The Head
Rosh Hashanah is more than just a day designated for certain rituals and services. The day itself has a soul and life of its own. And depending on how we show respect for the awesomeness of the day, we will be blessed with a good and productive year.
Why the Head?
Rosh Hashanah is often translated as the Jewish New Year. In fact, the word Rosh Hashanah means, “The Head of the Year ”.
The question has been raised: Why do we refer to the beginning of a new year as the “Rosh/head” of the year, rather than the “beginning” of the year-”Techilas Hashanah”?
Chassidic thought demonstrates that, in fact, the relationship of Rosh Hashanah to the rest of the year parallels the relationship of the head and the rest of the body.
The head, or to be more precise, the brain, is more than just one of the many components of the human organism. The brain we all know is the most vital organ. Its physical location above the rest of the body is a reflection of its [preminent position vis-a-vis all other limbs.
The head is also the organ which comprises the energy and vitality of all the body’s parts. And thirdly, the brain is the organ whose energy is extended to and is present throughout the body.
If we could imagine the new year as an organic entity with all sorts of limbs and organs we call days, weeks and months, the day of Rosh Hashanah would be the year’s very head or brain. And its relationship to the rest of the year, likewise manifests itself in three ways .
Pre-eminent Day
First of all, Rosh Hashanah is the most pre-eminent day of the year. It is “head and shoulders” above all other days of the year .
Most people would have placed Yom Kippur in this slot, however, Yom Kippur’s importance is based on it being the culmination of the process begun on Rosh Hashanah. Indeed, in the Biblical book of Yechezkal, the term Rosh Hashanah is used to describe Yom Kippur.
Life Force of Entire Year
But, Rosh Hashanah is not only the most important day of the year, it actually contains the life-force of all the other days of the year.
And, finally, when time progresses and as we proceed through the days of the year, the days are infused with life and vitality from the day of Rosh Hashanah.
How to Relate to Rosh Hashanah
What relevance does all of the above have to us?
When Rosh Hashanah arrives, we must remember that it is more than just a day designated for certain rituals and services. The day itself has a soul and life of its own. And depending on how we show respect for the awesomeness of the day, we will be blessed with a good and productive year .
To use the brain analogy: When a person is careful not to injure the brain it will be able to execute its function as the life force of the body. But, injuring the brain is not the only impediment to a healthy person. One must not allow the brain to atrophy. One must use the brain.
Likewise, on Rosh Hashanah, we must not only avoid negative experiences which could injure the brain. In addition, we must realize that inaction on Rosh Hashanah can also be injurious and will prevent the brain from performing its function as a life sustaining organ.
Moshiach the Rosh of Humanity
Just as there is A Rosh-Head in time, there is also a Rosh in terms of souls.
In general all of the great leaders of the past, from Moses onward, were the Rosh of the entire Jewish nation, and by extension the entire world.
However, of all the leaders, Moshiach stands out as the head because it is he who will bring the world to its final stage.
And as a brain, Moshiach will succeed unprecedentedly in uniting all of the Jewish people. All Jews will realize that they are part of one body and will, in unison serve G-d in the unifying atmosphere of Jerusalem and the Third Bais Hamikdash; the Rosh-head of the entire world.
Rosh Hashanah is therefore the most opportune time for us to connect to Moshiach and the Bais Hamikdash.
From the book Light from the Future: Rosh Hashanah by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
