Likkutei Sichos Vol. 14 – Rosh Hashanah
1. The second day of Yom Tov on Rosh Hashanah is distinct from the second day of other Yomim Tovim in its connection to the first day and to the essence and theme of the holiday itself. This is evident from practical halacha (which applies uniformly to all Jews) that something born or milked on the first day of Rosh Hashanah is also prohibited on the second day of Rosh Hashanah (unlike other second days of Yom Tov, where it is permitted due to the principle of "migu"). The reason for this is that the two days of Rosh Hashanah are considered "like one long day."
Especially according to the inner dimensions of the matter — as explained in Likkutei Torah on the verse "He will revive us after two days," that "two days" refers to the two days of Rosh Hashanah, because Rosh Hashanah is always two days, even when they sanctified the new month based on sighting. As explained there, during the two days of Rosh Hashanah, there is an elevation of the worlds — on the first day, it is an internal elevation, and on the second day, it is an external elevation. This indicates that the two days of Rosh Hashanah are one concept — the elevation of the worlds, but within this concept, there are two details.
This connection of the second day of Rosh Hashanah to the first day and to the essence of Rosh Hashanah is especially evident in the setting of this year when the Yom Tov of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, as will be explained further.
2. In the prayers of Rosh Hashanah, we say "This day is the beginning of Your works" — from the fact that it says "Your works" (in the plural), it is understood that "this day" is not only the "beginning" of the specific creation of man, who was created on Rosh Hashanah, but it is the "beginning" of all of G‑d's works — including those created in the five days preceding the creation of man, as explained at length in the discourses on Rosh Hashanah.
This means that the renewal of creation on Rosh Hashanah is not only a matter unique to man alone, but it includes all the worlds and the entire order of creation, etc. — and yet, the renewal of the worlds is on the day of man's creation.
3. The reason for this is: The ultimate purpose of all the chain of creation, the worlds, the contractions, the screens, and the partitions, etc., is for the creation of this lowest world — because the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a dwelling place in the lower realms.
There are two aspects to this:
a) That which is not known or comprehensible — namely, why did the Holy One, blessed be He, desire that His dwelling be in the lower realms? There is no reason for this; it is beyond all reason, simply because He "desired" it. As explained in the discourse of Rosh Hashanah 5666 by the Alter Rebbe, "For a desire, there is no question." This intention is beyond all reason.
b) The matter for which He "desired" is known — that is, the intention and purpose in the creation of the worlds is to have a dwelling place for Him in the lower realms.
However, even with this, the purpose of the existence of all the higher worlds, etc., is not yet explained — for He could have created only the "lower" creations and they would also be a dwelling for Him. The explanation for this can be said: His will and intention was not only that His dwelling be in the "lower realms," but that the "lower creations" themselves should make a "dwelling" for Him — meaning, specifically through their work and effort. This can only be achieved through their existence in a manner that is preceded by the entire order of the chain of creation of the worlds and their descent from above to below, as explained in Chassidic teachings.
With this, we can understand why Rosh Hashanah is called "the beginning of Your works" (in the plural), not only is the creation of man renewed on Rosh Hashanah, but also all creations, because the main purpose of their existence is that man, through his work with them and by means of them, makes a dwelling for Him in the lower realms. Therefore, they too are renewed at the time of man's renewal — the main purpose of their creation.
And even though at the beginning of creation, the entire intention of the existence of the creations was only for the service of man, and yet they were not created at the same time as man, but before him — this is because at the beginning of their creation, they were still in the state of preparation and potential for their ultimate purpose (man), meaning that the intention of their existence is that man will find (later) "everything prepared" for his service. However, at the time of the renewal of creation that follows each year (especially after the Giving of the Torah), when man is already performing his service, he has already become in actuality the "purpose" of all creations — therefore, their renewal is dependent on their main purpose — man.
4. Now, since on Rosh Hashanah there is a renewal of all the worlds, etc., in a manner that emphasizes their purpose: to make a dwelling for Him in the lower realms — it is necessary to say that this is also expressed in the mitzvah of the day of Rosh Hashanah [which is the service of man on this day and it causes the renewal of all the worlds], this matter of the Holy One, blessed be He, desiring to have a dwelling in the lower realms.
The explanation for this: Our Sages said, "The mitzvah of the day is with the shofar," and it is stated in the Rambam, "Even though the sounding of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah is a decree of the Torah, there is a hint in it," meaning, "Awake, you sleepers, etc."
At first glance, the novelty of the Rambam here in the laws of repentance is to say that the sounding of the shofar has a hint in it, which is the matter of repentance — so why does he preface (in the laws of repentance) that the sounding of the shofar is a decree of the Torah?
In other words: Even if we say that the sounding of the shofar has a reason (as the Rasa"g wrote — brought in the Abudraham), it can also have a hint — as we find in several mitzvos.
We must conclude that this is the novelty of the Rambam, that in the sounding of the shofar there are two aspects: the decree of the Torah, and the hint within it — the service of repentance.
