History Became Legend, Legend Became Midrash
בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ (ויקרא כג, כד), הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים קיט, פט): לְעוֹלָם יהוה דְּבָרְךָ נִצָּב בַּשָּׁמָיִם, תָּנֵי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּעֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה בֶּאֱלוּל נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם וְאַתְיָא דְרַב כְּהַהִיא דְּתָנֵי רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, דְּתָנִינָן בִּתְקִיעָתָא דְרַב זֶה הַיּוֹם תְּחִלַּת מַעֲשֶׂיךָ זִכָּרוֹן לְיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן (תהלים פא, ה): כִּי חֹק לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא וגו', וְעַל הַמְדִינוֹת בּוֹ יֵאָמֵר אֵיזוֹ לַחֶרֶב אֵיזוֹ לְשָׁלוֹם אֵיזוֹ לָרָעָב וְאֵיזוֹ לַשּׂוֹבַע וּבְרִיּוֹת בּוֹ יִפָּקֵדוּ לְהַזְכִּירָם לַחַיִּים וְלַמָּוֶת. נִמְצֵאתָ אַתָּה אוֹמֵר בְּיוֹם רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה בְּשָׁעָה רִאשׁוֹנָה עָלָה בַּמַּחֲשָׁבָה, בַּשְּׁנִיָּה נִתְיָעֵץ עִם מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, בַּשְּׁלִישִׁית כִּנֵּס עֲפָרוֹ, בָּרְבִיעִית גִּבְּלוֹ, בַּחֲמִישִׁית רִקְּמוֹ, בַּשִּׁשִּׁית עֲשָׂאוֹ גֹּלֶם, בַּשְּׁבִיעִית נָפַח בּוֹ נְשָׁמָה, בַּשְּׁמִינִית הִכְנִיסוֹ לַגָּן, בַּתְּשִׁיעִית נִצְטַוָּה, בָּעֲשִׂירִית עָבַר, בְּאַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה נִדּוֹן, בִּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה יָצָא בְּדִימוּס. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְאָדָם, זֶה סִימָן לְבָנֶיךָ כְּשֵׁם שֶׁעָמַדְתָּ לְפָנַי בַּדִּין הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וְיָצָאתָ בְּדִימוּס, כָּךְ עֲתִידִין בָּנֶיךָ לַעֲמֹד לְפָנַי בַּדִּין בְּיוֹם זֶה וְיוֹצְאִין לְפָנַי בְּדִימוּס, אֵימָתַי בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ.
“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, on the first of the month, shall be a rest for you, a remembrance by means of a blast, a holy convocation” (Leviticus 23:24).
“In the seventh month, on the first of the month” – that is what is written: “Forever, Lord, Your word stands in the heavens” (Psalms 119:89). It is taught in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: On the twenty-fifth of Elul, the world was created. Rav’s statement is in accordance with what Rabbi Eliezer taught, as we learned in the tekiata of Rav: This day is the beginning of Your works, a commemoration of the first day. “For it is a statute for Israel, [a law of the God of Jacob]” (Psalms 81:5). Regarding the countries, it will be said: Which is for the sword and which is for peace, which is for famine and which is for plenty. The people will be remembered on it, to be ascribed for life or for death. In conclusion, you say: On the day of Rosh HaShana, in the first hour it entered His thoughts, in the second [hour] He consulted with the ministering angels, in the third He gathered his dust, in the fourth He kneaded it, in the fifth He shaped it, in the sixth He made it into a lifeless body, in the seventh He breathed a soul into him, in the eighth He brought him into the Garden, in the ninth he was commanded, in the tenth he transgressed, in the eleventh he was sentenced, in the twelfth he emerged with a pardon. The Holy One blessed be He said to Adam: ‘This is a portent for your descendants. Just as you stood trial before Me this day and emerged with a pardon, so your descendants are destined to stand trial before Me on this day and emerge before Me with a pardon.’ When? It is “in the seventh month, on the first of the month.”
