This class has been dedicated for the successful surgery and refuah shelemah of Yehuda Binyamin ben Tova Chaya B’toch Shaar Choleh Yisrael
Today we will discuss a bit about the unit called Zichronot, which means to remember. God remembers us. Another name for the holiday is Yom Hazicharon, the Day of Remembering, and we end off the Zichronot unit with the words,
“Zocher HaBerit/God remembers the covenant.”
So, simply the holiday is called Yom haZicharon, because, as we said, God remembers.
But Rav Moshe Feinstein has two problems with this. Number one is that God never forgets. Like we say in the Zichronot prayer, V’en Shikcha Lifneh Kiseh Kevodecha/ there is no forgetting in front of You. So what does it mean that God remembers? Furthermore, the holidays are usually referred to based on what we, the Jewish people, do.
Hag Hamatzot-we bake Matzot, Hag HaPesach-we slaughter the Korban Pesach, Shavuot-we count the seven weeks, Succot-we build the Succah…Even Yom Kippur Hashem Titharu, We have to do an action to become pure.
But Yom Hazicharon, simply, is only on God… However, Rav Moshe Feinstein says Yom Hazicharon refers to us. It's the day that we have to remember God- that's how we get our success. Based on this, it works out beautifully that the introduction to Zichronot (each section has an introduction, Malchuyot’s in Alenu LeShabe’ach) goes through all the things that God knows, and then it says, Ashrei Ish SheLo Yishkachecha/Fortunate is the person that doesn't forget You, Uben Adam YitAmetz Ba/And so too a person that holds on tight.
So in the Zichronot prayers, we talk not only about God remembering, but that we remember God.
That’s the secret to our success. Ashrei is a term that refers to every possible success. David Hamelech used that word when he started specific chapters that were important.
Tehilim starts that word Ashrei- Ashrei Ish/how is a man fortunate ? How do you have all the blessings? The secret is Sheloh Yishkachech: you don't forget about God,
Uben Adam YitAmetz Ba
And you keep on pushing forward.
Rav Wolbe said the term YitAmetz comes from Rut.
It says, Naomi saw that Rut was MitAmetzet, she was persistent, she wasn't giving up. She kept pushing. As many times as Naomi tried to discourage Rut from following her, she didn't give in.
It is our job on Rosh Hashanah, as much as possible, to have a Hashem on our minds. Of course, it goes without saying during prayer, but also for the entire day we're supposed to have Hashem on our minds- so much so, that the Meiri explains a custom we have called Simanam Milta, which means we eat certain foods
The Sephardic custom is to eat Lubia or Rubia, which is Black-Eyed Peas. Some people just have the black-eyed peas plain, but other people make them part of a dish. They'll have a roast or a stew with black-eyed pea in it, and so on.
With the other different Simanim, people make things out of them. They'll make patties out of the Leek or the Swiss chard. What's the reason for that? The Meiri says that the reason we eat these foods is that we want to have the prayers and request on our minds..
So instead of just chewing a piece of chicken, I want to chew a piece of chicken with a vegetable that will remind me that I need to feel God's presence, and that I need God's grace, on these two special days. We try, as much as possible, to have Hashem on our minds in a way that we might not all year long. Some people finish Tehilim once or even twice. Tehilim is a way to have Hashem on your mind.
It’s also customary to learn Mishnayot on Rosh Hashanah, at the four meals, one chapter per meal, which is something that we wouldn't normally do, but Rosh Hashanah is a day that we want to have Hashem on our minds, because the more He's on our mind for the good, the more we’re on His mind for the good. That’s what Bitachon is all about. We can look back to the Musaf prayers, where it says, Ki Dorshecha/those that search you out, LeOlam Lo Yikashehu/they won't stumble forever.
They might stumble, but they'll get up again. Velo Tachlim LaNetzach/They won't be embarrassed forever.
Kol HaHosim Ba/those that seek refuge in You. They might be embarrassed, but it's temporary embarrassment.
If you stick to it and don't forget about Hashem, and He's always on your mind, that will pick you up when you fall, bring you to respect and end any embarrassment.
B’Ezrat Hashem, we will fulfill this important concept of having Hashem on our minds, in every little detail, throughout the day.
Have a wonderful day.