Rosh HaShannah – holy scribbles

Examine Yourself

As Rosh HaShannah approaches, when we begin to weigh our lives in the balance, during the month of Elul, determining for ourselves by way of “examining our conscience,” whether we have been living according to H’Shem’s standard, we will benefit from the endeavor when we do not cheat ourselves. For example, it may be too easy to weigh our good deeds against our faults, tipping the scale to the positive by ignoring some of the negative aspects of ourselves. Yet, on the other hand, if we focus too much upon the negative in regard to ourselves, we may risk bringing our emotional levels down too low. Rather, we should seek an honest account and balance the scale, with the help of H’Shem.

Ideally, we should focus on acknowledging our sins without hiding any iniquity from ourselves. “I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid; I said: ‘I will make confession concerning my transgressions unto the L-RD, – and Thou, Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:5, JPS). For, H’Shem will search our souls, as is written, “The spirit of man is the lamp of the L-RD, searching all the inward parts” (Proverbs 20:27, JPS).

We need to do a thorough cleansing before the Day of Judgment, when we pass before H’Shem, like sheep being counted by a shepherd, so that we will only be judged favorably by H’Shem, because we have judged ourselves first in a thorough manner. Our value-response to the moral code that H’Shem has given us, within the framework of the Commandments is integral in this endeavor. Unless we respond in a positive way to the moral law, these laws remain detached from our daily conduct. H’Shem requires a commitment on our part to respond to His call.

May we take an honest look at ourselves, not tipping the scale in either direction, for if we ignore our positive qualities, we may end up depressing ourselves, as mentioned elsewhere. Even so, this is more than an assessment of “strengths and weaknesses.” Rather, this should be a consolation to the soul, to be cleansed of guilt and sin, before standing in the presence of the King. For, if we confess our sins, H’Shem will faithful to us, and forgive our aveiros (sins). May our prayers ascend to G-d at the sound of the shofar, carried upon the merit of the Redeemer (see uva l’tziyon, Isaiah 59:20):

“And a redeemer will come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LRD.” – Isaiah 59:20, JPS 1917 Tanach

Choose Life

parasha Nitzavim-Vayelech 5783

“See, I set before you this day life and prosperity, death and adversity.”

– Deuteronomy 30:15, JPS 1985 Tanach

To accept this statement, it can be said, requires an acknowledgment of an omniscient G-d, Who has the good in mind, for our well-being. To be reliant on His discernment, of what is life-affirming and prosperous for us, versus what is destructive to the soul and adverse to our moral growth, is to accept standards that are given by a Higher Wisdom than mankind can contrive on his own.

Thus, G-d not only gives us the consequences of choosing life or death (to follow what is good for us, and avoid what is bad) according to His commandments, He also encourages us to choose life, so that our soul may flourish, and ultimately be granted chayei olam (eternal life). Sforno comments that “life” refers to “eternal life, not just life on earth,” and death refers to “eternal oblivion” (see Sforno’s commentary on Deuteronomy 30:15, sefaria.org).

Yet, mankind cannot design a set of principles, consisting of rules and regulations, concerning what is permissible vs. what is impermissible, and in doing so, guarantee our personal well-being, let alone our entrance into Olam Haba (the World-to-Come). This can be clearly demonstrated by most of mankind’s inability to govern his own passions. That being the case, anyone unable to tame his own unruly nature, is certainly not fit to govern others.

The Torah takes this into consideration, by requiring a King of Israel to not only write his own Torah scroll, but to have the Torah with him at all times, in order to discern right and wrong from its instruction. That is to say, that a king, according to G-d’s requirement, is not above the law. The Torah “shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear the L-RD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them; that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren” (Deuteronomy 17:19-20).