Rosh Hashanah Readings

The fundamental theme of Rosh Hashanah is the coronation of G-d as King over us. Each man and woman personally asks G-d to accept the coronation, thus creating the bond of “We are your people and You are our King.”

G-d’s coronation requires the complete acceptance of the yoke of Heaven in every detail of one's daily life.

On one hand, man is created in a measured and limited form, with a defined and exact number of limbs; and on the other hand, G-d bestows unlimited potential upon him, so that he can make the world an infinite dwelling for G-d.

Man is the honored guest of the world, who finds everything prepared and ready for him. However, at the same time, he is also cast in the role of servant. Whatever his surroundings, man is able and obligated to bring them to a higher perfection, thus becoming a “Partner with G-d in the work of creation.”

There are two distinctions between the judgement on Rosh Hashanah and the judgement of a person in the afterlife.

One who thinks that his own mission can be performed by another should consider Adam. Adam could not hand his responsibilites over to someone else, for there was no one else.

"Once I met some Jewish soldiers, who told me that they had the custom to say Psalms while polishing the buttons of their uniforms for inspection..."

On Rosh Hashanah, a person is not only judged by Heaven, but also by himself. One should not question one’s ability to influence the world.

What brings a Jew to feel the need for G-d’s Kingship, so that he asks G-d to accept the coronation and accept him as a servant?

The Torah does not particularly distinguish the day the world was created from the rest of the days of the year. Rosh Hashanah actually comemorates the sixth day of the creation, the day of man’s creation.

The sound of the shofar is a simple tone, without leters and speech. Therefore it is called “tekiah” -- a word also used for pounding in a stake -- for this point is “sunk” in the heart in a manner of utmost simplicity.

Not wishing to miss an opportunity, the Chassidim immediately went out and started saying Psalms out loud.

Contemporary society has embraced an ethic of giving supreme value to public life, especially the world of work. However, all vocations are secondary from the perspective that recognizes the importance of the life of the home, the nucleus from which one's Torah life emanates.

There are many pressures on a parent to make the education of his children conform to the prevailing modes of the secular world. But the fundamental concept of the haftorah is that a person may not rest until he has given one more Jewish child the best Torah education.

A selection of brief thoughts on the significance of the Ten Days of Repentance, culled from the works of the Chabad Rebbes.