Day of Judgment
Rosh Hashanah is more than a solemn day of judgment. It is the day which determines not only the life of nature for the New Year, but the very nature of life as well. All of this depends on our acceptance of, and enthusiasm for, G-d as our King, on Rosh Hashanah.
An even More Powerful Theme?
The focus of Rosh Hashanah is judgment. We stand before G-d and ask Him to grant us a good year. When the cantor recites the famous U’nesaneh Tokef prayer in which speaks of G-d as the One who decides who will live and who will not, everyone implores G-d to judge us favorably. It is hard not to shed a tear when we plead for our very lives.
And yet, upon closer reflection, there is a much more powerful theme inherent in the day of Rosh Hashanah and in its liturgy.
Rosh Hashanah is the day when we proclaim G-d as our King. Indeed, we implore Him to accept our pleas that He should reign over the entire world.
Rosh Hashanah’s most important activity is the sounding of the Shofar. Rabbi Sa’adia Gaon (10th century) enumerated ten reasons for this Mitzvah; the first of which is that the Shofar represents the trumpets which accompany the coronation of the King.
The Difference between a King and a Dictator
The obvious question is why G-d has to be beseeched to become our King. Is not G-d the Creator of the Universe? Is He not our King whether we recognize and appreciate it or not? Why, then is there a need to ask Him to become something that He is already ?
Chassidic thought addresses this question by referring to the difference between the two Hebrew words for a monarch: melech and moshel, a king and a dictator. The latter does not consult with his subjects whether they want him to govern, while the former rules by popular consent. He must be asked to govern. The people who will become his subjects must awaken within him the desire to be their leader.
Another difference between the dictator and the king is that the king derives immense pleasure and satisfaction at having been asked to be their leader. He puts his whole heart and soul into his subjects. The dictator, by contrast, does not invest his delight, his soul, mind and heart in his people.
Were we to not show up on Rosh Hashanah, the world would continue to exist. G-d “committed” Himself to keep the world going, whether or not we invite Him into our lives. But then, G-d would be a moshel. He would not be involved in our lives. His presence in this world would be a “forced” one. His “heart” would not be in it. The world would go on, to be sure, but in a lifeless and listless way. No enthusiasm, no excitement.
On Rosh Hashanah, when we proclaim to G-d “Reign over the entire world in Your glory,” or when we sound the shofar we are expressing our most profound feelings of acceptance of G-d’s rule/role in our lives. And then G-d reciprocates. He proceeds to be our King, not because He has to – because of His commitment to keep the world going – but because He really wants to. The world then feels G-d’s excitement with His creation, and we, in turn, feel excitement with our own lives.
Rosh Hashanah is thus more than a solemn day of judgment, who will live etc. It is the day which determines not only the life of nature for the new year, but the very nature of life as well. And all of this depends on our acceptance of and enthusiasm for G-d as our King, on Rosh Hashanah.
The Real Request
Although G-d has accepted the role of King for close to 6,000 years, His role as King cannot be fully implemented until the Final Redemption. As long as we are in Galus-exile with all of its obstructive force, G-d Kingship is not allowed to manifest itself in its full glory and majesty.
Thus, when we plead to G-d to “Reign on the entire world in all Your Glory,” we are not referring to the way He has reigned until now. Rather it is our plea that He bring us the Final Redemption when He will reign in all His glory!
From the book Light from the Future: Rosh Hashanah by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
