or He may opt for a softer approach and person who has doubts about Hashem’s
Sweetening Your New Year
Practical Advice on Preparing for
Rosh Hashanah
By Rav Moshe Shternbuch
The following was written by Rabbi Dan-
iel Yaakov Travis based on a drasha given by
Rav Moshe Shternbuch, Rosh Av Beis Din of
the Eidah Hachareidis of Yerushalayim.
•••••
HARSH JUDGMENT - EASY
JUDGMENT
“On the first morning of Rosh Ha-
shanah, the judgment is very harsh (din
kasheh) and there is no room for Divine
mercy. On the morning of the second day
of Rosh Hashanah, the judgment is easier
(din rafeh) and one can arouse Divine
mercy” (Zohar).
Why is there a difference between the
judgment of the first and second days of
Rosh Hashanah?
We can understand the words of the
Zohar with the following parable. When
a person arrives at a hospital complaining
of pains, the first thing the doctor will do
will be to simply take note of the symp-
toms. The doctor will record this factual
information about the patient’s condition
in an objective and precise manner.
However, when it comes to deciding on
treatment, a number of options are usually
available and there is room for discretion.
Based on the circumstances, the doctor may
choose to postpone strong medication or an
invasive procedure, or decide that a more
aggressive approach is necessary.
Page 16
gently guide us toward the desired goal.
A parallel process takes place on Rosh
Hashanah. On the first day, Hashem simply
observes our spiritual condition. He takes
note of the “symptoms” of our malaise and
records them. The Zohar calls this a harsh
judgment, since there is no room for mercy
in this objective evaluation.
Good intentions are important…
but actions prove that what is within one’s
heart is sincere.
On the second day, Hashem decides
our fate for the upcoming year. Just
like a doctor who must choose from a
number of treatment options, so too,
Hashem can apply His judgment a
number of ways. This represents an
opportunity to secure a more lenient
judgment if only we can successfully
arouse Divine mercy. Therefore, the
Zohar refers to the second day as an
easier judgment.
This is the deeper meaning of the
bracha for a good, sweet new year which
we recite at the Rosh Hashanah seudah.
Hashem may decide to “cure” our spiritual
malaise by prescribing painful ordeals that
will force us to wake up and do teshuvah,
YATED NE’EMAN
And so, at that auspicious moment, we
dip an apple in honey and we daven to
Hashem that He should choose the second,
less painful course for us.
Although the judgment of the first
day is harsh, we have the month of Elul
to influence its outcome. By undertak-
ing to make even the smallest changes
in our lives, we can have a dramatic im-
pact on the outcome of the evaluation.
Even the last minute before the start
of Rosh Hashanah is an opportunity
to resolve to make a small change and
this resolution can influence a person’s
judgment for the whole year.
NO ROOM FOR DOUBT
“Lest there is a man or woman or fam-
ily or shevet whose heart is turned away
from Hashem…[lest he hear the curses
and say] I will be fine…Hashem will not
forgive him…” (Devorim 29:17-19).
The Torah speaks here of an obser-
vant Jew who keeps Torah and mitzvos.
Yet, in his heart, he doubts that every-
thing in his life is governed exclusively
by the Creator and that nothing can hap-
pen contrary to His will. Why does the
Torah speak so harshly of this Jew?
Rav Chaim Brisker explains that a
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Supreme Providence over everything
that transpires in this world is not a true
believer. There is no middle ground.
Whoever is not a true believer has the
status of an apikores and cannot be con-
sidered part of the Jewish people.
The Gemara in Chullin sets the hala-
chic parameters for proving a child’s
paternity. Even so, it would be a very
rare case that anyone would need to
consult these guidelines. Each of us has
no doubts as to who our father is.
If we can say this about our physi-
cal father, it is certainly true about our
Father in Heaven. “How great are Your
works Hashem!” Had the sun been placed
a little farther away from Earth, all the
inhabitants of the planet would freeze,
and if it were a drop closer, we would
all be immediately incinerated. Who
can doubt that we have a loving Father
taking care of our welfare down to the
minutest detail?
When a person doubts Hashem’s
sovereignty, this inflames Divine anger.
Such a person feels that he answers to
no one and nothing keeps his behavior
in check. Eventually, his desires will
overcome him and Hashem will “wipe
this person out completely.”
Before Rosh Hashanah, each person
should take an honest and searching look at
his true beliefs and make sure that he is not
one of the individuals that the Torah addresses
when saying, “Lest you have evil roots.” We
should try to strengthen our emunah in the
Creator and eliminate any doubts that we
may have. If we succeed in doing so, this
(Continued on page 149)
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29 Elul 5769 • September 18 2009