1. Tzom Gedaliah falls on the third day of Tishrei, following the two days of Rosh HaShanah. Thus, the verse, “Grant us life during two days, raise us up on the third day, and we will live before Him,” can be considered as an allusion to it.

This can also be related to a verse from the portion of Torah associated with the present day, “For His nation are a portion of G‑d. Yaakov is the rope of His inheritance.” Yaakov is the third of the Patriarchs, possessing a threefold merit (his own and that of his ancestors, Avraham and Yitzchok) and thus is like a threefold cord which “will not easily be broken.”

The emphasis on three is also related to the blowing of the shofar on Rosh HaShanah. The Avudraham writes that the blowing of the shofar on Rosh HaShanah is reminiscent of the sounding of the shofar during the giving of the Torah. Our Sages associated that revelation with three, explaining that it was “a threefold Torah, to a threefold people, through the third [of Amram’s children], on the third day in the third month.”

All these qualities receive greater emphasis this year, 5750, “a year of miracles.” That expression implies two concepts:

a) that there will be many miracles,

b) that the miracles will be manifold in nature, each one, a miracle within a miracle, revealing a miraculous order of a transcendent nature.1

This is intensified by the “miracle” of Rosh HaShanah, i.e., that it is uplifted above all the other days of the year and is reflected in the unique service of coronating G‑d as King of the world. This coronation involves our innermost powers, will and pleasure. In particular, this is emphasized this year when Rosh HaShanah falls on Shabbos which is uplifted above all the other days of the week.

The above can be related to the verse mentioned above, “For His nation are a portion of G‑d. Yaakov is the rope of His inheritance.” A “portion” relates to the Baal Shem Tov’s statement, “When you grasp a portion of the essence, you grasp the essence in its entirety.” An “inheritance” refers to a continuous chain in which a testator transfers property to his heirs without any break. The heirs stand in the place of the testator. The Jews are a “portion” of G‑d and His “inheritance,” since “Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, are One.”

The concept of “inheritance” (נחלה) receives unique emphasis this year. 5750 (תש"נ) — in addition to serving as an acronym for the Hebrew words meaning, “It shall be a year of miracles” — can also be interpreted as an acronym for the Hebrew words meaning, “It shall be a year of His inheritance, i.e., it will be revealed in a miraculous manner that the Jews are G‑d’s inheritance, that “Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, are all one.”

Similarly, the name of the year can be interpreted as an acronym for the Hebrew words meaning, “It shall be a year of the Neshamah, ‘the soul,”‘ i.e., a year when the unique nature of the Jewish soul will be revealed.2

The above concepts receive greater emphasis when the above verse is studied as part of one’s fixed sessions of Torah study. This study should become “fixed” within our souls and thus, allow us to appreciate how this verse is relevant to our own souls.

2. The uniqueness of the third day of Tishrei, the fast of Gedaliah, is influenced by the nature of the two days of Rosh HaShanah which precede it. This year, since the first day of Rosh HaShanah fell on Shabbos and the shofar is not sounded, special attention is given to the verses of shofaros. What is accomplished through the sounding of the shofar in other years is accomplished this year through the recitation of the verses of shofaros. The verses of shofaros focus on the giving of the Torah which, as mentioned above, is associated with the concept of three. Thus, it relates to the present day, the third of Tishrei.

This year, the influence of “the year of miracles,” is such that Rosh HaShanah which falls on Shabbos can bring about the nullification of the exile and thus, the nullification of this fast day. To explain: After the influence drawn down by the recitation of the verses of shofaros on the first day of Rosh HaShanah, on the second day of Rosh HaShanah, the shofar itself is actually sounded. Based on the principle that “one must always proceed further in holy matters,” one must say that the blowing of the shofar on the second day of Tishrei surpasses the recitation of the verses of shofaros on the first day of Tishrei. Thus, this blowing of the shofar can be compared to the sounding of the shofar in the Beis HaMikdash (or in every place where a court is held) when Rosh HaShanah falls on Shabbos.

To explain the unique aspect of sounding the shofar on Rosh HaShanah which falls on Shabbos in such an instance and thus, the unique aspect of the second day of Rosh HaShanah; this practice was begun by Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai in Yavneh.3 Yavneh was granted to Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai in place of — and to compensate for the destruction of — the Beis HaMikdash.

Through the influence of Yavneh, we can negate the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash and the ensuing exile. Even though Vespasian had been elevated to the position where the Torah considered him a powerful person and gave him the potential to destroy the Beis HaMikdash, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai had the confidence to approach him and ask him for Yavneh. Since the compensation for the Beis HaMikdash’s destruction depended on Yavneh and its wise men, even the powerful person who destroyed the Beis HaMikdash was forced to grant Yavneh to the Jews.4 Thus, all the practices connected with Yavneh and its court are associated with the nullification of the exile. This is the quality represented by the blowing of the shofar on the second day of Rosh HaShanah, a potential that allows for the nullification of the exile and thus, of the fast of Gedaliah.

This concept is also alluded to in the very name, “the fast of Gedaliah.” “Gedaliah” is related to the word gadol which means “great” and is thus related to the verse, “Great is the L‑rd and most praiseworthy in the city of our G‑d,” which alludes to the rebuilding of Jerusalem and “The honor of this latter house will be greater than the first,” which refers to the building of the third Beis HaMikdash.5

May the above lead to the coming of Mashiach. Having been written down and inscribed for a good year on Rosh HaShanah, may we merit the ultimate and complete redemption. This will be hastened by the distribution of money to be given to tzedakah.6 And then, all of the above concepts will be revealed. We will appreciate in an open and revealed way how this is a year of miracles and then, we will proceed in our service, going from “strength to strength” until it is openly revealed how, “Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, are all one.”