“In the seventh month, on the first of the month” – that is what is written: “Forever, Lord, Your word stands in the heavens” (Psalms 119:89). It is taught in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: On the twenty-fifth of Elul, the world was created. Rav’s statement is in accordance with what Rabbi Eliezer taught, as we learned in the tekiata of Rav: This day is the beginning of Your works, a commemoration of the first day. “For it is a statute for Israel, [a law of the God of Jacob]” (Psalms 81:5). Regarding the countries, it will be said: Which is for the sword and which is for peace, which is for famine and which is for plenty. The people will be remembered on it, to be ascribed for life or for death. In conclusion, you say: On the day of Rosh HaShana, in the first hour it entered His thoughts, in the second [hour] He consulted with the ministering angels, in the third He gathered his dust, in the fourth He kneaded it, in the fifth He shaped it, in the sixth He made it into a lifeless body, in the seventh He breathed a soul into him, in the eighth He brought him into the Garden, in the ninth he was commanded, in the tenth he transgressed, in the eleventh he was sentenced, in the twelfth he emerged with a pardon. The Holy One blessed be He said to Adam: ‘This is a portent for your descendants. Just as you stood trial before Me this day and emerged with a pardon, so your descendants are destined to stand trial before Me on this day and emerge before Me with a pardon.’ When? It is “in the seventh month, on the first of the month.”
In Rabbi Yochanan's Face Was A Shining Light
רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר חֲלַשׁ. עַל לְגַבֵּיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן. חֲזָא דַּהֲוָה קָא גָּנֵי בְּבֵית אָפֵל. גַּלְיֵיהּ לִדְרָעֵיהּ וּנְפַל נְהוֹרָא. חַזְיֵיהּ דַּהֲוָה קָא בָּכֵי רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַמַּאי קָא בָּכֵית? אִי מִשּׁוּם תּוֹרָה דְּלָא אַפֵּשְׁתְּ — שָׁנִינוּ: אֶחָד הַמַּרְבֶּה וְאֶחָד הַמַּמְעִיט, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיְּכַוֵּין לִבּוֹ לַשָּׁמַיִם. וְאִי מִשּׁוּם מְזוֹנֵי — לֹא כׇּל אָדָם זוֹכֶה לִשְׁתֵּי שֻׁלְחָנוֹת. וְאִי מִשּׁוּם בְּנֵי — דֵּין גַּרְמָא דַּעֲשִׂירָאָה בִּיר.
The Gemara relates that Rabbi Elazar, another of Rabbi Yoḥanan’s students, fell ill. Rabbi Yoḥanan entered to visit him, and saw that he was lying in a dark room. Rabbi Yoḥanan exposed his arm, and light radiated from his flesh, filling the house.
The Three Books
אָמַר רַבִּי כְּרוּסְפָּדַאי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: שְׁלֹשָׁה סְפָרִים נִפְתָּחִין בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, אֶחָד שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים גְּמוּרִין, וְאֶחָד שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים גְּמוּרִין, וְאֶחָד שֶׁל בֵּינוֹנִיִּים. צַדִּיקִים גְּמוּרִין — נִכְתָּבִין וְנֶחְתָּמִין לְאַלְתַּר לְחַיִּים, רְשָׁעִים גְּמוּרִין — נִכְתָּבִין וְנֶחְתָּמִין לְאַלְתַּר לְמִיתָה, בֵּינוֹנִיִּים — תְּלוּיִין וְעוֹמְדִין מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְעַד יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, זָכוּ — נִכְתָּבִין לְחַיִּים, לֹא זָכוּ — נִכְתָּבִין לְמִיתָה.
§ The Gemara goes back to discuss the Day of Judgment. Rabbi Kruspedai said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Three books are opened on Rosh HaShana before the Holy One, Blessed be He: One of wholly wicked people, and one of wholly righteous people, and one of middling people whose good and bad deeds are equally balanced. Wholly righteous people are immediately written and sealed for life; wholly wicked people are immediately written and sealed for death; and middling people are left with their judgment suspended from Rosh HaShana until Yom Kippur, their fate remaining undecided. If they merit, through the good deeds and mitzvot that they perform during this period, they are written for life; if they do not so merit, they are written for death.
