[RBS] Tefilla insights for Rosh Hashana

[Jonathan and Shoshana Shooter]

The following is from 'The Spirit of the Seasons'
By Jonathan Shooter
Feel free to print out and take it to shul.
Email back for details of how to get copies of the book.
Wishing all a kesiva vechasima tova.

Insights into the Prayers of Rosh Hashana
Based on the Sifsei Chaim and Kemotzei Shalal Rav

'And inscribe us in the book of life, for Your sake O Living G-d'
Our request is that Hashem give us life and our needs, only for Hashem's 
sake. The Sifsei Chaim says that when a person who really tried to serve 
Hashem is judged, he will receive his needs without them being particular on 
him, and not at the cost of his merits. This is like the king's soldiers, 
who seeing as the king has a need for them, they will receive their 
requirements in abundance, besides the payment that they will get for their 
service. However, one who the king has no need for, what he receives is paid 
for precisely. Another explanation is that when we ask for our needs, we 
realise that we cannot rely on our merits. Rather we ask 'for Your sake.' 
Hashem wants life for us so that we can fulfil His will. If we want to serve 
Hashem, that is a reason to be given life.

'And so.'
In the third bracha of the Shemonei Esrei we say tefillos beginning with the 
words 'and so.' The Avudraham writes that this word corresponds to the verse 
'and so I will come to the King though it is unlawful' (Esther 4:16). In the 
same way that Esther said that her 'coming' to the king was against the law 
as she hadn't been called, so too we need to come in front of the King to 
praise Him, albeit it may be unlawful as we are unprepared and unfit to 
stand in front of Hashem. Just as Esther had to go as Mordechai had 
commanded her, so too we go in front of Hashem as He has commanded us, even 
though we are not fitting for it. The Sifsei Chaim says that this is a great 
principle of tefilla; that we can be brazen and speak in front of the King, 
even though we know that we are unworthy. Despite this, Hashem has willed it 
that we should stand before Him.

'And so too instil Your awe upon all Your works'
The Sifsei Chaim asks how can we ask for yiras Shomayim, surely 'everything 
is from Heaven except for yiras Shomayim,' it is something which depends on 
us? He cites two answers. Firstly, it is our obligation in spiritual matters 
to do what is within our hands. But we know that whatever we do will be 
insufficient and therefore after we have done something, we ask that Hashem 
help us further. Secondly, this prayer is part of our effort in coming to 
yiras Shomayim. If we feel that we are lacking yiras Shomayim, and only 
Hashem can assist us in this, this recognition in itself will help us 
towards that goal.

'And therefore instil.'
In this prayer we ask for Hashem's glory to be revealed and spread over the 
world, and for the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash. Why are these 
appropriate requests for this day? The Givos Olam cites a parable. If there 
were a fire in the city, if everyone would run to his own home to save his 
property, the city will soon be lost. If everyone bands together they will 
save the city, and their own homes too. On Rosh Hashana, everyone prays for 
his own needs, but Chazal recognised what we are lacking in the world; the 
Beis Hamikdash. This was the source of all blessing in the world and as 
Chazal say, since its destruction, each day brings more curses in its wake. 
If we pray for its restoration, then we will receive all our other needs as 
well. Therefore our main prayers should be for the revelation of Hashem's 
presence in this world and the restoration of Jerusalem.

'And so, Hashem our G-d instill Your awe upon all Your works.Let them all 
become a single entity'
What is the connection between asking for fear of Heaven, and unity between 
people? Rav Shmuel Rozovsky explained that in order for there to be unity, 
there must first be fear of Hashem. Without this, there is only separation 
as each person is doing their own thing, which inevitably will be the 
opposite of someone else's will. If everyone acts with the common goal of 
the will of Hashem, then there will automatically be unity.

'Our father our king, exterminate every foe and adversary from among us.seal 
the mouths of our adversaries and accusers'
If the first part of the prayer will be accepted, that the Satan who accuses 
us be destroyed, why then is there a need for the second part, that their 
mouths be silenced, they are already gone? The Chofetz Chaim says regarding 
most sins, an accuser is created but Hashem can choose to remove it from 
before Him. When there is an accuser who was created by sins of speech, it 
cannot be removed as hastily. It stands there and with its mouth it accuses 
non-stop and cannot be ignored or removed as easily. This is like a king who 
wants to pardon his subjects, but because an accuser is going around 
screaming that the sinner should be punished, the king has to take action so 
that justice is seen to be done. Therefore there are two parts to this 
prayer, firstly that our accuser is taken away from us. However, it may be 
that there are still accusers who cannot be removed as they were created 
with speech, yet we then ask that even they be silenced.

The 100 shofar blasts
Chazal say that sounding 100 blasts is learnt from the fact that Sisera's 
mother cried 100 sounds when she saw that her son was not returning on the 
day of the war. Rav Moshe Mordechai Epstein asked why this was chosen as the 
source, the mother of an enemy who waged open warfare against the Jews? 
Surely she anyway had nothing to worry about, on paper her son's was the far 
superior army, and they were even given help by the stars, why then did she 
cry? Rav Epstein answered that war is war. Even though her son's army was 
stronger, including 900 iron chariots, still anything could happen. Chazal 
are therefore teaching us what our approach to Rosh Hashana should be. We 
have to be fearful of the impending judgement, the Torah calls it 'Yom 
Teruah' which the Targum calls a 'Yom Yevava,' a day of wailing, in fear of 
the depths of the judgement. We may think that we are well armed with Torah 
and good deeds, but we have to realise that things aren't always as they 
seem. We may not be as righteous in G-d's eyes as we think we are. In war, 
there are no guarantees.

