סי' ה בחצוצרות

Rosh HaShanah — The Birthday of Creation Rosh HaShanah is the first day of the creation of the world — "This is the day, the first of Your works, a remembrance of the first day". On it was created the first Adam, who was the purpose of all creation — he was to engage in the rectification of the world and to fill the lack of the world and to pray on their behalf, as Rashi, z"l, explains on the verse: "and there was no man to work the soil" [Gen. 2:5]. But the serpent came and enticed Chava, and what happened happened — he was judged and went out acquitted (b'dimusos). And from then on, this day was established as Rosh HaShanah — the Day of Judgment — for all generations, as the Sages, z"l, taught. And on every Rosh HaShanah the dimension of the renewal of creation is drawn — and every person must say: "the entire world was created only for my sake" [Sanhedrin 37a] — and he must see and reflect on the rectification of the world, on filling its lacks, and on praying on its behalf. Because of the great intensity of the judgments on Rosh HaShanah, one must clothe the prayer in narrative (maamar) so that the [prosecutorial] angels standing on the left should not accuse. And this is why the Sages, z"l, established to pray for life at that time in the first three blessings — which are [G-d's] praise — as one prays "Remember us" and "Who is like You" not in the wording of petition and request, but in the manner of praise and thanksgiving. And also in the last three blessings one says: "inscribe" etc., "in the Book of Life" etc. — which is not done throughout the rest of the year, as the legal authorities have noted carefully. All of this is in order to clothe the prayer, to conceal it, and to include it within [G-d's] praise — so that the [accusers] do not accuse. And therefore one must be extra careful at that time not to multiply requests for one's material needs — but rather to pray primarily for matters of spirit, as is brought in the holy books. And therefore one multiplies prayers primarily for the revelation of His sovereignty and that "G-d's glory fill all the earth" [Ps. 72:19] — for over prayers such as these the [accusers] cannot accuse greatly, since all is only for His honor. And within this one includes also prayers and requests for the elevation of the glory of Israel, their salvation and success, and the nullification of the Malchus d'Stra Achra — all in order to clothe the prayer and conceal and veil it, as above.

Therefore in the Musaf prayer — where one speaks at length — but all is only in the manner of narrative and telling of His praises — and within this one seizes and includes also the prayer and request that one needs. And this is what we say in Malchuyos: Alaynu l'shabayach ["It is upon us to praise…"] — and one multiplies verses from Torah, Prophets, and Writings — and within this one includes also the prayer and request, concluding: "Reign over all the world" etc. Likewise in Zichronos one begins in the manner of narrative and praise: "You remember the works of the world" etc., multiplies verses, and concludes: "Remember us with a good remembrance" etc. Likewise in Shofaros one begins: "You were revealed" etc., and concludes: "Sound the great Shofar" etc. And all of this in order to clothe the prayer and to include it within [G-d's] praise and within the recitation of verses of Torah — so that the [accusers] do not accuse. This is the dimension of what is explained in the main text: that after a divine decree one must clothe the prayer in narrative (maamar). Similarly this is required on Rosh HaShanah because of the great intensity of the judgments and accusations that intensify at that time. And this is what the Sages, z"l, taught: "Say Malchuyos before Me on Rosh HaShanah so that you crown Me over you" — specifically "say before Me" — hinting at the fact that the primary substance of the recitations of Malchuyos, Zichronos, and Shofaros are in the manner of narrative and telling, which is the dimension of clothing prayer in narrative, as above. Because the way of how to clothe prayer in narrative — how to do this in its completeness — is known only to Tzadikim, as is understood in the main text regarding the verse "and by the word of the holy ones the matter is settled" [Dan. 4:14], and also regarding the verse "they together make the mountains sing" [Is. 44:23] — therefore one must be especially careful to come on Rosh HaShanah to the Tzadikim and to pray with them. One Must Guard Awe, Protect the Mind, and Unite Love with Awe Because for this matter one merits only through performing mitzvos with joy — such complete joy that one does not