Rosh HaShana Yesodos

Don’t be afraid of anyone!
It is the small things, the small steps that make the big changes.
Life does not change, we change.

Rosh Hashana is known as a serious day of judgement. Yet there is a conflicting message, on one hand we are sure that a miracle will be performed for us, and we are supposed to be happy. The Torah defines this day as when the moon is covered up. This hints to the essence of the day. It is a very serious day, however in pnimius it is a day of rejoicing. In essence we need to be prepared to sing Hallel on this day. This is the concept of ratzo veshav, and the idea of bemakom shebalei teshuva omdim, tzadikim gemurim ein omdim. Only Bnei Yisrael are able to live on this double parallel to experience both the seriousness of the day, and also the joy of this day.
(תרל”ד ד”ה בכסה& תרל”ו ד”ה בגמרא)

The concept of din and rachamim.
HaShem firs sits on the throne of din and then when we blow the shofar He moves to the throne of rachamim.
What does this mean, and how do we relate to it?
When HaShem created the world, He originally created it with din and saw that it cannot exist and combined it with the attribute of rachamim. The Sfas Emes explains that this does not mean that He changed His mind, chas veshalom, rather this is the methodology that we need to constantly use in our service of HaShem. We need to constantly strive to the highest levels of midas hadin, and repair everything on that level. However, being as we are physical beings, the only way we can achieve that is by a combination of Midas Harachamim.
What it actually means is that HaShem takes our desires, which is our will to serve Him on the level of midas hadin, and he considers the intention as an action! For this reason it is imperative to have our intentions and desires at least focused on the correct places. Even though we cannot actually follow through with them, they nevertheless awaken the attribute of rachamim!
(תרמ”א ד”ה איתא)

The concept of Malchiyus, Zichronos an Shofaros.
This is our avoda, of acceptance of ol malchus shamayim.
Malchiyus is parallel to avoda zara, zichronos – gilui arayos, and shofaros – shefichus damim.
Bechol levavcha, nafshecha, me’odecha.
Avoda zara is a very fine line, because it refers to anything that is actually zara – foregin to one’s service of HaShem. How much is HaShem a melech over me.
Keneged Avraham, who opposed avoda zara, in the face of the entire world.
Gilui arayos, bechol nafshecha, the sensitivity of the nefesh. Zichronos , keneged Yitzchak, whose ashes are always on the mizbeach as a constant reminder.
Shefichus damim, bechol me’odecha, keneged Yaakov. Shofaros.
This is the kol shofar, which is pure, just a kol, without any words, in its most primal and pure state, before it is broken into words (dibur), it is the level of din.

(תרל”ח ד”ה ענין)

The idea of the Kol Shofar.
Kol vs dibur, Hakol kol Yaakov,
We blow peshuta lefaneha ve’achareha, Tekia in the beginning and the end. In the middle we blow shevarim teruah. The tekia symbolises the purity, which weh had at kabalat Hatorah, and we will have ultimately, טוב אחרית דבר מראשיתו. However in between we have the broken crying kol. These represent imperfect times. Yet even though we sinned, nevertheless the halacha is: כל הקולות כשרים בשופר which means that with teshuva, the middle broken kolos become perfect end tekia.
This teruah is בטל ברוב to the first and last tekiot. So too our merits are greater than our sins, and is batel berov.
(תרמ”א ד”ה מצות)

See inside תרנ”ג
Based on the Gemara Rosh hashana 39b the malachim wanted to sing hallel on Rosh HaShana, HaShem replied that the books of life and death are open in front of me, it is not appropriate to sing hallel.
To explain this idea on a deeper level, there are two types of relationships that we have with HaShem. One is the everyday relationship that is built into creation and was established in the 6 days of creation. The other is the hischadshus that HaShem renewsin creation every day. This is hinted to in the pasuk:
אַתָּ֣ה עָשִׂ֡יתָ אֶֽת־הַשָּׁמַ֩יִם֩ שְׁמֵ֨י הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם וְכׇל־צְבָאָ֗ם הָאָ֜רֶץ וְכׇל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ הַיַּמִּים֙ וְכׇל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּהֶ֔ם וְאַתָּ֖ה מְחַיֶּ֣ה אֶת־כֻּלָּ֑ם וּצְבָ֥א הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לְךָ֥ מִשְׁתַּחֲוִֽים׃
The second element is exclusively applicable to Bnei Yisrael. It is this very idea that we are davening for on Rosh HaShana, to be connected to the source of life, the book of life. What is special about Rosh HaShana, is the way this connection to the life adapts and will be for the following year.
זכור ימות עולם, בינו שנות דור ודור
Yemos olam is the establishment of this in creation, yet in every generation it adapts and changes based on the level of the generation.

Now this renewal is especially felt on the yomim tovim, those are days when we say hallel and the bracha of zman in kiddush. אין אומרים הלל למפרע hints to this idea, that hallel is not on something old, rather it is on a new experience of the hischadshus.
However on the day of Rosh HaShana this very source of life is in judgement and therefore hallel is not appropriate.

With this we can understand the statement of the Zohar “on Rosh HaShana people bark like dogs, give me life, give me food”. Yet it is Chazal that instituted the tefilos, why are they criticised for their requests?
The answer however is based on their will to be connected to the source. By exclaiming give me… they are saying they do not want to be connected to the source of life. Yet our real request on Rosh HaShana should be not one of requesting something for myself, where I am important and a separate being, rather it is a request to be connected to the source of life. We want all our needs to come as a part of the source of life, without being disconnected from it.

