There are 14 mindsets that we are supposed to have on Rosh Hashanah.
On Rosh Hashanah it is not enough to just come to Shul and listen to the shofar. On Rosh Hashana, what is on your mind is extremely important. So much so, that Rav Moshe Feinstein says something fascinating. We call Rosh Hashana, “Yom HaZicharon- Remembrance Day” This is, simply speaking, because G-d remembers us. But Rav Moshe is bothered by that answer, because G-d remembers everything, every day. And furthermore, he points out, as we’ve mentioned previously, that the holidays are usually about what we do. Hag Hamatzot is about us eating the matzot. Succot/ Zman Simchtenu, is all about what we do. Even Yom Kippurim, he says, is about what we need to do to be forgiven. We are involved in the Kaparah/Atonement process.
But it seems that Yom HaZicharon is only on G-d’s end. Rav Moshe answers that
Yom HaZicharon is the day that we have to remember G-d. And what’s on our minds during the Yom Tov of Rosh Hashanah is extremely important.
So these are the various points to have in mind on Rosh Hashana Prayer
First, and most important is
1- Malchut -Hashem is King of the world
This is the theme of Rosh Hashana, so everything we do over the entire Rosh Hashana has to have that as the backdrop. Hashem is King and I am His servant.
This must be on our minds, every second of the day, more than any other day, because a person acts differently when he stands before a King.
So, #1 is Hashem is King.
2- If Hashem is King, we are His servants. And a servant has to be humble. It is extremely important on Rosh Hashanah not to be arrogant in anyway and not to stand out in anyway. We have to be regular people, like everybody else. Stay out of the public eye, be humble and remember “I am a servant of Hashem.” That is why the shofar must be bent. The Gemara says that more humbled you are, the better it is. Look for opportunities to humble yourself. Talk to somebody in shul (of course not during prayers) who may not be as important as you are. Talk to someone that needs Hizuk. Humble yourself, because as the Ramban says in his letter to his son, on the Pasuk
ה מלך גאות לבש
Hashem is king and He wears arrogance.
G-d is the king and He is Ge’eh. That sounds a little strange. G-d is wearing arrogance? Isn’t arrogance is a bad middah? But the Ramban says that arrogance is a bad middah for human beings, because we as humans don’t deserve any credit. We do not do anything. Imagine a father teaching his son baseball. As the boy grips the bat, the father stands behind him, holds onto the bat, and swings with him, to give him the feeling of swinging when the ball is pitched. Imagine if he hits a home run. The child gets all excited, but why? He did not do anything. His father swung. He has no right to be proud or arrogant over his accomplishment. His father did it.
That is the way we’re supposed to feel. We did not do anything. We do not accomplish things, G-d accomplishes for us. He’s holding our hand, swinging the bat.
It’s interesting to note that the words ה מלך גאות לבש were said by Adam HaRishon on the first Friday of creation. He opened his eyes and said.”Wow! Hashem is king! He did everything. I didn’t do anything. I just came here. I just joined the world.”
These first two mindsets are the whole Rosh Hashana. Hashem is king- He has the right to be proud and arrogant. But me? I’m a servant. I take no credit. I can’t look back and say,
“What a great year I had. I did so many things.”
I didn’t do anything. I’m not in control. That’s humbling.
3- We can’t take anything for granted.
This has been one of the great accomplishments of the Corona pandemic. It taught us that Hashem is the boss, and we aren’t in control.
Those are the first two points of Rosh Hashana. We have to drill them into our heads. We don’t control anything. Hashem is the Boss. I am a servant, and servants are humble.
This mindset impacts the way we ask for things on Rosh Hashana. We don’t demand anything. The poor man speaks in supplication. He doesn’t demand, he begs. There’s a beautiful Mashal from the Maggid of Dubno to illustrate. A very charitable man had a son who wanted to observe his father’s deeds, so he sat alongside one evening when his father was meeting with collectors, taking notes. He observed that his father gave nice, large sums to most solicitors, and the smallest amount donated was $100, with the exception of one man. One man had come, not to ask for charity, but to sell pencils for $10 each. The pencils were overpriced but the man felt bad, so he bought 6 pencils and paid $60.
