We are up to our third pasuk on the Ben Ish Chai’s list of pesukim to be said the night of Rosh Hashana
This pasuk is from Tehilim, Perek לו,
כִּֽי־עִ֭מְּךָ מְק֣וֹר חַיִּ֑ים בְּ֝אוֹרְךָ֗ נִרְאֶה־אֽוֹר׃
For with You is the source of life, by Your light, we will have light. This pasuk is to be said 10 times.
This means we realize that Hashem is the source of all light. If we bask in His light, we will have light.
G-d is the source of life, and light as well.
This is the source of the Rosh Hashana concept that we plug ourselves into G-d, and He will give us life this upcoming year. G-d is the source of life, and we connect to that source.
One of the symbolisms of blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashana is that it says, G-d blew a breath of life into man.
The shofar symbolizes that blowing of the breath of life into Adam HaRishon. Our source of existence is G-d. G-d is pumping energy into us at all times. We realize that we don’t have an independent source for anything.
G-d is constantly giving us life, as we say every single day when we describe in VeYebarech David, where David HaMelech calls the Jewish people together, makes a proclamation, and blesses Hashem.
The first letters of each of the words ויברך דויד את ה׳, spell out ודאי- conviction. David is speaking with conviction, to the whole Kahal/ congregation.
He says, Hashem is our Father forever, and ever. G-d is source of all greatness, strength, splendor, and triumph and glory, and everything is heaven and earth is Hashem’s. He has kingdom and sovereignty over every leader.
Wealth and honor come from You and You rule everything. And it’s Your Hand, power and strength, to make anyone great or strong.
G-d is the source of everything.
We go on to praise Him and say, אתה הוא ה׳ לבדך
You and You alone made the heavens and the more exalted heavens, and earth and everything that’s on it, the oceans and the endless creatures.
And now, for the last four powerful words... ואתה מחיה את כלם-And You give them all life.
You didn’t just create them, 5781 years ago, You keep on giving them life right now. And the heavenly legions bow to You because they’re up there, watching as G-d is constantly pumping life into creation.
That’s the recognition that we have to have every day, but especially on Rosh Hashana, when we start a new cycle of life. We have to put that concept into our heads כי עמך מקור חיים-The source of all life is G-d .
And if we want to see light-, בְּ֝אוֹרְךָ֗ נִרְאֶה־אֽוֹר
If I want clarity, I need G-d’s light, which is the Torah.
The Torah is G-d’s light. It’s what turns the lights on. It’s the revelation.
On Rosh Hashana we blow the shofar- which symbolizes the shofar of Har Sinai. The shofar of Har Sinai lit up the night, so to say. It brought light into the dark of that world. That’s the light of G-d.
נר מצוה ותורה אור
These are two important statements. Firstly, that G-d is the source of all life, and also that we need G-d’s light in order to see clarity in that world we live in. As we have mentioned before, the pasuk from tehilim, לדוד ה׳ אורי G-d is my light, refers to Rosh Hashana. On Rosh Hashana the lights are on.
******
The fourth pasuk we say on the night of Rosh Hashanah is also from tehilim, Perek צז, and it’s said 17 times, ( 17 is the numerical value of “טוב good”)
אור זרע לצדיק ולישרי לב שמחה
Light is planted for the righteous, and joy for the upright of heart.
What does “Light is planted” mean?
Our rabbis tell us, as Rav Wolbe quotes from the Mekubalim, that on Rosh Hashana, every thing we do is planting. It’s like we are walking around all day with a bag of seeds, seeding the ground. Everything that’s going to grow the entire year is being sown on Rosh Hashana.
The way we act, and everything we do is planting. That’s why we only want to eat sweet things- because we want to plant sweet things. But it’s not just what we eat. It’s how we act.
Now, at the end of the year, if we have a spark of inspiration, it came from Rosh Hashana of last year.
אור זרע לצדיק
We are planting light the entire day
ולישרי לב שמחה
The upright of heart have happiness
They realize that all of this is for our good, so they have happiness in their Avodat Hashem. This also comes out of Rosh Hashana.
Eventually we get to the climax of Rosh Hashana which Zman Simchatenu- Succot, the holiday of our happiness.
This is what’s going on on Rosh Hashana-the realization that G-d is the source of life, G-d is the source of light, and we want to take in as much light as we can. The more light that we suck in on Rosh Hashana, the more light that we have the entire year.
These are two powerful pesukim that give us these important lessons, which will start off our Rosh Hashana-
Remember these pesukim are said at the onset of Rosh Hashana, as we enter our homes, in order to give us these important lessons.
Have a wonderful day.