The Yetzer Hara/The One Ring To Rule Them All
אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בַּר חָמָא, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ: לְעוֹלָם יַרְגִּיז אָדָם יֵצֶר טוֹב עַל יֵצֶר הָרַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״רִגְזוּ וְאַל תֶּחֱטָאוּ״ אִם נִצְּחוֹ — מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו — יַעֲסוֹק בַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִמְרוּ בִלְבַבְכֶם״. אִם נִצְּחוֹ — מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו — יִקְרָא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עַל מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם״. אִם נִצְּחוֹ — מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו — יִזְכּוֹר לוֹ יוֹם הַמִּיתָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְדֹמּוּ סֶלָה״.
Incidental to the verse, “Tremble, and do not sin,” the Gemara mentions that Rabbi Levi bar Ḥama said that Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: One should always incite his good inclination against his evil inclination, i.e., that one must constantly struggle so that his evil inclination does not lead him to transgression, as it is stated: "Tremble, and do not sin."If one succeeds and subdues his evil inclination, excellent, but if he does not succeed in subduing it, he should study Torah, as alluded to in the verse: “Say to your heart.”If he subdues his evil inclination, excellent; if not, he should recite Shema, which contains the acceptance of the yoke of God, and the concept of reward and punishment, as it is stated in the verse: “Upon your bed,” which alludes to Shema, where it says: “When you lie down.”
If he subdues his evil inclination, excellent; if not, he should remind himself of the day of death, whose silence is alluded to in the continuation of the verse: “And be still, Selah.”
If he subdues his evil inclination, excellent; if not, he should remind himself of the day of death, whose silence is alluded to in the continuation of the verse: “And be still, Selah.”
כִּדְדָרֵשׁ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, מְבִיאוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיֵצֶר הָרָע, וְשׁוֹחֲטוֹ בִּפְנֵי הַצַּדִּיקִים וּבִפְנֵי הָרְשָׁעִים. צַדִּיקִים נִדְמֶה לָהֶם כְּהַר גָּבוֹהַּ, וּרְשָׁעִים נִדְמֶה לָהֶם כְּחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה. הַלָּלוּ בּוֹכִין וְהַלָּלוּ בּוֹכִין. צַדִּיקִים בּוֹכִין וְאוֹמְרִים: הֵיאַךְ יָכוֹלְנוּ לִכְבּוֹשׁ הַר גָּבוֹהַּ כָּזֶה! וּרְשָׁעִים בּוֹכִין וְאוֹמְרִים: הֵיאַךְ לֹא יָכוֹלְנוּ לִכְבּוֹשׁ אֶת חוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה הַזֶּה! וְאַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא תָּמֵהַּ עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כֹּה אָמַר יהוה צְבָאוֹת כִּי יִפָּלֵא בְּעֵינֵי שְׁאֵרִית הָעָם הַזֶּה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם גַּם בְּעֵינַי יִפָּלֵא״.
The Gemara answers: This can be understood as Rabbi Yehuda taught: In the future, at the end of days, God will bring the evil inclination and slaughter it in the presence of the righteous and in the presence of the wicked. For the righteous the evil inclination appears to them as a high mountain, and for the wicked it appears to them as a mere strand of hair. These weep and those weep. The righteous weep and say: How were we able to overcome so high a mountain? And the wicked weep and say: How were we unable to overcome this strand of hair? And even the Holy One, Blessed be He, will wonder with them, as it is stated with regard to the eulogy: “So says the Lord of hosts: If it be wondrous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, it should also be wondrous in My eyes” (Zechariah 8:6).
בֵּין כֶּסֶה לֶעָשֹוֹר הִשְׁלַכְנוּ רֹעַ שְֹאוֹר. צַדְּקֵנוּ בַּמִּשְׁפָּט בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים לֵאוֹר. הִנְנוּ אָתָאנוּ לְךָ אַדִּיר וְנָאוֹר. כִּי־עִמְּךָ מְקוֹר חַיִּים, בְּאוֹרְךָ נִרְאֶה אוֹר:
Between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur we cast away the Evil Inclination, justify us in judgment so that the light of life shines on us; behold we have come to You Mighty and Glorious One, for with You is the source of life, in Your light shall we see light.
