, Reb Avrohom Ehrentreu would always quote Reb Yerucham as having said; “Rosh Hashanah is a sea of mercy. However much you put in, that’s how much you can take out”. Our concern is that we may not put enough in.

The same concept applies to every aspect of the Yomim Noraim. Rosh Hashanah, the Aseres Yemei

Teshuvah and Yom Kippur, each one is an infinite gift from the Almighty.

So let us march toward the ‘heiliger teig’, excited at what we can gain and fearful of missing out!

This page has been sponsored in honour of

Dayan Yonason Abraham שליט"אWishing Dayan Abraham and family a כתיבה וחתימה טובה

guidance which Dayan & הרבצת תורה ,for the outstanding shiurim יישר כחך Abraham has provided the NW London קהילה

as well as the assiduous and untiring support the Dayan has given to so many local and international causes

לשנה טובה תכתבו ותחתמו לאלתר לחיים טובים



עשרת ימי תשובה Rabbi Avi Weisenfeld

Rosh Kollel, Yerushalayim and Rav at Kav Halachah Beis Horaah

ASERES YEMEI TESHUVA

One Shabbos Bereishis, Rabbi Yisroel Salanter began to cry – he had broken one of the resolutions that he had accepted upon himself on Yom Kippur for the upcoming year. At the beginning of every year, we all make resolutions to improve our ways. But the resolutions don’t usually last for long. Soon after the Yomim Tovim, we return to our old selves.

The Divrei Chaim of Sanz often discussed this problem. He told the following parable: “A mother of many hungry children once found an egg. The children were overjoyed. ‘Baruch Hashem! At last there will be something to eat! We can divide the egg among us!’ “But their mother had other plans. ‘We are not going to eat the egg. We’re going to find a hen to help hatch it.’ “Does that mean that there’ll soon be chicken for us to eat?’ the children asked hopefully. “No”, the mother replied. We’re not going to eat the chicken. We’re going to raise it until it lays eggs of its own. Those eggs will hatch into more chickens. We will sell the chickens to buy a cow. Then we will sell the cow’s milk until we can afford to buy another cow….

“The mother continued her optimistic plans for their future. In her enthusiasm, she forgot that she was holding the egg. It fell to the ground. And so ended all of her plans.”

The Divrei Chaim continued, “That’s how all our plans for the New Year appear. During Elul and Rosh Hashanah, we make plans to improve ourselves. But in the end, we end up with no changes at all.”

One of the reasons for this is because people often feel that the good resolution that they accepted upon themselves isn’t enough. They assume that what they really need is

a complete overhaul, to change their ways entirely. This makes their resolution seems so insignificant that they decide to drop it.

In my line of work, I will often hear the complaint: “Rabbi, it’s too difficult to change!” My response varies according to the person that I am talking to. Often, I will tell them, “Hashem doesn’t want us to be perfect. Nevertheless, he wants us to be on the road to get there.” As long as we are positively doing something small to try and improve our ways, with a goal in mind, we are on the journey to perfection. True, we may have to pass 120 New Years before we get there, but at least we are on the right path.

The villagers of a certain town woke up one morning to find a magnificent palace hovering 500 feet above the centre of town. Someone came around selling ladders: a 500 foot ladder costed 500 rubles, a 200 foot ladder costed 200

rubles, and a 50 foot ladder costed 50 rubles. Most people thought that the 500 ruble ladder was too expensive so they purchased the cheaper options. Someone bought the 200 ruble ladder, stood it perfectly upright resting on the floor of the palace. Though he may not make it all the way to the top, at least he stands a chance of getting somewhere. The ones that bought the small ladders, however, weren’t even able to stand theirs up and so reach anywhere near the palace. They fell flat on the ground from the very beginning.

During the days of Aseres Yemei Teshuva, people often try to accept upon themselves certain stringencies that they wouldn’t necessarily follow through during the year. We are preparing for ourselves a ladder, so that we can slowly and carefully make our way up and up….until we eventually reach the top!



עשרת ימי תשובה Rabbi Yaakov Barr

Psychotherapist

ALL OR NOTHING

It is the teshuva trap that most of us have fallen into, here is the scenario. At some point from Rosh Chodesh Elul to Yom Kippur, you feel inspired to change. It might have been from a drosho, a tefillah or a dvar torah (Torah idea). So you decide that this is going to be ‘the’ year where you are going to undergo a metamorphosis from the ordinary you to the new ‘state of the art’ you. But how often do we concoct grandiose plans and commit to wholesale changes only to see our well-meant intentions fizzle out a few days after Yom Kippur? Does Avi’s story sound familiar?

Avi went to a shiur about Rosh Hashono and was inspired by what he heard. Avi went home, excited and motivated that this was the year he was going to become a whole new person. He resolved to get up on time, not to be late for shul each day, to start learning daf yomi and to be more patient with his wife and children. Yom Tov itself went extremely well and Avi felt so good. But it was on Tzom Gedalia that things went awry. After a bad night, Avi got to shul late. Later, after work, being hungry and tired, he found it too difficult to learn the daf. The final straw was when one of his children refused to go to bed and Avi lost his cool. Anger soon developed into sadness as Avi decided that his high hopes of real change had been reduced to nothing and were just a waste of time. The old Avi was back. But this time, it was with a depressing hopelessness about ever changing in the future.

One of the classic thinking errors is called “all-or-nothing” thinking. It is the cause of many psychological problems and can also destroy our prospects of teshuva. If our goal is perfection, then we are surely setting ourselves up for

failure. The stakes are unrealistic―for we are all human after all. When we set the bar too high, it’s too easy to be overwhelmed by the task before us. Inevitably the

task becomes impossible and the tendency is to throw up our hands in exasperation and to quit. After all, if we have to be perfect to succeed, and we can’t possibly get it perfect, why bother at all?

Real change must be sustainable change. Here are some quick guidelines for setting teshuva plans into motion.

Specific - Whatever you take on, should be very specific. It’s not good enough to generally intend on improving yourself. Determine what specific aspect do you want to improve? Is it a particular mitzvah or a personality trait?

Measurable - How do you want to improve? Can you clearly identify or

quantify what the change will look like?

Realistic - Is your plan manageable and realistic for the long term? If not, then better go for something smaller.

Last but not least. Give yourself permission to be human. A car with a scratch is not automatically sent to the scrap heap. Neither should a fruit bowl be consigned to the bin because it holds within it one bad apple.

Teshuva, too, is not all or nothing. You may forget your plan or sometimes find it too difficult. But that does not mean that the whole plan is a disaster and has failed. Each day is a new opportunity.

May this coming year bring health, happiness and long lasting change.



כפרות Rabbi Adam Edwards MA

Director of Educational Development, seed UK

KAPPAROS

If the world would be ruled by strict justice, then every time a person would knowingly do something wrong, a giant tonne weight should fall from the sky and squash him! Fortunately, G-d also rules by mercy which allows us the opportunity to repent and attain atonement. Some explain that this is use of the chicken in the custom of Kapparos. The ritual makes us realise how, without G-d’s mercy, we would be truly deserved to be slaughtered just like the chicken.

So what is the goal of the kapparos? Is it to make us feel guilty and depressed? Are we meant to feel hopeless and to despair about how bad we are? I once saw an explanation that views kapparos in a different way.

The story is told of a new Rabbi. Within a few weeks of his joining the community, one of the older members of the shul passes away. The deceased was an older woman survived by her elderly husband but no other relatives. The funeral has only a minimum attendance and after the Rabbi has finished the burial, only he and the husband remained at the gravesite. The older man stared at the burial ground which now held his wife’s remains.

The Rabbi waited patiently for a few minutes. Feeling uncomfortable, he tried to escort the man away by telling him that it was time to go. However, the man remained unmoved. All the Rabbi’s pleas fell on deaf ears as the widower refused to move from the spot. Finally, he

addressed the Rabbi, “You don’t understand – I loved her”. The young Rabbi tried to placate him saying that it must be so hard what he is going through, but reassuring him that at least they had lived a long and happy life together.

“But Rabbi - you don’t understand. – I loved my wife……but I never told her!”

The story is so tragic and not just because of the tragic loss of a loved one. It depicts the lost opportunity for appreciation and recognition of what he had, what was precious to him, but what he didn’t appreciate.

Perhaps the custom of kapparos is the antidote for this loss. When we say that we may not deserve all that we have, it is not said to bring us to depression. Rather, it is meant to instil within us an appreciation of what we have. None of us want to be the elderly man of

the story and to only truly appreciate what we have once it is too late. We need to appreciate our lives, the tremendous gifts that we have, and we must remember the blessing of our family, friends, community and whatever else we have.

Kapparos is not about death, but about life. It is life affirming. It is about helping us to remember how best to appreciate our very lives and its many blessings.

May the Almighty continue to grant us only good, and may we always be able to recognise the good that He gives us in our lives.



חולים ביום כפור Dr Yossi Adler

LAWS OF FASTING

TO FAST OR NOT TO FAST?

If someone who is able to fast does not do so, there is a potential for the punishment of koreis (spiritual excision). But someone who puts himself in danger by fasting when he should not do so, is also oveir (violating) one of the most serious transgressions. This article is to provide general guidance. The final psak must always be provided by a competent moreh horo'oh (qualified Rabbi) and generally, in conjunction with the patient’s physician.

I often find there are 2 groups of people: (a) those that are able to fast but are worried about doing so and therefore looking for a heter (leniency) to eat or drink and (b) those who should not fast but are still reluctant to break the fast even after being advised accordingly by their rabbi. To this latter group, we often point out the statement of Ramban [Milchomos, Sanhedrin 74:] “There is absolutely no middos chassidus (additional measure of piety) for a choleh sheyesh bo sakono (ill-patient where there is a danger to life) to be stringent upon himself not wanting to violate Shabbos or Yom Kippur for him. On the contrary, somebody who holds himself back in situation of danger to life is mischayev benafsho (takes his life into his own hands)”. Indeed, it is reported that in the last year of his life, the Chazon Ish spent Yom Kippur eve visiting 3

dangerously ill patients to ensure that they would eat on Yom Kippur.

MEDICAL OPINION

The Shulchan Aruch [Orach Chaim 618, 1] rules that even if one expert medical opinion says that if a person does not eat, his illness may deteriorate, then we feed him on Yom Kippur even if the patient himself insists that it is unnecessary. But if the choleh (ill-patient) himself feels that his illness will deteriorate if he does not eat, and continues to say this once he has been reminded that it is Yom Kippur, then he is permitted to eat however many doctors say that it is unnecessary.

The Biur Halocho (ad loc.) points out that a person must not fast if there is a concern that his condition may deteriorate and possibly become life-threatening if he does not eat – even if he is presently in a situation of danger to life It is on this basis that doctors advise many frail elderly people to drink on Yom Kippur because of concerns regarding the risks of dehydration.

Whereas the Shulchan Aruch says that this medical opinion to fast may even be determined by a non-Jewish doctor, the Biur Halocho brings the opinion of Tiferes Yisroel and others that many non-Jewish or even irreligious Jewish doctors say that even people with minor illnesses should not fast because they do not appreciate the importance of fasting on Yom

In memory of R' Shmuel Chaim ben R' Zvi Hirsch z"l

Niftar Yom Kippur 5743



Kippur. Consequently, the final decision must be made according to the expertise of the rabbi where no reliable Jewish doctor is available.

