152 - You Are The Light

Our main focus on Rosh Hashanah is to proclaim Hashem as the King. Hashem doesn't need our respect and honor. In fact, as we are taught, Hashem did not need to create the world in the first place for His own sake. The only reason Hashem created the world is in order to give to us, as we have learned many times, which ultimately takes place in the next world. When we do, however, proclaim Hashem's kingship and connect with Hashem in that way, that is the strongest catalyst of how we earn our place in the next world.

Hashem is everywhere in this world. The verse teaches us, ein od milvado, there is nothing else except for Hashem in the world. It's just that the more we include Hashem in our lives, the more we are able to perceive Hashem as being there. Besides for following Hashem's laws, as well as making our maximum effort to living a life of emunah and bitachon, how do we truly crown Hashem as the King and proclaim His kingship? 

Simply speaking, it is following the will and instructions that Hashem has requested of us. If one takes the very first word of the Torah, b'reishit, and rearranges the letters, one comes out with shirat alef bet, the song of the alefbet. The Torah itself is Hashem's song and something so beloved to Him. Similarly, when the verse outlines to us the mitzvah of writing a sefer Torah, it is portrayed with the following words, "and now write for me this song." Again, the Torah is called Hashem's song because it is so beloved to Him. 

At the same time, we are taught that there are 600,000 letters in the sefer Torah corresponding to the 600,000 Jewish souls that exist. Although there are many more than 600,000 Jewish people in the world, numerous people are embodied from a single soul, and in its source there are 600,000 souls. The law is that if just one letter of the 600,000 letters in the sefer Torah is invalid, the entire sefer Torah is considered invalid. And in the same vein, Torah commentaries explain of the 600,000 souls that exist in the Jewish people, if just one soul is spoiled, then although the remaining souls might be excelling in every area, the entire entity is considered invalid.

If we are looking to proclaim Hashem as King, there are many things, of course, learning His Torah, following His mitzvahs, and doing our best to live a life of emunah and bitachon. However, one of the highest things that Hashem loves is the life of a Jew, the soul of a Jew. We have learned many times that our ultimate mission statement in this world is to grow in our emunah and bitachon, and of course we should always treat that as highest priority. Whilst at the same time, can you imagine how happy it would make Hashem if we take the mission statement of life and make our maximum effort to spread that light to help the souls which are so beloved to Hashem, to achieve success in their endeavors and ultimately in their place in the next world?

"Hashem, my dear Father, as we approach this holy day of Rosh Hashanah, please help me to truly proclaim You as King. Please help me to follow Your instructions and live a life of true emunah, where I am able to perceive that You are exclusively orchestrating every detail throughout my life. And at the same time, Hashem, please grant me the opportunity to be able to spread this light with all those around me. Hashem, You are the only true King of the world."