The Teshuva of Boromir
וּמַה הִיא הַתְּשׁוּבָה. הוּא שֶׁיַּעֲזֹב הַחוֹטֵא חֶטְאוֹ וִיסִירוֹ מִמַּחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ וְיִגְמֹר בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשֵׂהוּ עוֹד שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נה ז) "יַעֲזֹב רָשָׁע דַּרְכּוֹ" וְגוֹ'. וְכֵן יִתְנַחֵם עַל שֶׁעָבַר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה לא יט) "כִּי אַחֲרֵי שׁוּבִי נִחַמְתִּי". וְיָעִיד עָלָיו יוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יָשׁוּב לְזֶה הַחֵטְא לְעוֹלָם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע יד ד) "וְלֹא נֹאמַר עוֹד אֱלֹהֵינוּ לְמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ" וְגוֹ'. וְצָרִיךְ לְהִתְוַדּוֹת בִּשְׂפָתָיו וְלוֹמַר עִנְיָנוֹת אֵלּוּ שֶׁגָּמַר בְּלִבּוֹ:
What constitutes Teshuvah? That a sinner should abandon his sins and remove them from his thoughts, resolving in his heart, never to commit them again as [Isaiah 55:7] states "May the wicked abandon his ways...." Similarly, he must regret the past as [Jeremiah 31:19] states: "After I returned, I regretted."
[He must reach the level where] He who knows the hidden will testify concerning him that he will never return to this sin again as [Hoshea 14:4] states: "We will no longer say to the work of our hands: `You are our gods.'"
He must verbally confess and state these matters which he resolved in his heart.
[He must reach the level where] He who knows the hidden will testify concerning him that he will never return to this sin again as [Hoshea 14:4] states: "We will no longer say to the work of our hands: `You are our gods.'"
He must verbally confess and state these matters which he resolved in his heart.
And the Blowing of the Horns of Rohan in That Hour was Like a Storm Upon the Plain and a Thunder in the Mountains
בַּ֭חֲצֹ֣צְרוֹת וְק֣וֹל שׁוֹפָ֑ר הָ֝רִ֗יעוּ לִפְנֵ֤י ׀ הַמֶּ֬לֶךְ יהוה׃
With trumpets and the blast of the horn
raise a shout before the LORD, the King.
raise a shout before the LORD, the King.
Tashlich/The Watcher in the Water
רבים נוהגים ללכת ביום הראשון למקום מים, ים או נהר או מעיין, ולומר מספר פסוקים, ובכללם: "יָשׁוּב יְרַחֲמֵנוּ יִכְבֹּשׁ עֲוֹנֹתֵינוּ וְתַשְׁלִיךְ בִּמְצֻלוֹת יָם כָּל חַטֹּאתָם" (מיכה ז, יט), ועל שם כך נקראת התפילה 'תשליך'. במשך הזמן נהגו רבים להוסיף באותה הזדמנות עוד פרקים ותפילות.
There is a widespread custom to go to a body of water on the first day of Rosh Ha-shana and recite several verses, including “He will cover up our iniquities; You will hurl (tashlikh) all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micha 7:19). For this reason, the practice is referred to as Tashlikh. Over time, many communities added various other prayers and verses.
In the afternoon of the first day of Rosh Hashanah, the Jews customarily went to the seaside or to a river populated with fish, and recited the special prayer of Tashlikh. This prayer is a request to throw our sins into the depths of the ocean, as in the verse “And You will cast [ve-tashlikh] all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19). In some Sephardic congregations, the prayer is called ve-Tashlikh, with the addition of the vav, reproducing the word in the verse. The reason for going to a body of water with fish is that the Jews are compared to fish – just as the fish are judged by the fisherman and his net, so the Jews are judged by God on Rosh Hashanah. Another reason for visiting a location with fish is the Sages’ opinion that “The evil eye does not rule over them,” and on Rosh Hashanah, we ask that God make us “be fruitful and multiply like fish.” The book of customs Hemdat Yamim (Rabbi Yisrael Ya’akov Elgazi) gives a kabbalistic interpretation – that this custom serves to mitigate the judgment of Rosh Hashanah through an act of kindness, as water symbolizes kindness.