The Aruch HaShulchan [618 :1] discusses what happens when a person becomes ill on Yom Kippur and no doctor is available. A person who is lying in bed and unable to get up because of the severity of his illness must be considered as being in a life-threatening situation. Rav Moshe Feinstein [Igros Moshe OC 4:121] says that someone who is fainting or appears pale and clammy needs to break their fast if no doctor is available.

QUESTIONS TO ASK THE D O C T O R

Discussion of any specific conditions is beyond the scope of this article. These are the essential questions which one has to ask the doctor to address before Yom Kippur:

1. Does the patient have to eat, drink or both?

2. How much does the patient need to eat or drink over the 25 hours? Do they have to start at night or can they wait until the morning?

3. Is there any reason not to take the food or drink in small quantities at intervals [pachos mikeshiur] ?

4. What medications must be taken on Yom Kippur?

LESS THAN A SHIUR

The prohibition against eating and drinking on Yom Kippur can be mitigated by eating less than a shiur (minimum quantity) of food and drink within a certain time period. Importantly, this does not make eating or drinking permitted for someone for whom there is no risk in fasting. According to most authorities, eating or drinking pachos mikeshiur (less than the minimum quantity of eating) is still ossur min hatoroh (Biblically

prohibited) - albeit not carrying the punishment of koreis [Shulchan Aruch, OC 612 and Mishneh Berurah 10]. So the decision to permit a choleh to have pachos mikeshiur must not be taken lightly.

On this basis, the pre-prepared sachets that are now available with the appropriate amount of fluid should only be distributed by a rabbi after a heter (lenient ruling) to use them has been given. They should not be made generally available to the community in order not to give

the impression, G-d forbid, that they provide some ‘alternative’ to fasting.

[The Achiezer does bring opinions that eating on Yom Kippur does not carry a Biblical prohibition because the obligation is Innui, a sense of affliction,rather than fasting per se. Eating small amounts does not contravene the sense of innui. Some also argue that if the reason chatzi shiur (part-of-a-definitive measure) is normally forbidden is because of the principle of achshevei (by eating even a small amount, a person hereby demonstrates that this amount is important to him), on Yom Kippur this may not be the case. Here he is not demonstrating that he considers

this to be significant food but he is simply consuming it to preserve his health.]

THE SHIUR FOR FOOD

Because the issur (prohibition) of Yom Kippur comes out from the sense of innui rather than eating per se, the measure which carries the punishment of koreis is koseves hagasso, a large date, rather than a kazayis, olive. The volume of a koseves hagasso is slightly less than that a kebeitzo, egg. The poskim stringently consider a koseves to equal 2/3 of a beitzo so if a kebeitzo is taken as a volume of 45 – 50 ml, then a koseves will be about 30ml.



חולים ביום כפור



It is important to note that we are interested in “volume” rather than “weight”. The weight of the shiur in grams depends on the density of each food. Therefore, if one wants to know how much each shiur is, one would have to crumble the food into a measuring cylinder [or baby bottle] before Yom Kippur to see how much of each food can be broken down to a volume of about 30ml. Fortunately, some poskim have already done this for us. Rav Bodner suggests several examples of the maximum amounts that can be eaten within the specified time: half of a central slice of a large loaf of bread; half a standard matzo; 4 tea biscuits; half an average banana; or 6 chocolate squares. This amount is not subjective or dependent on the size of the individual.

THE SHIUR FOR FLUIDS

In fact, this discussion is largely theoretical. In my experience, it is extremely rare that a choleh actually has to eat on Yom Kippur. Almost invariably, the concerns revolve around the risk of dehydration such that it is sufficient to take fluids. However, if nutrition is required this can be adequately achieved by taking nutritious liquids. Therefore the volume of the shiur of liquid is of far more practical importance.

The shiur for the punishment of koreis for liquid is melo lugmov, a cheekful. This shiur is subjective and dependent on the size of the individual concerned. Nevertheless, the poskim rule that for an average sized person this measure is the majority of a reviis (literally "one quarter"). Where one stringently consider that the shiur of a reviis is 86ml, then a ‘safe’ volume within the limit, applicable for the vast majority of people, would be 40ml. [This is the volume of a medium sized disposable lechaim glass].

TIME OF EATING/DRINKING

The time which one has to wait before eating or drinking the next shiur is the time of kedei achilus pras, the time it takes to eat four beitzim (eggs) [i.e. the time it would take to eat 6 times the amounts given for koseves hagaso above]. The Mishna Berurah [OC 618:20] however says that beshaas hadchak (in extenuating circumstances), this can be reduced to the time taken to eat 3 beitzim. He

cites the Chasam Sofer who holds that the time for eating 4 beitzim is 9 minutes which is also the opinion of the Chazon Ish. However, there are more lenient opinions to be considered beshaas hadchak.

We generally conduct ourselves like the Mishna Berurah [612:31] that the shiur for drinking liquids is the same time as that for eating food [kdei achilas pras]. This is not like the Rambam and first opinion in the Shulchan Aruch [OC 612:10] who hold that the shiur for liquid is kdei shesias reviis – namely the shorter time taken to drink a reviis of liquid-. In a situation where someone has to drink quickly (e.g. a pregnant lady who starts having contractions), there would still be a halachic advantage in taking a jug of water and pouring it into a lechaim cup to drink one lechaim cup immediately after the next. Drinking each shiur in the time of kdei shesias reviis would avoid the punishment of koreis according to many poskim.

Eating and drinking are considered separately. In the rare situation that someone has to eat, he may simultaneously eat and drink less than a shiur of each

without any interruption.

INTERVALS

It is of fundamental importance to remember that every time someone eats or drinks, even pachos mikeshiur (less than the measure), he is violating an issur – probably a Biblical prohibition.. Consequently, even where medically permitted to drink, must not be taken as a carte blanche to take the shiurim as often as the patient likes. Where someone was acutely ill and had to drink more than a shiur, once he feels better he must then immediately revert to taking the minimum number of pachos mikeshiur measures that he requires for the rest of the day. Only the minimal amount of fluid needed to prevent any risk to the person is permitted.

When a person is told by his doctor that he needs to drink on

Yom Kippur, he must ask how much total fluid is needed over the 25 hrs (and whether anything would be required on kol nidrei night―which is unusual). This amount must then be divided into portions of less than 40ml to determine how many times during the day the pachos mikeshiur has to be taken. For example, in a typical case





a doctor might advise that a person should have a litre of fluid during the day (remembering they can make up a shortfall in normal fluid intake by drinking more in the evening after completion of the fast). They would then have to organise to take the lechaim glass or sachet of fluid about 25 times during the day. Obviously fasting takes precedence over going to shul. But here they would easily be able to achieve their fluid requirement by taking the fluid at 9 minute intervals for a total of 4 hours in the day [e.g. 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon] and still have plenty of time to go to shul in between. Someone else might prefer to spread it out over the day and just take the permitted quantity every half an hour. This is also fine. As the Biur Halocho says [OC 618], the process of considering the necessity of each intake of food or drink is difficult to estimate. It needs great zerizus (diligence) and bekius (expertise).

Once a person has to drink on Yom Kippur, the vast majority of opinions hold that it does not make any difference “what” one drinks. There is no need to maximise the innui by drinking plain water rather than a nutritious liquid [see Ohr Someach, Hilchos Maacholos Assuros 14,14]. It is clearly preferable to have something nutritious if this will reduce the volume that has to be consumed.

TABLETS

Taking tasteless tablets is not considered eating. Therefore there is no problem to take most tablets without water which would be permitted even for a choleh sheein bo sakonoh (ill person in a non-life-threatening situation). For example, someone with a severe migraine affecting his whole body could take paracetamol on Yom Kippur. Sometimes, a person who is unable to swallow tablets without water can manage by crushing the tablet and taking it as a powder (though one has to check with the pharmacist that crushing the tablet will not affect its effectivity). Obviously, it is important to experiment with this before Yom Kippur to confirm that he is able to swallow the powder form without water. Even if he is able to take the tablets without water, it is still important to get prior instructions from the doctor as to which tablets should be taken as some may preferably be omitted or taken after the fast [e.g. diabetic tablets or diuretics].

If a tablet is necessary, and he is unable to swallow it without water, the preferred option is to make the water slightly bitter [such that one would not normally drink

it to quench ones thirst] and to then take the tablet with a minimal quantity of this liquid. How best to do this should be discussed with one’s Rabbi as most Rabbonim have their preferred method. The other suggestion, where possible and with the pharmacist’s agreement, is to crush the tablet in to a small amount of liquid before Yom Kippur. This whole mixture now becomes the medicine and is not classified as a food or drink.

PREGNANT WOMEN

Pregnant women are required to fast on Yom Kippur unless there are specific complications. A woman who is close to her term should continue to fast until the onset of established labour. When she starts labour, she should start drinking so that she does not face childbirth in a weakened state. (Obviously this only applies later in the day. At the beginning of Yom Kippur, on Kol Nidrei night or early in the day when she would be well hydrated anyway, there is no need to break the fast.) At this stage, she should drink normally – and not pachos mikeshiur. [However, as noted above, she should use a lechaim glass to avoid the punishment of koreis according to those poskim who define the time for drinking as kdei shesias reviis].

A woman who is not yet due to give birth (i.e. less than 37 weeks) who feels contractions at any time on Yom Kippur should start to drink immediately as this will usually prevent the onset of premature labour. Again, in this case she should not drink pachos mikeshiur other than within the parameters described above. It is vital that all pregnant women are aware of this in order to mitigate the risk of premature births as a result of fasting on Yom Kippur.

In closing, I would like once again to emphasise the great importance of discussing specific situations with one’s rabbi. It is my hope the above will nevertheless provide some guidance as to when and which questions need to be asked.

Our fervent prayer is that all of Klal Yisroel should be healthy and that none of this discussion should be halocho lemaaseh (practical halachic application) except the last two paragraphs. May we all merit to a complete teshuvah and full forgiveness together with all of Klal Yisroel.





כל נדרי Rabbi Ari Kayser

Aish UK

PLAYING G-D

Kol Nidrei is the famous moving introduction to the holiest day of the year. When one ponders the meaning behind these words, however, not only does it seem strange but it appears to be utterly unconnected to the theme of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Why was the prayer of Kol Nidrei, describing the annulment of one’s vows, chosen to be the introduction to Yom Kippur?

When looking at the world in its entirety, our Sages categorised four types of existence: inanimate, plant, animal and man. The word chosen to describe man relative to the rest of creation is not the traditional name “adam” (man), but rather “medaber” (speaker). This teaches us that a defining characteristic of humankind is the gift of speech.

Let us ask ourselves: what is a vow? Take the following example. What happens if someone says, “Apples should be forbidden to me in the same manner that other objects are forbidden”? The result is that apples become as forbidden to him by Torah law as pork! If he transgresses such a vow and eats an apple, he commits a sin of the same gravity as eating explicitly forbidden by the Torah and liable for the same punishment. In other words, making a vow means we can effectively “playing G-d”. Like Him, we possess the power to alter or shape reality itself.

