Timely Torah from Rabbi Sam Shor
Rosh Hashana: Transforming Our Simple Words to the
Purest of Prayer...
These divrei torah are dedicated in memory of R’ Mayer ben R’ Ben-Zion HaKohein Kagan, zt’l. R’ Mayer Kagan was in many ways the voice and conscience of the Albany, New York Jewish Community, and was a mentor, inspiration and surrogate “Zayda” to an entire generation. May his memory bring blessing upon his family, friends and all Klal Yisrael…
There is an interesting
teaching in the important Chasidic work, Sefat
Emet (Language of Truth), written by Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Leib Alter, zt’l, the Gerrer Rebbe. The Rebbe wrote: “The essence of
Rosh Hashana is prayer. There are four mitzvot which form our daily routine;
the recitation of the Shema, the wearing of tefilin (phylacteries), the donning
of tzitzit (fringes), and tefila (prayer). It is written in many holy works
that these four mitzvot correspond to the four letter Divine name. Also, the
various holidays each parallel one of these four mitzvot. Pesach is
representative of the tefilin which we bind to our arm, recalling the
“outstretched arm” that redeemed us from Egypt; Shavuot i Let us take a closer look at
this piece. The Sefat Emet suggests
that there are four common daily rituals that are each symbolically paralleled
by the essence and nature of one of our four Biblical Holiday periods. One
might infer that the Rebbe is suggesting that the extra spiritual fervor,
inspiration and joy that are often easier for us to experience during each of
our festivals, should somehow inspire us and help us to experience its parallel
daily ritual, and really all of our daily conduct, in a more meaningful, and
spiritually conscious way. Given that we are on the eve of Rosh Hashana, let us explore further the parallel
daily mitzva of tefila (prayer),
which the Sefat Emet viewed as the
essence of the entire ten day period between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. One of the interesting
phenomena of the high holidays is that so many people are moved to attend synagogue
services. Our synagogues that are often quite empty throughout much of the year
are suddenly filled to capacity. What is it about the various benedictions and
readings we recite together on Rosh Hashana that is supposed to carry over into
our entire year, and inspire us to seek a deeper connection, to reach a
heightened spiritual consciousness? Why, if the essence of Rosh Hashana is
prayer, as the Sefat Emet suggests,
is there such a disconnect for so many people who find their way to the
synagogues on these three important dates, only to return to their year long anonymity
until the following Rosh Hashana? In order to attempt to answer
these challenging questions, I believe first we must clarify just how much
transformative potential exists within the experience of prayer in its purest
form. Rabbi Abraham Isaac HaKohein Kook,
zt’l spoke the following words in a public discourse on prayer (As cited in the
work Mishnat HaRav, pg 72…): “ The difference between an individual who prays and
one who does not pray, is not that one sets aside time each day to pray and the
second does not set aside time for this purpose. Rather, there is a profound
fundamental difference. The quality of life of each of these two is completely
different! That time set aside for prayer, makes a profound impact on the
entire day.” According to Rav Kook, tefila, is much more than taking time
out of our day to recite some Hebrew words as quickly as we possibly can, and tefila is much more than an opportunity
to make requests, or plead our case before G-d, as so many people envision as
the prime objective of our high holiday prayer, and prayer in general. Rav Kook
is suggesting that the experience of tefila
somehow has the capacity to transform our entire outlook, our entire daily routine,
our entire quality of life. Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik
zt’l wrote that many perceive prayer as a conversation, a dialogue with the
Divine. Rabbi Soloveitchik suggests that tefila
is much more than a conversation, or a dialogue between acquaintances. Tefila, said Rabbi Soloveitchik should
be experienced as though we have come so close to the Divine within each of us
that we feel the collision, of colliding with G-d’s presence. Tefila is not a random discussion
between two distant acquaintances, rather the most intimate of conversations
between man and Hashem. How are we to understand the
words of Rav Kook and Rav Soloveitchik within the context of Rosh Hashana and
Yom Kippur? If the goal of tefila is
not to petition or make any requests, rather to enter into a pure, loving,
intimate discourse with G-d; and as the Sefat
Emet suggests the very essence of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is tefila, how are we to make sense of the
