Rosh Hashanah
and
Parshas Ha'azinu
Rock and Role-Model
By: Daniel Listhaus
“The Rock, perfect is His work, for all His ways are justice; a G-d, faithful, without iniquity. “Righteous”, and it is proper.”
-Ha'azinu 32:4
Rashi1 explains this passuk as dealing with the concept of middah-k'neged-middah, that Hashem punishes and rewards accordingly, in exact measure-for-measure. This does not mean that the punishment or reward must come directly after each action is done, only that, ultimately, each person will receive exactly the verdict he deserves.
However, there is another way to learn this passuk. This passuk, in the beginning of shiras Ha'azinu, is actually quite similar to one of the p'sukkim in shiras Chanah2. When Chanah davened to Hashem for a child, she said, “There is none Holy as Hashem, for there is none beside Him; nor is there any rock like our G-d.” The Gemara3 makes a limud from here that the words ein tzur k'elokeinu (there is no rock like our G-d), could also be read as ein tzy'er k'elokeinu (there is no painter like our G-d). As the Gemara explains, the ways of Hashem are very different from man. A man draws a painting on a wall but cannot breathe breath into it, nor house within it a soul. Hashem, however, creates a body within a body and breathes into it life, a soul, and all the systems contained within the body. We can borrow this explanation for our passuk as well. The Rock, perfect is His work. Hashem is perfect and, therefore, His creations are perfect. What is the prime example of an unbelievably perfect creation? Man. After all, this was the example that came to the Gemara's mind.
There is a famous, general question which many ask: If Hashem is so perfect, what went wrong with the creation of man? Granted, man has the potential for greatness and closeness to Hashem, but that is not man's only facet, nor the direction which the majority choose. With the Gemara we just discussed, this question only becomes more compelling. The Gemara compliments, so to speak, Hashem's consummate artistic abilities with an example of something we consider far from perfect. Of all examples the Gemara could have given to describe the perfect and wondrous creations of Hashem, why offer man as the premier example? Better to use a tree, the sun, or any creature which does nothing but blindly follow Hashem's orders?
It must be that there is a basic assumption in the question which is false. The question assumes that man is an imperfect creation; but that is only a half-truth. Man could be imperfect, but be a perfect creation. Allow me to explain. Man was created exactly the way Hashem intended. We are made to be molded with our learning, experiences, and decisions we make on a constant basis4. The Derech Hashem5 discusses how the entire world was made for man. The world we live in is the perfect habitat for us to utilize our bechira and choose to either follow the path of Torah and yiras shamayim or, chas v'shalom, evil and death. It is our task to use this battleground to exercise and create a strong relationship with Hashem.
Rosh Hashanah is a time when the world was completed and man man was created. That first Rosh Hashanah was when it became clear that sof ma'aseh b'machashave techilah6. Therefore, although really the whole world is being re-created consistently every moment7, Rosh Hashanah, like every Jewish Holiday, re-establishes the same atmosphere in the air which was present at the time that the event occurred. Therefore, it is a time of judgment with big ramifications: Do each of us, as individuals, fit back into the world for the coming year? The litmus test is to reflect on the past and see how we did during the past year. Each of us is like a share of stock of the biggest corporation known to man: The World. If the stock does poorly, then the problem must be resolved as soon as possible, before the whole corporation falls to pieces. If our recent history reflects a downward-sloping line with a momentum which is bound to continue, Hashem removes us from His system. The only way to convince Hashem that we deserve to remain and continue to exercise our privileges to grow in this world, is to prove to Him that we will be an asset to His plan and serve Him as our King. We must assure Hashem that we will do what He wants and expects of us.
What is it, though, that Hashem expects from us? When we declare Hashem's Kingship countless times from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, what exactly are we saying that convinces Hashem that we are on the right track?
Perhaps we can achieve a clearer understanding based on the following. The Alter of Slabodka, in his sefer, Ohr HaTzafun8 is bothered by what seems to be a contradiction in Nach9. The Tanach relates in sefer Ezra10, that Ezra called out to Hashem: “My G-d, I am embarrassed and ashamed to lift my face to you, my G-d – for our iniquities have multiplied over our heads and our sins extend to the heaven.” Ezra was not some ordinary person who did sins on a daily basis. On the contrary, he was so filled with kedusha and taharah that chazal teach us11 that he was fit to receive the Torah from Har Sinai. Yet, his attitude regarding teshuva was certainly one of seriousness, crying, and mourning. The passuk in sefer Nechemiah, however, takes a very different perspective on Rosh Hashanah. The passuk12 says, “...do not be sad; for the joy of Hashem is your strength.” Seemingly, according to sefer Nechemiah, the way to teshuvah on Rosh Hashanah is not through crying or mourning, but rather through the joy of Hashem. What does this mean? How could we understand this very different approach?
The Alter answers that man was created b'tzelem Elokim (in the image of Hashem). Rashi13 explains this to mean, “To understand and to gain wisdom”. We have the potential to be even greater than the malachim (angels). Even though Adam HaRishon sinned in Gan Eden, still, deep down in our essence, the power of tzelem Elokim still exists. Our job on this world is to tap into that and sharpen our tzelem Elokim.
The Gemara14 introduces a dispute regarding what the words “zeh keili v'anveihu”15 (This is my G-d and I will build Him a sanctuary) are meant to teach us. One of the opinions is Abba Shaul16, who interprets the word “v'anveihu” to mean “and I will emulate Him”. As he explains, “Just as Hashem is merciful and gracious, so too we must be merciful and gracious”. The thirteen attributes of Hashem17, which we will say many, many times over until motzei Yom Kippur, are meant for us to copy and instill within ourselves.
This is our challenge on Rosh Hashanah. We must adopt the thirteen attributes in order to show Hashem that we are fit to remain in His system and become closer to Him during the year to come. This is why the main theme of Rosh Hashanah is declaring Hashem as King. Hashem is our Master and it is our job to live up to our tzelem Elokim, and practice the thirteen middos of Hashem.
The passuk in Nechemiah is teaching us that the purpose of the world, which we commemorate and re-live every year on Rosh Hashana, is for man to serve Hashem. The means through which man serves Hashem is by realizing we are created b'tzelem Elokim, and by trying to achieve the understanding and wisdom of Hashem. This can only be done through copying His middos.
Hashem, the Rock, whose work is perfect, is our role model. It is our job to emulate Him and live up to our privilege of being created b'tzelem Elokim. Let us strive to adopt the thirteen middos of Hashem this Rosh Hashanah and merit the attitude of Nechemiah, “...do not be sad; for the joy of Hashem is your strength”.
1Devarim 32:4
2Shmuel Alef 2:2
3Berachos 10a
4Especially the one real choice of whether to fear Hashem or not, as we discussed in parshas Nitzavim
5Section 1, Chapters 2-3
6Lecha Dodi in kabbalas Shabbos. This phrase means that the end result of a project is what the designer had in mind from the beginning. (For example: Just like a zoo sets up trees, foliage, and water-holes – not for each of those things themselves, but rather with a plan to have a proper habitat for the animals to live in. So too, looking back after the six days of creation it is clear that the world was created for nothing other than man.)
8Cheilek Gimmel: Avodaseinu B'Rosh Hashanah
10Ezra 9:6
11Gemara Sanhedrin 21b
12Nechemiah 8:10
13Beraishis 1:26
14Shabbos 133b
16The other opinion is that “this is my G-d an I will beautify Him” - The famous limud which tells us to look for the most beautiful ways to do mitzvos (nice lulav and esrog, nice pair of tefillin, etc.)
17Shemos 34:6-7
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