Now we can begin to understand just how powerful our words are. We all know the children’s rhyme “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me”. It may be more accurate to say: “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can kill!” Words can literally make or break a person. The words of a bully can ruin someone’s life. The hateful words of a maniac leader calling for the destruction of the one small Jewish State has incited others all over the world to take up arms.

Nevertheless, there is another side to this uniquely human trait of speech. This perspective is one that gives us hope of a future generation inspired to succeed. These are the warm words of encouragement that every loving parent gives their child. These are the calls to unity from our people when three young Israeli boys went missing last summer. Words can breed hate, but they can also breed love.

There is a beautiful story about a man by the name of Ben Carson. Ben was part of a large, poor, African American family, and grew up

in the slums of Detroit, Michigan. Being part of an impoverished, dysfunctional family, the chances of him making something of himself were slim to none. Nevertheless, after a difficult childhood, Ben Carson decided that he wanted to get an education and become the first member of his family to go to University, not just that but he wanted to be a doctor (no he wasn’t Jewish!). On his first day at University he was so excited, his proud mother set him on his way and he arrived on campus, ready to start learning. Little did he know that his main professor was a complete racist. The professor approached Ben before the first lecture and said, “What are you doing here? This place is not for you, I think you should just go back to the sorry home you came from”.

Ben, dejected and depressed, returned home at the end of the day. His mother, who was waiting for him on the porch came running towards him saying, “I’m so proud of you my boy! You can do anything you set your mind to. I believe in you”. Ben, spirits lifted, resolved to return to University the next day, full of confidence, determined to succeed, no matter what challenges he faced. The next day the professor harassed him again “I thought I told you not to come back”. Once again, Ben returned home dejected. And once again, his mother lifted his spirits.

Ben Carson spent the next 11 years in University. Now that’s a long time, even for a student of medicine! Was he that bad? No. In fact, Ben Carson finished his medicine degree and went on to study surgery. Today, Ben Carson is one of the most recognised neurosurgeons in the United States. In 1987, Carson made medical history by being the first surgeon to successfully separate Siamese twins, conjoined at the back of the head. The 50-member surgical team, led by Carson, worked for 22 hours. In recognition of his tremendous achievements, Ben Carson was given many prestigious awards. In one of his thank you speeches, he mentioned this story and how his whole success is attributed to the encouraging words of his mother.

We begin Yom Kippur by declaring that the word of a Jew is something sacred. By declaring that our vows are nullified, we express that we wish to live up to any standard we set for ourselves. We cannot even begin to talk to Hashem about repentance, atonement or forgiveness, before establishing that our word is one that can be trusted.

May we all use our words carefully and be sealed in the Book of Life for the year to come.



כל נדרי Rabbi Danny Kada

Rabbi, Wembley Sephardi Congregation

ASERES YEMEI TESHUVA

“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” is a well-known English idiom. But what is Judaism’s perspective on this?

It is remarkable that the holiest day of the Jewish calendar begins with the Kol Nidrei service – a declaration annulling any forgotten vows one may have made during the course of the year.

Granted, a broken vow is a serious and grave issue (See e.g. Bamidbar 30:3 and an entire Talmudic tractate Masechet Nedarim devoted to the laws pertaining to keeping one’s promises and undertakings). But Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement for all sins of man against G-d. Surely, we ought to begin the day with more severe matters?

Some say that the reason for the Kol Nidrei service goes back to the times of the Spanish Inquisition. Jews and the “Marranos” who outwardly behaved as devout Christians, but inwardly remained loyal to their faith. Once a year, on the eve of Yom Kippur, they would gather together in their hideout synagogues. Before beginning the services, they would implore G-d to forgive them for any statements or declarations uttered over the course of the year which were contrary to Jewish doctrine. It thereby became accepted practice amongst all congregations to begin the day with Kol Nidrei. The problem with this explanation is that Kol Nidrei predates the Spanish Inquisition by hundreds of years going back to the Geonic period (circa 550-1050). There must therefore be a deeper reason to the solemnity and gravity Jewish tradition has lent to this prayer.

In Temple times, there were different degrees of ritual impurity. The most severe was the impurity of a corpse – called in rabbinic literature ‘avi avot ha’tumah’ – literally a ‘grandfather of impurity’ – the source of all impurities and the most restrictive of all of them.

There was only one other form of impurity that was equated that of a dead body – the metzora, leper. One who slandered and spoke derogatorily of others would be inflicted with

tsara’at, a whitish skin discoloration and subject to the same laws as a dead corpse. The leper had to dwell outside the camp. Just as a dead body would make anyone standing under the same roof as it impure, so does a leper.

Human beings are dissimilar to animals in their ability to speak. When a person corrupts his speech and abuses it, he negates his essential nature as a human being. In terms of his status of a human being, the leper is ‘dead’. As David Hamelech (Tehillim 34:12-13) put it: ‘who is man who desires life? Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit’.

Words are powerful. Words can be used to spread hatred or foster love. As Shlomo Hamelech put it in Proverbs (18:21): ‘Life and death are in the hands of the tongue’. (Not just the life and death of others are in the hands of the tongue, but even our own life and death are in the hands of the tongue.) With words we can build worlds.

Imagine taking out a cloth to polish your tarnished candlesticks. Despite lots of rubbing, you realise the silverware is not getting any cleaner. The harder you rub, the dirtier the candlesticks become. You look at the cloth and see splotches of black oil – someone has used your special cloth reserved for polishing your candlesticks to change the oil of his car!

However pure and wholesome our thoughts and feelings are on Yom Kippur, they have to be verbally expressed through our mouths. But if our mouths are dirty, mucky and full of grime, then our deepest and heartfelt thoughts that emanate through our mouths will similarly become dirty.

So we begin Yom Kippur with Kol Nidrei to first make sure that our speech is pure and correct. This will restore our essential nature as human beings endowed with the faculty of speech that is clean and unsullied. Only then are we are ready to begin praying and making the most of this precious day.

Perhaps the Jewish idiom should say: “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can break my soul”.



שמע Rabbi Nosson Liss

Highgate Synagogue

BARUCH SHEM – ASCENDING LIKE MALOCHIM

One of the unique features of the Kol Nidrei davening is the unique loud recitation of ‘Baruch Shem’ during Keriyas Shema. Why do we say it loud on Yom Kippur and not in a whisper as per the rest of the year?

The Midrash (Devarim Rabbah 2:36) relates that when Moshe Rabbeinu ascended Har Sinai, he overheard the malochim praising Hashem with these words. Upon his return, he taught this refrain to Bnei Yisroel. And yet, even though we praise Hashem with Baruch Shem, we don’t generally say it out loud. Why is this? The Midrash explains Moshe’s actions being similar to a man who secretly stole jewellery from the King's palace, gave it to his wife and told her to only wear it in the privacy of his home. This is why it is recited during the year but only silently. On Yom Kippur, however, we are likened to malochim (angels) and therefore, like them, it is perfectly appropriate for us to say this out aloud (Tur Orach Chaim 619).

My late Rov, Rabbi Isaac Bernstein, ztz”l pointed out that if this comparison to malochim is the criterion on which our recitation is based, then surely it would be more appropriate to say it out loud at Maariv following Neilah? It is after 25 hours of spiritual activity, we have then elevated ourselves to supreme heights. In fact, we immediately say this at Kol Nidrei, upon the entry of Yom Kippur, when we can still taste the seuda hamafsekes. How do we understand this?

When Yaakov Avinu fell asleep on Har Hamoriah, he dreamt of a ladder upon which angels ascended and descended. The departing ascending angels were the ones who accompanied him in Eretz Yisroel. They were replaced by the descending angels who would accompany him outside of the Land of Israel. This is difficult to understand. Yaakov Avinu was resting at the site of the Kodesh HaKodoshim in the heart of Eretz

Yisrael? Why are the malachim of Chutz La’aretz (Outside the Holyland) coming now?

The Oznaim LaTorah (Bereishis 32:3) answers that angels are a function of direction and not position. And since Yaakov Avinu was now embarking on a journey towards Charan, outside of the Land of Israel, he had to now be protected by the guardian angels of Chutz La’aretz.

On Yom Kippur, we are compared to angels. Here our spiritual status is not determined by the position we now occupy but rather by the direction in which we are moving. Certainly on Kol Nidrei we are conscious of the food and drink we have consumed before Yom Kippur. Still, our direction and aspiration is towards a day of teshuva and tefilloh. It is also true that after Neilah we will hopefully have risen to tremendous heights. Nevertheless, our direction will be towards the physical and mundane. We learn from here that our spiritual status is defined not by our

station but by our destination.

May we merit to rise on Yom Kippur like malochim (angels) and direct our aspirations towards Avodas Hashem (service of G-d) so that we can be sealed for a gmar chasima tovah.



כי אנו עמך Rabbi Mendel Cohen

Rabbi of the Saatchi Synagogue in St. John’s Wood

FOR WE ARE YOUR PEOPLE

Close your eyes and imagine Jewish Unity, a place or a time where Jews are united as one.

What did you see? Where was it?

When I recommend this exercise, the responses I usually get is: “A scene with different looking Jews in one place”. They envisage a crowded bus in downtown Jerusalem or a cattle–car in Nazi Europe.

The problem here is that the unity is either being measured in terms of their congregating in one place, where all the many ‘labels and colours’ of our people are united by their destination or of their collective fate. .

But almost every Jew I have ever met, pines for Jewish Unity where “we can all get along and respect each other”; where there is “no more right or left; black or white; pro, anti, Religious, not, reformed or traditionalist.”

How is this achieved?

Perhaps the answer lies in the Ki Anu Amecha prayer, that we sing on Yom Kippur. It is all about our relationship with God: “We are your children you are our servant; we are your people and You are our God; we are your friend and You are our Beloved”.

Here the first clause establishes the important task of assuring that our relationship with G-d is deeply-rooted, multi-faceted and endearing. If we just take the first word of each stanza, “we are", one can find a common denominator that allows for a true expression of Jewish Unity. We are His children, servants, congregation, heritage, sheep, vineyards, handiwork, friend, treasure, people and His designated [portion].

When we look at each other in terms of how every Jew, no matter his background, is included in the “we” in terms of our relationship to G-d, then, we can certainly find much “compassion and graciousness” toward each other



ודוי - אשמנו Rabbi Malcolm Herman

Associate National Director – seed UK

THE VIDUI

Yom Kippur was so much easier before the advent of modern day machzorim.

I was brought up with an archaic machzor where the translation itself needed translating. Most of the "felonies" listed could be comfortably dismissed as irrelevant. This was until the arrival of more in depth translations based on Rav Dessler and others. These demonstrate that every category has derivatives, which exemplify the same corruption of character as the primary examples.

Bogadnu, for example, was no longer the "we have been treacherous" but “we have not been faithful to Hashem's investment in us”. It captures how we have misused Hashem's gifts for our own ambitions while ignoring Hashem's expectations. "Chomasnu" was no longer "we have been violent" but "we have used power and exploited those weaker than ourselves" whether it was at home or at work or elsewhere.

The viduy has now become uncomfortably personal.

If we take the viduy seriously, the litany of failings is truly overwhelming. Every fall or discretion is calculated. Nothing escapes scrutiny. And yet, within this very list is the ultimate commendation.

