Nitzavim - Rosh Hashana
Rabbi Jablinowitz
The Gemarah in Rosh Hashanah 16A teaches, Imru Lefanai B’Rosh Hashanah Malchuyos, Zihcronos, V’Shofros. Say before me on Rosh Hashanah Malchuyos, Zihcronos, V’Shofros. Malchuyos, Keday Shetamlichune Aleichem, in order that you make Me king over you, Zichronos, Keday She’Ya’aleh Zichroneichem Lefanai L’Tovah, in order that your memory shall come up before Me for good. U’Bameh, B’Shofar, and how is this done, concludes the Gemarah, with a shofar.
The Sfas Emes asks a question on this Gemarah. The statement begins by indicating that the Malchuyos, Zihcronos, V’Shofros are stated before Gd on Rosh Hashanah, as it says Imru Lefanai. How come the Gemarah then concludes with the words U’Bameh, B’Shofar, how do we accomplish this, with the shofar, if the Gemarah previously indicated that our memory goes up before Hashem for good through saying the pasukim?
The Gemarah in Rosh Hashanah 26A teaches that the reason the Chachamim do not allow a Shofar shel Parah, a shofar of a cow, is because of the principle, Ein Kategor Na’aseh Sanegor. The prosecutor cannot also be the defendant. And since Bnei Yisrael sinned with the golden calf, it is not appropriate to use the horn of a cow on Rosh Hashanah. This is similar to the idea that on Yom Kippur the Kohen Gadol removes his clothes with gold and wears four simple white garments in order to enter the Kodesh Hakadashim. And even though the mitzvah of shofar isn’t performed inside the Kodesh Hakadashim and there shouldn’t be a problem with using a shofar from a cow outside, Keivan D’Lezikaron Hu, K’Bifnim Dami. Since the whole point of the shofar is for a memory, it is considered like service done Bifnim in the Kodesh Hakadashim.
The Sfas Emes explains that this is what is meant when the Gemarah says, U’Bameh, B’Shofar. The Gemarah is asking how we achieve the Lefanai in the statement Imru Lefanai. How do we achieve that level of closeness, of having our words reach before Hashem? To this the Gemarah responds that the shofar is required to have our memories penetrate all borders and reach the inner chamber of Gd. The result is that the Avodah of blowing shofar on Rosh Hashanah is similar to the Avodah of Yom Kippur in that it is an attempt to reach the Kodesh Hakadashim.
The Ohr Gedalyahu expands on this idea and teaches that on Rosh Hashanah when we make Hashem king over us, we are attempting to reach a higher level of Yiras Shamayim, fear of Heaven. And the Sfas Emes teaches that the place of true Yir’as Shamayim is in the Beis Hamikdash, as we say in the davening on Yom Tov, V’Sham Na’avadcha B’Yirah, and there (in the Beis Hamikdash) we shall serve You in fear.
The reason for this is that true Yir’as Shamayim can’t be achieved intellectually. It must be experienced and felt through the presence of Hashem in the Mikdash, as we say in the Hagadah on Pesach, U’Morah Gadol, Zu Gilui Shechinah. Real fear of Gd is achieved when we experience the presence of the Shechinah.
This is what we are attempting to achieve with the shofar. The Gemarah teaches that the way to reach the level of making Gd king over us and of having our memories reach before Hashem is with the shofar. This is because we can’t do this intellectually or with words. We must enter the Holy of Holies, the Kodesh Hakadashim, and feel the presence of the Shechinah in order to reach true Yir’as Shamayim. And the way we do this is with the shofar. The shofar allows us to experience the holiness of the Beis Hamikdash and reach the Kodesh Hakadashim.
Yehi Ratzon that the Teki’os on Rosh Hashanah should allow our tefillos to enter Lifnai V’Lifnim and that we should reach the level of Morah Gadol, achievable only with Gilui HaShechinah.
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