B”H, Days of Slichot, 5715 (1955)
Brooklyn, NY
To all the sons and daughters of Israel,
Everywhere
May God give them life
Much peace and blessings!
As the new year approaches, I want to bless each and every one of the Jewish people with the traditional liturgy: “A good and sweet year.”.
Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the year, was established by our Torah at the time in the year when the world was created, but not on the first day of creation, but on the sixth day, when man was created.
The greatness of that day and of creation does not lie in the appearance of another creature, one superior to all previous ones, just as animals (living creatures) are superior to plants (which [only] grow) and plants are superior to inanimate things (like stones, earth, etc.), but rather in the appearance of a creature incomparably different from all previous ones. For he recognized the Creator in creation, and even more, he elevated all of creation to that perception and, with it, to its level of completeness. For to feel and see divinity in creation is its ultimate goal.
One of the characteristics that distinguishes man from other creatures is the free will that the Creator gave him. Man can use it in two opposite directions: either, God forbid, go down a path that leads to the abyss and brings destruction. Or, on the other hand, choose the right path in life, and thereby elevate himself and creation to their highest possible level.
And to recognize that path and find the behaviors in life that lead to that final goal, we were given the Torah, which is a divine and eternal Torah, and its teachings are for all times and all places.
A man cannot achieve this through his own intellect, as his intellect is limited. The intellect can only serve to recognize and reveal within him the absolute inner knowledge he possesses and the simple faith in those things that transcend the intellect, thereby giving life to his entire perception and finding the right path in daily life, which is the path of Torah and Mitzvot.
On Rosh Hashanah, man faces not only divine judgment, but also a judgment upon himself. He must commit himself, by accepting his role and task, to bringing himself and the world around him to the recognition of the phrase, “Let us prostrate ourselves, submit, and kneel before God our Maker.”.
Just as the First Man did on the first day of his creation, the first Rosh Hashanah.
This means a daily life in accordance with the Torah and not, God forbid, taking the path that leads to the abyss, destruction, and annihilation.
And man should not think: who am I and where am I to have such power? Because we have already seen, unfortunately, what something very small in quantity can "achieve" by destroying cities and countries through the power of atomic energy.
And if, to destroy, a small amount has such impressive power, and destruction is the opposite of the intention and objective of creation, to build and rise, safely and to a greater extent, there is the necessary strength in each individual, for which the Creator gives him the special ability and the possibility of raising himself to the necessary height, helping others to achieve it, and raising creation closer to its completeness.
Until we finally reach the situation of “And every creature will know that You are the Creator, and everything that has a soul of life will say: 'God, the Lord of Israel is King and His kingdom rules over all''
With a blessing to be enrolled and sealed for good,
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