The gemara (Succah 52a) records the moment in the future when Hashem will slaughter the yetzer hara, Evil Inclination. Both the tzaddikim, righteous, and the rashaim, wicked, will witness the execution and both will cry. To the tzaddikim, the yetzer hara,will appear like a mountain and to the rashaim it will be appear like a hair.

I once heard a powerful analysis of this dramatic episode.

Life is an ongoing battle between "mission" and "moment".

We know that we have a God-designated mission. But all too often, the temptation of the moment derails that mission. I would like to be a Jew that does not speak loshon hara (evi gossip) but...in that “moment” of indiscretion, I sacrifice “mission”. Of

course, those moments accumulate. Hours become days. Days become lifetimes. In the future, the tzaddikim will be overcome with emotion as they review a mountain of moments. At the same time, the rashaim will be crushed in anguish at the bitter realisation that each nisayon (test) lasted but a moment and was as flimsy and fragile like a human hair. It could have been broken with ease.

The underpinning of the viduy is the recognition that every action is significant, because our lives matter.

We have to know that with absolute conviction. We have to believe that with every fibre of our being. Even our fleeting thoughts can impact worlds. This, indeed, is the irony of viduy. It presupposes believing in ourselves before we can genuinely

apologise to Hashem. In the words of Rabbeinu Yonah "the first principle is that a person must know his own worth and recognise his importance and that of his ancestors in the view of Hashem". Only true self conviction can lead to real self-contrition.

What then is a viduy? It is a list of “moments” when we lost sight of our “mission”. One after the other, time after time. Teshuva is a restoration so that the “mission” directs the “moment” and not the reverse.



ודוי - על חטא Rabbi Benjy Morgan

jle, Director of Young Proffesionals Department

THE VIDUI

Year after year, we hear the same song that rings out through the shul.

Ay yay ay yay… Al Chet Shechotonu Lefonecha, “for the sin that we have sinned before You …”

One cannot stop and wonder in amazement. We have erred so why do we recite these confessions in a soulful chant? Is there anything to sing about? It should be quite embarrassing that these sins are actually printed in the siddur! Surely, we mean it when we say them every year! But have we not learnt a thing from last year? What happened to all our resolutions from last year?

In truth, the singing of the “Al Chet” actually reveals a very deep idea behind what it really means to do teshuva.

A few years ago I was giving a class on Shalom Bayis (marital harmony) and how to improve one’s relationship in the home. In the class, there sat before me a chosson (bridegroom) a few weeks before his wedding. When we were discussing all the pitfalls of marriage and relationships, he raised his hand and despondently asked in all sincerity: “Do you ever get there?” I inquisitively asked him exactly what he meant. He explained that being in a relationship sounded like it was just an endless string of challenges one after the next.

“Imagine,” I responded to the worried chosson, “if a husband wakes up one morning and turns to his wife and exclaims: ‘Darling – we’ve finally made it! You know I love you and you love me because we have got there! We had finally got there. It’s done. So let’s now go to our lawyers and get divorced!’ The wife would certainly look at him in confusion at the absurd suggestion.”

“The reason goes right to the very heart of what it means to be a relationship. By its very nature, it is a situation where there is always more to explore, there is always more to appreciate, and there is always more to improve and to make even better.”

Similarly, every person has a unique relationship with Hashem. Throughout the year we often do stupid things. It is these really silly things that we need to make right. But you know what – that’s what it means being in an ongoing relationship!

The real difference between a good or bad relationship is whether or not you use the mistakes of the past to learn for the future and as an opportunity to build something even greater – not in spite of them but because of them.

That is what we rejoice on Yom Kippur it is through our teshuvah out of love – in terms of our loving relationship to Hashem – that can transform our

intentional sins into merits! How is this possible? It is because we use our past infractions as the building blocks to build for the future.

Why is this list of sins printed? Hopefully, the actual way that the mistakes play out will become more fine-tuned as the years go on. This includes whether our sins were executed under duress (oness) or willingly (ratzon). It is important that we learn from our mistakes as long as we make improvements for the better. We have to know that as long as we are alive, we are building a relationship with Hashem. And, like all relationships, there is always room for improvement.

So pick up your siddur. Get ready to build your future and sing along… Ay yay ay yay....



עד שלו Rabbi Boruch Davis BA (Econ) Hons, Senior Rabbi, Chigwell and Hainault Synagogue,

Chairman, Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue, Editor in Chief, Daf Hashavua

AD SHELO NOTZARTI

The final paragraph of the Yom Kippur Vidui (Confessionary Prayers) is shocking indeed.

“Elokai, ad shelo notzarti, eini kedai… My G-d, before I was formed I was of no worth, and now that I have been formed, it is as if I had not been formed. I am dust while alive; how much more so when I am dead!”

Do our lives really have no worth at all? And why is this prayer in the fi rst person singular, unlike the rest of Vidui? We say “ashamnu, we have sinned, bagadnu, we have betrayed…” and al chet shechatanu lefanecha, for the sin that we have sinned…

However unlikely it may seem, this prayer has a most uplifting and inspiring message for all of us.

Rav J B Soleveitchik, one of the greatest 20th century rabbis, spoke of the ‘two confessions’ recited on Yom Kippur: the ‘private’ Vidui said in the silent Amidah, and the ‘public’ Vidui said as part of the Chazan’s repetition of the Amidah.

There are several signifi cant diff erences between the two.

The private Vidui is recited after we have fi nished the Amidah, whereas the public Vidui is said in the middle blessing of the Chazan’s repetition. The language of the private Vidui is quite harsh, whereas the public Vidui contains singing. Even the song “Ki Anu Amecha, for we are His people”, a popular and joyful song, is part of the Vidui, and crucially, in the Kol Nidrei and Neilah services, the public Vidui contains the Selichot, where G-d’s mercy to sinners is mentioned repeatedly, whereas

in the private Vidui, the Selichot are not included.

Rav Soleveitchik points out that this shows congregational prayer is far greater than the sum of its parts. Only a congregation may interrupt the Amidah with the Vidui. Only they can sing out optimistically at such a time, believing that G-d listens to the prayers of the congregation – even of sinners – and hence have the ‘right’ to say Selichot.

If so, why do we then recite the private Vidui? It is because, even when we are part of a congregation, we still have to assume individual responsibility. Here we come to the powerful, uplifting words of Rav AY Kook, fi rst Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi in pre-State Israel. He explains the prayer elokai ad shlo notzarti as follows:

“Each of us is born into this world in a specifi c time and place. Each of us has personal capabilities that are meant be used to fulfi l a unique mission that can only be achieved in that time and place. Indeed, “before I was created I wasn’t worthy,” because had I been born in an earlier era, I would have been worthless, unable to accomplish my purpose for both myself and the master plan of the progression of history”.

So we see that “now that I have been formed, it is as if I had not been formed” applies only if we fail to live up to our mission in life.

Each one of us has our own individual mission, which only we can fulfi l. On Yom Kippur, G-d is looking to each one of us to see that we are living up to it.



עד שלו Rabbi Shlomi Wise

Rabbinic Coordinator, KLBD

AD SHELO NOTZARTI

The prayer Ad Shelo Notzarti (‘before I was formed’) was composed by the great amora, Rava.1 He recited this at the conclusion of his Shemonah Esrei each day. The Talmud records2 that this prayer was adopted by Rav Hamnuna Zuta but only at the conclusion of his tefillah on Yom Kippur.

Rav Amram Gaon3 included this as part of the daily tefillah4, as did the Tur5 and it seems that there were those who continued the practice in the times of the Maharam Mintz6 as he was asked whether one could recite this prayer on Shabbos. However, in more recent times the prevalent custom is to add this only on Yom Kippur7.

The Chelek Levi8 writes, although it is obvious that the Yehi Ratzon part of the tefillah is a type of vidui (confession), one might think that the first section is merely self-deprecation. In truth, nullification of the self and recognition of one’s lowliness are actually part of the teshuva process.

An example of this self-nullification can be found in the Rambam, who writes9 that one of the methods of repentance is to change one’s name, as if to say, ‘I am someone else, I am not the person who originally did those things.’

1 Talmud Bavli, Berochos 17a.2 Talmud Bavli, Yoma 87b.3 Rabbi Amram ben Sheshna (c.815 - 870).4 Seder Rav Amram Gaon, Seder Tefilla.5 Rabbi Yaakov be Asher (1269 -1343) Orach Chayim 122.6 Rabbi Moshe HaLevi of Mintz (1415 - 1480), Teshuva 87.7 See Likutei Mahariach vol.1 p.260-261; Kaf HaChayim 121, 3.8 Rabbi Menachem Pollak, the Szerencze Rav of the Lower East Side, d. 1952.9 Hilchos Teshuva, 2, 4.

He quotes the Divrei Yechezkel who takes this idea further. The punishment of malkos (lashes) as prescribed by the Torah seems to be 40 lashes.10 But the sages11 famously

interpret the punishment as being only 39 lashes. The Torah did not write the number 39 explicitly because in a certain sense, the person actually does get 40 malkos.

The purpose of malkos is to humble the sinner to the point that he will change his ways so that he should be ‘reborn’ a better person. (The Maharal12 connects the 40 lashes with the 40 days of the formation of a foetus).

The ‘40th lash’ is self-administered. It is the pain people feel when they look back at their rebellion against Hashem through their sin. The sinner then realises that he has fortified his right to live, and it is only the grace of the King of kings that he remains in this world.

Today, when we no longer receive punishment by a beis din, the combination of these two elements become a substitute in their place. The feeling of humility to the point of insignificance replaces the 39 malkos, and the 40th makka, just as before, is achieved by the pain of regret and one’s willingness to change.

10 See Devarim 25, 3.11 Talmud Bavli, Makkos 21a.12 Gur Aryeh, Devarim 25, 2.



קריאת התורה Rabbi Benjy Gordon Aish UK

HELPING THE YETZER HARAH BECOME REDUNDANT

On the morning of Yom Kippur, we read about the avodah (sacrifi cial off erings) brought in the Beis HaMikdash on Yom Kippur (Vayikra 16). Two identical goats were brought and a lottery was drawn to decide which should be off ered as a korban to Hashem and which should be to Azazel, thrown off the cliff to die.

How are we to understand the reason of the goat to Azazel? What is to be gained by such an act of throwing the goat to its death?

Rav Shimon Schwab cites the Ramban’s explanation, how the goat thrown off the cliff is given as a ‘bribe’ to the Satan (aka the Yetzer Harah) on Yom Kippur so that he should not destroy our Korban. The Ramban poses the obvious question: surely it is forbidden for us to give off erings and gifts to any power or angel other than Hashem? In truth, our intentions of throwing the goat off the cliff should not be as a sacrifi ce to the Satan/Yetzer Harah but that we are fulfi lling the commandment of Hashem.

What can this be compared to? A person makes a party and invites the king to participate. The ruler asks his host to also provide a portion of food for the king’s servant. Personally, the host would never have done such a thing of his own accord but is happy to oblige because it is pleasing to the king. In turn, the king wants to keep his servant happy and to praise both the king and the person for making the party. So too, on Yom Kippur we are asked by the Heavenly King (Hashem) to give a portion to his servant (the Yetzer Harah) in order that the servant should praise us.