The Beacons of Gondor are Lit
וּמֵאַיִן הָיוּ מַשִּׂיאִין מַשּׂוּאוֹת, מֵהַר הַמִּשְׁחָה לְסַרְטְבָא, וּמִסַּרְטְבָא לִגְרוֹפִינָא, וּמִגְּרוֹפִינָא לְחַוְרָן, וּמֵחַוְרָן לְבֵית בִּלְתִּין, וּמִבֵּית בִּלְתִּין לֹא זָזוּ מִשָּׁם, אֶלָּא מוֹלִיךְ וּמֵבִיא וּמַעֲלֶה וּמוֹרִיד עַד שֶׁהָיָה רוֹאֶה כָל הַגּוֹלָה לְפָנָיו כִּמְדוּרַת הָאֵשׁ:
And from which mountains would they light the torches? They would transmit the message from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem to Sartava, and from Sartava to Gerofina, and from Gerofina to Ḥavran, and from Ḥavran to Beit Baltin. And from Beit Baltin they would not move to light torches in any other predetermined location. Rather, the one who was appointed for this task would wave the torch back and forth and up and down, until he would see the entire Diaspora before him alight like one large bonfire, as they would light torches to continue transmitting the message from place to place all the way to the farthest reaches of the Diaspora.
The Return of the King
יִשְׁתַּבַּח שִׁמְךָ לָעַד מַלְכֵּֽנוּ הָאֵל הַמֶּֽלֶךְ הַגָּדוֹל וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בַּשָּׁמַֽיִם וּבָאָֽרֶץ, כִּי לְךָ נָאֶה יהוה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ שִׁיר וּשְׁבָחָה הַלֵּל וְזִמְרָה עֹז וּמֶמְשָׁלָה נֶֽצַח גְּדֻלָּה וּגְבוּרָה תְּהִלָּה וְתִפְאֶֽרֶת קְדֻשָּׁה וּמַלְכוּת, בְּרָכוֹת וְהוֹדָאוֹת מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם: חזן: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֵל מֶֽלֶךְ גָּדוֹל בַּתִּשְׁבָּחוֹת אֵל הַהוֹדָאוֹת אֲדוֹן הַנִּפְלָאוֹת הַבּוֹחֵר בְּשִׁירֵי זִמְרָה מֶֽלֶךְ אֵל חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים:
Praised be Your Name forever, our King, Almighty the great and holy King in heaven and on earth. For to You it is fitting [to offer] Adonoy, our God, and God of our fathers, song and praise, glorification and hymns, [to proclaim your] strength and dominion, victory, grandeur, and might, praise and glory, holiness and sovereignty, blessings and thanksgivings, from now, forever. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Almighty, King [Who is] great in [our] praise Almighty, of [to Whom we offer our] thanksgiving, Master of [Whom we praise for His] wonders, the Selector of song-hymns, King, Almighty, Life of [all] the worlds.
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ יּוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא רָם וְנִשָּׂא:
The King Who sits on a throne [that is] exalted and uplifted.
The Hands of the King are the Hands of a Healer
וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ אִם־שָׁמ֨וֹעַ תִּשְׁמַ֜ע לְק֣וֹל ׀ יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ וְהַיָּשָׁ֤ר בְּעֵינָיו֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה וְהַֽאֲזַנְתָּ֙ לְמִצְוֺתָ֔יו וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֖ כׇּל־חֻקָּ֑יו כׇּֽל־הַמַּחֲלָ֞ה אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֤מְתִּי בְמִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לֹא־אָשִׂ֣ים עָלֶ֔יךָ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יהוה רֹפְאֶֽךָ׃ {ס}
[God] said, “If you will heed your God יהוה diligently, doing what is upright in God’s sight, giving ear to God’s commandments and keeping all God’s laws, then I will not bring upon you any of the diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians, for I יהוה am your healer.”
Ben Bag Bag (End))
בֶּן בַּג בַּג אוֹמֵר, הֲפֹךְ בָּהּ וַהֲפֹךְ בָּהּ, דְּכֹלָּא בָהּ. וּבָהּ תֶּחֱזֵי, וְסִיב וּבְלֵה בָהּ, וּמִנַּהּ לֹא תָזוּעַ, שֶׁאֵין לְךָ מִדָּה טוֹבָה הֵימֶנָּה:
Ben Bag Bag said: Turn it over, and [again] turn it over, for all is therein. And look into it; And become gray and old therein; And do not move away from it, for you have no better portion than it.