Igrot Kodesh · Letter 8679 — Grief & Loss

By the grace of Hashem,

days of Selichos* 5723,

one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the

passing Hilula* of the Admur HaZaken*,

Brooklyn, New York,

To the sons and daughters of Yisrael*,

wherever they may be,

may Hashem grant you long life,

I greet you amply and bless you,

The days of Rosh Hashanah* begin, awesome days that introduce the new year, approaching for us and for all of Yisrael*, for good and for blessing. They fill every Jewish heart with sacred emotions.

The feeling that these awesome days awaken is much deeper than the fear of punishment, for example. It is, in fact, a fear inspired by the greatness of Hashem, which one awakens by knowing that the coronation of the King, the supreme King, the Holy One blessed be He, approaches and that one will personally take part in it (note 1: The Rebbe* notes, at the bottom of the page: "This feeling is particularly intense, for it is then the honor of Hashem that is revealed, as the Likkutei Torah* explains, Devarim*, at pages 48b, 48d and 49d").

Such is, indeed, the content of Rosh Hashanah*, as the content of each prayer recited on this day allows one to establish: "Reign over the world!" And one concludes this blessing, including in the Kiddush*, by: "King of all the earth" (note 2: The Rebbe* notes, at the bottom of the page: "Rashi* and the Machzor Vitry* underscore that one says, in the prayer: 'the holy King', including in Arvis*. Indeed, Hashem said: 'Proclaim My reign over you, on Rosh Hashanah*', for the verse specifies: 'I am Hashem, your Elokim*' then, immediately after that, 'And, the seventh month'. The first Mitzvah* of this day is, moreover, the Shofar* and Rabbi Saadya Gaon*, cited by the Abudraham*, underscores, in this regard: 'We proclaim the royalty of the Creator'").

The coronation of the Creator of the world as "King of all the earth," which the Jews request and which they effectively obtain on Rosh Hashanah*, renews the personal bond that each one maintains with Hashem. For each one, individually and not solely as a member of the community, indeed has a direct and profound relationship with Hashem. The coronation is the immediate consequence of the request formulated by each one of us, for Hashem to accept to be the King. In this manner is forged the bond according to which "we are Your people and You are our King" (note 3: The Rebbe* notes, at the bottom of the page: "Thus, the Pirkei de Rabbi Eliezer*, at chapter 11, say: 'Man went and crowned Him first' and the Mishnah* of tractate Sanhedrin*, at the end of chapter 4, specifies: 'It is for this reason that man was created unique'").

The consciousness and the feeling of this coronation are expressed, more particularly, in the prayer that says: "Our Elokim* and Elokim* of our fathers, reign over the entire world, by Your honor, and elevate Yourself. May every creature know that You created it. May whoever breathes proclaim: Hashem, Elokim* of Yisrael*, reigns, and His royalty is exercised over all."

All creatures (note 4: The Rebbe* notes, at the bottom of the page: "As well as all the worlds, Atzilus*, Beriah*, Yetzirah*, Asiyah*, as the Siddur* of the Ari Zal* explains") and above all men, who possess a soul, recognize the royal supremacy of Hashem and submit to it. This prayer therefore underscores well this feeling of fear that the greatness of Hashem inspires and its inescapable consequence, the necessity of standing ready to put into practice the expectations of the King.

Thus, Rosh Hashanah* marks the introduction of the ten days of Teshuvah*, the beginning of this period. On this day, one does not say Tachanun* and one does not confess one's faults (note 5: The Rebbe* notes, at the bottom of the page: "As the Shulchan Aruch* of the Admur HaZaken* underscores, chapter 584, at paragraph 2, according to the Zohar*, the Kolbo*, and the Beis Yosef*. See also the Shaarei Teshuvah*"). Indeed, a man is then permeated with the desire to unify himself with the King, through this coronation. As painful as the consciousness of what one has done previously may be, the dominant feeling therefore remains fear, in the face of the greatness of Hashem (note 6: The Rebbe* notes, at the bottom of the page: "Certainly, the sound of the Shofar* alludes to Teshuvah*, as the Rambam* says, in his Laws of Teshuvah*, chapter 3, at paragraph 4, and Rosh Hashanah* indeed belongs to the ten days of Teshuvah*. Nevertheless, this notion does not appear in the prayers and essential requests of this festival. Similarly, one does not confess one's faults, whereas this practice is an integral part of Teshuvah*, as the Rambam* specifies. Now, one cannot suppress a Mitzvah* solely for the purpose of 'not providing an argument to the accuser'. Similarly, one does not offer sacrifices of Teshuvah*. Indeed, the Teshuvah* of Rosh Hashanah* has the sole objective of having the coronation accepted. It is therefore not the moment to confess one's faults, to repair what has been lacking. This will be accomplished during the ten days of Teshuvah*, after Rosh Hashanah*. Moreover, why weep on this day, when one wishes, above all, to be near the King? And, even when one 'confesses in a low voice', one merely expresses the nostalgia that one feels, as the Likkutei Dibburim* underscores, at page 102").