Pirkei D’Rebbi Eliezer (chapter 46) says that on Yom Kippur even the Yetzer Harah praises the Jewish people and compares

them to the ministering angels. If this is the case, then it is apparent that the bribe given to the Yetzer Harah works – otherwise, he would surely not praise the Jewish people!

What is it about the goat dispatched to Azazel that was so pleasing to the Yetzer Harah?

Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch says on the verse “its desire is towards you, yet you can conquer it” (Bereishis 4:7) refers

to the Yetzer Harah’s intention is to challenge a person who, in turn, has to overcome his challenges. Through this, the Yetzer Harah will successfully bring about that each person will grow closer to Hashem and not that we should fall or grow distant.

The Ramban explains that the name of Eisav’s ministering angel (also synonymous with the Yetzer Harah) was “Azazel” – a composite of two words: ‘Az’ meaning ‘strength’ and ‘Azel’ meaning ‘go’. This is because the ultimate goal of the Yetzer Harah – as suggested by the name Azazel – is that ‘his strength should go’. Like every other creation in the world, the Yetzer Harah wants to fulfi l his purpose. His raison d’être is to be

defeated, to disappear and to ultimately become redundant. What better gift could he therefore receive than the goat to Azazel which contains and atones for all of the sins of the whole Jewish nation enabling them to become clean of sin like the ministering angels? This is the gift which helps the Yetzer Harah fulfi l his goal of becoming redundant. This is the gift which Hashem tells us, the Jewish Nation, to give to his servant the Yetzer Harah in order that he should praise us for helping him achieve his ultimate goal of becoming non-existent. Through this goat, the Jewish Nation would receive atonement on Yom Kippur the Day of Atonement.



קריאת התורה Rabbi Gavin Broder

London Region University Chaplain

THE KOHEN GADOL & I

The Talmud relates an incident that took place during the Second Temple with a certain Kohen Gadol who exited the Bais HaMikdash after having performed the complicated Yom Kippur service. The entire congregation respectfully went out to greet, praise and accompany the Kohen Gadol home. Suddenly they noticed the two great Rabbis, Shemaya and Avtalyon. They reacted by leaving the Kohen Gadol and followed the Rabbis instead! When Shemaya and Avtalyon later met the Kohen Gadol, who was put out, and an unpleasant conversation ensued. The Kohen Gadol greeted them, “May the descendants of nations come in peace”. The Rabbis replied “It is better to be the descendants of nations who practise the actions of Aharon who comes in peace, than those who are the descendants of Aharon but do not practise the actions of Aharon” (Yoma 71b).

How are we to understand this story and this curious exchange?

The simple meaning is that the Kohen Gadol was upset that the people were disrespectful by leaving him in deference to Shamaya and Avtalyon. He therefore derogatorily referred to them as ‘descendants of nations’ – a disparaging reference to their lineage as converts from the Assyrian King Sancheriv. This explains the Rabbis’ response: “We, at least, are the ideological descendants, even if not actual descendants because we behave like Aharon the Kohen Gadol, whereas you, an actual descendant, do not!

Rabbi Meir Leibush ben Yechiel Michel Wisser, the Malbim, (1809 – 1879) posits an explanation pertinent to tefillah in general and Yom Kippur in particular. He suggests that there are two ways to orchestrate that the Shechinah, Divine Presence, resides within the Jewish

People. There is the primary way through the building of the Beis HaMikdash, or the contemporary equivalent of a shul. But there is an alternative way through developing a deep inner feeling of accepting ‘ol malchus shomayim’

(heavenly yoke) by performing mitzvos – both those between man and Hashem and those between man and man. In this way, a person ‘makes room’ for the Shechinah to reside inside himself. When a person is able to accomplish this, he himself ‘becomes’ like the Kohen Gadol. It is as if he is wearing the kohen’s garments and his tefillos are as if is he personally entering into the Kodesh HaKodoshim, the inner sanctum.

This leads to a novel interpretation to the response of Shemaya and Avtalyon to the Kohen Gadol. When denigrated

them, the Rabbis replied, “yavou benei amomim leshalom sheosim ma’aseh Aharon,” our behaviour is comparable to performing the action of Aharon. In other words, we are comparable to the Kohen Gadol. We, too, wear the special priestly garments. We have also served today in the Kodesh HaKodoshim in the sense that we have prepared ourselves to receive the Shechinah.

This explains the apparent repetition at the beginning of the Yom Kippur leining: (Vayikra 16:2-3) “Hashem said to Moshe, speak to your brother Aharon … when Aharon enters the inner sanctuary, it must be with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering”. The reason why the Torah emphasises Aharon’s name is in order to inform us that it is not just Aharon who enters the Kodesh HaKodoshim, but any future Kohen Gadol or, indeed, any individual who behaves as Aharon, can carry the accolade of Kohen Gadol.

May this be our aspiration!



הפטרה Pnina Savery Teaches Tanach for women, Matan Al HaPerek, Menorah High

HAFTARA ON YOM KIPPUR

In this haftorah, Yeshayahu rebukes the people for their poor service of Hashem. Here the prophet mentions three specifi c areas of observance: fasting, charity and Shabbat.

Firstly, Yeshayahu addresses the concept of fasting and repentance. He quotes the arrogant people who had inquired why Hashem had ignored their fasting and affl ictions (58:3). Hashem responds that the people’s fasting is irrelevant to Him, unless it is combined with serious chesbon hanefesh (introspection) and their repentance from evil deeds. The message here is that while the ritual is highly important, it is, in itself, insuffi cient, if it comes without the correct intentions. Once Hashem has “seen [the sinner’s] ways” and knows that the repentance is sincere and that the sinner is now on the right path, then Hashem will “guide him and recompense him, and his mourners, with consolations” (57:18).

Secondly, Yeshayahu tells the people to stop sinning against their fellow man. They have to become more charitable to the poor, and have to make sure that justice is carried out. The Gemara (Bava Basra 9b) uses these verses to teach that one who gives money to the poor receives six blessings in return. However, one who speaks kindly to the poor will receive eleven blessings in return. Once again, this teaches the importance of the intentions behind the external actions. The Rambam (Laws of Charity 10:7-14) famously teaches that one who gives a smaller amount to a poor person in a pleasant manner has performed a greater mitzvah than one

who begrudgingly donates a larger amount.

Thirdly, the haftorah ends with what appears to be a separate topic: a discussion of the correct way how to keep Shabbat. Be careful to honour the holy day by keeping your fi nest clothes for Shabbat alone. You have to walk diff erently on Shabbat and should not discuss business

and work, but only speak about holy matters (Shabbat 113a).

Together, these ideas combine to teach an overall message that the external does not lead to an adequate serving of Hashem. We cannot fast and affl ict our bodies on Yom Kippur if we do not have the sincere intentions to become better servants of Hashem. We cannot help the poor out of a charitable obligation, but must genuinely care about their well-being and their plight. Likewise, keeping Shabbat is not solely about abstaining from work and eating culinary delights, but also about honouring Hashem and not discussing the forbidden.

Being “the Shabbat of all Shabbatot”, Yom Kippur is the

ultimate combination of these concepts. The fasting must come with sincerity and the Shabbat observance needs to involve more than beautiful silver and fancy clothes. The inner thoughts behind our actions are of prime importance. It is on Yom Kippur that we must be fully aware of this. The day’s external physical affl iction is meant to refl ect the internal chesbon hanefesh that should be going on. The haftorah therefore ends with the beautiful blessing that will be inherited by those who manage to bring about a heightened sense of sincerity to their mitzvah observance.



וכל מאמינים Rebbetzen Lauren Levin

South Hampstead Synagogue

VECHOL MAAMINIM

A central piyut (liturgical poem) of the Yomim Noraim – recited on both days of Rosh Hashana and on Yom Kippur – is Vechol Maaminim. The paytan (poet) lists several key tenets of our faith and each stanza is strung together with our declaration of belief: Vechol Maaminim, “and all believe”.

How can we sing this poem year after year with such confidence when faith is something that most of us constantly grapple with? Even for those who are confident that their faith is rock-solid, how can we proclaim as a statement of fact “and all believe”? Statistics indicate that belief in G-d is falling, as shown by the recently published Pew study.

An exploration of the structure and syntax of the piyut may provide some insight. On first glance we see that the piyut follows the order of the alef-bet. By structuring a piyut in this way, the poet is able to take abstract concepts about G-d and present it in a digestible and simple way, with a clear structure and repetitive refrain.

The first phrase (starting with alef) describes G-d as a faithful G-d – El Emuna. The last phrase (starting with taf) describes Him as Tzur Tamim Pa’alo – a rock whose actions are all perfect. Both these phrases are found in the same verse in the Torah, as Moshe bid farewell to the people through the famous song Ha’azinu. In his introduction he says:

“When I call out the name of Hashem, ascribe greatness to our G-d. The deeds of the [Mighty] Rock are perfect, for all His ways are just; a faithful G-d, without injustice He is righteous and upright.” (Devarim 32:3-4)

In fact the poet seems to have based this piyut largely on these two verses.

“When I call out the name of Hashem”: this refers to the Chazan calling out to the congregation in prayer

“Ascribe greatness to G-d”: this refers to the congregation’s response. Responsive prayer is considered a way of glorifying G-d’s name.

“For all his ways are just”: the prelude to the song is “He who holds on to the attribute of justice”.

“The deeds of the Rock are perfect: this forms the last line of the piyut.

“A faithful G-d”: this forms the first line of the piyut.

By invoking these verses, we are drawn back in history to a time of major transitions for the Jewish people. Moshe was acutely aware that without him, the Jewish People would be hesitant and nervous to proceed on their journey. His final song therefore becomes his legacy, a mantra to always remain on their tongues and etched within their hearts. In the wilderness, they had experienced a supernatural existence, years where they have clearly seen how “the deeds of the Rock are perfect”. But upon entry into the Land of Israel, their supernatural existence would become operating according to the natural order. They would therefore be challenged to see the hand of G-d within nature and within a chaotic world. Therefore Moshe reminded them that G-d would always be by their side; He is “a faithful G-d”.

The authorship of the piyut was considered unknown until findings from the Cairo Geniza indicate its authorship by Yannai, a prolific seventh century payetan who lived in the Land of Israel during a particularly turbulent time for the Jewish population living there.

The dark times of Jewish history may have prompted the paytan to lift up his quill to use Moses’ imagery, albeit in the reverse order, fully aware that it was not always easy to revel in how “the deeds of the Rock are perfect”.

At the outset, we may only be able to cling onto the idea of “a faithful G-d”. But by working our way through the Alef Bet of Divine attributes, we are taken through the clouds of our doubts and questions, until we can finally declare, at the end, that notwithstanding all of our uncertainties “the deeds of the Rock are perfect”.

As the Jewish People look back and see the solidarity of a nation from the time of Moshe, through the medieval times in which the piyut “Vechol maaminim” was composed, all the way down to our own era, we stand with pride and awe at how despite our questions, struggles and doubts, the chosen nation has remained committed to our G-d, to our people and to our homeland.



וכל מאמינים Rabbi Shimshon Silkin

Director, Chazon UK

VECHOL MAAMINIM, WE ALL BELIEVE

This beautiful, profound and emotional tefillah is also puzzling. “Vechol Maaminim” means “And all believe”. Really? Even if we take into account the fact that the majority of people on Earth claim to have faith of some kind, nonetheless the list of fundamental declarations within this prayer are surely not shared by the minds of most! In truth, even amongst the Jewish People, the proportion of true maaminim is tragically low. Or is it?