'Fortunate are the people who know the teruah, Hashem in the light of Your 
countenance will they walk'
The Techeles Mordechai says that when a person goes on a journey through a 
narrow pathway at night, where on either side are pits where he could injure 
himself in, the smart person will take a lit candle to illuminate the path. 
He will take extra care that the flame doesn't get blown out and then he can 
travel safely. If his light becomes extinguished, he is sure to falter. If 
his light went out and he fell and injured himself, who was responsible? 
Some would claim his feet were as they went off the path. Yet his mind is at 
fault as it didn't pay enough attention to ensuring that the light didn't go 
out. All the events that occur throughout the year, if something bad were to 
happen, it wouldn't be the day itself was responsible, but it was Rosh 
Hashana where his fate was determined on. Therefore on this day he has to 
strengthen himself and awaken from his slumber. If he accepts anew the yoke 
of Torah and mitzvos then he can illuminate the path for the rest of the 
year. This is in the verse 'fortunate are the people who know the teruah,' 
if they awaken with the sound of the shofar, then 'in the
light of Your countenance will they walk' through the rest of the year.

'For it is You Who eternally remembers all forgotten things'
Rebbi Shmelke Me'Nicklesburg says that when man does a good deed, he 
remembers it forever and is prideful about it. On the other hand, if he does 
a sin, he soon forgets it. The way it should be is that he remembers the 
sins he did and does teshuva for them, and the good deeds he did he shouldn't 
dwell upon them and remain prideful. This is what we say, that Hashem 
'remembers all forgotten things,' those mitzvos a person did and can barely 
remember, that he didn't remain prideful about, and the sins that a person 
forgot, and thus never did teshuva for. If he remembers his sins and does 
teshuva for then, then he will attain forgiveness.

'Teshuva, tefilla and tzeddaka remove the evil of the decree'
In the machzor, below these three words are written three other words, fast, 
voice and money. Rav Chaim Kreisworth asks, firstly what do these signs add? 
Also, is the main point of teshuva the fasting, everyone knows it's the 
teshuva that's important and not the fasting? Also, why is tefilla 
associated with 'voice', under certain circumstances one can pray with 
thoughts? Also, why is tzeddaka only about money, surely one can help 
another in nonmonetary ways? Rather, there is another message going on here. 
In the same way that a fast is to refrain from food and drink, so too a 
person in his daily life has to refrain from excesses and luxuries, this 
'fasting' is true teshuva. 'Voice' doesn't refer only to tefilla, but also 
to ones speech, that he refrains from loshon hora and bad language. 'Money' 
refers not only to tzeddaka, but also that his parnassa be free of all theft 
of any form.

'For You do not wish the death of the dead, but that he repent from his way 
and live'
Why does it say 'the death of the dead' if he is already dead? The Mateh 
Levi explains that it means the death of the wicked, who as Chazal say, even 
in their lifetime they are called dead. Why though is he called 'dead' 
instead of what he is really is; 'wicked'? Rav Moshe Bloy cites the Gemora 
(Brachos 63b) that says that Torah is only lasting in a person who kills 
himself over it. Surely the verse says 'and you shall live by them' (Vayikra 
18:5), and not die by them? The Chofetz Chaim says imagine a merchant who 
was so busy with his business that he never had time for shul or to learn. 
As he got older he realised he would soon be called for judgement. He 
decided to prepare himself somewhat. He would go to shul in the morning and 
for two hours afterwards would learn and forget about all the goings on in 
his business. When he returned home his wife asked him 'why were you so 
late, the shop is full of people?' He replied that he had been busy and was 
sorry. The next day he didn't return on time and his wife went to search and 
found him learning Torah. 'Are you out of your mind? The shop is full and 
you're sitting here! Do you know how much money we're losing?' The man 
replied 'if the angel of death came and told you it was time to come with 
him, what would you reply, that the shop were full of people and you couldn't 
come now? If so you can also now consider it as if I am dead, what do you 
care if it takes me another two hours to be revived?' The Chofetz Chaim 
explained that this is how Torah is acquired by a person; he has to consider 
himself as dead to all affairs of the outside world. He cannot put it off 
and say he'll do it later, or that he's too busy now. When we say 'For You 
do not wish the death of the dead,' Hashem only wants it that a person 
considers himself as dead, and then he will have time for the service of 
Hashem. Yet Hashem doesn't want him to be dead in reality, but that 'he 
repent,' he makes himself as dead so that he repents by learning Torah and 
doing mitzvos, and then he will be living.

'Man's origin is from dust and his destiny is back to dust'
Many people have strong emotions when they say these words and think of the 
fragility of human existence and what man's end is. The Chiddushei Ha'rim 
asks, if a person is from gold and ends up as dust, then there is cause for 
tears, but if he is from dust and ends up as dust, why is it so bad? He 
answers that in the course of ones life, he has the potential to go to high 
levels and turn his physicality into something spiritual. Yet if he doesn't 
do so, then his end is the same as the beginning, it is a sign that he didn't 
toil or strive for greatness. That is certainly a cause for crying.