This is our final class before Rosh Hashanah, so we will discuss the concept of Ve’ahavta LeRe’echa Kamocha/Love your friend like you love yourself as it specifically relates to Rosh Hashanah.
Rav Yisrael Salantar tells us that when the shofar blows on Rosh Hashanah, we have to imagine that we are like the Kohen Gadol walking into the Holy of Holies. How so?
The Gemarah tells us that the shofar must come from a ram or other kosher animal. It can not come from a cow or an ox, because that reminds God of the sin of the golden calf, and the defender can’t be the prosecutor or vice versa.
But then the Gemarah explains that this rule only applies in the Holy of of Holies: When the Kohen Gadol went into the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur, he would take off his golden clothing, because gold reminds God of the golden calf.
However, outside of the Holy of Holies, he wore gold, even on Yom Kippur.
When we blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, in Brooklyn or wherever we may be, we are not in the Holy of Holies, so why can’t we use the horn of an ox?
The Gemara answers that Rosh Hashanah is different, and the shofar of Rosh Hashanah is different. Since it is L’Zicharon, for God to remember us, it is like we are inside the Holy of Holies. Therefore, Rabbi Yisrael Salantar says that while the shofar is blowing during the Musaf prayers, we should imagine that we are in the Holy of Holies, which was a scary moment. The Kohen Gadol had to be totally focused. If he had a wrong thought, or disconnected, there was a rope around his waist to pull him out….. Lo Alenu.
There were some Kohen Gadols who paid their way in, who weren’t fit for the job, and they had to be pulled out by the rope.
So, as Rav Salantar says, we go in like the Kohen Gadol, like everybody is counting on us. But what does this have to do with Ahavat Yisrael/loving our fellow Jew?
The Sefer Bat Eyin, in Parashat Emor says that the reason that we have to say Ve’ahavta LeRe’echa Kamocha before we pray is because our prayers correspond to the Korban Tamid, which was brought by the Kohen. The Kohen had the traits of hesed and kindness; Aharon HaKohen was the ultimate kind one. In order to be like a Kohen, and in order for your tefilot to go up like a Kohen offering a korban, you need the traits of a Kohen.
On Rosh Hashanah, when the shofar blows, we are not just like a regular Kohen, but rather, like the Kohen Gadol, like Aharon HaKohen.
At that point, we must be someone who follows in the way of Ahavat Yisrael, who loves people, and brings them closer to Torah.
The more we act like the Kohen, the more our prayers will go up like the Kohen.
B’ezrat Hashem, Hashem should answer all of our Tefilot.
We should all have a wonderful Rosh Hashanah.
Tizku L’Shanim Rabot