Chapter 121

He began “Because of our sins” with profound heartfelt awakening. Several members of the congregation and I recited the Yehi Ratzon composed by R. Azulai—the Chida—for the rectification of the Covenant, which is printed in the machzorim. The leader completed the entire “Because of our sins” prayer, every word accompanied by teshuvah and awakening. Particularly stirring were the words, “And in the seventh month ... a day of the shofar’s cry,” and “You shall make an elevation-offering,” which he recited with immense and powerful awakening. The Shulchan Aruch cites the early authorities who ask why Scripture departs here from the wording used for all the other Mussaf offerings. Elsewhere it says, “You shall offer,” whereas concerning the Mussaf of Rosh Hashanah it says, “You shall make.” The reason is that on Rosh Hashanah every person must make himself an elevation-offering—that is, devote his soul to Hashem through heartfelt teshuvah and prayer, and so forth. “You shall make” therefore means: make yourselves into an elevation-offering.

For this reason Selichos are begun at least a week beforehand. Every offering must be examined for blemishes for several days; and since on Rosh Hashanah each person must make himself an elevation-offering, he too requires a week of examination for blemishes—namely, sins and evil traits—and must prepare himself through heartfelt teshuvah, prayer, and the service of Hashem to serve as an offering on Rosh Hashanah. For this reason the awakening is still more intense on the eve of Rosh Hashanah: a great commotion is raised during the lengthy Selichos known as “Zechor Bris,” and throughout the day people arouse themselves noisily to teshuvah at the graves of tzadikim.

As Rabbainu, of blessed memory, said, “Other tzadikim would wish for a Rosh Hashanah like the eve of Rosh Hashanah with me.” It is known that among us the principal awakening to teshuvah, weeping, and remorse from the depths of the heart occurs on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, when one prepares oneself for the day of the arrival of the King, the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed is He. On Rosh Hashanah, as it were, all the inhabitants of the world pass before the Holy One, blessed is He, like sheep: just as a flock passes one animal at a time and two cannot pass together in a manner that prevents the second from being seen, so every individual passes before Hashem and He watches him, and so forth.

The Tur explains that this is why people fast on the eve of Rosh Hashanah. The matter may be compared to a king who came to a province to judge its inhabitants for rebelling against him. The prominent men went outside their city to meet him; he was reconciled with them and, in their honor, forgave one third. When he drew nearer, additional townspeople went out from the city to meet him, and he forgave another third. When he entered the city, everyone came out to meet him, and he forgave everything. So too, on the eve of Rosh Hashanah the prominent people fast, and the Holy One, blessed is He, forgives one third. During the Ten Days of Teshuvah, when more people perform teshuvah and fast, He forgives another third. On Yom Kippur, everyone performs teshuvah and fasts, and He forgives everything.

At any rate, on Rosh Hashanah the awakening and fear arising from the dread of the great and awesome Day of Judgment are immense—the fear of Yitzchak. From this one can perceive Rabbainu’s greatness: Rosh Hashanah was the principal thing for him. He said that the rectifications effected throughout the world from Rosh Hashanah until after Simchas Torah were accomplished by him on Rosh Hashanah; that on the first night of Rosh Hashanah he passed through judgment together with all his people, who were immediately inscribed and sealed for a good life; and that for him the principal thing was Rosh Hashanah alone. Immediately after Rosh Hashanah he bent his ear to hear how the call was already going forth for Selichos, because Rosh Hashanah was the principal thing; the entire year was as nothing, for it passed in the blink of an eye, and the whole year was a preparation for Rosh Hashanah.

We continued the service with spiritual awakening, reciting afterward the verses of Malchiyos, Zichronos, and Shofaros and sounding the shofar. The congregation and the leader recited “Today the world was conceived” and “May the expression of our lips,” and their melodies were sweet.

We completed the service with awakening and danced extensively with melody, joy, and a voice of rejoicing. We sat down to eat the Yom Tov meal. R. Shabsai was despondent and fasted for nearly the entire day. Toward evening he finally related that he had experienced a dream. I asked him to tell it to me, assured him that it was, on the contrary, a good dream, and compelled him to eat.

In this way I saved him from being required to fast on both days of Rosh Hashanah for the rest of his life. The Shulchan Aruch states concerning Rosh Hashanah that one who fasts because of a dream on the first day must thereafter fast on both days of Rosh Hashanah throughout his life. If he fasts on the second day, he must thereafter fast on the second day of Rosh Hashanah every year; otherwise, there is a danger that he will not live out the year, God forbid. R. Shabsai later thanked me for saving him from a lifetime of fasting in this manner. I also gladdened his heart, which had been filled with sadness and anxiety, as stated above.