"ותשובה ותפלה וצדקה מעבירין את רועה הגזירה"
“Repentance, Prayer and Charity avert the severity of the decree”

QUESTION: In all Machzorim, above these three words the words “tzom, kol, mamon” (צום, קול, ממון) — “fasting, voice, money” — appear in small print. What is the significance of these three?

ANSWER: On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur there are many evil adversaries who seek to prosecute the person and have him condemned, G‑d forbid, and the person fights for his existence. Each of these three words have the numerical value of one hundred and thirty-six, and together they add up to four hundred and eight, which is also the numerical value of the word “zot” — “this.”

King David is alluding to this encounter when he says, “Im takum alai milchamah bezot ani botei’ach” — “If a war should be declared against me, I am secure with ‘zot’ ” (Psalms 27:3). The merit of the Jewish people is determined by how they excel in these three things, and they may rely on them to overcome all adversaries.

Hashem challenges the Jewish people, “Ubechanuni na bezot” — “Test Me, if you will, with ‘zot’ — ‘this’ ” (Malachi 3:10), i.e. perform the three things which add up to “zot” — four hundred and eight — and “[See] if I do not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out upon you blessings without end.”

Unfortunately, there are people who do not realize or refuse to recognize what can be accomplished through these three things. King David says of such people, “Ukesil lo yavin et zot” — “A fool cannot understand ‘zot’ — ‘this’ ” (Psalms 92:7), i.e. the power and merit of the three things, “kol, tzom and mamon” — “voice, fast, and money” — which have the same numerical value (408) as the word “zot.”

* * *

Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we read Parshat Ha’azinu, in which it is stated, “Lu chachmu yaskilu zot yavinu le’acharitam” — “Were they wise, they would comprehend this, they would understand what their end would be” (Devarim 32:29). The seemingly superfluous word of “zot” — “this” — may be alluding that, “Were they wise they would comprehend ‘zot’ — the achievements that are derived through — ‘kol, tzom, and mamon’ — ‘voice, fast, and money’” — and “yavinu” — they would understand — that it plays an important role — “le’acharitam” — “for their future” — i.e. through it they will merit to be inscribed in the Book of Life with all the best materially and spiritually.

(בית יעקב - מסלטון)