R’ Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev zt”l (Kedushas Levi) would say: “The Gemara tells us that when Mashiach comes, the tzaddikim of that generation and all previous generations, will sit in his sukkah wearing crowns. Well, I will be eager to share in these festivities and will try to push my way in Mashiach’s sukkah. Of course, the guard at the door will turn me back saying, ‘A coarse and simple man like you has no business in Mashiach’s sukkah.’ I will tell him, ‘Listen, I always had simple people in my sukkah and I endured their company; surely Mashiach can put up with me!’” (Rabbi Dovid Hoffman, Torah Tavlin)

Yom Kipper is one of Hashem’s greatest gifts to Klal Yisrael: those who sincerely repent are forgiven for their sins. Each of us is afforded the blessing to start the new year with a clean slate. How do we know this?  It is spelled out quite clearly in a posek in Chumesh. So, now that our Nehila davening is completed and we’ve experienced tremors of  inspiration, purity and holiness after hearing the final blast of the shofar, how do we perpetuate this spiritual euphoria? By committing ourselves daily to conduct any small mitzvah or conversely, by eliminating an avera.

A posuk in the Torah regarding Yom Kippur states,  “for on this day He will atone for you…before Hashem you will be purified.” Yom Kippur  is the Day of Forgiveness, which is divinely provided by Hashem to Klal Yisrael. The benefit of “Divine Forgiveness” can only be lost by not repenting. What constitutes repentance? Feeling badly for a transgression and committing to not repeat the avera (sin). In Parashat Nisavim, Moshe announces to Beneh Yisrael “All of you are standing today before Hashem”. The words “All of you…before Hashem” is clarified by a Medrish to mean that Klal Yisrael was superior in their spiritual equivalence and that after Yom Kippur, they stand “before Hashem”, equal,  devoid of sin and perfect Tzadikkim. Let us all merit a good  and blessed year and realize the power of this great day.

The Torah illuminates the righteousness of G-D’s judgment and that there is no perversion of His justice.  Since even human judges are expected not to pervert justice, why do we especially praise G-D? . When G-d judges, all factors, both observed and unobserved, are considered in deciding a person’s fate and the punishment fits the crime exactly. In fact, Hashem even considers the merits of those individuals who would be negatively impacted by a guilty person’s punishment and if said merits are material, G-D would invoke clemency.

Without Hashem’s help, we would succumb to our yetzer hara and embrace a life of degradation. David HaMelech in Tehillim states “Errors…who can comprehend? From hidden faults cleanse me. Also from willful sins spare your servant, let them not rule me, then I will be strong and will be cleansed of gross transaction.” King David, well aware of  man’s weakness towards unbridled passion and desire, begs Hashem to protect him from perpetrating such a sin. Aggressively curtailing your yetzer hara entitles you to request divine assistance.  This entitlement can only be lost if you commit an intentional act to anger G-d.

R’ Menachem Mendel of Kotzk zt”l (Kotzker Rebbe) would say: “Chazal teach us, Be brazen like a leopard.” One should have chutzpah when confronting his yetzer hara. Even if one thinks that he has done so many aveiros that he can never come to do teshuva, he should be brazen and have chutzpah, saying, “Now I will do teshuvah!” (Torah Tavlin, Rabbi Dovid Hoffman, p. 470)

A posuk in Yishayahu says “Seek out Hashem when He is found, call upon Him when He is near”. The Gemara elucidates that the ten days of repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is an auspicious time to repent and “Seek out Hashem”. The fallacious reasoning of the misguided and misinformed is to “steer clear” of Hashem during this period to avoid hush judgment and scrutiny. This posuk steadfastly refutes this incongruity and rather purports that  Hashem, our father, remains close to us even during times of judgment.

There are three types of people:  the righteous (no sins), the wicked (only sins)  and those in the middle (with both sins and good deeds). Judgment for the righteous and the wicked is sealed on Rosh Hashanah. Those in the middle are afforded ten days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur to repent, do teshuva, strengthen their mitzvos performance and sin avoidance to insure a positive judgment on Yom Kippur.  What is the most effective way to do this? Start from ground zero, without consideration towards one’s past merits or sins, to insure a conducive attitude for growth.

The purpose of our prayers and davening during Rosh Hashana is to establish Hashem’s omnipotence  and omnipresence as the King of Glory.  We, in fact, pray for the revelation of his glory so that humanity recognizes that Hashem is G-d, and that present and future events are strictly under his control. Since Hashem’s presence in the world is hidden, we do not always recognize that everything He does is for our benefit. It is our fervent hope that all of our readers and Klal Yisrael are inscribed in the Book of Life and that God’s presence is revealed in our lifetime.

The Gemara discusses that when the shofar is blown for the second time on Rosh Hashana, Satan becomes very confused. Why is it that Satan still becomes confused since we blow the shofar every year ? The shofar signifies the greatness of G-d’s power. The sound of the shofar has the power to fan the feelings of repentance within a person.  When Satan hears the shofar blow the second time, he is convinced that the awesome and powerful message of the Shofar has caused Klal Israel to repent and merit the Shofar of the Messiah! May we grasp the power of the shofar and allow us to merit the Shofar of the Messiah.