Later on, after reviewing the events of the evening, the son asked his father why that one man got so much less than everyone else. The father explained that everyone else he gave had received charity. But this man hadn’t come for charity. He came to do business. He wanted to sell pencils. They were overpriced and not needed, but he felt bad so he bought a few.
The Maggid of Dubno explains that when we go to G-d on Rosh Hashanah, if we say,
“Look what I did this year! I came to shul. I put on tefilin! I gave Sedaka- You owe me!”
G-d will say, “Oh! You want to do business?Ok but you’re a little overpriced!”
Instead we have to come to G-d say,“Hashem, You don’t owe me anything. Please I’m a beggar- I want Matnat Chinam”And G-d will say,“Oh, you want charity? My charity is unlimited.”
That is part of humility. Hashem is the Boss. He is the wealthy man and I’m the poor man, knocking on the door, asking for a donation.
We aren’t asking for a raise . We lost our lease and nothing can be taken for granted, We are like someone coming in for a raise while the boss had planned on firing him. We have to realize this. A lot of people didn’t make it this year. We need to ask Hashem to please give us another year.
4.
We have to appreciate everything we have. We have to appreciate the simple things. Going to shul. That’s a simple thing. Landau’s shul has a sign hanging that says “Remember, praying with a minyan is a privilege not a right”
We have to appreciate these privileges and say thank you. Look back on your year and say, “Wow, I can see, I can hear I can talk.” These are all beautiful gifts that G-d has given us. We have to appreciate the simple things.
There’s a beautiful story told of a shul where a man who had survived a serious car accident made a big Seudat Hoda’a to thank Hashem. The next week another man did the same, to thank Hashem because he almost had a heart attack. And this went on for a few weeks with each person making a kiddush in order to show gratitude to G-d for surviving some calamity. Then one week a man made a very big Seuda. The people asked him what had happened to him. He said, “Nothing.” So why he made the Seuda? He explained that, week after week, he had watched people thank Hashem after having accidents and illnesses and other troubles, and he decided to thank Hashem that he had been spared all of that.
That’s great. We should make a party that we didn’t have to go to the emergency room. Rabbi Ades says that when you go to sleep at night, and everybody is home safe, you should dance on your bed that you are not in the emergency room. Appreciate that. Look back on your year and say “Wow, I had a great year! I’m alive, I have food to eat every day, I can sleep in my own bed! Baruch HaShem.”
5. We have to appreciate, respect, and believe in the power of Tefila. Tefila is our tool. It’s the secret of our success. The rule is, if you don’t respect something, it doesn’t work.
This relates to the famous concept of how David HaMelech “disgraced clothing.”
David HaMelech was a giant. We can’t possibly understand. But he cut the corner of of Shaul‘s garment. He could’ve killed him, but instead did this act of peace, but on his level it was considered that he did not properly respected the garment, and therefore, later in his life, his garments did not warm him.
That’s a rule- if you don’t respect something, it doesn’t work for you. If we don’t respect Tefila, and don’t respect the Shul, it won’t work for us. So we have to be really careful, especially now that we are back in Shul. Baruch HaShem. We were thrown out for a while. We have to treat the shul with respect.
6- A person has to look at himself as part of the Jewish people. It’s not about me and G-d; I am the servant and he’s the king.
No- we are the servants, and He is the king. This is one of the keys to having a successful judgment.
Rabbi Yisrael Salantar was once in a hotel in Paris. He was there doing Kiruv, to strengthen the people.
He went into a hotel and ordered a cup of coffee. Normally, a coffee a cup of coffee is one or two dollars, but here in this hotel in Paris, they charged him $30! He was very surprised and asked why the cup of coffee was so expensive. The waiter explained to him that he wasn’t just paying for the coffee, he was paying for the ambience. The rabbi started to shake, and the people asked him what was wrong. He said, “this world is an expensive hotel. I just had a cup of coffee and made a shehakol. But look at the beauty of the world that we are in. Can you imagine what this cup of coffee costs? Am I going to give up my alarm hubby? This world is an expensive hotel- how am I paying for all of this?”
How am I paying for a night’s sleep? And my house is bigger than a presidential suite! We are all in the presidential suite.
What does that cost? Every night, we sleep in the presidential suite- for years! Who is paying for the bill? Rabbi Yisrael says that the answer is that when a boss sends a salesman on a trip to China, he gets to fly business class, because it’s on the company account. The salesman does not have to pay for business class, or for the hotel expenses, because it’s a company expense (this does not refer to all types of shenanigans and shady deals).
