We are now up to the tenth pasuk of Malchuyot of Musaf Rosh Hashana. Each section has 3 pesukim from the Torah, 3 pesukim from Ketuvim/Scriptures, 3 pesukim from Neviim/Prophets, and the final pasuk is from the Torah.
The tenth pasuk is:
וְּבתוֹרתךָ ה׳ אלֹקינ ו ָּכתוֵּב לאמֹר שַמע ישָֹרֵאל, ה׳ ֱאלֵֹקינוי ה׳ אָחד
And in the Torah it is written as follows,
Shema Yisrael, Hashem Elokenu Hashem Echad
Why is it that all of the nine previous pesukim mention the word Melech/King, but this one does not?
The answer is that Hashem Echad/ Hashem the One and Only is synonymous with God being King. If Hashem is One there is nothing but Him; He the only thing that exists, so obviously, He is the King. Others explain that the words Hashem Elokenu/Hashem is our God, is a way of signifying that He is the King.
Regardless, this is a daily pasuk, it’s a positive commandment from the Torah to say it every single day, in the morning and at night. It’s what we call
קבלת עול מלכות שמים
Kabbalat Ol Malchut Shamayim
Accepting the yoke of Hashem’s Kingdom
We do that everyday, but Rosh Hashanah is when Hashem became King of the world. The world was created on the 25th of Elul, but Adam HaRishon was created on the first of Tishre, and that is when God became King. That was the first time that anyone accepted Hashem’s Kingdom upon themselves.
Our job, on Rosh Hashanah, when we say this pasuk, is to think to ourselves that we have a choice. We can choose to accept Hashem as our King. The word, “yoke” is used, as in when a yoke is placed upon a cow’s neck. At first it is not very comfortable, but when a yoke is placed on the cow’s neck, he’s able to focus on what he’s doing. He doesn’t turn this way and that, and actually does a better job. But a cow doesn’t have to accept the yoke, it is just placed on his neck. We have the job of accepting the yoke of Hashem.
Rav Wolbe says this should be an inner discussion for us: Do we really accept the yoke of Hashem’s Kingdom? If so, a little part of us should say, “I don’t want to do 613 Mitzvot.”
But then another part might say, “What do you mean? Hashem created you. He gave you everything. He’s giving you the Mitzvot because they are good for you. He only wants the best for you. Everything He does is good. Hashem/Mercy Elokenu/Judgement… it’s all One God.”
And this should go on until you finally convince yourself that, “Yes, I am committed. I am determined to accept all 613 Mitzvat.”
There’s a very common question that is asked:
Why don’t we talk about sin on Rosh Hashanah, if it is the first day of Aseret Yemei Teshuva, and you can’t do Teshuva without confessing your sins?
Rav Yerucham Levovitz answers that there are different kinds of sin. One type of sin is being a spy, or a rebel, working against the kingdom. Then there’s another sin, stealing a lot of money. Stealing money is not as bad as being a spy.
Similarly, before can we get into the details of the 613 Mitzvot (which we will do on Aseret Yemei Teshuva and Yom Kippur), we need to make sure that we are loyal servants. That is the Teshuva of Rosh Hashanah: Making Hashem King, and accepting Him as the King upon us. And if He is the King, we are the servants.
As Rav Yisrael Salantar says,
It is not enough to make Hashem the King over the seven heavens and the four corners of the world. We have to make a Hashem King over ourselves. Making Hashem King over ourselves means that there are things that we can’t do. There are things that we have to refrain from.
When he was a young boy in the Mir Yeshiva in Europe, Rav Wolbe once thought to himself, after saying Keriat Shema with a lot of Kavana/ concentration (after he might have stopped in the middle of first Seder to talk to his Havruta about something that wasn’t pertinent), “Hold on. I am accepting Hashem’s Kingdom upon me, to the extent that we say Bechol Nafshecha/ with all your soul (which means that even if they take away my soul, I am willing to die Al Kiddush Hashem), and I can’t refrain from speaking for four hours of learning?”
It has to real. It comes with a lot of responsibilities. But it comes with a lot of privileges as well. You are a card carrying member of the Jewish people. You are destined to Olam Habah. You are God’s children.
It’s a job, to accept Hashem honestly as our King.
Rav Wolbe used to say that we have to prepare for this the entire month of Elul. The Rambam writes that it’s a life’s work, to perfect saying Keriat Shema properly, and accept Hashem as King.
The high point of the year in Kabbalat Ol Malchut Shamayim is when we say this pasuk, the tenth in Malchuyot.
I wish everyone good luck, and good preparation.
Have a successful Kabbalat Ol Malchut Shamayim and have a wonderful day.