By Rabbi Eli Mansour

The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 11a) lists several events that occurred on the date of Rosh Hashanah, the first of Tishreh. These include Sara conceiving with a child at the age of 90, after decades of infertility and desperate longing for a child. For this reason, we read on the first day of Rosh Hashanah the story of the birth of Sara’s son, Yishak Abinu. The Gemara also mentions that Rosh Hashanah was the day when Yosef was released from prison in Egypt. He had been imprisoned when Potifar’s wife falsely charged that he assaulted her, and Yosef spent 12 years in the dungeon, until he was brought before Pharaoh to interpret the king’s mysterious dreams. This led to his being named Pharaoh’s vizier. It was on Rosh Hashanah, the Gemara teaches, that Yosef was brought out of prison and taken before Pharaoh. This event is alluded to in the 81st chapter of Tehillim, which – for good reason – is the chapter we read as the “Shir Shel Yom” (daily Psalm) on Rosh Hashanah. We find in this chapter references to both the sounding of the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah (“Tik’u Ba’hodesh Shofar” – verse 4), and Yosef’s emergence as the leader of Egypt (“Edut Bi’Yehosef Samo Be’seto Al Eretz Misrayim” – verse 6) – clearly indicating that Yosef left prison on Rosh Hashanah.

The Maharsha (Rav Shmuel Eidels, 1555-1631), in his commentary to Masechet Rosh Hashanah, draws a curious connection between these two events – Sara’s conception, and Yosef’s rise to power in Egypt. In the aforementioned chapter in Tehillim, Yosef’s name appears with an extra letter Heh, such that it is written “Yehosef” instead of “Yosef.” The Maharsha writes that this extra letter came from Sara, whose name ended with a Heh. Additionally, the Maharsha adds, according to the wisdom of Kabbalah, the letter Heh at the end of G-d’s Name (the Name of “Havaya”) signifies the concept of Malchut, kingship, and it was thus added to Yosef’s name when he ascended to a position of royalty in Egypt. The commentators explain further that Sara’s name, as we know, was originally “Sarai,” which ended with the letter Yod, and it was later changed to “Sara,” which ends with Heh. The letter Yod in Gematria equals 10, and it was divided into two Hehs, as the letter Heh in Gematria equals 5. One was given to Sara, and the other was given to Yosef.

The question then becomes, why did specifically these two figures receive the letter Heh? What is their particular connection to this letter, which expresses the theme of Malchut?

The answer lies in the fact that both Sara and Yosef faced numerous hardships over the course of many years and nevertheless maintained pristine faith in Hashem. Sara was childless for many years, was twice abducted by ruthless kings, and wandered from place to place for much of her life. Yosef was cruelly banished from his home, brought as a slave to Egypt, where he was tempted by his master’s wife – and when he refused, she had him imprisoned. As mentioned, he remained in prison for 12 years. Neither Sara nor Yosef ever questioned or challenged G-d’s judgment. They fully and wholeheartedly accepted His rule over the world without complaint. And this is the greatest expression of Malchut – unconditional and unreserved submission to, and acceptance of, Hashem’s will as the ultimate good.

This is why Sara and Yosef are associated with the letter Heh – which signifies Hashem’s kingship – and why they are associated with Rosh Hashanah, the day we celebrate Hashem’s kingship.

This teaches us a crucial lesson about how we must approach Rosh Hashanah.

Many people approach this day focused solely on what went wrong during the previous year, and on their hopes and aspirations for the coming year, everything they want to be better during the new year. But they forget about all that went right during the past year, all the wonderful blessings that Hashem had granted them.

The Tiferet Shlomo (Rav Shlomo of Radomsk, Poland, 1801-1866) taught that if we want our prayers to be answered, we must first thank Hashem for all the good in our lives before proceeding to ask for what we want. We cannot enter Rosh Hashanah ungratefully, complaining about all that is wrong with our lives, without first acknowledging, appreciating and being thankful for all that is currently right with our lives. After all, Rosh Hashanah is the day when Hashem is crowned anew as king over the universe, an event to which only “VIP members” are invited – and we, Am Yisrael, are the “VIP members.” Imagine someone receiving an invitation to attend the Presidential inauguration, and he shows up with a frown, angry and agitated. When he gets a turn to greet the President, he doesn’t smile, because he’s so upset about whatever it is that’s bothering him. He would likely be thrown out of the party, and he certainly would not be invited the next time around… On Rosh Hashanah, we are the special guests at Hashem’s “inauguration.” And thus, Ezra Ha’sofer told the people on Rosh Hashanah, “Hedvat Hashem Hi Ma’uzchem” – that their source of strength and success was their joy and festivity on this day (Nehemia 8:10). We must show up on Rosh Hashanah smiling, celebrating Hashem’s kingship, grateful for all He had done for us. Each and every year throughout her years of infertility, Sara joyously celebrated Hashem’s kingship on Rosh Hashanah – just as Yosef did each and every year he spent in the dungeon. Of course, they also prayed for what they needed – but not before they felt genuine gratitude for all that they had.

Let us enter Rosh Hashanah not only with a “laundry list” of everything we want Hashem to give us, but also with sincere gratitude for all that He has already given us, and we will then be worthy of His continued grace, kindness and blessing, Amen.