Celebrating Life

It was taught in the baraita: On Rosh HaShana, Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah were revisited by God and conceived children.

"And the Ark came to rest on the 17th day of the 7th month, upon Mt. Ararat"....what difference does it make to us when it came to rest? Obviously, it came to rest at some point! Rather, the verse is not merely teaching us the date when the Ark came to rest, it is teaching us a broader concept [that is applicable to our lives].

At a time when judgment hangs above the world, and severity dwells, and the Holy One, blessed be He, sits upon His throne of judgment to judge the world…

In the seventh month is the Day of Judgment, a day when all people of the world are judged, all pass before Him upon His throne. And concerning this, it says, “And the Ark came to rest during the seventh month;” this is the month when the world is judged. “Upon Mt. Ararat” - this is the master of judgment, the master of crying and wailing…

And Israel prays on that very day, requesting and supplicating before Him, blowing the shofar; and the Holy One, blessed be He, has compassion, and transforms severity into mercy. All who are above and all who are below, begin to recite, “Praiseworthy is the one who knows the teruah.” And on that day it is required that the one who sounds the shofar, he must know the core of the matter, and he must focus and have intent in his teruah, acting with wisdom; and that is why the verse says, “Praiseworthy is the one who knows the teruah,” but it does not say, “the one who blows the teruah.”

And No’ach too, You remembered with love, and [therefore] decreed for him a promise of deliverance and compassion, when You brought the flood-waters...