Today we discuss the dichotomy of Rosh Hashana, and the seeming contradiction in the way we treat the day.
On one hand, as we’ve mentioned, the Shulchan Aruch tells us:
מכבסין ומסתפרין בערב ר׳ה
We wash our clothing and take haircuts on Erev Rosh Hashanah.
On the other hand, in our prayers we don’t say:
מועדים לשמחה
These are times of happiness”
חגים וזמנים לששון
“holidays and times of great joy”
So it’s not like Pesach, Shavuot or Succot. People may say,”Happy Holiday” to one another, but the usual holiday terminology isn’t built into the prayers of Rosh Hashana.
Furthermore, the halacha is:
אוכלים ושותים ושמחים, ואין מתענין בר"ה
We eat, we drink, we are happy, and we aren’t allowed to fast on Rosh Hashana.
You have to eat and drink and be happy.
The Mishna Beruruah says that even though Rosh Hashanah is a judgement day, it’s considered a חג /a holiday, and holiday laws apply
As it says,
תקעו בחודש שופר בכסה ליום חגנו
It’s considered a Yom Haggenu
אין אומרים הלל בר׳ה וי׳כ
Additionally, we don’t say Hallel on Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur, because the books of Life and Death are open.
What’s going on? How do we handle these seeming contradictions of Rosh Hashanah?
The great Rabbi of Brisk was once visited by Rav Shach on erev Rosh Hashana, and Rav Shach observed that the Brisker Rav seemed very concerned.
Rav Shach asked why he looked so scared. He told the Brisker Rav that it says that we are supposed to take haircuts and wash our clothing, because we are relying on G-d, and we know He’ll make miracles for us.
The Rav of Brisk explained that we don’t say Hallel, and that Rambam tells us the essence of the day (and the mindset to have) is that:
עבודה /והכנעה /ופחד ומורא מהשם ויראה ממנו,/ומברח/ ומנוס אליו
We are serving G-d,
We are humble,
We have fear of Hashem,
And we are running away and running to....
He said, concerning these concepts, that it’s not proper to have extra happiness or to say Hallel. And the Rabbi of Brisk explained the term:
“The running away from G-d and running to G-d”
This is the dichotomy. On one hand, we have to be so scared of G-d and of his judgement, that we almost want to run away, but then we realize there is no one else to run too, and so we run back to G-d and want to connect with Him.
But first, he said, it starts with fear. We can’t rely on G-d unless we understand the situation we are in.
If we are scared and concerned first, we can then turn around and say, “I’m scared- now I can rely on G-d.”
The rabbis explain as follows: None of us have Bitachon, at this very moment, that there won’t be an earthquake right now, because there is no threat of an earthquake. We aren’t concerned about that. Bitachon only applies in situations of fear, and then you overcome your fear and rely on G-d.
If you have no worries at all, it’s not called Bitachon. It’s called complacency.
The Brisker Rav says that this is why Rosh Hashana has this dichotomy.
On one hand, we have to be scared, and on the other hand, we have to be happy. You can’t just jump straight to being happy, because how can you be happy when you’re being judged? And you can’t be petrified all day because you have to rely on Hashem.
The system is to be concerned and worried first, and then rely. This is the contradiction. The more scared you are, the better off you are. Then you can rely on Hashem. If you hear the shofar and you get scared, say, “Baruch HaShem! I got scared, I got concerned.”
The Taz asks, Why don’t we say Hallel, or show extreme happiness and why do we stress fear? Aren’t we were relying on G-d?
In the words of the Taz:
צ"ל ירא וחרד מאימת הדין ועל ידי כן נזכה לזכות:
We have to be scared, because the fear brings the merit.
We have to go through the process.
We can’t just jump to the end and say everything will be great.
It’s a court case.
It’s a judgement for Life and Death.
It’s a serious situation.
But: Once you realize how serious the situation is, then you’re okay.
This is the dichotomy, and the difficulty, of the mindsets of Rosh Hashanah.