Moreover, Teshuvah*, at a more accomplished stage, is also a return to the source (note 7: The Rebbe* notes, at the bottom of the page: "As the Likkutei Torah* says, at the beginning of Parshas Haazinu*"). One finds here indeed the profound content of Rosh Hashanah*, a day that is linked to this notion of coronation.

Then, after Rosh Hashanah*, the other aspects of Teshuvah* are introduced (note 8: The Rebbe* notes, at the bottom of the page: "As the Baal Shem Tov* explains, commenting on the verse: 'If we had not delayed'. See the Kovetz Michtavim on Tehillim*"). From then on, one regrets the past, one makes a commitment for the future, one confesses one's faults, and one solicits pardon. All of this is the direct consequence of the coronation of Rosh Hashanah*. The awareness of the necessity to renew and strengthen the bond and union with the King arouses the will and the resolution to be worthy of it. From then on, man sets aside all that goes against this bond, his faults, his transgressions, including those committed inadvertently.

* * *

A clarification must be given. For various reasons, there have been eras and places in which one did not take advantage, as one should have, of the moral elevation that Rosh Hashanah* and the ten days of Teshuvah* bring. The awesome days have passed. In some communities and among certain individuals, the motivation has disappeared, so that there has been no change, no improvement in daily existence, as one would have had the right to expect from every Jew, man or woman (note 9: The Rebbe* notes, at the bottom of the page: "According to the explanation of the Kuntres HaAvodah*, from chapter 5 onward"). In such a case, such progress will also be lacking in communal life.

One of the essential reasons for such a situation is the following. One does not take advantage of the elevation and inspiration that these awesome days bring, to the point of being personally touched by them. One uses them solely for what concerns others. It is not rare to devote this period to considerations of a general order and to problems of planetary dimension. One therefore delivers "messages" that concern no one, in any case not those who are present within the four cubits where one finds oneself. Despite this, each one is satisfied and one is even able to justify such an attitude by recalling that Rosh Hashanah* indeed concerns the entirety of creation. And, there are, in the world, enough "great" problems that must be resolved or, at the very least, improved.

Dealing with these subjects, becoming passionate about them, taking firm resolutions concerning questions of worldwide scope, when in general one can accomplish nothing in these domains, is a comfortable and "aesthetic" means of convincing oneself that one cannot accord the necessary and indispensable attention to one's personal moral assessment and to one's daily existence, when a firm decision could indeed modify it.

A warning, in this matter, is given by the Mitzvah* of the Shofar*, the only one that is specific to Rosh Hashanah*. One does not accomplish it by means of various musical instruments. One takes only one (note 10: The Rebbe* notes, at the bottom of the page: "As the Shulchan Aruch*, Orach Chaim*, at chapter 586, and that of the Admur HaZaken*, at paragraph 10, state"). And this one is devoid of all sophistication. It does not emit compositions of great musicality.

The Shofar* is solely a horn of an animal. And all the sounds that one can draw from it allow one to fulfill the Mitzvah* (note 11: The Rebbe* notes, at the bottom of the page: "According to tractate Rosh Hashanah* 27b"). It underscores that one must, above all, concern oneself with the individual dimension, with one's own person, that one must emphasize the necessity of sanctifying the most ordinary and habitual concerns of the daily existence of each one, then those of communal life, with the respective place occupied therein by each one.

May Hashem cause that each one, in particular the spiritual leaders, make use (note 12: The Rebbe* notes, at the bottom of the page: "See the Shulchan Aruch* of the Admur HaZaken*, chapter 429, at the end of paragraph 2") of these sacred moments and of the inspiration of the souls, on these awesome days, not to resolve the problems of the world or of the entire country, which, as important as they may be, do not concern Rosh Hashanah* and the ten days of Teshuvah*, neither for the individual, nor for the community, but indeed to hear the call that is made by these days, "Proclaim My reign over you," to make Hashem one's personal King. In this way, one will also hear the call of Teshuvah*, of prayer, of Tzedakah*. And all of this must begin with one's own person, then spread around oneself, in one's community and beyond it.

The moral inspiration and the encouragement of these days will illuminate and penetrate all the days of the year (note 13: The Rebbe* notes, at the bottom of the page: "Just as the head vivifies and directs the members of the body, according to the explanation at the beginning of Ateres Rosh*"). In this way, every Jew will strengthen his attachment to Hashem and give it expression in his daily existence, in conformity with the Torah* and the Mitzvos* of Hashem. And the improvement of spiritual existence will also bring about that of material life (note 14: The Rebbe* notes, at the bottom of the page: "Indeed, the judgment of Rosh Hashanah* bears, in the same way, on all material domains, as the Ramban* underscores. And this also depends on the coronation, which softens severity and allows one to advance 'by the light of the Face of the living Elokim*', as the Likkutei Torah*, Bamidbar*, at page 72b, explains"). In this way, the coming year will be blessed in all domains. With my blessing, to be inscribed and sealed for a good and sweet year, of a visible and tangible good,

Menachem Schneerson,