This is an approach. We ask Hashem for money because we need to support our families. We need money to give charity. My cup of coffee is not mine. I need this cup of coffee to give a class. The cost of this cup of coffee needs to go on the company account.
7. The Pele Yoetz says that a person has to become a Baal Teshuva on Rosh Hashana.
Rosh Hashana is the first day of Aseret Yeme Teshuva. That means you have to commit yourself to change. Pick an are in your Avodat Hashem that you are going to get stronger and better in. But: Rosh Hashana doesn’t mention any sins -how can this be, if it’s the first day of Aseret Yeme Teshuva?
Rav Matityahu Salomon gives the following Mashal:
When you go to a doctor, you show him everything that is bothering you. But when you go to a photographer to take a picture, you cover everything up. You don’t want to see the things that are bothering you, so you hide them. Why? Because you want to look your best. Rob Matityahu says that on Rosh Hashanah, we are going to be photographed. We want to look our best, whereas on Yom Kippur we are going to the doctor.
On Rosh Hashana, the first thing that we have to say to Hashem is: What do we want to look like? On Rosh Hashanah we don’t talk about sins. We talk about our aspirations for a great new year. I am a servant of the King. I am dedicated to the cause. I am going to try to do everything as well as I can. I am looking forward to a bright future, full of growth and wonderful things. That is a commitment to the future on Rosh Hashanah. I have to have a picture of the best me.
So, prepare, in your mind, a New Year resolution.
8. Similar to why we have said before, about being our being part of Klal Yisrael, all the requests that we have are so that we can use them to serve Hashem better. Charge it to the Company account.
If we pay attention in our tefillot, there is a portion we add where we ask Hashem to remember us in the book of life, and write us in the book of life,
לְמַעַנְךָ אֱלֹקִים חַיִּים -For G-ds sake
I want life because I want to live my life as a good Jew. That’s an important piece of information. When Rav Yisrael Salantar used to say this, he would put his emphasis on the word למענך For Your sake, G-d.
9.
Think back over the past year and realize what Rosh Hashana is. Think of all the success and tragedies that happened in the past year and realize that they were all decided last year on Rosh Hashana. People sometimes ask me, after Rosh Hashanah, how my Rosh Hashanah prayers were. I say, I’ll let you know by the end of the year.
All of this was decided last year on Rosh Hashanah. We have to realize that Rosh Hashana is a powerful, powerful day. The same way we put preparation into an important business meeting, we have realize that Rosh Hashana is coming. We have to prepare. If a person was about to go into a life and death court case, he’d sit down with his lawyer and get tips on what to say at the deposition.
You should be taking notes while you read this. We don’t want to make any mistakes. This is a serious day. We have to realize what Rosh Hashanah is.
10 Have Fear and Faith:Rosh Hashanah is a day of Mixed emotions. On one hand, there is no Hillel, because the books of life and death are open. On the other hand we are not allowed to fast. It’s a Yom Tov. We don’t say, “Moadim LeSimcha” but we take a haircut beforehand and look out best. What’s going on? Is it a happy day or a scary day? It’s strange.
The Rambam uses a term- “it’s a day when you run away from, and run to”
First you have to realize that it’s a serious day. It’s Yom Hadin. Then you have to say, Hold in, who’s judging me? Avinu Malkenu- my Father is judging me. Yes it’s a scary day, and yes I feel like running away, but as I’m running away I realize that there is nowhere to run. So I run right back to Hashem.
There is a story told about Rav Shach, who went to visit the Brisker Rav in the last year of his life. The Brisker Rav was very scared.
Rav Shach asked why he was so scared. It’s says that Hashem will make a miracle for the Jewish people. That’s why we take our haircuts and try to look good. The Brisker Rav answered him that you can only have Bitachon if you realize that you are in danger. Right now, I have zero Bitachon that an earthquake will happen. Because, why should an earthquake happen? I have zero Bitachon that a volcano won’t spew lava all over me. Why should it?
I don’t need Bitachon for that. I might need bitachon that my computer works, because it was broken last week, so I may rely on Hashem for that but right now there is no reason, to think about earthquakes and volcanoes.
