The second day of Rosh HaShanah

Hi,

"Even people who live in Israel celebrate two days of Rosh HaShanah, for due to Gd's love for His nation, and due to His desire to judge them mercifully, He granted them the opportunity to establish an added day of judgment, on which they would be judged more gently."

[This is from a summation at the end of a long article, which includes various sources to support the author's contention regarding the difference between the judgments of the two days of Rosh haShanah.]

(Rabbi Moshe Shwerd, HaMaor 60:3 (2007))

Have a great day,
Mordechai

My light and my salvation

Hi,

Tehillim 27:1 says, "For David - Gd is my light and my salvation, from whom will I fear?"

"The sages explained this sentence to refer to Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur - Gd is my light on Rosh HaShanah and my salvation on Yom Kippur."

(Midrash, Vayyikra Rabbah 21:4)

Good chodesh,
Mordechai

אתה זוכר מעשה עולם - You remember the deeds of al

Hi,

The following parable is meant to explain the praise expressed in the sentence, "You [Gd] remember the deeds of all," from the Rosh haShanah davening:

"This may be compared to a man whose young son says something wise, so that the father turns to him and enjoys his wisdom. Granted that the father's grasp and wisdom is incomparably greater than the child's, still, he lovingly reduces himself to the intellectual level of the child, to appreciate and enjoy the child's accomplishment.

"'You remember the deeds of all - You lower Yourself, as it were, to enjoy and be satisfied with our small deeds and service."

(Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev, Kedushat Levi for Rosh HaShanah, as cited in Shaarei Armon pg. 242)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Starting the accounting anew on Succot

Hi,

“This may be compared to a nation which needs to appease its king. When the king arrived within ten mil, the leaders came out and praised him, and he forgave one third of their burden. When the king arrived within five mil, the average people came out and praised him, and he forgave another third. When he entered the nation, everyone – men, women, children – came out and praised him, and he forgave everything. He said to them: What’s gone is gone; from here we will begin a new accounting.

“So on the eve of osh haShanah the leaders fast and Gd forgives one-third of their sins, and from Rosh haShanah to Yom Kippur individuals fast and Gd forgivens one-third of their sins, and on Yom Kippur all of them – men, women and children – fast, and Gd says to them: What’s gone is gone; from here we will begin a new accounting.

“From Yom Kippur to Succot all of Israel is involved in mitzvot – this one with his Succah, this one with his Lulav – and on the first day of Succot all of Israel stands before Gd with their lulavim and etrogim in Gd’s Name, and Gd says to them: What’s gone is gone; from here we will begin a new accounting.

“This is what Moshe meant when he told the Jews, ‘You shall take for yourselves on the first day.’”

(Midrash, Vayyikra Rabbah 30)

Chag sameach,
Mordechai

Chanah and our prayers

Hi,

"Why do we recite nine blessings in the Musaf Amidah of Rosh haShanah?

"Rabbi Yitzchak of Carthagena explained: This is parallel to the nine times Chanah mentioned Gd's Name in her prayer (Samuel I 1), for it is noted that Chanah, as well as Sarah and Rachel, were answered on Rosh haShanah."

(Talmud, Berachot 29a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai