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Shana Tova : May We All Merit The Book of Life

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muman613:
Shalom my friends, Jews and Gentiles of JTF...

This year is quickly coming to an end... May this year and its curses end...

I will be davening for mercy in the judgement which Hashem will make on me, and for mercy in the judgement which Hashem will make on my friends and family here at JTF, and for mercy in the judgement which Hashem will make on the entire Jewish people, and for mercy for the judgement Hashem will make on the righteous among the nations. To put it simply, I will be doing a TON of davening for the rest of this week.

"all people in the world pass before the Almighty like 'benei maron'."

muman613:
http://www.torahweb.org/torah/2010/parsha/rsob_kisavo.html

--- Quote ---Creating the Mood for Rosh Hashana

Chazal instituted the reading of Parshas Ki Savo before Rosh Hashana. Much of the parsha deals with the terrible consequences for not observing the Torah. We read this prior to Rosh Hashana symbolizing that the year and all its curses should come to an end. In reality, we do not read Parshas Ki Savo immediately before Rosh Hashana, but rather there is always a Shabbos after Ki Savo before the year ends. If we want to indicate that the year and its curses are ending, wouldn't it be more appropriate to read this parsha on the last Shabbos of the year? Why did Chazal leave a week between Parshas Ki Savo and Rosh Hashana?

We are taught (Berachos 5a) various methods to overcome one's yetzer hara. If one senses a temptation to sin one should first focus on words of Torah. If this doesn't help, one should recite the Shema. If even this fails to assist in overcoming one's yetzer hara, as a last resort one should focus on death. If thinking about death is the most effective way to prevent one from sinning, why didn't Chazal suggest this as the first response to temptation? Why do we first attempt the less effective deterrents such as Torah study and krias Shema?


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muman613:
http://www.vbm-torah.org/archive/salt-devarim/51-5nitzavim.htm


--- Quote ---The mishna in Masekhet Rosh Hashana (16a) posits that on Rosh Hashana, "all people in the world pass before the Almighty like 'benei maron'." The Gemara (18a) cites several possible interpretations for this term, "benei maron." The first view translates it as sheep. Rashi explains this to mean that people are judged individually, one at a time, just as sheep must pass single file as they are being counted.

The Meshekh Chokhma (end of Parashat Nitzavim), however, suggests that this analogy involves a halakhic characteristic of sheep. Namely, when a rancher counts his sheep for purposes of ma'aser beheima (the annual tithe on sheep and cattle), all sheep born that year are counted together, but only the sheep counted that year. Thus, although one can designate several sheep of a given species or quality as ma'aser for a flock of many different types, he cannot give sheep from a previous year's flock as ma'aser for this year's. The Meshekh Chokhma explains that for this reason sheep became the mishna's symbol for G-d's judgment of mankind on Rosh Hashana. G-d judges every generation independent of previous generations. The judgment includes all people in this current generation, but does not include those who lived previously.

The Meshekh Chokhma expresses this idea very cryptically, leaving it to us to fully develop the idea he intended. Perhaps he meant that every generation is judged according to the unique realities and challenges of the given time period. Even if a generation falls short of a preceding one, it may still earn a more favorable ruling in light of the specific conditions of that time period, and vice versa. On the one hand, adverse conditions could make certain mitzvot more difficult to observe, or, more generally, could help exonerate a given generation despite their shortcomings. On the other hand, there are certain expectations in every generation; what the Almighty expected of us in 5762 may be drastically different from what He demanded thirty years ago. Opportunities for religious education and observance exist today that didn't exist not too long ago. G-d will therefore hold us accountable based on the specific conditions in which we live, how we succeeded or failed in capitalizing on the opportunities presented to us and using His many blessings to further the cause of Torah and mitzvot.
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http://torah.org/learning/olas-shabbos/5764/netzavim.html


--- Quote ---Judging the Day of Judgement

As the Yom Ha-din (Day of Judgement) approaches, our heart-strings are pulled tight as we contemplate the fact that on Rosh Hashana we will be judged on our conduct over the past year. This past month, Elul, we hope we have succeeded in reviewing and reassessing our priorities; the way we spend our hours and days. Much like the grant-applicant who does his best to justify his request for funding, we try to approach the Day of Judgement with a perspective that will assure Hashem granting us a year of health and prosperity, with all their implications.

In fact, the Torah does not single out Rosh Hashana as a day of judgement. Its source in found in the Talmud (Rosh Hashana 16a), "There are four times during the year that the world is judged... On Rosh Hashana all the inhabitants of the earth pass before Him like sheep [passing through a gate]." The Gemara (ibid.), however, quotes the opinion of Rabbi Yose that man is in fact judged every day, as it says (Iyov 7:18), "You inspect him every morning." Rabbi Nasan says he is judged every moment, as it says (ibid.), "... and observe him every moment!" Many commentators appear to understand that these opinions are not irreconcilable, yet how are we to appreciate the uniqueness of Rosh Hashana if we are judged every day and every moment of our lives?
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muman613:

muman613:
Hashem Melech, Hashem Malach, Hashem Yimloach, Laolam VaEd

Hashem is King, Hashem was King, Hashem will be King, Forever and Ever!

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