Page 8 - HaMizrachi # 22 Rosh HahHana - Yom Kippur 2020 USA

TORAT MIZRACHI MIZRACHI EDUCATORS

Rabbi Reuven Taragin Rabbanit Shani Taragin

Rosh Hashanah

How We Get Hashem to Remember

The Malchuyot Focus created us and therefore our life’s mis- The Shofar as the
sion should be to serve Him, we are Common Facilitator
he Torah tells us two things often too busy to reflect and focus our
about Rosh Hashanah – that it The Gemara concludes by presenting
Tis a day of terua (horn blowing) lives on this mission. On Rosh Hasha- the shofar as the tool meant to inspire
and that its goal is zikaron (memory). nah – the day Hashem created Man the unique aspects of both malchuyot
These two words are the basis for the – we blow the shofar to remind us and zichronot.
berachot of zichronot and shofarot. that we are His creations and that we
should work to live up to the goals we First, we use the shofar as a corona-
Two questions need to be asked. The were created to accomplish. tion horn. In addition to the general
first is the relationship between the coronation symbolism, our shofar
two – terua and zikaron. The second The Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 331) also reminds us of the shofar that
is about the third beracha – mal- uses the Rambam’s explanation to
chuyot – that we not only add, but explain the first approach as well. The proclaimed Hashem’s presence at
actually begin with, and emphasize question is not what Hashem remem- Har Sinai for Matan Torah. We then
throughout our Rosh Hashanah and bers, but what He associates with us use the ram’s shofar to remind us and
Aseret Yemei Teshuva liturgy. (lizkor lachem). When we identify with (through this) Hashem of Akeidat
Akeidat Yitzchak as a model for our Yitzchak – the symbol of the com-
Why do we focus on malchuyot – the religious commitment, Hashem sees mitment modeled by our forefathers
one beracha not mentioned (explic- us in this same light. Our willingness and ancestors for us to emulate. After
itly) by the Torah in reference to Rosh to sacrifice ourselves for and commit the beracha of zichronot, we blow
Hashanah? ourselves to Avodat Hashem merits us the shofar as part of shofarot, which
Hashem’s rachamim (mercy) and His describe the shofar gadol that will
Zikaron – Who Needs Reminding? blessings for the continued good life herald the final redemption.
we can use to best serve Him.
The answer lies in understanding May our sincere and complete kab-
who zikaron aims to remind and how balat ol malchut shamayim bring
it does so. Rashi and the Rashbam Zikaron Hinges on Malchuyot Hashem to view us in a way that
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on Vayikra 23:24 explain that zikaron We can now understand the central- merits Him blessing us with an
aims to remind Hashem – of us ity of malchuyot. The mission we are
(Rashbam) and of Akeidat Yitzchak meant to remember on Rosh Hasha- upcoming year of good health, hatzla-
(Rashi). This approach is based on the nah is rooted in the recognition of cha and the Final Redemption.
Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 16a) that Hashem as our King and Creator. The
explains we use a ram’s horn to remind Torah focuses on the goal – zikaron. 1 The connection of the shofar to the akeida
Hashem of the akeida. 1 We focus on the means – malchuyot – also appears in the Midrash Rabbah (Bere-
which helps us develop and maintain ishit Rabbah 56:10). See also Vayikra Rabbah
The obvious question is why Hashem the zikaron mindset. (29 DH Rebbe Yehoshua) that also sees the
needs reminding? This is probably shofar as aiming to impact Hashem.
part of the reason why the Rambam This approach is summarized by the 2 Mishneh Torah Teshuva 3:4. See also
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explains zikaron’s goal differently. The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 16a), which Yerushalayim (RH 58:4) and the Midrash
Rambam understands that we are the quotes Hashem’s explanation of mal- Tanchuma (Vayishlach 2), which also see the
ones who need reminding – the shofar chuyot’s goal as ‘for you to accept Me shofar as aiming to impact Man.
reminds us of Hashem by waking us as King’ and then that of zichronot as Rabbi Reuven Taragin is Educational
from the stupor of our normal rou- ‘for your memory to rise positively Director of Mizrachi and Dean of the Yeshi-
tines. Though we know that Hashem before Me.’ vat HaKotel Overseas Program.

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