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A bleak Rosh Hashanah: The day of divine authority in our dark time

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1 month ago

October 1, 2024

Rosh Hashanah is a day of profound duality, the place feelings mix between awe and solemnity, delight and pleasure.

We stand earlier than God in judgment, absolutely conscious of our inadequacies and helplessness, but we additionally mirror on the loyalty and love which have marked Jewish historical past whereas urging God to recollect our devotion. For someday, we glimpse the world we hope to create – a world imbued with heightened religious consciousness, the place God’s presence fills each nook.

This present day of awe magnifies the frailty of human life, whereas concurrently elevating the the Aristocracy of a life lived in God’s presence. It’s each a day of the e book of Ecclesiastes, wherein we confront the mortality and limitations of man, and in addition a day of the e book of Tune of Songs, the place the future of the Jewish individuals shines brightly. The ability of Rosh Hashanah flows from this rigidity – the paradox between humility and energy, worry and delight. The day is intense exactly due to this inner paradox.

The shofar, the central image of the day, captures this dichotomy. Its sound, primal and uncooked, echoes a cry past phrases, stripping away the artifice of human language to disclose the purest prayer – a primordial scream to God.

But, on the similar time, the shofar additionally brings concord to our prayers, including melody to our phrases. Within the Temple, it was a part of a grand orchestration, mixing with different devices to amplify the second of standing earlier than God. The shofar embodies each simplicity and grandeur, and humility and celebration.

An illustrative photograph of a person blowing a shofar, a ceremonial ram’s horn, which is completed repeatedly on Rosh Hashanah. (credit score: David Cohen/Flash90)

Traditionally, some would quick on Rosh Hashanah, intensifying the solemnity of standing in judgment earlier than the divine. Although this practice has largely light, the day stays considered one of muted pleasure, crammed with reverence and gravity. We have a good time, however our pleasure is tempered, framed by the seriousness of the second. Rosh Hashanah is a day of proud reverence, tinged with solemnity – its symbols and customs completely balancing these twin feelings.

Although every Rosh Hashanah calls us to navigate a spectrum of feelings, this second in historical past feels notably difficult. We’re surrounded by darkish clouds – our individuals proceed to undergo on so many ranges.

Not too long ago, I used to be requested to mirror on the “post-traumatic fact” and what our individuals have realized from Oct. 7. I politely reminded the questioner that we haven’t even reached the post-trauma stage. Every day brings contemporary ache, and the injuries of this previous yr haven’t even begun to heal.

In such bleak instances, it feels virtually unattainable to summon the enjoyment, delight, or energy historically related to Rosh Hashanah. How can we have a good time a day of glory when a lot of our world is cloaked in tragedy and darkness and so a lot of God’s individuals stay mired in distress and agonizing ache?

The primary bleak Rosh Hashanah

Within the midst of a disheartened Rosh Hashanah in our previous, we acquired a blueprint for navigating such bleak events. Through the late sixth century BCE, we steadily returned to Israel from a Babylonian exile. Regardless of our efforts to rebuild the Temple and erect an altar, native opposition swiftly rose in opposition to us, accusing us of sedition and betrayal. Our efforts had been halted for years, and the hope of nationwide restoration appeared distant.

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20 years later, we resumed this venture. Led by Ezra, a modest and susceptible group of 42,000 individuals made their approach again to Israel. Poor and barely defended, they set to work rebuilding the Temple and Jerusalem. However progress was gradual.

Fourteen years after this second stage, the state of affairs had hardly improved. The partitions of Jerusalem had been in such wreck that it was unattainable to stroll round them. Our enemies mocked us, predicting our inevitable failure.

Internally, the group was fractured, because the aristocracy largely remained in Persia, leaving the returnees struggling with out management or sources. Rosh Hashanah arrived below a veil of bleakness and uncertainty.

Ezra and Nehemiah gathered the small, weary group of returnees within the metropolis sq. of Jerusalem for a public studying of the Torah. A particular platform was erected for this event, and because the phrases of the Torah crammed the air, an outpouring of tears erupted from the group. The individuals wept as they recalled misplaced glories that appeared so distant, and so unattainable to reclaim.

Jewish future appeared to hold within the steadiness, and their hopes for renewal felt futile. How may they presumably really feel pleasure this Rosh Hashanah? A lot struggling, so many struggles. With trauma weighing so closely upon them, how may they even consider celebrating?

The enjoyment of God is our energy

Nehemiah responded with a robust announcement: “Go, eat wealthy food and drinks candy drinks, and ship meals to those that don’t have anything ready, for right this moment is holy to God. Don’t be unhappy, for the enjoyment of God is your energy.”

Amid the helplessness, Nehemiah urged them to faucet right into a larger fact and a extra profound power. Irrespective of how bleak circumstances appeared, they had been nonetheless half of a bigger divine narrative. The enjoyment of God can be their energy. Pondering the everlasting goal and significance of a life earlier than God may momentarily raise them above their sorrow and futility.

First, as a result of regardless of the darkness, God holds bigger plans and may swiftly reshape even probably the most dire actuality. Second, as a result of religion in God and a relationship with Him surpass any destiny we endure. And third, as a result of religion itself supplies braveness, energy, and resilience. Religion can be their energy – not merely weapons, methods, or armies. No bullet can destroy religion, and it’ll at all times endure.

They didn’t ignore the calamity or the tough circumstances they confronted; they merely took a pause to replenish their religion. Instantly after the pageant season concluded – on the day following what we now name Simchat Torah (although it had not but been designated as such) – they returned to mourning and fasting. They tearfully uttered some of the heartfelt and remorseful confessions in all the Bible.

But, Rosh Hashanah itself known as for emotional transcendence with out succumbing to indifference towards the unhappiness – a second to achieve for the heavens and return to Earth with renewed braveness and vigor.

Jewish historical past typically repeats itself. Right here we stand, 2,700 years later, going through an identical Rosh Hashanah. Ignoring the unhappiness and struggling is unimaginable – we’re surrounded by it. But for these two days, we should rise above it with out forgetting. We should discover a technique to merge our struggles and traumas with the glory of standing earlier than God. We should faucet into the bigger historic mission we’re a part of: bringing God’s presence right into a godless world.

Rosh Hashanah should remind us of why this battle is so essential. It’s not only a battle over land or boundaries. This isn’t about occupation or apartheid – it’s about God’s presence in our world.

We’re battling in opposition to those that falsely communicate within the identify of an offended and vengeful god who doesn’t exist. We struggle in opposition to those that desecrate the divine dignity endowed to each human being, violating their our bodies and spirits. This can be a battle in opposition to a tradition that glorifies demise as a substitute of celebrating life, in opposition to a world that has misplaced its capability to discern fact and uphold goal ethical requirements.

Rosh Hashanah is the day of divine authority, and we’re at the moment locked in a battle to protect His presence. Sooner or later, His presence will probably be palpable and plain. Till that day, now we have religion. 

The author is a rabbi on the hesder Yeshivat Har Etzion/Gush with ordination from YU and a grasp’s in English literature from CUNY. He’s creator of Darkish Clouds Above, Religion Beneath (Kodesh Press), on non secular responses to Oct. 7, and the soon-to-be printed Reclaiming Redemption: Deciphering the Maze of Jewish Historical past (Mosaica Press).