Chesed prevailing over judgment on Rosh Hashanah

זכרנו לחיים כו' למענך אלהים חיים.

"Remember us for life… for Your sake, living God" (zochreinu l'chaim… l'maancha Elokim chaim).

The Sefas Emes opens with the Rosh Hashanah tefillah asking Hashem to remember us for life "for Your sake," and will explain why we phrase the request that way.

פי' שהקב"ה נותן חיים לכל ברי'.

The meaning is that Hashem gives life to every creature.

Hashem grants life to all of creation indiscriminately — life as such is freely given to every living thing.

אבל מבקשין שיהי' כתיבתנו לחיים למענו.

But we request that our being inscribed for life should be for His sake.

What Bnei Yisrael ask for is more than mere existence: we want our life to be inscribed specifically so that it serves Hashem's purpose, not just for our own sake.

דכ' עם זו יצרתי לי לשמי.

As it is written: "This people I have formed for Myself, [that they may declare] My praise" (Yeshayahu 43:21).

The posuk states that Hashem fashioned Bnei Yisrael for His own sake, to give Him honor — so our very purpose is to live for Him.

ורצון בנ"י לקבל החיים לשמו ית' כי הכל לכבודו ברא.

And the desire of Bnei Yisrael is to receive their life for His sake, for He created everything for His glory.

The ratzon, the inner will, of Bnei Yisrael is to accept their lives as a means of serving Hashem, since the entire creation exists only for His honor.

וכתיב יום תרועה יהי' לכם.

And it is written: "It shall be for you a day of teruah (shofar blasts)" (Bamidbar 29:1).

The Torah calls Rosh Hashanah a "day of teruah." The Sefas Emes will now reinterpret the word "teruah."

הגם כי המה ימי דין.

Even though these are days of judgment (yemei din).

Although Rosh Hashanah is a time of strict judgment, there is another dimension to it.

אבל לבנ"י המה ג"כ ימי רצון.

But for Bnei Yisrael they are also days of favor (yemei ratzon).

For Bnei Yisrael, the Days of Awe are not only days of fear but also days of divine favor and closeness.

כמ"ש חדות ה' היא מעוזכם.

As it is written: "the joy of Hashem is your strength" (Nechemiah 8:10).

Ezra told the people, weeping on Rosh Hashanah, that joy in Hashem is their strength — showing that the day carries simchah, not only dread.

ופי' תרועה רצון.

And the meaning of "teruah" is ratzon (favor/will).

The Sefas Emes reads the word "teruah" as connoting ratzon — divine favor and the meeting of wills — rather than only the broken cry of judgment.

כמ"ש ותרועת מלך בו.

As it is written: "and the teruah of the King is among them (u'sruas melech bo)" (Bamidbar 23:21).

Bilaam's words "the friendship/teruah of the King is in them" support reading teruah as closeness and favor with the King — Hashem.

שעיקר רצונו ית' להיות מלכותו חל עלינו.

For the essence of His will is that His kingship should rest upon us.

Hashem's fundamental ratzon is that His malchus, His sovereignty, take hold over Bnei Yisrael — that we accept Him as King.

וכל הבריאה הי' בשביל שרצה בנו כמ"ש בשביל ישראל שנק' ראשית.

And the whole creation came about because He desired us, as it is written that it was "for the sake of Yisrael, who are called reishis (the first)."

Chazal teach that the world was created "bishvil Yisrael" — for the sake of Bnei Yisrael, who are called "reishis." The entire creation flows from Hashem's desire for His people.

וכמו כן מה שכל באי עולם עוברין לפניו כבני מרון מ"מ המכוון הוא הראי' על בנ"י כמ"ש וירא אלקים כו' כל אשר עשה והנה טוב מאד וראי' זו מקיים כל הבריאה.

And likewise, although all who come into the world pass before Him like sheep (bnei maron), nonetheless the true intent is His "seeing" of Bnei Yisrael, as it is written: "And God saw all that He had made, and behold it was very good" (Bereishis 1:31) — and this "seeing" sustains the entire creation.