Well, it all depends how we define Emunah, faith. Many people today profess not to “believe” in G-d including some very brilliant individuals such as the world’s leading astrophysicist Stephen Hawking.

The Torah source for the mitzvah of Emunah is a major debate between the Rambam and the Ramban about how to relate to the first of the Ten Commandments: “I am Hashem your G-d…” In what is the first and only instance in which G-d introduced Himself, it was not as the G-d “…Who created Heaven and Earth” but as the G-d “…Who brought you out of Egypt and from the house of slaves…”.Why would G-d not refer to Himself as the Creator of man and of everything you see - from the tiniest micro-organism to the vast heavenly bodies!”? Why make mention of the Exodus?

The answer is that G-d does not require nor expect us to base our belief in Him on abstract concepts. No-one will ever be able to understand, let alone imitate, creatio ex nihilo – the creation of something from nothing.

No matter how far back scientists want to date the beginning of existence, they will never be able to explain how existence came into being in the first place. This is not because of a lack of trying. But the remarkable thing is that even were they to produce some sort of affirmative result, it would still not matter. This is because our Emunah is founded not upon theories that remain academic but rather upon human experience. Yetzias Mitzrayim, the Exodus, was an event that everyone at that time could relate to

and could understand in the here and now. The Jewish people had been exposed to miraculous intervention and redemption. They knew Hashem as a child knows his father. It is upon such a foundation that we are all expected to build our palaces of faith. Whilst it is essential to explore and understand the fundamentals of existence – the Ramchal wrote his whole sefer Daas Tevunos on the subject – it is nevertheless our relationship with the Divine on a real-life level that determines our true Emunah.

People who insist on holding onto to the non-believer title call themselves “atheists”. But you’ll be hard pressed to actually find one. Most atheists are, at best, “agnostics” – they just don’t know. The clue is actually in the name since the letter “a” at the head of a word implies its direct opposite (e.g. “atypical” or “asymmetrical”. Before a person can claim the title “atheist”, he must first be able to identity what it means to be a “theist”, i.e. someone who has deeply delved into the study of G-d before making an informed and conscious decision to reject it. There are precious few such people. Were they to explore Hashem with intellectual honesty and openness they would discover a world that could resonate deep within them.

Today’s society faces two major obstacles.

Firstly, no matter how compelling the evidence, if people don’t want to accept a truth they will find extraordinary ways to deny it. (This phenomenon is called “cognitive dissonance” and plays out in numerous settings on a daily basis). In one recent incident, a patient was heard telling his doctor “that x-ray image is not mine” – a good illustration of the saying that the furthest distance in the world is that between the mind and the heart. We are all guilty of this at times – we strive to achieve cognitive resonance. We want to believe things that fit comfortably with our preconceived notions or at least do not cause us discomfort. So we struggle to face up to reality. In a world which worships comfort, it is distinctly uncomfortable to consider a Deity



that holds us accountable for everything we think, say or do. It has been said that often it is not the philosophical mind but the animal instincts (read: wiles of the yetzer hara) that seeks to reject G-d. In the words of Rav Elchonon Wasserman hy”d (Kovetz Ma’amorim) “the fundamentals of faith are obvious and compelling to anyone not within the category of idiocy (“shoteh”) provided he is not blinded and is free from his physical urges”.

Secondly, in order to develop one’s faith in, and appreciation of, the Master of the Universe, one needs to spend time contemplating His Greatness (Rambam, Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah). But today who has time? In our fast moving, frenetic world that does not sleep and where noise is our constant companion, it is very difficult to achieve the peace of mind required to meditate on the true meaning of life.

Rest assured, one need not be a deep-thinking philosopher to attain this level of concentration. In truth, there are multiple observations we can all make that remind us of Hashem’s Divine Power and Presence in our world. One example is the famous words of Rav Yaakov Emden zt”l (Introduction to the Siddur): “By the life of my head, the greatest miracle [of them all] is the continued survival of the Jewish people… even greater than the miracle of the splitting of the Yam Suf” (See also the Aruch HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 1:10): “There is no greater sign and proof,

than our survival for such a length of time…” Mere contemplation of the wondrous survival of the Jewish nation against all the odds – as predicted by our Torah – fills the mind and heart with deep faith. But these and similar mediations take time, an increasingly rare commodity.

The Hebrew phrase “ani maamin” (grammatically in the Hiphil form) actually means “I make believe”. (The literally translation of “I believe” would be “ani oimein”) This teaches that Emunah does not just happen by itself. Rather, it needs cultivating. Everyone has it beneath the surface. Emunah is the exercise to give expression of that which already lies beneath the surface.

When the paytan declares “vechol maaminim” he is referring to the fact that Emunah is within touching distance of everyone – if only they were willing to reach out and coax it to life. Alternatively, “vechol maaminim” can also mean “everything attests to the fact…” The whole world around us, and particularly our history, screams out its testament to Hashem. From the astounding complexity of the cell structure of one finger to the vast and majestic cosmos, the Hand of Hashem is everywhere. We can all find it. As the Kotzker Rebbe famously put it: “Hashem can be found wherever you let Him in”. Let us commit to focusing more on our spiritual selves and to create the time necessary to do so and declare Hashem’s Supreme Sovereignty.



כהן גדול Rebetzen Ilana Epstein Rebbetzen of Cockfosters & N Southgate United Synagogue,

Educator at United Synagogue’s Living & Learning Department

KOHEN GADOL SERVICE

Yom Kippur is a day fi lled with prayer. Despite being blessed with wonderful translations and commentaries in our Yom-Tov Machzorim, sometimes the intent within the prayer becomes elusive. In anticipation of another Yom Kippur, where our attention can sometimes focus on what we see and not what we say, it seems the perfect opportunity to explore in depth what is actually being worn, not necessarily in the pews, but rather in the Machzor.

During the Repetition of the Musaf (Additional) prayer, we read “Amitz Ko’ach”, an extended and poetic description from Creation to the Temple Service – what the Cohen Gadol (High Priest) did on Yom Kippur in the Temple, what off erings he brought and his once-yearly entry into the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant was housed, to atone on behalf of the people.

In anticipation of the sacrifi ces and his ultimate sacrament, there is a fair amount of robing and disrobing, all of signifi cance, both symbolic and physical.

The Cohanim (priests) of the Temple were governed by many strict rules, especially with regard to their attire. Every Cohen had to wear breeches, a girdle and a turban woven entirely from plain white linen.

The Cohen Gadol had an entirely diff erent set of clothing from the other Cohanim. He was garbed in a robe of blue, fashioned from one piece of cloth, hemmed with alternating golden bells and linen pomegranates. Over the robe he wore what is termed in the Torah an “Ephod”, an over-tunic. The Ephod was woven from threads of blue, purple and scarlet, interwoven with threads of gold. The Ephod’s shoulder pieces

held two onyx or carnelian stones, each engraved with the names of six of the tribes. Over the Ephod, he had a jewel-encrusted pouch, which held mysterious stones or jewels known as the Urim and Tumim. He wore a breastplate made of gold fi ligree holding twelve stones, each a diff erent colour, with the name of each tribe engraved upon it. On his head he wore a diadem of pure gold inscribed with the name of G-d.

What is interesting is that, though the Cohen Gadol must have cut a truly majestic fi gure in all of his fi nery, the Torah does not give us a description of his shoes. In the Torah, barefootedness symbolises destitution and loss of status. Between the extravagance of the Cohen Gadol in his magnifi cent dress and the humility of not wearing shoes, he is transformed into an embodiment of the Temple and the People, thus uniting G-d and humanity.

However, for Yom Kippur and for his entrance into the Holy of Holies, the Cohen Gadol was robed in the most basic of priestly clothing. The plain clothing combined with the barefootedness is the way the Cohen

transcended this world even as he walked upon it.

And what of us today? We clothe the synagogue furniture and Torah scrolls in white and the chazzan, Rabbis and some congregants usually wear white kittels (white robes), once more in remembrance of the Cohen and our purity in standing before God in Judgment. In many communities, the women will also wear white. On Yom Kippur, our very presence in Shul is of value as we witness others re-enacting what was done in the temple so very long ago.



אלה אזכרה Rabbi Mendy Chissick

Pardes House Grammar School & Beis Yaakov Grammar School

EILEH EZKROH - THE POWER OF ONE WORD!

Twice a year we recount with sadness the tragic incident of the Asoroh Harugei Malchus (ten executed martyrs); when ten great Tannoim (Talmud scholars) were brutally killed by the Romans. The Emperor claimed that this was the punishment for selling Yosef by his brothers; for which the Torah states: if one steals a fellow man, and sells him, he shall be put to death. It is no coincidence that on both Tisha B'Av and Yom Kippur we refrain from wearing leather shoes.

My Rebbe, the late Rosh Yeshiva, Reb Chaim Kaufman zt’'l used to reflect on the fact that when we wear leather soles we are only aware of large and uncomfortable stones in the street, whereas, when on Tisha B'Av and Yom Kippur we notice all the smaller pebbles as well! Reb Chaim used to remonstrate that this should teach us that on these auspicious days, we are meant to reflect on the idea that even small details matter.

Let us aim to take this message one step further with a deeper understanding of the Asoroh Harugei Malchus.

There is a phenomenal Gemoro in Nedorim, wherein Bar Kaporoh - a colleague of Rebbi Yehuda HaNossi stated to members of Rebbi's family - that on the next day - the day that one of Rebbi's children was getting married, he would be able to get Rebbi's wife to pour him a drink, and he would manage to get Rebbi to dance in front of him! No small feat!

During the wedding celebrations; Bar Kapporoh approached Rebbi and asked him to elaborate on the meaning of several words in the Torah. Whatever explanation the Rebbi gave, was rejected by Bar Kapporoh. Whereupon Rebbi responded that Bar Kapporoh should tell him the answers. Bar Kapporoh then laid down his ultimatum. He would explain the difficulties if the Rebbi's wife would pour the drinks and Rebbi would dance. And that is precisely what Rebbi did. While his wife poured drinks, he himself danced and in return, Bar Kapporoh explained the difficult words.

Incredulous! Why did Rebbi allow himself to be so degraded? Perhaps even more puzzling, is why does the Gemoro deem it necessary to teach us about this incident? What message is it imparting to us?

HoRav Yitzchok Ezrachi shlit"a gives a powerful explanation; that this Gemoro is teaching us how much value Rebbi placed on one word. Each and every word was so valuable to Rebbi, that he was willing to go to such extremes to gain added insight into just one word. In fact, this was Bar Kapproh's intention. He wanted us all to know the chashivus (importance) that Rebbi had for every word in the Torah.

We find the same ideal with one of the Kedoshim (Holy martyrs), whose

murder by the hands of the Romans we are about to relate.

In the Gemoro in Kesubos , we are told that Kalba Savua refused to allow his daughter Rochel to marry Akiva the shepherd. When she did, he made a neder to not allow her to have any benefit from any of his property.

