Page 34 - HaMizrachi # 22 Rosh HahHana - Yom Kippur 2020 USA

YAMIM NORA’IM READING

Rabbi Dov Lipman

All for One and One for All

osh Hashanah and Yom Kippur According to this Midrash, there the elders swear they afforded this
are days in which people tend to really is no such thing as individual deceased person that protection and
Rfocus on their own situations – judgment and repentance. We are all his murder was not a result of their
their personal judgment and working responsible for one another and we negligence in this regard.
to achieve their individual atonement. are all in this together. So the prayers
But a close look at the prayers for both must be in the plural because we As human beings, we are prone to sin
of these days makes it clear that we cannot succeed in judgment or achieve and that sin should draw harsh Divine
should not be thinking only of our- atonement alone, and as long as others judgment and punishment. But that
selves. All of the prayers are in plural: are sinning we cannot be completely is only if we are being judged as indi-
םיִּי ַ ח ְ ל ּונ ֵ ר ְ כָז – Remember us for life, purified. viduals. As long as a person is viewed
as a member of the broader Jewish
םיִּי ַ ח ְ ל ּונ ֵ ב ְ ת ָּ כ – Inscribe us for life, ּונ ֵ רי ִז ֲ ח ַ ה But there is another level to under- community, he has the protection
ה ָ בּו ׁש ְ ת ִּ ב – Bring us back in repentance, standing the plural language, which of the community during the Divine
etc. does relate to our individual, personal judgment.
situations. The Torah teaches that
Why are these prayers in the plural as part of the mitzvah of Eglah Arufa Thus, our only hope to survive the
and what does this teach us about how – when a murdered body is found judgment of Rosh Hashanah and
to approach these days?
near a city, the elders of the city must achieve atonement on Yom Kippur
Moshe begins Parashat Nitzavim, declare, “our hands did not spill this is if we see ourselves as and others as
which is always read on the Shab- blood” (Devarim 21:7). Do we actu- part of the community. This is why the
bat before Rosh Hashanah, by saying ally suspect that the elders of the city prayers are in the plural. They remind
“You are standing here today all of murdered this person? Why must they us not to focus on ourselves but to see
you in front of Hashem your G-d, your make this proclamation? ourselves as part of the nation, which
heads, your tribes, your elders, and The Gemara in Sotah (45b) explains is the key to G-d hearing our prayers.
your policemen, every man in Israel” that this relates to the mitzvah of As we prepare for the High Holidays,
(Devarim 29:9). The Zohar teaches levaya – escorting a person out of the let us recommit to being givers who
that “today” refers to Rosh Hashanah city. Since this accompaniment serves always think about the needs of others
(see Rashi to Iyov 1:9). The Midrash as a protection for the traveler during and the community. Additionally, let
Tanchuma explains that “every man his journey, the elders proclaim they us remember that we are responsi-
in Israel” connotes that all Jews are did not knowingly allow this deceased ble for one another and try to inspire
held accountable for the sin of just one person to leave the city limits without those around us. In the merit of these
person. When Achan sinned and took an escort. But how does escorting the two efforts, may we be blessed as indi-
from the spoils of Yericho, G-d said, person a few cubits per the halachic viduals and as a community with a
“Israel has sinned” (Yehoshua 7:11), requirement serve as a protection? ה ָ בֹוט ה ָ מי ִ ת ֲ ח ַ ו ה ָ בי ִ ת ְּ כ.
thus incriminating all Jews in the sin The Maharal explains that the purpose
of one man. The Midrash goes on to of the mitzvah of levaya is to demon-
explain that if we, as a nation, bear strate that this is not really a lone
such great responsibility for the sin of person walking the roads but rather
an individual, all the more so are we one who is part of the community. In
judged favorably for the good deeds turn, he is judged as a member of the Rabbi Dov Lipman is a former MK and the
of one person. That is how we stand community and receives the merit author of seven books about Judaism and
before G-d on Rosh Hashanah. of the community as a whole. Thus, Israel.

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