many liturgical references to forgiveness, mercy, compassion, and judgment? It
seems quite clearly from much of the traditional liturgy, that indeed we have
gathered to make many, many pleas, both personal and communal, unto G-d… There is a well known verse from Psalm 118
(verse 5), that is recited as part of the Hallel
which we recite on Rosh Chodesh
(beginning of each month) and Festivals, which is also one of the many verses
recited immediately before the Shofar
is sounded on Rosh Hashana. The verse: “Min Hameitzar Karati Ya, Ananani bamerchav Ya…” “From
the depths I called out to God, with Divine relief he answered me…” Rabbi Kalonimos Kalman Shapira zt’l, the Rebbe of Piascezne, in his incredibly
moving work on the Torah and Holidays- Aish Kodesh wrote the following
words regarding this verse: “For
people like us, especially in such terrible, bitter anguish, it is impossible
not to cry out and pray to G-d, even on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, about our
pain and suffering. This in itself is a source of distress, and our soul cries
out bitterly that even during such holy days as these we are reduced to praying
‘Give us life! Give us food!’ instead of loftier, altruistic prayers for the
needs and sake of heaven… …This
is the meaning of the verse ‘From the depths I called out to G-d, with Divine
relief he answered me.’ At present, I am calling from the depths of my pain,
but please G-d, respond with divine relief, so that I am able to pray from
comfort and plenitude, so that I can pray properly, unselfishly, for the sake
of G-d.” The Rebbe, from the depths of the Warsaw
Ghetto, where he ministered to so many amidst the devastation of the ghetto, is
teaching us a very profound idea regarding the experience of prayer. Prayer, as
it is most often experienced by man in our human frailty, is often very self
centered-either out of a sense of obligation, or as an outgrowth and response
to a personal need or challenging circumstance. But tefila, prayer in its purest form, says the Rebbe, and echoed by
the words of Rabbi Soloveitchik, is the experience of calling out to G-d, not from
the depths of despair and pain, but rather from a space of comfort, heightened
spiritual consciousness and love. Perhaps, now we can better
understand the words of the Sefat Emet, “the
days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are in essence all about prayer…” If , as we discussed earlier,
the heightened sense of awareness, enthusiasm, and joy we feel during each of
the holidays is supposed to inspire within us similar fervor and emotions for
it’s symbolic parallel mitzva, then
perhaps the opportunity that Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur present us with is the
ability to move up the ladder, to be inspired to leave behind our mundane, even
commonly self-centered prayer, and begin to view tefila, as a regular opportunity to speak with, feel, and embrace
G-d’s presence in our daily lives. Rabbi Moshe Weinberger, in a
recent public discourse, explained that throughout the year we may be very
particular about the minutiae of many of the rituals, we might even spend much
time analyzing complicated Rabbinic texts. But, as Rav
Weinberger so honestly acknowledges, sometimes in all our efforts we lose sight
of the very reason we are actually taking the time to do the particular ritual
act. Often, Rav Weinberger points out, we are “circling around” the various mitzvot, and missing the very purpose
that is behind each of the mitzvot. On Rosh Hashana, we take a step back, and
remember that in all our “circling around,” in all the many concepts and
rituals associated with Torah, that each of these mitzvot are opportunities for us to strengthen our connection with
Hashem, to converse, embrace and “collide” with Hashem, in the purest of ways.
Our prayers on Rosh Hashana allow us to transition from the many requests that
emanate out of this confusion of circling around the mitzvot, and enter into
prayer in its purest form, of a sincere, intimate conversation with G-d. Our tefilot on Rosh Hashana, therefore serve
as the ideal paradigm through which every mitzva should be viewed, as opportunities to once again feel,
rejoice with, and embrace G-d’s presence in each of our lives. So, in reality, our prayer
throughout the entire High Holiday period is an amazing opportunity for growth,
for a deeper awareness, and heightened consciousness of G-d’s presence in our
lives. It is this very idea that lies at the foundation not solely of prayer,
but of each and every mitzva; which becomes evident when we stop “circling around” focusing solely on the
specific details, and begin to simply open our minds and hearts. With warmest wishes for a Shana
Tova Umetuka- a sweet new year full of joy, good health, clarity, and
success, Rabbi Sam Shor