Edited by B. Silberstein

The holiday of Rosh Hashanah demonstrates the uniqueness of Judaism and the Jewish view of life. Virtually all people and cultures take note of a new year and mark it in a particular manner.

The Joy of Rosh Hashanah

Most cultures approach the New Year primarily as an occasion for celebration: parties, gatherings, and expressions of hope and excitement for the year ahead. This impulse is entirely understandable. The human desire to mark time, to feel a sense of renewal, and to share that feeling with others reflects something genuine and even admirable.

Yet when celebration becomes its own purpose, when the excitement of the moment is all that is sought, something essential is missing. The question worth asking is not merely "how shall we celebrate?" but "what exactly are we celebrating, and why?"

Perhaps because without a framework of meaning, time itself becomes threatening. The passing of another year can remind us of mortality, of goals unmet, of relationships strained. Revelry, in this reading, is not mere celebration but avoidance: a way of drowning out the discomfort that self-reflection might bring. Is it any wonder, then, that without a framework of meaning, the passage of time is marked by noise rather than reflection?

The Jewish New Year addresses that emptiness directly. Rosh Hashanah does not simply mark the passage of time. It assigns that time meaning.

While it retains the status of a festival, Rosh Hashanah is best described as a time of seriousness. According to Judaism, one can be joyful and serious at the same time.

Crowning the King

There is a deep and intense hidden joy that lies at the heart of Rosh Hashanah. For this is the time of the coronation of the King of the Universe. At first glance, the very notion that man crowns G-d is absurd. Hashem is the absolute Ruler of the world by virtue of His being its Creator.

This is expressed in the "Adon Olam" composition, one of the most universally known pieces of Jewish liturgy, whose opening words proclaim:

"Master of the Universe Who Reigned before any creature was created."

He is the ultimate King by virtue of His Existence. That this truth is embedded in so familiar and beloved a prayer reminds us that the Kingship of G-d is not an abstract theological concept but a living reality woven into the fabric of Jewish life.

Let us be absolutely clear: G-d does not in any way need, nor does He derive any benefit from, our coronation. Rather, it is man who needs the Kingship of G-d. Without the acknowledgment of Divine Kingship, man becomes the measure of all things, and history has repeatedly shown where that leads. The coronation of Hashem as King is not a theological formality. It is the foundation upon which an ethical and meaningful human life is built.

Hashem, in His Mercy, grants man free will and does not compel him to acknowledge His Kingship. The goal of Rosh Hashanah is to transform our recognition of the Creator’s Kingship into a living reality that shapes human conduct and society.

Rosh Hashanah marks the anniversary of the creation of Adam, the being capable of recognizing the Creator and accepting His Kingship. It brings us great joy to acknowledge G-d and to appreciate His Infinite Wisdom, as seen in the natural order and in the magnificence of His Torah.

This is a very different kind of joy than the one sought on secular New Year's Eve. That celebration, however sincere in its desire for renewal, too often substitutes sensation for substance, and noise for genuine reflection. The Jewish New Year asks more of us, and in doing so, offers more to us.

Joy and Judgment

Acknowledging Hashem as the Master of the Universe carries with it an element of concern, for the recognition of Divine Kingship necessarily brings with it the reality of judgment. Aversion to the realization that we are responsible for our actions and will have to give an accounting for them causes many people to abandon religion altogether. They may believe in G-d, yet resist the demands that Divine authority places upon them.

In addition to the theme of G-d's Kingship, Rosh Hashanah is also known as the Day of Judgment. In one of the day's most moving prayers, UNetaneh Tokef, we intone:

“On Rosh Hashanah it will be inscribed and on Yom Kippur it will be sealed: …who shall live and who shall die; who in the fullness of years and who before their time…"

Because of this, the Hallel (joyous songs of praise) is not recited on this holiday or on Yom Kippur, for as Rabbi Abbahu said:

The ministering angels said before the Holy One, Blessed is He: Master of the Universe, for what reason do Yisrael not recite songs of praise, i.e., Hallel, before You on Rosh Hashanah and on Yom Kippur? He said to them: Is it possible that while the King is sitting on the throne of judgment and the books of life and the books of death are open before Him, Yisrael are reciting joyous songs of praise? (Rosh Hashanah 32b)

However, even this somber realization does not cause these days to lose their celebratory character. They are days of joy mingled with trepidation. Even the consciousness that we are being judged by the King of Kings does not bring us down.

The Good Fortune of Judgment

Indeed, we should even regard this as good fortune. As Rabbi Akiva said:

"How fortunate are you, Yisrael; before Whom are you purified, and Who purifies you? It is your Father in Heaven, as it is stated: 'And I will sprinkle ritually pure water upon you, and you shall be purified' (Ezekiel 36:25)." (Yoma 85b)

This teaching deserves careful reflection. Rabbi Akiva does not merely console us with the thought that Hashem is merciful. He teaches that our encounter with Hashem, including the process of judgment, repentance, and purification, can be a source of genuine joy. Why?

Consider what it means to be truly known. Human beings spend much of their lives managing how others perceive them: presenting their best selves, concealing their failures, curating their image. This is exhausting and ultimately isolating, because the self that is praised and admired is never quite the real self.

Before Hashem on Rosh Hashanah, this is not possible. We stand as we truly are, with our genuine achievements and our genuine failures, fully known. And we are judged not by one who wishes to condemn us, but by our Father in Heaven, Whose judgment is directed toward our growth and ultimate goodness.

This is why the judgment is purifying. Just as immersion in a Mikvah (ritual bath) requires complete immersion, with nothing intervening between the person and the water, so standing openly before the Divine Judge, without pretense or concealment, can become an act of spiritual cleansing. The very willingness to be judged honestly is the beginning of an opportunity for change.

Although judgment begins on Rosh Hashanah, the books are not sealed until Yom Kippur. This is not a final verdict but an open door. The Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe) are Hashem’s gift to us: time specifically designated for honest self-examination and genuine return.

To be judged by One Who knows us completely, Whose relationship with us is defined by boundless love and Whose judgment is directed toward our drawing closer to Him, is not a cause for dread. It is, as Rabbi Akiva teaches, a cause for profound and lasting joy.

This, then, is the secret of joyful trepidation: the unique emotional register of Rosh Hashanah. We stand before our Judge with seriousness, knowing the weight of the day. Yet we celebrate, because the Judge before Whom we stand is also our Creator and our Father. He fashioned us to pursue knowledge of Him, to appreciate His creation, and to live in accordance with His Torah. It is He Who asks of us to return to Him and to live in accordance with His Will. As Malachi declares: “Return to Me, and I will return to you" (Malachi 3:7). The trepidation is real. The joy is deeper.

May we merit to stand before Him openly and honestly this Rosh Hashanah, to hear the call of the Shofar with open hearts, and to emerge from these sacred days renewed and more fully able to attain the goodness Hashem intends for each of us.

May this be a year of blessing, health, and growth for us and for all of Klal Yisrael.

Shabbat Shalom VeShana Tova.

Questions? Comments?
Please reach out to Mitch Rosner on WhatsApp at 054-426-3419 or by email at [email protected].