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Rav Shlomo Heiman, zt”l, Rosh Mesivta of Torah Vodaas, was known as a master teacher who poured his entire self into every shiur. His words were filled with passion, drama, and intensity, so much so that he would often collapse from exhaustion when he finished teaching.
One snowy morning, Rav Shlomo arrived at yeshiva to find only four talmidim waiting. Most people would have shortened the lesson or postponed it. Instead, he gave the full shiur with his trademark fire. When a student whispered, “Rebbe, there are only four of us here…,” Rav Shlomo thundered: “Only four? I see hundreds, thousands: your children, grandchildren, and students. Torah doesn’t stop in this room. It echoes for generations.”
This week’s parsha, Nitzavim, carries the same message. Moshe gathers the people and declares:
אַתֶּ֨ם נִצָּבִ֤ים הַיּוֹם֙ כֻּלְּכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם רָאשֵׁיכֶ֣ם שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֗ם זִקְנֵיכֶם֙ וְשֹׁ֣טְרֵיכֶ֔ם כֹּ֖ל אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
“You are standing today, all of you, before Hashem your God.”
Not only those present that day, but also:
כִּי֩ אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֶשְׁנ֜וֹ פֹּ֗ה עִמָּ֙נוּ֙ עֹמֵ֣ד הַיּ֔וֹם לִפְנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְאֵ֨ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵינֶ֛נּוּ פֹּ֖ה עִמָּ֥נוּ הַיּֽוֹם׃
“but both with those who are standing here with us this day before our God יהוה and with those who are not with us here this day.”
Rashi explains that this includes every future Jew. Each of us was there. Each of us counts.
The Baal Shem Tov zy’a taught that hayom, “this day”, refers to Rosh Hashanah, when we all stand before Hashem in judgment, no one is too far, no one is left out.
Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, zt”l, recalled a childhood memory that made this point clear. On Erev Rosh Hashanah, his cheder rebbe told the class: “Kinderlach, tonight is Karanatzia Nacht (Coronation Night)! And who crowns Hashem as King? Not only angels. Not only tzaddikim. But Yankel the tailor! Berel the shoemaker! Every single Jew! ” The Rav later reflected that no matter how many sermons he gave, nothing captured Rosh Hashanah like those words. Each of us, in our own way, places the crown on Hashem’s head.
The Karliner Rebbe zy’a once fainted before proclaiming HaMelech on Rosh Hashanah. When revived, he explained: “At that moment I heard Hashem asking, ‘If I am the King, why have you not come to Me until now?’” It’s a question that echoes for all of us. Elul, with its shofar blasts and added tefillos, is meant to prepare us, yet so often we arrive at Rosh Hashanah thinking, “I’m not ready.” Hashem’s answer is simple: If I am King, come now.
The holy Chozeh of Lublin zy’a added another layer to this important sentiment of togetherness and its absolute necessity. The word Teruah (shofar blast) comes from re’ut, friendship. Rosh Hashanah is not only about crowning Hashem individually, but about doing it together. Before Hashem our king, titles and resumes don’t matter. Leaders, woodchoppers, water-carriers all stand as equals as Bnei Hamelech, beloved children of the King.
Rav Meshulam Halevi Lowy, the Tosher Rebbe zy’a, once illustrated this truth through the words of a simple plumber. Once on Yom Kippur, during Mussaf, an older Jewish man who was less affiliated with orthodox practice slipped out of the cold beis medrash to fix the broken heating system down in the basement. Returning, his hands black with grease, he said: “Oib ess iz heis unten, s’iz heis oiben”, “If it’s warm downstairs, it’s warm upstairs.” While the chassidim were flabbergasted that a Jew would desecrate Yom Kippur, the Rebbe explained (with his characteristic understanding and love) that the simple Jew was indeed correct! When our Torah, tefillah, and mitzvos are filled with warmth, that warmth rises to Heaven and Hashem responds with warmth.
As Rosh Hashanah approaches, there is one message to focus on: every Jew matters, every moment matters, every word of tefillah matters. We don’t need to wait until we feel perfectly ready, Hashem is ready for us now. When we bring warmth and sincerity below, Heaven responds above.
May we enter Rosh Hashanah with warmth in our tefillos, friendship in our hearts, and the awareness that together, as one people, we have the privilege of crowning Hashem as King.
Good Shabbos and a Gut Karnatzia Nacht,
Rabbi Moshe Nachbar
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