Choosing life and crowning Hashem on Rosh Hashanah

מה שמבקשין על החיים דכ' ובחרת בחיים.

Concerning what we request regarding life, for it is written, "And you shall choose life" (Devarim 30:19).

The Sefas Emes opens on the theme of the Rosh Hashanah prayers for "life," anchored in the Torah's command to choose life — a choice he will now explain on a deeper level.

וכמו במעשה בראשית איתא לדעתן נבראו שכל הברואים בחרו כל אחד ציור המיוחד לו.

And just as concerning the work of creation it is brought "they were created by their own consent," for every creature chose, each one, the particular form unique to it.

Chazal teach that the creations came into being "by their consent" — meaning each created being, on some deep level, chose the specific form and character that became uniquely its own.

והנה האדם עיקר נפש חיה כמ"ש רש"י בפ' בראשית שהוא חי' שבכולם ע"ש.

And behold, man is the essential "living soul" (nefesh chayah), as Rashi explains in parshas Bereishis that he is the most alive of them all; see there.

Of all creatures, man is the prime "nefesh chayah." Rashi explains that the human is the most alive of all creation, possessing the fullest measure of life-force.

ובוודאי האדם בחר לו זה החיות המיוחד אליו כמ"ש ויפח באפיו.

And surely man chose for himself this life-force unique to him, as it is written, "and He breathed into his nostrils" (Bereishis 2:7).

Like every creature, man too chose his defining trait — but his is the special chiyus breathed into him directly by Hashem, "and He breathed into his nostrils a soul of life."

וכמו כן בכל ר"ה צריכין לבחור בזה החיים שהוא החלק אלוקי ממעל.

And likewise, on every Rosh Hashanah we must choose this life, which is the "portion of the Divine from above" (chelek Eloka mima'al).

That original choice is renewed annually: each Rosh Hashanah we are called to choose anew the inner divine life — the chelek Eloka mima'al, the godly portion within the soul.

כי הגוף בחי' מיתה והנפש החיים.

For the body is the aspect of death, and the soul is life.

"Choosing life" means choosing the soul over the body — for the physical body tends toward death, while the neshamah is the true life.

וכפי הבחירה בחיים נמשך לו כל ימות השנה:

And according to the choice of life, so is it drawn down to him for all the days of the year.

The measure of life one chooses on Rosh Hashanah determines the flow of life-force throughout the entire coming year.

הנביא צוה לשמוח בר"ה אכלו משמנים כו' חדות ה' היא מעוזכם.

The prophet commanded to rejoice on Rosh Hashanah: "Eat rich foods… for the joy of Hashem is your strength" (Nechemyah 8:10).

The Sefas Emes turns to the theme of simchah: Nechemyah instructed the people to celebrate on Rosh Hashanah, because joy in Hashem is the true source of strength.

עיקר העוז לבנ"י לשמוח בחלק אלקות המיוחד לנפשות בנ"י.

The essential strength of Bnei Yisrael is to rejoice in the portion of Divinity unique to the souls of Bnei Yisrael.

The "joy of Hashem" that gives strength is the joy of having a chelek Eloka — the godly portion that is uniquely embedded in the souls of Bnei Yisrael.

ובר"ה מתחדש זה הכח שבו נברא האדם ויפח באפיו נשמת חיים.

And on Rosh Hashanah this power is renewed — the power by which man was created, "and He breathed into his nostrils a soul of life."

Rosh Hashanah, the anniversary of man's creation, renews the very life-force that was originally breathed into Adam, refreshing the soul's divine vitality.

ובר"ה מקבלים מלכות שמים.

And on Rosh Hashanah we accept the kingship of Heaven (malchus Shomayim).

Rosh Hashanah is the coronation day, when we take upon ourselves the sovereignty of Hashem.

וצריך להיות בשמחה כמ"ש כל [מצוה] שקיבלו עליהם בשמחה עדיין עושין בשמחה.

And it must be with joy, as it is said: "Every mitzvah that they accepted upon themselves with joy, they still perform with joy" (Shabbos 130a).

Accepting malchus Shomayim must be done joyfully, for Chazal teach that a mitzvah received with joy endures with joy in every generation. The manner of acceptance shapes how it is kept forever after.

וכפי השמחה בר"ה בקבלת מלכותו ית"ש כן מתקיים כל ימי השנה.

And according to the joy on Rosh Hashanah in accepting His kingship, may His Name be blessed, so it is sustained all the days of the year.

The joy with which we accept Hashem's kingship on Rosh Hashanah sets the tone, sustaining that acceptance throughout the whole year.

וכמו שראש השנה שהוא ראש של כל השנה ובראש צריכין לקבל מלכותו ית"ש לתת הראשית אליו ית"ש.

And just as Rosh Hashanah is the "head" of the whole year, and at the head one must accept His kingship, may His Name be blessed — to give the first portion (reishis) to Him, may His Name be blessed.

As the "head" of the year, Rosh Hashanah is the point at which Hashem's kingship must be accepted, dedicating the very first and best of the year to Him.

כמו כן בנפשות.

So too among souls.

The Sefas Emes now applies the principle of "the head" from time to the realm of souls and nations.

בנ"י הם הראש.

Bnei Yisrael are the "head."