The Brisker Rav says that relying on Hashem is not just saying everything is ok. It’s realizing that things are scary. There are bullets flying all around. It’s dangerous. That’s when you really rely on Hashem.
In order to really count on Hashem and have Bitachon, one must first realize the severity of the situation. I am in trouble (even though all seems well ) because I am being judged on the upcoming year. Hashem is the only one to count on. ( אֵין עוֹד מִלְּבַדּוֹ )
11.
Be easy going in shul and at home -The way you act towards others and the way you judge others is the way Hashem acts towards you. do not get angry on Rosh Hashanah. Absolutely not.
There’s a famous story about the Ben Ish Chai. A man came home Rosh Hashana night and finds that his wife forgot the Rimon/pomegranate.
He started yelling at her saying, “What’s going on how could you forget that?” He got angry. But hold on- we have to remember why we have the rimon on in the first place! It’s a siman tov- a good sign. The Ben Ish Chai says getting angry is the worst sign!!Rav Wolbe says that it is not enough to be sweet with food; you have to be a sweet person. Everything about you has to be sweet. If someone upsets you, if someone sits in your seat or does something wrong, now is your chance to give in. Take advantage of opportunities to give in to the demands of others. These tests are there for us to overcome and get the blessing.
The Gemarah in Masechet Berachot tell us a story about a pious man he had some money during a famine. He was on the way to the grocery store to buy some food when he noticed a poor man he gave the man his money. When he’s when he came home, his wife asked him where the food was. He told her he gave it to a poor man. His wife started screaming and yelling at him. He felt upset in his heart. He was bothered that his wife yelled at him so that night, he went to sleep in a graveyard. In the graveyard he overheard two spirits talking. One of them said to the other, “let’s go hear what’s going on in Shamayim during judgment.” One went, came back and repeated that there would be a hailstorm at the beginning of the year. Whoever painted them would lose his crops. So this man waited to plant at a later time, and he had a very successful season. Why did this happen?
Rav Matityahu Salomon says that this man was being tested on Erev Rosh Hashana. Would he overcome his Middot? The first good thing he did was that he gave charity. But Hashem said that was not enough. Hashem wanted to see if he could overcome the midday of anger. So he tested him. It did upset him a little bit, and man did not want to be upset on Erev Rosh Hashana, so he took an extreme measure and slept in the cemetery. Once he did that he earned all the beracha for the year.
We have to look at these tests as opportunities. It’s brought down as a custom to fast on Erev Rosh Hashanah- the full day from morning to night.
(ask your rabbi how to go about this)So you come home from Shore and you want to make a kiddush, but your brother-in-law is late. You are starving, but you should realize that Hashem is testing you. Will you pass?
12.Rosh Hashana is the day that commemorates creation -Hashem created Adam HaRishon. As we mentioned above Adam opened his eyes for the first time and saw the world. We have to appreciate the creation sit at your table and talk about Briat HaOlam. Notice Hashem's "design and purpose" in all of creation.
( Rabbi Miller zt"l style)
iPhones all have cases with holes in the exact right place for the iPhone port. Imagine that it just so happened to match exactly. But that is not the way it works. The company makes it to match the phone. That is how it works. Of course everybody realizes that there is no way that the case just coincidentally happens to match the iPhone. Everybody knows that there’s a guy in China who made it.
Now consider your face. You have a skull with all of these holes they just happen to match up like an iPhone case with two holes right where your eyes go. And if you look at a skull there’s a hole by the nose that just happens to match up with where the nose belongs. And the same goes for the mouth in the ears. Wow how did those holes come out in the exact right spot? Imagine if your phone case grew and changed as you switched phones. Of course that’s impossible.It doesn’t work that way But consider a baby’s skull.It grows with the baby. Your skull is your iPhone case that is with you forever. How does that happen? Wonder of wonders.
13.
Be on your best behavior on the holiday.
Hashem wants to see how we act. He warned us. The building inspector is coming to inspect your house.
Make believe the corona inspector is coming to your school in twenty minutes. You hang up the phone make sure everything is ready. Masks on. If Shul starts at 7 o’clock be there at 10 to 7.
14-Rosh Hashanah is a new beginning. Don’t focus on the past. Don’t focus on all the things that you did wrong. Look forward. This is the first day of the rest of your life
Have a wonderful day And Tizku Leshanim Rabot
Thanks
Rabbi David Sutton