This is alluded to in our tefila אם כבנים which is certainly one of absolute connection. However even when it is אם כעבדים who usully only serve the master for their reward. Nevertheless we say עינינו לך תלויות we are completely dependant on You, and we do not want the reward, rather we only want to be dependant on You. We merit this level because of the Torah, עץ חיים, HaShem is close to all that call to him באמת. And אין אמת אלא תורה. So too יקראוהו means a constant connection.

תרמ”א
On one had we say on Rosh HaShana we are כבני מרון as we say היוצר יחד לבם

There were two stages of creation, the first was creating the world and everything that was in it. Then HaShem created man. Man is the purpose of creation and just as Adam gave names to all the animals which means he gave them all their place – their purpose, so too Adam gives the entire world meaning and purpose.
These two stages also parallel the creation – the ten utterances, and the Torah – the ten commandments. It is with the power of the Torah that the entire creation has purpose.
On Rosh HaShana this all gets renewed. To do this properly man needs to be nullified to HaShem. This is hinted to in the words בכסה ליום חגינו when it is hidden, ie when we nullify ourselves to Him.
This idea is hinted to in the words כדי שיעלה זכרוניכם לטובה, ובמה בשופר it is with the shofar – the Torah that is called שופרא דכולה.
On this day the entire creation is dependent on Bnei Yisrael, who are the reishis, i.e. connected to the source. When we nullify ourselves completely to HaShem and give our energy to the entire creation, that brings about a new life force.
(see inside)

תרמ”ג

(Summary:
* Bnei Yisrael could withstand mishpat, it is for the nations of the world, that we need to “bent over” like the shofar, and need the midas harachamim. (we need to cover the element of Bnei Yisrael’s renewal)
* Through this we merit to gain the power of the nations of the world.
* Nisan is really the primary month of renewal, yet Tishrei is still a part of the moadim. This is the concept explained in the first Rashi: the reason why the Torah began with Ma’ase Bereishis is to give Bnei Yisrael the inheritance of the nations of the world.
* This means that even in the element of Tishrei there is still the sense of renewal of Nisan. That even though Tishrei is the month which is more ‘natural’ and the moon is covered, that is only in relation to the nations of the world, and externally how we act. However internally we are connected to the source continually.)

The mitzvah of Shofar is with a bent rams horn יעל פשוט…בכפופין. The concept of the din of Rosh Hashana parallels the creation of the world. HaShem originally intended to create the world with din, and saw that it cannot last, so he combined the attribute of mercy. So too on Rosh Hashana, HaShem originally sits on the throne of din and then when we blow the shofar He moves to the throne of mercy.
The Sfas Emes explains that in truth the world could withstand mishpat, the attribute of absolute din. For just as no one can describe the greatness of HaShem so too no one can describe the greatness of Bnei Yisrael who sanctify Hashem’s name in revealed and hidden ways.
However the mitzvah of the day is with kefufim bent over, this means that the mitzvah is to through Bnei Yisrael’s awakening the attribute of mercy, and they humble themselves and bend over, to receive the mercy, they awaken the mercy for the entire world.
This is the idea of blowing the shofar when “the moon is covered”, for the level of Bnei Yisrael actually needs to be covered in order to awaken the attribute of kindness.
The truth is that through this bending over and humbling themselves, Bnei Yisrael merit to gain all the shefa that was due to the nations of the world, for it is Bnei Yisrael that saved them all.

There are 2 primary months in the year. Nisan and Tishrei. On one hand Bnei Yisrael “belong” to the month of Nisan the month of nisim, and above nature, the month of the exodus. Yet the month of Tishrei represents the beginning of creation, and a month of lowliness. As the Gemara says a year that is low רש in the beginning is rich in the end. Nevertheless through blowing the shofar, we draw down the Alef, and and connect to the source- HaShem, and the renewal which reveals the light.

Furthermore, Rosh Hashana and Yom Kipur are a part of the moadim, this means that just as the Torah begins with Bereishis because “Koach ma’asav higid le’amo, latet lahem nachalat goyim”, so too we have this ability on Rosh Hashana.
(See Sefas Emes on Parshat Hachodesh תרס”ב, where he explains the that the month of Nisan is one of miracles where Bnei Yisrael were elevated above nature. However in nature everything is hidden as it says אין כל חדש תחת השמש and the word שנה is connected to the word שינה-sleeping. Whereas the word לבנה is connected to the heart, which is still awake, אני ישינה וליבי ער.
Nevertheless even in the nature we are able to awaken the above nature and connect to the source. This is really the idea of כח מעשיו הגיד לעמו לתת להם נחלת גוים.)

It comes from Avraham Avinu’s sacrifice. Giving up his son because he was commanded to, was no such a great event, however even after Avraham was shown how the entire power of Bnei Yisrael that was due to come from Yitzchak and nevertheless he sacrificed that just so that he would not transgress the commandment of HaShem for one second. This gave him and us the ability to inherit all שער their enemies, all the שערים were given to us.
This is mida keneged mida, just as he sacrificed the entire future of Bnei Yisrael for the sake of HaShem, therefore HaShem gave him the entire power of all the nations of the world.