Among all the nations and souls of the world, Bnei Yisrael occupy the position of the "head" — the first and choicest part.

ולכן עליהם לקבל מלכות שמים שהם נקראי' ראשית.

Therefore it is upon them to accept the kingship of Heaven, for they are called "reishis (the first)."

Just as the head of the year must dedicate the "reishis" to Hashem, so Bnei Yisrael — themselves called "reishis" — bear the task of accepting malchus Shomayim on behalf of all.

ובכח זה נמשך מלכות שמים גם על כל העולם.

And through this power, the kingship of Heaven is drawn down upon the entire world as well.

When Bnei Yisrael, the "head," accept Hashem's kingship, that acceptance extends outward and draws malchus Shomayim down upon the whole world.

ומבקשין ותמלוך כו' על כל מעשיך.

And we request, "and You shall reign… over all Your works."

This is the content of our Rosh Hashanah prayer — that Hashem's kingship be revealed over all of creation.

כי באמת אין העולם ומלואו כדאי שיחול עליהם מלכות שמים.

For in truth the world and all that fills it is not worthy that the kingship of Heaven should rest upon it.

By right, the world is not deserving that Hashem's sovereignty should rest upon it — His kingship over creation is not something creation can earn on its own.

וז"ש כי המלכות שלך היא.

And this is the meaning of "for the kingship is Yours."

The Sefas Emes now resolves a difficulty in this familiar phrase from the davening.

פשיטא מאי קמ"ל.

This is obvious — what is it teaching us?

Of course the kingship belongs to Hashem; what new point could the phrase be conveying? The next line gives the answer.

רק הכוונה שגם קבלת מלכות שמים אינו בכח המקבלים רק הכל שלך.

Rather, the intent is that even the acceptance of the kingship of Heaven is not by the power of those who accept it — it is all Yours.

The phrase teaches a deep bittul: even our ability to crown Hashem is not our own achievement. The very capacity to accept His kingship is itself His gift — "it is all Yours."

ובנ"י זיכה אותם הקב"ה שחל עליהם מלכותו ית"ש באמרו אנכי ה' אלקיך.

And Bnei Yisrael — the Holy One, blessed be He, granted them the merit that His kingship, may His Name be blessed, should rest upon them, when He said, "I am Hashem your God" (Shemos 20:2).

Hashem Himself bestowed upon Bnei Yisrael the privilege of bearing His kingship, declaring at Sinai "Anochi Hashem Elokecha" — establishing His sovereignty over them as a gift.

ובאמת זכו לזה במה שהקדימו על הים ה' ימלוך.

And in truth they merited this through having proclaimed first, at the sea, "Hashem shall reign" (Shemos 15:18).

Bnei Yisrael earned this privilege by being the first to crown Hashem — declaring "Hashem yimloch" at the splitting of the sea, before the giving of the Torah.

כמ"ש חז"ל שהם המליכוני תחלה.

As Chazal said: "They crowned Me first."

Chazal note that because Bnei Yisrael accepted Hashem's kingship first, He in turn rests His kingship upon them.

ואנו מבקשין שיהי' רצון לפניו למלוך על כל העולם.

And we request that it be His will to reign over the entire world.

Our prayer extends beyond ourselves: we ask that Hashem desire to reveal His kingship over all of creation, not Bnei Yisrael alone.

ז"ש כי המלכות שלך היא ולעולמי עד תמלוך בכבוד שיהי' רצון לפניו לגלות מלכותו על כל המעשים.

This is the meaning of "for the kingship is Yours, and forever You shall reign in glory" — that it should be His will to reveal His kingship over all the works of creation.

The prayer's deeper request is that Hashem Himself should will the revelation of His sovereignty throughout all creation, since, as established, that revelation depends entirely on Him.

ועי"ז נשאר לנו המלכות כמ"ש אמרו לפני מלכיות שתמליכוני עליכם.

And through this the kingship remains ours, as it is said, "Recite before Me kingships (Malchuyos) so that you may crown Me over you."

Paradoxically, by praying for Hashem's reign over the whole world, we secure His kingship specifically over ourselves — for Chazal teach that the Malchuyos verses are meant "so that you may crown Me over you."

הגם שהבקשה על כל העולם.

Even though the request is for the entire world.

Although the prayer's stated object is universal — Hashem's reign over all of creation.

רק שעי"ז הבקשה תמליכוני עליכם כי עבד הנאמן צריך לבקש התגלות המלכות על כל:

Yet through this very request "you crown Me over you," for the faithful servant must request the revelation of the kingship over all.

The mark of a truly faithful servant is that he does not seek the king's reign for himself alone but yearns for it to be revealed everywhere. Precisely through that selfless request — desiring Hashem's universal kingship — Bnei Yisrael most fully crown Him over themselves.

Summary: On Rosh Hashanah we are called to "choose life" — the inner divine portion (chelek Eloka) breathed into the soul — and to accept Hashem's kingship with joy, which then sustains the whole year. As the "head" (reishis) of the nations, Bnei Yisrael accept malchus Shomayim and thereby draw it down upon all creation. Yet even our capacity to crown Hashem is itself His gift ("the kingship is Yours"), granted to us because we proclaimed His reign first at the sea; and as faithful servants we pray for His sovereignty to be revealed over the entire world — through which His kingship most fully rests upon us.