Rosh Hashannah and Jewish Destiny

 

Growing up in America as an Orthodox Jew, I do not remember hearing from any Rabbi the idea that a MAJOR theme of both Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur was Redemption--the Destiny of the Jewish people. From what I can remember, I wonder if the very mention of Redemption might have been forbidden in certain American Orthodox settings.  

But the truth is, on Rosh Hashannah, when we pray for the moment when the world will recognize the power of our G-d, HaShem, we are talking, in part,  about the time of Redemption. the same thing is true when we acknowledge on Rosh Hashannah that HaShem will judge the nations: we re tlking in part about the moment of Redemption.

For example, on Rosh Hashannah, we read: which nation will experience famine, which will experience satiety, which will experience the sword, which will see peace (in the Eidut Mizrach liturgy). Yes, these statements describe how our G-d treats everyone—He is the ultimate Judge. But they also remind us of Redemption because this same kind of national Judgment will occur then, too.

There is even one opinion in our Jewish Heritage, our Talmud, that states that our Redemption will begin in the month (Tishrei) during which Rosh Hashannah occurs. That would be appropriate, given the prayers we recite on Rosh Rashannah.

Rav Kook, Israel's first Chief Ashkenaz Rabbi, strongly believed in Israel, the Jewish people—and in Redemption. He had this to say about Redemption and Rosh Hashannah (I paraphrase very freely, but I think you'll get the point) [I use the text of the speech from Rabbi Moshe Lichtman, Eretz Yisroel in the Parsha, Devora publishing, 2006, pp. 425ff]:

 

There are three types of "shofar of Moshiach" (Redemption).These three types of 'shofar of Moshiach" correspond to the three types of shofar we learn about in Jewish law (“halacha”).

 The first shofar of halacha, Rav Kook says, might be called a 'great' shofar. It is the preferred shofar--a ram's horn, beautiful. It is not easy to find.

There is a second type of shofar one can use on Rosh Hashannah. This type of shofar is not as exclusive as the first type. It is certainly kosher, but not preferred. It is found everywher.

Then there is a third type of shofar. This is a non-kosher shofar. It might come from a non-kosher animal. It might have been used for idol worship. It is clearly not kosher. However, if a community is under duress, and can find no kosher shofar anywhere, such a shofar can be used on Rosh Hashannah. Halacha says the one sounding the shofar still discharges his obligation—provided he does not recite a blessing over it.

The great shofar referred to above, Rav Kook continued, can be likened to the shofar of our ideal Redemption process. This means there is a kind of Redemption that occurs as a three-part holy awakening. It is holy because, first of all, it is an impulse based upon a strong belief in HaShem and His Torah. Second, it is based on an understanding of the sanctity of Israel and its purpose. Finally, it is an impulse based on a collective desire to fulfill G-d's will, which is to bring about Israel's complete Redemption.

This great shofar represents a Redemption based upon the Jewish nation's loftiest communal aspirations to be redeemed-- so that Israel can fulfill its destiny. This Destiny cannot be achieved when the nation is scattered, exiled and/or oppressed. The nation must be free—a freedom that begins with the sounding of great shofar.      

This is why, on Rosh Hashannah, we say in the Mussaf service: "And it will be on that day a great shofar will be blown, and those lost in the land of Assyria and those cast aside in the land of Egypt, will bow to G-d on the Holy mountain in Jerusalem...Our G-d and G-d of our fathers, blow the great shofar for our freedom, and gather in our exiled ones, and  establish for us what you promised in your Torah given to us by the hand Moshe your servant."

The second kind of shofar referred to above is also kosher. But is not preferred, for any number of reasons. This ‘second type’ refers to a second kind of Redemption process where [Jews are too comfortable to think about Redemption; they like remaining in their exile]. For such Jews, the sacred desire has deteriorated. There isn’t much collective enthusiasm for lofty or sacred ideals.

Nevertheless, human nature being what is, what these Jews might feel instead is a kind of simple, natural--or, secular--desire to become a sovereign state—to be on one’s own land, to live freely governing oneself and to be like any other nation.

This kind of Jewish Redemptive process is similar to all of the nationalist movements that spread across Europe that began in the nineteenth century and which continued into the twentieth century. It is, Rav Kook suggests, like the second shofar discussed by Jewish halacha. It is something that can be—and was--found anywhere.

But then, Rav Kook says, there is also a third kind of Redemptive process. It is a process that is not holy. It is a process that may have begun with comfort, but then leads to stress and duress. It can happen when there is no kosher process available—exactly like the third type of shofar discussed by halacha; it is not kosher; It is not preferable. But when a community is under duress, it is still useable.

Like the third shofar, this third process is, on thea surface, not valid. But it can happen when there is no holy impulse within the Jewish people. It can happen when there is no strong Jewish nationalistic feelings within the Jewish people. In this third Redemptive process, all holy and secular Jewish impulses are absent.

This sermon was given on Rosh Hashannah. What may not be obvious, however, is the year in which this particular Rosh Hashannah sermon was given: 1933.

1933 was the year Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of the German nation. By 1933, Hitler’s anti-Jew beliefs were well-known. He hated the Jew. He had already spoken about cleansing the German people of Jews. In a matter of just a few years, Hitler would begin his Holocaust against the Jew. He decimated the Jewish population of Europe.  His Germany murdered millions of innocent Jews simply because they were Jews.

Rav Kook gave this sermon less than nine months after Hitler became German Chancellor. In this sermon, was he predicting the Holocaust?

Speaking of the third, non-Kosher shofar as referring to a third Redemptive process, Rav Kook went on to say that if it was impossible to blow a kosher shofar for our Redemption—or, perhaps, if the Jewish people deafened themselves to such a call--then our enemies will come and blow the shofar of Redemption in our ears. They will force us to hear the shofar against our collective will. They will shout and make noise. They will deny us our rest.

In such an instance, the shofar of an impure animal becomes the shofar of Moshiach! If Jews refuse to awaken to the sound of the first shofar of Moshiach, and if Jews do not want to listen to the sound of the second shofar of Moshiach, they will be forced to listen to an invalid shofar of Moshiach.

Rosh Hashannah is linked to Redemption. During services for Rosh Hashannah (and Yom Kippur), please stay alert. On these Days, you're not just reading about Repentance or prayer or sin-and-forgiveness. You are reading as well about your Future--your Destiny. 

The sound of the shofar reminds us. Rosh Hashannah is about Jewish Redemption. It is the sound that awakens us to our Destiny.