On Rosh Hashanah all creatures are judged, passing before Hashem one by one like sheep counted by a shepherd. Yet the real purpose of this universal judgment is Hashem's gaze upon Bnei Yisrael. The posuk "God saw… and behold it was very good" describes a divine "seeing" that approves of creation and keeps it in existence.

ואמרו חז"ל מאד זה אדם.

And Chazal said: "very (me'od)" — this refers to "adam" (man).

Chazal note that "tov me'od" (very good) was said only after the creation of man; the word "me'od" alludes to "adam" (the letters of me'od rearranged spell adam).

שאחר בריאת האדם כתיב זה.

For only after the creation of man is this written.

The phrase "very good" appears in the Torah specifically after Adam was formed, marking man as the pinnacle that made creation "very good."

ואדם הוא ישראל.

And "adam" refers to Yisrael.

Chazal teach that the term "adam" in its fullest sense refers to Bnei Yisrael ("Atem kruyim adam"). So Hashem's seeing that creation is "very good" is really His seeing of Bnei Yisrael.

אך בנ"י מבקשין ומתפללין שיחול מלכותו על הכל.

But Bnei Yisrael request and pray that His kingship should rest upon everything.

Even so, Bnei Yisrael do not pray only for themselves; they ask that Hashem's malchus be revealed and accepted over the entire world.

כמ"ש ובכן תן פחדך כו'.

As we say: "And so, place Your awe [upon all Your works]…" (uvchein ten pachdecha).

This is the theme of the Rosh Hashanah tefillah "uvchein ten pachdecha" — a prayer that all of creation come to recognize and fear Hashem as King.

ואא"ז מו"ר ז"ל אמר כי בר"ה צריכין להיות טוב עין אפילו לאומות.

And my grandfather, my master and teacher of blessed memory, said that on Rosh Hashanah one must have a "good eye" (be generous of spirit), even toward the nations.

The Sefas Emes cites his grandfather, the Chiddushei HaRim, that on Rosh Hashanah a Jew should have an ayin tovah, a generous and benevolent outlook, wishing well even to the umos ha'olam.

ואמר רמז לזה בגמ' זיל לעין טב ולקדשי' לירחא שקידוש החודש ושנה תלוי' בטוב עין.

And he said there is an allusion to this in the Gemara, "Go to Ein Tav and sanctify the new month there," for the sanctification of the month and the year depends upon a "good eye" (tov ayin).

The Chiddushei HaRim found a hint in the Gemara's instruction to sanctify Rosh Chodesh at a place called "Ein Tav" (literally "good eye"): the very establishing of the calendar — and thus Rosh Hashanah — hinges on having an ayin tovah.

עכ"ד ז"ל.

Thus far his words, of blessed memory.

This concludes the teaching quoted in the name of his grandfather.

ונראה שבמדה שאדם מודד מודדין לו.

And it appears that "with the measure a person measures, so is it measured back to him."

The Sefas Emes adds his own insight, invoking the principle of middah k'neged middah: Hashem treats a person in the same manner that the person treats others.

וכמו הטוב עין שיש לבנ"י בר"ה.

And just as Bnei Yisrael have a "good eye" on Rosh Hashanah.

Since Bnei Yisrael look upon others — even the nations — with a generous, well-wishing eye on Rosh Hashanah.

כך מתראין לפניו לטובה.

So too they appear before Him for the good.

Measure for measure, because they judge others favorably, Hashem in turn "sees" them favorably in judgment.

כמ"ש טוב עין הוא יבורך.

As it is written: "One who has a good eye shall be blessed" (Mishlei 22:9).

The posuk promises blessing to the "tov ayin," the generous-hearted person — confirming that a good eye brings divine blessing in return.

והוא מדתו של אברהם אע"ה.

And this is the middah (trait) of Avraham Avinu.