Many years later, as Rebbi Akiva returned with twenty four thousand Talmidim (disciples), his wealthy father in law, Kalba Savua, overcome with guilt for his hardened heart, approached the budding Talmid Chochom (Torah scholar) and inquired whether he could annul his vow. Rebbi Akiva didn't disclose his identity, but merely asked whether the neder would have been made had he known that his son in law would have become a learned individual. Kalba Savua's reply is astonishing. He insisted that had his son in law known even one Halocho, he wouldn't have made the vow!

Upon hearing this, they shared an emotional embrace. Again, we find this ideal so clearly. The value that our Gedolim had for one single word is immeasurable. Rebbi Akiva - himself embraced this lesson in his own life and death.

The Gemoro in Brochos tells us that when the Romans ym"s started to torture Rebbi Akiva to death, he recited the Shema. His Talmidim asked him "ad kan?" (to this extent?) -apparently inquiring whether one was still required to love and serve Hashem in such a predicament...

However, the late Ponovezher Rov, Reb Yosef Shlomo zatza"l explains their question homiletically.

The Talmidim of Rebbi Akiva were well aware of how much each word of Torah meant to their Rebbi. So they were begging - and asking, "is this it - can you not teach us another Halocho, another word of Torah”? And this is exactly what Rebbi Akiva did. He promptly taught them the Halocho of Ve'ohavto es Hashem (to love G-d) - with both ones money and ones life. Rebbi Akiva lived and died with his own teaching. More importantly he had taught his Talmidim to value every word of Torah.

As we stand in Shul during the Yomim Noiroim, and we desperately want to hear the response of one word: Solachti (you have been forgiven), we would do well to remember the timely message; the value of those small seemingly invaluable little words or deeds.

We need to consider whether during the past year, we have inadvertently said or used small words that may have appeared insignificant, but we need to acknowledge their repercussions, and then we can be deserving to hear the word we are waiting to hear, and feel the solace of Solachti.

GOLD BOX

לע''נר' יעקב פסח בן ר' מרדכי מרקל

נלב''ע כ'ג אלול תשמ''ט



מפטיר יונה Rabbi Eli Levin South Hampstead Synagogue

YONAH & THE BATTLE OF FREEWILL

The story of Yonah is an all-time favourite. Yet, is the narrative of a Navi (prophet) trying to fl ee from Hashem and being swallowed by a fi sh really the fi rst choice Haftorah for such a sacred day?

There are several reasons why Sefer Yonah is read at Mincha on Yom Kippur.

Pesikta de-Rav Kahana cites six extreme occasions upon which Hashem granted forgiveness to illustrate that the Jewish nation will certainly be forgiven when it repents. One of these is Hashem’s forgiveness of the people of Nineveh as recounted in Sefer Yonah.

Alternatively, the Abudraham (C. 1300) suggests that Yonah is read to remind us that one cannot run away from Hashem as Yonah attempted to do.

Another approach could be that Yonah demonstrates how Hashem has mercy on all His creation. If His compassion extended even to idol worshipers, how much greater would it be towards Am Yisrael? It is therefore pertinent for it to be read specifi cally at Mincha which is a most auspicious

spiritual moment as the Gemara points out “one should always be careful to pray Mincha for Eliyahu Hanavi was only ever answered (by Hashem) at the time of Mincha” (Berachot 6b).

Sefer Yonah is replete with messages of responsibility, compassion and teshuvah.

However, there is something unique about Yonah himself which adds another dimension to the relevance and timing of this Haftorah. Rambam (C. 1100) states that “no prophet received the gift of prophecy unless he possessed all the mental virtues…it is not however an indispensable requirement that a prophet should possess all the moral virtues and be entirely free from defect.” (Shemonah Perakim 7). Sefer Yonah makes no secret of Yonah’s initial unwillingness to accept his mission. Even a Navi possessed freewill and experienced the challenges that it posed. As the sun sets on Yom Kippur, we also ponder over our free choice in the stormy seas of life. Hopefully, like Yonah, we too will have the determination and merit to ultimately choose the right path.



מפטיר יונה Rebbetzen Rachie Lister

Edgware United Synagogue

I AM A JEW

The Haftarah for Yom Kippur afternoon is Sefer Yonah (Book of Jonah). Yonah was commanded to go to the sinners of Nineveh but instead he boarded a boat to travel away from the Holy Land and away from G-d's Presence.

In the first chapter, we read that G-d trapped the boat in a mighty storm and the non-Jewish sailors cast lots to determine on whose account they were in danger.

On learning that Yonah was the root of the trouble, they quizzed him (1:8):

“What do you do? Where are you from? What is your land? And of what people are you?”

Yonah's reply (1:9) seems strangely terse: “I am a Jew and I fear the Lord G-d of the heavens, Who made the sea and the dry land.”

Why did Yonah not answer all the questions? It appears that his answer made such an impression on his fellow passengers. They did not dismiss him as a crank but were awestruck, and asked him for advice. They even risked their lives to try to get back to dry land to rescue him (1:13), such were their respect and affection for him. How did Yonah exert such tremendous influence with so few words?

The power of Yonah's reply was its overarching simplicity. His declaration of his Jewish identity and faith were themselves the answers to all of their questions.

“What do you do?” – He is Jewish and he practises Judaism. Details of his profession, income and social status are

dwarfed by this one mighty mission that encompasses all of life.

“Where are you from?” – He is Jewish and dispatched by G-d to be a light to the nations of the world.

“What is your land?” – He is Jewish so his land is the Land of Israel. Even when he abandons it, he still considers it to be his home.

“And of what people are you?” – He is Jewish so his people are Jewish, even when he engages with non-Jews.

In this tiny fragment of text, we learn how a Jew has to face up to an accusatory world. The sailors blamed Yonah for their calamity, but even in this desperate situation the grandeur of his mission and his destiny made an impact on them.

As we eavesdrop on this conversation with Yonah, we can resolve that our own Jewish

identity have to be given renewed focus and meaning on Yom Kippur. We should not be overwhelmed by little details once Yom Kippur is over. Like Yonah, we too should regard our Jewish identity as the very definition of our careers, our origins, our homeland and our national allegiance.

And, like Yonah, we can resolve not to hide from our calling and our responsibilities as Jews. We have to build within ourselves the confidence to proclaim our calling as committed, passionate Jews even in the midst of the most threatening circumstances. We have to remain steadfast in our resolve because we appreciate just how important our Judaism is.



נעילה Rabbi Jonathan Hughes Rav, Richmond Shul, Rav Elect, Radlett Shul, Director, US in The City,

Maggid Shiur, Sha'arei Orah Institute, Ambassador, University Jewish Chaplaincy

NE'ILAH

In 1915, changes were made to the alcohol licensing laws in England and Wales, which curtailed opening hours in pubs. The underpinning objective was to prevent factory workers from turning up to work inebriated, jeopardising the war eff ort.

Until 2003, UK licensing laws evolved very little and relatively early closing times continued. During this period, pub landlords devised an ingenious method of enabling revellers to remain in their establishments after the legal closing time. It was called a “lock-in”, based on the theory that once the pub doors are locked, it becomes a private party rather than a public house. Patrons would deposit cash behind the bar before the offi cial closing time and redeem their drinks during the lock-in so that there were technically no sales beyond last orders.

Ne'ilah means lock-in. The 'Landlord' allows us to continue our process of Lifnei Hashem titharu (before Hashem you shall be pure) after closing hours. In the merit of our teshuva and tefi llah, we are permitted to stay on in the private chamber for a little bit longer. It is time to drink in the kedushas hayom, the sanctity of the day. However, the Landlord has only provided a narrow time frame for the party to reach its fi nale. We mustn't waste a second.

The Ne'ilah lock-in directly follows the reading of Sefer Yonahx. There is a connection between the two. On what would be his fi nal Yom Kippur, Rav Yehudah Leib

Chasman, z’tl – the Mashgiach of Yeshivas Chevron – related just before Maariv a Vort from Sefer Yona. When Yonah suggests that the sailors throw him overboard, 'And he said to them, "Lift me up and cast me into the sea,” (1:12).

Yonah's instruction seems to contain a superfl uity. Why does he instruct the men to fi rst “Lift me up” before being

hurled into the deep? Would it not have been suffi cient for Yonah to have simply instructed them to directly throw him into the sea?

Rav Chasman explains that Yonah was deliberately employing a stalling tactic – designed to delay his submarine demise – even for a mere split second. 'Nothing is more valuable in the world than the life of a human being', declared the Rav. Even when death has already been decreed, it is still worthwhile to delay it as long as possible. The Mashgiach concluded by telling the talmidim to understand that there was still a moment left of kedushas Yom Kippur which must be grabbed and utilised.

During this brief lock-in, every moment contains infi nite value. It is no less than a microcosm of all of life about which Rav Chasman's adage applies with no diminished intensity. Life is a Ne'ilah; a lock-in that allows us to come face-to-face with ‘who we really are’. It presents us with the opportunity to use our free will to refi ne the core of the animal-angel paradox that is the human being.

GOLD BOX





נעילה Rabbi Amram Landau

Hasmonean High School

NE'ILAH

The day is coming to a close. We feel spent, having poured all our energies into our tefillos. We have been on our feet for hours. No food or water has passed our lips for even longer.

Yet, now is the time to storm the Heavens. It is now or never. But what is our approach? What is this Ne’ilah prayer about?

I heard in the name of Reb Menachem Mendel of Rimanov Zt’’l that the word Ne’ilah, spells out the words No’al Koh – “Hashem has closed”. Usually speaking we understand the closing of Ne’ilah as being the last chance saloon – namely of getting one’s foot in the door before it closes. After that, the opportunity is gone.

But Reb Menachem Mendel Zt’’l gives a stunning insight. Hashem is the One closing the door behind you. It is just you and Him in the room.

Ne’ilah is so special because you have a personal one-on-one conversation with the King of Kings. You have no one else to distract you. (Indeed, there is an idea in Halocho that in order to avoid distraction, one’s Tallis should cover one’s face during tefilloh . This is especially so in Ne’ilah, where you have the opportunity to pour out your heart unabashed). It is so exclusive that you are uninhibited. You can say what you like. You can ask for anything! Hence the stress on the 13 Attributes of Mercy and everything that each of them stands for, in the manner the Moshe Rabbeinu himself pleaded before Hashem to forgive Klal Yisrael.

One of the biggest problems in the human psyche is to admit that we have erred. Surely we should not be any different to a malfunctioning machine that needs reprogramming or to be taken out of service if it defaults? Technically speaking, that should similarly apply to each one of us, and yet, we are given another chance. But in order to get that second chance, we need to confess our wrong doings. We need to

realise and admit that we don’t deserve it, and we have to know that we are nothing in the grand scheme of things.

R’ Yaakov Galinsky Zt’’l writes a beautiful idea. We say the phrase ‘Mo onu, meh chayeinu, meh chasdeinu, mah tzidkoiseinu, mah yeshuoseinu, mah koicheinu, mah gevuroseinu’ – Who are we? What is our Life, our kindness, our righteousness…? In reality, this is a Talmudic dispute – Rav opines a full tefilloh with seven Brochos and Shmuel posits just saying ‘Mo onu, meh chayeinu, Who are we? What is our Life’?

The question is obvious. Shmuel was the famous, Rosh Yeshiva of Neharde’a. Were not the pathways to Heaven as clear to him as the pathways of his hometown of Neharde’a? How can he of all people belittle himself so?

