Rosh HaShana

Click here for the source sheet

One of the great frustrations of anyone who observes the Jewish calendar are the conflicts that emerge when dealing with the secular rhythms of American life. The audible sigh of relief that the Chagim fall on weekends can be heard in many quarters.

It is curious that Jewish holidays are never on time. They are always early, or late. I’ve never heard it said that Rosh Hashana is on time this year. Nevertheless, the Jewish new year is in sync with the academic calendar. Both begin the year at around the same time.

School starts usually in Elul, just when we are preparing ourselves for the New Year. It is the only time the academic and Jewish calendars coincide. I don’t count Chanuka and xmas only because it was xmas that enhanced the importance of Chanuka. Certainly, there was nothing inherent in Chanuka that would make one take a break from school.

A major theme of Rosh Hashana is that not only our community, but the entire world is being judged at this time. It is a season of new beginnings for the entire world community. Elul is a time to change patterns of behavior that have proven to be destructive just as the school year affords those opportunities. This type of personal work is much easier when the general culture is also beginning a new term. Let everyone see themselves as preparing for the first day of a brand new term.

It’s a new semester folks, and change is possible.

This article was originally posted on scorchintorah.blogspot.com

Aleinu is one of the most common prayers found in the prayer service. Originally it was the opening prayer of Mussaf on Rosh Hashana and was later inserted at the end of the three daily prayers services. What makes this prayer so unique?

Aleinu is composed of two parts – Aleinu and Al Kain Nekave. Aleinu was composed by Yehoshua Bin Nun after the miraculous capture of Jericho when the blowing of the shofar caused the walls to fall down. Al Kain Nekave was composed by Achan before being put to death for taking the loot of Jericho. G-d forbade taking the loot, but Achan did not listen. As a result the Jewish army lost many soldiers in their next battle with the Aye. The first letters of the first three words of this prayer spell out Achan’s name (Al Ken Nekave).

This adds to the mystery of Aleinu. Why was a prayer that is half composed by our great leader Yehoshua Bin Nun and half written by a supposed villain, Achan, used as the opening prayer of Mussaf on Rosh Hashana?

To understand this dilemma, we will explore the concept of Teshuva (repentance). How does an apology like “I am sorry” erase all sins?

Rav Eliyahu Dessler in his renowned work Michtav Mi’Eliyahu explains that G-d wishes us to recognize him as the True G-d. There are two ways of achieving this goal. A person can either be a Tzaddik, a righteous person following G-d’s path all his life or alternatively, one can achieve this through trial and error. If a man sins, it means he thought he could have something to gain by going down a different path. If he looks at his deeds and realizes he sinned, he has gained little from taking this path and therefore now recognizes that G-d’s way is the correct way. Both ways reach the same goal, but obviously the first path is more recommendable.

Yehoshua Bin Nun proclaimed G-d’s Name with a major spiritual showdown in Jericho. Achan took the second approach. By acknowledging his mistake, he brought about a Kiddush Hashem, a sanctification of G-d’s Name by announcing that the way of G-d is the correct way and admitting that he tried the other way and it was not worth it.

If we look at the Aleinu prayer closely we can see the difference between the themes in the two sections. In the first section Aleinu, the Tzaddik writes about the greatness of G-d and how lucky we are to be his people. In the second section, Achan expresses his desire that all alternative paths luring us away from G-d be destroyed, that we recognize them as false and that we should recognize G-d as being the True King. This is the true repentant speaking, praying that the falseness of this world which causes sin be eradicated, so that truth be recognized. We can now understand why the Mussaf service of Rosh Hashana opens with this prayer.

One of the greatest challenges the Jews experienced was the devastation of our nation during and following the destruction of the Second Temple. The Jews were physically destroyed and their spirits were broken. The great luminary savior of the Jewish people and the Torah at that time was R. Yochanan ben Zakai who escaped the siege and reconvened the Sanhedrin in Yavne. He instituted the saying of the Aleinu prayer three times a day to raise peoples’ spirit at that time, since Aleinu reminds us that when we follow in His ways, He is truly Glorious and we are fortunate to be His people. In addition, Aleinu reminds us that repentance works and that when we repent, G-d’s Glory will return.

Yochanan ben Zakai in his great wisdom foresaw that the Jewish people would be challenged time and time again during their long exile. The recitation of the Aleinu prayer, now an integral part of our prayers, helps strengthen our spirit, day in day out ensuring that we continue to be proud Jews and hold our heads high.