The quality of the "good eye" — generosity and chesed extended even to outsiders — is the defining trait of Avraham Avinu.

ואמר היום בהר ה' יראה.

And he said: "On this day, on the mountain of Hashem, He will be seen (yera'eh)" (Bereishis 22:14).

After the Akeidah, Avraham named the place declaring that on this mountain Hashem "will be seen." The Sefas Emes will tie this "seeing" to the theme of Rosh Hashanah.

וב' הדברים אלו הראי' לפניו ית' ושמיעת קול שופר הם בחי' אברהם ויצחק.

And these two matters — being "seen" before Him, and the hearing of the sound of the shofar — are the aspects of Avraham and Yitzchak.

Rosh Hashanah has two key elements: re'iyah (Hashem's seeing of us) and shemiah (our hearing the shofar). These correspond respectively to Avraham (seeing) and Yitzchak (hearing).

ראי' ושמיעה.

Seeing and hearing.

The two faculties — sight, the trait of Avraham, and hearing, the trait of Yitzchak — frame the avodah of the day.

והנה העקידה הי' הכנה לכל בנ"י.

Now, the Akeidah was a preparation for all of Bnei Yisrael.

The binding of Yitzchak was not a private event; it laid spiritual groundwork that benefits all future generations of Bnei Yisrael.

כמ"ש חז"ל מאכלת שבנ"י אוכלין מתן שכרה.

As Chazal said: from the "knife" (ma'acheles), Bnei Yisrael "eat" its reward.

Chazal play on the word "ma'acheles" (knife), linking it to "achilah" (eating): from that knife of the Akeidah, Bnei Yisrael continue to "eat" — to draw — its reward and merit in every generation.

והענין הוא דכ' והאלקים נסה את אברהם.

And the idea is, as it is written: "And God tested Avraham" (Bereishis 22:1).

The Sefas Emes now explores the inner meaning of the "test" of the Akeidah through the word "nisah" (tested).

דרשו חז"ל הרים אותו.

Chazal expounded: He raised him up (from the word "neis," a banner).

Chazal connect "nisah" to "neis" (a raised banner): the test did not merely examine Avraham but elevated him, lifting him to a higher spiritual level.

כי באמת מדת אברהם החסד.

For in truth the middah of Avraham is chesed (lovingkindness).

Avraham's essential attribute is chesed — boundless kindness and giving.

ויצחק הגבורה.

And Yitzchak is gevurah (strength/severity).

Yitzchak's essential attribute is gevurah — strict justice, restraint, and might.

ומדת הגבורה הוא יד החזקה שיש לה התגברות ביותר ממדת החסד שהוא בנייחא.

And the trait of gevurah is a "strong hand" that has greater forcefulness than the trait of chesed, which is one of calm and ease (b'nichusa).

By its nature, gevurah is a powerful, overpowering force, whereas chesed flows gently and at rest. Left to the natural order, gevurah's strength would dominate.

אך אברהם אע"ה זכה במעשה העקידה שיגבור החסד על הגבורה.

But Avraham Avinu merited, through the act of the Akeidah, that chesed should prevail over gevurah.

Remarkably, by performing the Akeidah — itself an act of severe gevurah — Avraham earned that his own attribute of chesed would triumph over and "sweeten" the force of gevurah.

והוא שאמרו אהבה מקלקלת השורה.

And this is what they said: "love disrupts the natural order" (ahavah mekalkeles es hashurah).

Chazal note that Avraham's intense love for Hashem caused him to "break ranks" — to override the normal order, saddling his own donkey and rushing to fulfill Hashem's word. Love overrode the expected sequence.

מה שעפ"י הסדר הגבורה כחה עצום ביותר.

That which, according to the natural order, the gevurah's power would be far stronger.

Ordinarily, by the natural arrangement of the middos, gevurah's force would be overwhelming and would dominate chesed.

והיה נסיון גדול.

And it was a great test.