desire any reward of the World to Come for it, but rather that the reward be in the mitzvah itself; and the primary joy is in the heart — and the heart cannot rejoice until one removes the crookedness of the heart and one has straightness of heart (yishrus lev) — and for this one merits through prayer with force and awe of Heaven. This is the dimension of the "thunders" (r'omim) — the voice emerges from mighty judgments (g'voros), the dimension of awe, and strikes the mental faculties. Then the heart hears — and the sound is heard by all creatures — and these are the thunders which are from the side of Yitzchok — the dimension of the voice of the Shofar and the Teruah. But for this one must guard the awe so that it does not become external awe [merely a show]; and to guard the mental faculties from "leavening" (chametz) — that one's wisdom not be leavened by external wisdoms, desires, and alien thoughts; and one must also blend the judgments with loving-kindnesses — meaning, love together with awe. For the essential revelation is through loving-kindnesses — the dimension of: "Avraham who loves Me" [Is. 41:8] who gave his life for the sanctification of His Name. "And so grant Your fear" [Uv'chein tain pachdecho] — this corresponds to the rectification of awe, and is therefore directed toward Yitzchok — Pachad Yitzchok [the Fear of Yitzchok]. Because one must blend the judgments with loving-kindnesses — which are the dimension of the Right — one therefore says there: "and might is in Your right hand". "And so grant honor" [Uv'chein tain kovod] — this corresponds to Yaakov, who merited the holy voice mentioned above — the dimension of "the voice is the voice of Yaakov" — the voice that emerges from the judgments and strikes the mental faculties, which are the dimension of honor (kovod), as is explained in the main text. For Yaakov our Father's root is in Daas and the mental faculties, as is known. And through all of this one merits to joy — the dimension of: "And so the Tzadikim shall see and rejoice, and the upright shall exult" etc. — specifically "the upright" — the dimension of "and for the upright of heart — joy." And this is "And so [David]" [Uv'chein] — the dimension of Malchus — the dimension of prayer — for through all of this prayer is complete. And this is the dimension of the Rosh HaShanah Shofar-sounding — through which the dimension of "thunders" is drawn, until one merits to joy — the dimension of "in Your Name they shall rejoice all day" [Ps. 89:17], and likewise: "for the joy of G-d is your strength" — said also of Rosh HaShanah [Neh. 8:10]. And this is what one blesses: "to hear the voice of the Shofar" — for this is the essence of the mitzvah: to hear this voice within one's heart thoroughly — until the crookedness of the heart dissolves and one merits straightness of heart. And therefore the Shofar-soundings also correspond to Avraham, Yitzchok, Yaakov, and David, as is brought — the dimension of all the rectifications mentioned above. And because the essential [requirement] is to guard one's mind from "leavening" — which is the secret of the removal of chametz and the eating of matza on Pesach, as is understood in the main text — as is explained in the Zohar, Shmos, p. 183b, that the primary accusation on Rosh HaShanah concerns those who were not careful about chametz on Pesach — therefore one prays at that time: "Remember us for life" and many similar prayers — the opposite of chametz, which is the side of death, heaven forbid. And therefore on Rosh HaShanah one must be extra careful about the purity of thought (k'dushas hamachshova), as is explained elsewhere. And this too is the topic of the Ten Days of Repentance, Yom Kippur, Sukkos, and Sh'mini Atzeres — all revolving around what is explained in this discourse above, as is explained somewhat in Likutay Halachos, Laws of Established Ownership (Chezkas Karkos), Law 3 — see there, and one needs to elaborate upon it further. Translator's Summary — Siman 5 Siman 5 introduces the concept of clothing prayer in narrative praise on Rosh HaShanah — because the judgments are so intense that direct petitions invite prosecution from the accusing angels. The entire structure of the Rosh HaShanah prayer service — Malchuyos, Zichronos, Shofaros — is designed as a sacred garment: praise on the outside, prayer hidden within. Only the true Tzadik knows how to perfectly accomplish this cloaking, which is why being near a Tzadik on Rosh HaShanah is so essential. The discourse concludes by mapping the three liturgical blessings Uv'chein onto Avraham/Yitzchok/Yaakov/David — joy, awe, straightness of heart, and holy kingship.