It is clearly explained in Tehillim (8: 4-5) ’. When I see Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and stars that You have established, Mo enosh ki sizkerenu uven odom ki sifkedenu, what is man that You should remember him, and the son of man that You should be mindful of him?

Precisely because the pathways to Heaven were so clear, Shmuel understood, more than anyone else, the emptiness of man and therefore it was enough to simply state: ‘Mo onu, meh chayeinu, Who are we? What is our Life?’

This is how we are meant to daven. Our tefillos are accepted when we evaluate ourselves as unworthy, as it says in Iyov (26:7) ‘Toileh eretz al bli- mah’ – ‘He suspends (i.e. keeps in existence) the earth over nothingness’ (See Bechoros 44b and Chulin 89a).

In the presence of the King of Kings, our personal private interview, we obviously throw ourselves down before Him and ask Him to give us that chance of another year!



נעילה Rabbi Zach Ford Kerem School and Kollel Halacha Berura

NEILAH’S UNIQUE SHEMONEH ESREI – A TRAIN RIDE TO FORGIVENESS

The culmination of the individual Neilah Shemoneh Esrei is indeed puzzling. I always wondered why the Al Chattim – the seemingly integral components of our davening during the Yom Kippur – are replaced with an alternative ending.

Why are the closing moments of Yom Kippur not spent re-confessing upon our misdeeds and apologising to Hashem for the very last time? How is this diff erence in structure related to the inherent exclusivity of Yom Kippur’s teshuvah?

The Rambam (Hilchos Teshuvah 2:7) writes “Yom Kippur is a time for repentance for all, for individuals and for communities. It is the end period of pardoning and the forgiving of Israel”.

At fi rst glance, the second half of the Rambam’s statement seems to explain the fi rst. Yom Kippur is the allotted timeframe designated by Hashem as being appropriate for teshuvah. Through this process, Klal Yisrael will be forgiven for the sins not aff ected by teshuvah during the preceding year.

However, upon closer inspection, perhaps the words from our opening statement, ‘Yom Kippur is a time for repentance for all’ relates to a special or exclusive type of teshuvah – one that is unique to Yom Kippur. It is not available to us at any other point of the year. Indeed, the gemara discusses the possibility of Yom Kippur atoning for those who don’t actively do teshuvah on the day itself (Yoma 85b). If we were talking in material terms, lehavdil, it could be compared to a “one off special deal” on an item – that is only available today!

What best defi nes this special kind of teshuvah? Perhaps the answer lies within the opening sentence of the paragraph of Neilah that replaces the Al Chattim list: ‘Ata nosen yad l’poshim, viymincha peshuta lekabeil shovim – You (Hashem) extend your hand to the wilful sinners and your right hand extends to penitents’.

Rav Soloveitchik explains that this paragraph epitomises the diff erence between Hashem’s response to our teshuvah on Yom Kippur and our standard teshuvah on any other day. Throughout the rest of the year, Hashem waits, almost in anticipation, for us to consider our actions and do teshuvah

for those things we have done wrong. Ostensibly, the onus is upon us. We actively have to knock on Hashem’s door until he hears and accepts our teshuvah.

Conversely, on Yom Kippur, Hashem awaits for us at His gate. He so-to-speak makes Himself available to receive our mere yearnings for self-improvement and our desire to try and hone our traits for the forthcoming year. A pertinent analogy for this special teshuva can be found in the Medrash (Shir Hashirim Rabbah 5:2), “Open a small opening like that of the eye of a needle and I [Hashem] will open for you an opening through which caravans can enter”. Hashem, quite simply, extends His Hand to facilitate our teshuvah. When He examines and sees our intentions to improve, even an iota, He gives us the tools to complete the job.

The story is told of a businessman working late on a crucial deal one evening. When he fi nally leaves, he rushes out of the offi ce in an attempt to catch the last train home.

Upon arrival at the station, the departure whistles are blowing. The train’s engine is hissing signalling an imminent departure. With his coat and briefcase, he strains every sinew to sprint down the platform steps – knowing that this is the last and only train to take him back home. At the bottom of the steps, he fi nds that the train is already moving. In one last gasp attempt to run alongside the train, the man, now almost bereft of energy, is literally on the verge of conceding defeat.

However, at the last very last stretch of the platform, the train’s conductor appears on the back of the last carriage and stretches out his hand as far as it will reach. If the businessman could just latch onto the conductor's hand, he’d be safely pulled on board.

The message of the story is plain to see. Let us make use of the last precious moments of Yom Kippur at Neilah to realise that we are the businessman running for that train and Hashem is the allegorical conductor waiting to pull us aboard. May we merit to make sure that we use every fi bre of our being in order to reach Him.



שופר Rabbi Daniel Roselaar

Rabbi, Kehillat Alei Tzion

SHOFER AT THE END OF NEILAH

The sound of the shofar at the end of Yom Kippur brings the prayers, fasting and introspection of the holiest of days to a dramatic end.

Whilst it is an ancient and universal practice, there are different views about why we conclude Yom Kippur by blowing the shofar and we find a number of different minhagim associated with this custom.

• The Mordechai (a 13th century German halachist) and Tur (a 14th century Spanish halachist) write that we blow the shofar at the end of Yom Kippur to commemorate the shofar blowing that took place in antiquity every fiftieth year on the Yom Kippur of a Yovel (Jubilee) year.

• The author of the Sefer Mitzvot Kattan (a 13th century French tosafist) suggests that the shofar signals G-d’s retreat back to the highest heavens after his closeness and accessible to the Jewish people for the duration of Yom Kippur.

• Tosafot (Shabbat 114b) claim that the shofar is to inform the people that the fast is over and that they can now prepare food and eat.

• Other medieval authorities suggest the shofar blowing is in order to confound the Satan whose powers were suspended over Yom Kippur and who now regains his ability to frustrate the Jewish people.

Divergent customs exist regarding how many notes should be sounded. The Shulchan Aruch (OH 623:6) writes that Tekiah-Shevarim-Teruah-Tekiah should be blown whereas

the Rama comments that the (Ashkenazi) minhag is to blow just a Tekiah Gedolah. In the Diaspora, most Ashkenazi communities follow the ruling of the Rama. However, in Israel even Ashkenazi communities generally

follow the Shulchan Aruch and blow Tekiah-Shevarim-Teruah-Tekiah. There are also some authorities (Sefer Hamanhig and Rav Y D Soloveitchik) who maintain that a full set of ten notes must be sounded.

Many people assume that the “authentic” custom is that the shofar is blown at the end of Neilah, before davening Maariv. Indeed, this is the minhag as recorded in the Shulchan Aruch. Rama records different practices regarding whether it should be sounded before or after the final Kaddish. Early authorities explain that it is permitted to do this even though no form of havdalah has been recited (and even if three stars have not yet

quite appeared) since no great technical skill is required for a short series of non-statutory notes. Therefore, the concerns that normally prevent the shofar from being sounded on Shabbat are not present in this instance. However, Rav Amram Gaon, Rav David Abudraham and Tur say that the shofar should not be sounded until after Maariv has been recited. The reason is either because they hold that even this minimal form of Tekiat Shofar should not be done before havdalah, or because of their concern that people might believe that as soon as they have heard the shofar they can eat when it might still be a short while before nightfall. In a series of Takkanot issued in 1892, Chief Rabbi Hermann Adler cited the Tur and recommended that communities under his jurisdiction follow this latter practice in order to ensure that the solemnity of the day was maintained until the very end of all the services.



מעריב Rabbi Jeremy Golker Head of Kodesh, Hasmonean High School

MOTSEI YOM KIPPUR – MAINTAINING THE INSPIRATION

So it’s all over. A month of Elul followed by Rosh Hashana, Aseres Yemei Teshuva and now Yom Kippur. The exalted and sublime day together with the drama of the almost other worldly last few minutes of Neilah have passed.

Now what?

I remember my first visit to Poland many years ago when I was still in yeshiva. It had been an intensely powerful week. We had seen first-hand the atrocities wrought on our people in the company of those who survived and heroically retained their faith. The little girl who was the runner on behalf of the Bluzhever Rebbe in many of his legendary stories had shown us around Auschwitz. We were all uplifted by the experience and each day felt like the close of Neilah.

On the last night of the trip one person expressed what we were all thinking. “I wish we could bottle the inspiration we have all experienced and in the coming weeks, months and years, every time we feel we that we need a boost, just open the bottle and imbibe the inspiration.”

That is really the challenge of life. To maintain the inspiration.

As a student at Hasmonean, I remember Dr Gerber would tell us that is the pshat in the famous possuk1: ְמקֹום ָקְדׁשֹו .ִמי ַיֲעֶלה ְבַהר ה', ּוִמי ָיקּום ּבִIt is one thing to climb the mountain of Hashem but it is another to stay there.

Chazal2 tell us that Avrohom Avinu had ten tests. What was the 10th one? Most commentators learn that it was the akeida. After all, as each test would be more difficult than the one before it, what could be a harder test than the akeida?

Yet, Rabbeinu Yonah3 says that the akeida was actually Avrohom Avinu’s 9th test. So what was the 10th? The answer is surprising. Avrohom Avinu’s 10th test was negotiating with Ephron to buy a burial plot for Sarah Imeinu. Harder than the Akeida? Apparently so. Avrohom Avinu’s test was to maintain the exalted levels reached at the akeida. It is one thing to climb the mountain of Hashem but it is another to stay there.

1 Tehillim 24:32 Avos 5:33 Avos 5:3

And that is really the challenge of Motsei Yom Kippur. To maintain the lofty levels of Neilah and take it with us the next day, to the office, to school and at home too.

The question is how? How do we maintain the inspiration? What is the secret?

The answer is to act on the inspiration and do something about it. Not to wait until tomorrow or the day after, but to do something now. To make a realistic undertaking that is meaningful and not too difficult.

Chazal4 say that at a funeral the middos (values) of the deceased are there for the taking. I once heard of a certain seemingly regular fellow who whenever he goes to a levaya tries to emulate one small aspect of a midda tova of the niftar. The moving words of a hesped (eulogy) are no longer transitory. They can be carried for years to come.

And as Rav Chaim Shmulevitz5 notes, this is the lesson of Palti ben Layish. To remind him that his wife Michal was already married to Dovid HaMelech, the Gemoro6 tells us that Palti thrust a sword into the ground. He lived for years with her and never once did he even touch her. Recognising this, Hashem saved him from committing an aveiro.

What was so special about the act of sticking the sword into the ground? Why did he merit this unbelievable Divine assistance?

When he got married to her, Palti knew that she was already a married woman and that she was off limits. But, he also knew that as time went on, as the days and the months and the years passed, those feelings would dissipate. He would come up with a ‘heter’ (leniency), he would find an excuse. He would do something.

Therefore, he said to himself, “I need a reminder; I have to seize the moment and concretise my feelings.” Those are the moments to seize as our permanent reminders.

This, says the Mirrer Rosh Yeshiva, is the key to maintaining inspiration. Don’t be fooled to think that the inspiration will last. Do something now that will maintain the inspiration.

4 Rav Tzadok HaKohen in Machshavos Charutz no.175 Sichos Mussar, 5773, maamar 6 (Parshas Chayei Sarah)6 Sanhedrin 20a


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