Reference number 403
היום הרת עולם – Rosh Hashanah is the day of the world’s “birth.” The Rabbis teach us that every year on Rosh Hashanah, the world is recreated. We start again fresh. Whatever was before Rosh Hashanah has nothing at all to do with what will be after Rosh Hashanah. We say, תכלה שנה וקללותיה, תחל שנה וברכותיה – “May the year end with its curses, may the year begin with its blessings.” Please G-d, those who are sick will be healthy; those who are not yet married will find their shidduch; those who are struggling to make a living will find good jobs; childless couples will be granted the blessing of children.
On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, we read the stories of Sarah and Hannah, who went years without any children until finally, on Rosh Hashanah, Hashem changed everything and blessed them with children who lit up the world with their piety. We must first recognize that Hashem is the King, that אין עוד מלבדו – there is no one and nothing besides Him. As the pasuk says, אני ראשון ואני אחרון ומבלעדי אין אלקים – Hashem existed before the world’s creation, He will remain after everything ceases to exist, and there is nothing besides Him.
In one of the High Holiday hymns we say, הודאי שמו כן תהילתו – the more one believes that there is nothing besides Hashem, the more powerful his prayers will be. Recognizing Hashem’s kingship can bring all the salvations which we need.
The Gemara in Masechet Berachot tells us which prayer Hannah recited which resulted in her being blessed with a child: רבונו של עולם, מכל צבאי צבאות שבראת בעולמך קשה בעיניך ליתן לי בן אחד. Hannah said, “Master of the world, You created everything – the sun, the moon, the stars, everything that exists. Is it so difficult for You to grant me one child?” The Gemara draws an analogy to a poor man who stood at the doorway of a lavish royal feast and asked for a piece of bread. After his request was ignored, he pushed his way to the king and exclaimed, “My dear king, out of this huge feast, is it so difficult for you to give me just one piece of bread?”
The question arises, why was specifically this prayer answered? After years of praying, why was this prayer the one that succeeded in having Hannah’s request granted?
The work Ki Atah Imadi explains by noting, based upon a Midrash, that the word צבאות has a connotation of order and protocol. In the Gemara’s story, the poor man’s plea was ignored because the feast was carefully arranged in a particular order. Every nobleman and official was seated at his assigned place, and all the food was set up and distributed according to a strict protocol. Nobody could just come in and sit down where he wanted or take whatever food he wanted. But then the poor man ran up to the king and said, “I understand there is a protocol, but all this is made in your honor, to bring you glory. Everything is here because of you. And can’t you find me a place and include me?”
This was Hannah’s plea. After many years of tearful prayer, she came to the conclusion that everything in the world is arranged in a set, detailed order according to a system. Some people are meant to raise children, and others aren’t. Each person has a different mission to fulfill. But then Hannah said, “Who is this order for? Why are we all given missions to complete? It is all for You, Hashem! You are the king. So can’t You find a way to give me the job of raising children? Can’t You let me honor You that way?”
This mindset, that everything is from Hashem, He is in charge and He can change anything in an instant, that there is always a solution, is what brought the Hannah the answer to her prayers. הודאי שמו כן תהילתו. The extent of Hashem’s kingship became so clear to her.
On Rosh Hashanah, our job is to focus our attention on Hashem, to understand more fully what it means that He is the king of the world. And the more we focus on Him, the more He will focus on us.