3. It is stated in the Midrash on the verse "I said, I will become wise, but it was far from me," that even Solomon, with all his wisdom, could not grasp the reason for the mitzvah of the red heifer. Only to Moses did the Holy One, blessed be He, reveal the reason for the red heifer. This means that although the mitzvah of the red heifer is a "chok" (a decree of the Torah), which is beyond reason, it is not entirely devoid of reason (since the reason was revealed to Moses), but rather that Solomon did not comprehend it.
This is the intention of the Rambam in emphasizing (and prefacing with the statement that "there is a hint in it") that the sounding of the shofar is a decree of the Torah: the meaning is not that the mitzvah of sounding the shofar has a reason, and the reason is not revealed due to some reason — rather, it is essentially a decree of the Torah that is beyond reason.
The reason for this is that the sounding of the shofar is on a very high level, beyond any association with reason and intellect.
According to this, it is found that the mitzvah of sounding the shofar, which is a decree of the Torah beyond reason, is similar to the concept of "the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a dwelling in the lower realms," which is above all reason, as mentioned earlier.
Nevertheless, "there is a hint in it: Awake, you sleepers, etc.," indicating that the essence of the shofar points to the general service of man, which is divided into two parts: "Awake, you sleepers, etc." — the aspect of turning away from evil, and "Improve your deeds, etc." — the aspect of doing good.
Therefore, the Rambam includes both together: the fact that the sounding of the shofar is a decree of the Torah and the hint within it. Even though the essence of the sounding of the shofar is beyond reason and comes from a level beyond reason (revelations), nevertheless, this level is reached specifically through the service of man. This aligns with the concept of "the Holy One, blessed be He, desired, etc." mentioned earlier; the essence of "desire" is something beyond all reason, but the dwelling for which He desired comes and is drawn through the service of man, as mentioned earlier.
This explains why the mitzvah of the day of Rosh Hashanah is with the shofar — because its content and essence align and correspond with the intention and purpose of the creation of all the worlds (that the Holy One, blessed be He, desired), which is renewed on Rosh Hashanah.
4. Now, when the festival of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos (as in this year's occurrence), the aspect of the day of Rosh Hashanah that involves the sounding of the shofar is lacking, where the renewal comes through the service of man. Although Shabbos itself effects and draws down all the influences and renewal that the sounding of the shofar would bring (which is why we do not blow the shofar on it, as explained in various places in Chassidus), nevertheless, on the day of Rosh Hashanah, this essential aspect is missing, that the renewal should come through the service of man. For the renewal of the world then comes from above, through the power of Shabbos itself, whose essence is "sanctified and established" without the sounding of the shofar.
The essence of the aforementioned sounding of the shofar, that the renewal comes through the service of man (the essence of Rosh Hashanah), is emphasized in this occurrence only on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, when we do blow the shofar even in this occurrence, and through the service of man, all the matters of Rosh Hashanah are drawn down.
[Additionally: even though in this occurrence, the day of Shabbos takes the place of the shofar in all its aspects, nevertheless, there is no actual sound of the shofar heard by the physical ear, to the extent that it affects even the body to awaken, etc.; whereas on the second day, when we actually blow the shofar, its sound is heard by the physical ears [and also by others — even the nations of the world hear it] and it affects even the body to remember the coronation of the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, which is elevated in the sounding of the shofar, as explained by the Rasa"g, based on the verse "With trumpets and the sound of the shofar, shout before the King, the L‑rd"; and to remember the shofar of the giving of the Torah (which is related to the sounding of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah) — even before reciting the verses of Shofaros].
5. This highlights the advantage of the occurrence (as in this year) when the festival of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, as it emphasizes the virtue of man's service even more than when the festival of Rosh Hashanah falls on one of the other days of the week — in the simple sense:
In those years, the primary renewal comes through the mitzvah of the day — through the service of man (in the sounding of the shofar); however, when it falls on Shabbos, this renewal is achieved without his service. Nevertheless, we tell a person: even though on the first day the entire world is renewed and in its fullness (since it is done by the sanctity of Shabbos — from above — and it stands), still, and after all this, your service is required in this, and when the second day arrives, you must blow the shofar.
From this, we derive a lesson for everyone [and it is especially emphasized in the occurrence of this year]:
The obligation of service is not only in a manner where there is a deficiency that requires rectification and through his service he corrects and completes it; rather, even when the matter is already rectified and completed by the righteous and even by the Holy One, blessed be He, the Righteous One of the world, still, it requires the service of man, the "lower one."
To such an extent that without his service, the matter's perfection is not truly complete, and even the Garden of Eden — which G‑d planted in Eden from the east — still requires "to work it and to guard it" by man.
Also, according to the inner aspect of the matter (as mentioned above in section 1) — that on the first day, the elevation of the worlds is internal, and on the second day — external,
in the occurrence of the festival of Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbos, the importance of man's service is emphasized more:
On the first day, when matters are done through the sanctity of Shabbos, which sanctifies and sustains — the matter of the sounding of the shofar is not apparent and revealed in this physical world, there is no blessing of Shehechiyanu on the shofar,
whereas on the following day — when man blows the shofar, he blesses (and draws down) "Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us (the language of companionship and connection)" — and even without a new garment or the like, he simply blesses: "Who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion."
(From the talk of the second day of Rosh Hashanah, 5733)