Page 28 - HaMizrachi Australia Rosh HaShana Yom Kippur 5781

YAMIM NORA’IM READING

Rabbi Dov Lipman

All for One and One for All

osh Hashanah and Yom Kippur According to this Midrash, there Thus, the elders swear they afforded
are days in which people tend really is no such thing as individual this deceased person that protection
Rto focus on their own situa- judgment and repentance. We are and his murder was not a result of
tions – their personal judgment and all responsible for one another and their negligence in this regard.
working to achieve their individual we are all in this together. So the
atonement. But a close look at the prayers must be in the plural because As human beings, we are prone to sin
and that sin should draw harsh Divine
prayers for both of these days makes we cannot succeed in judgment or judgment and punishment. But that
it clear that we should not be thinking achieve atonement alone, and as long is only if we are being judged as indi-
only of ourselves. All of the prayers as others are sinning we cannot be viduals. As long as a person is viewed
are in plural: םיִּי ַ ח ְ ל ּונ ֵ ר ְ כָז – Remember completely purified. as a member of the broader Jewish
us for life, םיִּי ַ ח ְ ל ּונ ֵ ב ְ ת ָּ כ – Inscribe us for But there is another level to under- community, he has the protection
life, ה ָ בּו ׁש ְ ת ִּ ב ּונ ֵ רי ִז ֲ ח ַ ה – Bring us back in standing the plural language, which of the community during the Divine
repentance, etc. does relate to our individual, personal judgment.
situations. The Torah teaches that as
Why are these prayers in the plural part of the mitzvah of Eglah Arufa Thus, our only hope to survive the
and what does this teach us about – when a murdered body is found judgment of Rosh Hashanah and
how to approach these days? achieve atonement on Yom Kippur is
near a city, the elders of the city must if we see ourselves as and others as
Moshe begins Parashat Nitzavim, declare, “our hands did not spill this part of the community. This is why
which is always read on the Shabbat blood” (Devarim 21:7). Do we actu- the prayers are in the plural. They
before Rosh Hashanah, by saying “You ally suspect that the elders of the city remind us not to focus on ourselves
are standing here today all of you murdered this person? Why must but to see ourselves as part of the
in front of Hashem your G-d, your they make this proclamation? nation, which is the key to G-d hear-
heads, your tribes, your elders, and The Gemara in Sotah (45b) explains ing our prayers.
your policemen, every man in Israel” that this relates to the mitzvah of
(Devarim 29:9). The Zohar teaches levaya – escorting a person out of the As we prepare for the High Holidays,
that “today” refers to Rosh Hashanah city. Since this accompaniment serves let us recommit to being givers who
(see Rashi to Iyov 1:9). The Midrash as a protection for the traveler during always think about the needs of others
and the community. Additionally, let
Tanchuma explains that “every man in his journey, the elders proclaim they us remember that we are responsi-
Israel” connotes that all Jews are held did not knowingly allow this deceased ble for one another and try to inspire
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 pur-
of one man. The Midrash goes on to pose of the mitzvah of levaya is to
explain that if we, as a nation, bear demonstrate that this is not really a
such great responsibility for the sin of lone person walking the roads but
an individual, all the more so are we rather one who is part of the commu-
judged favorably for the good deeds nity. In turn, he is judged as a member Rabbi Dov Lipman is a former MK and the
of one person. That is how we stand of the community and receives the author of seven books about Judaism and
before G-d on Rosh Hashanah. merit of the community as a whole. Israel.

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