Precisely because it cut against the natural order — chesed overcoming gevurah at the very moment of an act of severity — the Akeidah was an enormous nisayon.

וזכה עי"ז שהימין יגבור על השמאל לזרעו אחריו.

And through this he merited that the "right" should prevail over the "left" for his offspring after him.

By passing this test, Avraham secured for all his descendants that the "right side" — chesed — would prevail over the "left side" — gevurah and din — in their relationship with Hashem.

וזה עצמו הברית מילה שכרת הקב"ה לאברהם אע"ה שהוא ברית אש שנקודת החסד ימתיק האש.

And this itself is the bris milah that Hashem made with Avraham Avinu, which is a "covenant of fire," in which the point of chesed sweetens the fire.

This same dynamic underlies the bris milah, described as a "covenant of fire": the fire represents gevurah/din, and the inner point of chesed enters to "sweeten" and temper that fire, subduing harsh judgment.

והרמז לזה שראשון הנמול לשמונה הי' יצחק.

And the hint to this is that the first to be circumcised on the eighth day was Yitzchak.

Yitzchak was the very first to receive his bris on the eighth day — and Yitzchak embodies gevurah, so it is fitting that the "covenant of fire" that tempers gevurah first took full form in him.

שכשנתמלא כחו ונתעורר בחי' פחד יצחק.

For when his power was fully manifest and the aspect of "the Dread of Yitzchak" (Pachad Yitzchak) was aroused.

When Yitzchak's full force of gevurah — called "Pachad Yitzchak" — came into being.

חתם בו הברית מילה להיות החסד גובר.

The bris milah was sealed within him, so that the chesed should prevail.

Precisely into Yitzchak, the embodiment of gevurah, Hashem sealed the bris milah — the "covenant of fire" — so that even within strict gevurah, chesed would gain the upper hand.

וזה נשאר לכל בנ"י.

And this remained for all of Bnei Yisrael.

This achievement — chesed prevailing over gevurah — became a permanent inheritance for all of Avraham's and Yitzchak's descendants.

וע"ז נאמר גבר עלינו חסדו.

And about this it is said: "His chesed has prevailed over us (gavar aleinu chasdo)" (Tehillim 117:2).

The posuk "His kindness has overpowered us" expresses exactly this: for Bnei Yisrael, Hashem's chesed dominates over the forces of din.

שלבנ"י הימין והחסד גובר.

For with Bnei Yisrael, the "right" and chesed prevail.

In their relationship with Hashem, the right side — chesed — always gains the upper hand over judgment.

ולכן אמר היום בהר ה' יראה.

Therefore he said: "On this day, on the mountain of Hashem, He will be seen."

This is why Avraham proclaimed at the Akeidah that Hashem "will be seen" — the dimension of "seeing," the trait of Avraham and chesed, takes precedence.

שהראי' יגבור על השמיעה כנ"ל:

That the "seeing" shall prevail over the "hearing," as above.

Bringing the piece full circle: just as chesed (Avraham, "seeing") prevails over gevurah (Yitzchak, "hearing"), so on Rosh Hashanah the aspect of Hashem's favorable "seeing" of Bnei Yisrael prevails over the stern "hearing" of judgment.

Summary: On Rosh Hashanah Bnei Yisrael ask to be inscribed for life "for Hashem's sake," since the whole creation exists for His glory and was made for the sake of Yisrael. Though it is a day of din, "teruah" also means ratzon — divine favor — and the day's true purpose is Hashem's loving "seeing" of His people. The Chiddushei HaRim taught that one must have a generous "good eye" even toward the nations, and measure-for-measure Hashem then "sees" us favorably. Rosh Hashanah's two faculties, seeing (Avraham/chesed) and hearing (Yitzchak/gevurah), reflect the Akeidah, through which Avraham caused chesed to triumph over gevurah — a victory sealed in the bris milah (the "covenant of fire") and inherited by all Bnei Yisrael, so that "His chesed prevails over us" and the favorable "seeing" overrides the severity of judgment.