Rosh Hashanah 5786

You are standing here today, all of you, before Hashem your God; your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers – all of Yisroel (Devarim 29:9).

Rabbi Baruch Bodenheimer writes that “Klal Yisrael, you are all standing here today in front of Hashem…” The Zohar says the word “hayom,” today, refers to Rosh Hashanah. That’s why Hashem stresses that everyone is standing together. That is the only way to proclaim Hashem as King. We all need to be together.”

Mori U’Rabi Rav Yochanan Zweig quotes Chazal in referring to Rosh Hashanah as the Yom Hadin – Day of Judgement. Throughout the Rosh Hashanah davening, we constantly reiterate this: The name Yom HaDin comes from a Mishna in Rosh Hashanah and is described as a day when “all the inhabitants of the earth pass before God like a flock of sheep.”

On this day Hashem judges us and also remembers all of our deeds good and bad. How should we look at the Day of Judgement? On the one hand, we feel frightened  and on the other hand, there is something very beautiful to know that the King Hakodosh Boruch Hu cares, that our choices matter to Him and that His judgment will guide us towards choosing the greatest good, a life of Torah and mitzvot so that we can enjoy the greatest pleasure—to love and bond with G‑d.

What way should we feel good about being judged? We should remember that Hashem created us in his image and he gave us his Torah. And it is our great honor and privilege that we are here in this world to do His will.

May we all be zoche to Kesiva V’Chasima Tovah!

For most of the resources I used for this Article please read the following Divrei Torah.

https://www.alephbeta.org/rosh-hashanah/rosh-hashanah-day-of-judgment-or-day-of-celebration, https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/426360/jewish/Yom-Hadin-Day-of-Judgement.htm, https://jewishlink.news/parshas-nitzavim-vayelech-standing-together-with-love-and-acceptance/, & https://talmudicu.edu/weekly-insights/