This is it – the last #BlogElul post of this season. It is now officially Erev Rosh HaShanah, or New Year’s Eve. No champagne going on here, just lots of cooking and cleaning and preparing.
I find it fascinating that Rabbi Sommer chose Justice as the final theme, rather than Mercy or Compassion (in fact, neither of those appears here at all). While we envision G-d as a stern Judge and Ruler, we also entreat Her to sit on the Throne of Compassion as we stand in judgment.
In general, G-d admonishes us to pursue justice (Deuteronomy 16):
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יט לֹא-תַטֶּה מִשְׁפָּט, לֹא תַכִּיר פָּנִים; וְלֹא-תִקַּח שֹׁחַד–כִּי הַשֹּׁחַד יְעַוֵּר עֵינֵי חֲכָמִים, וִיסַלֵּף דִּבְרֵי צַדִּיקִם. |
19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons; neither shalt thou take a gift; for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. |
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כ צֶדֶק צֶדֶק, תִּרְדֹּף–לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה וְיָרַשְׁתָּ אֶת-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ. {ס} |
20 Justice, justice shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. |
But on the Day of Judgment, we implore G-d for mercy and compassion instead.
To quote King David, who understood about justice and mercy (Psalm 130):
א שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת:
מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ יְהוָה. |
1 A Song of Ascents. {N}
Out of the depths have I called Thee, O LORD. |
ב אֲדֹנָי, שִׁמְעָה בְקוֹלִי:
תִּהְיֶינָה אָזְנֶיךָ, קַשֻּׁבוֹת– לְקוֹל, תַּחֲנוּנָי. |
2 Lord, hearken unto my voice; {N}
let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. |
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ג אִם-עֲוֹנוֹת תִּשְׁמָר-יָהּ– אֲדֹנָי, מִי יַעֲמֹד. |
3 If Thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? |
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ד כִּי-עִמְּךָ הַסְּלִיחָה– לְמַעַן, תִּוָּרֵא. |
4 For with Thee there is forgiveness, that Thou mayest be feared. |
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ה קִוִּיתִי יְהוָה, קִוְּתָה נַפְשִׁי; וְלִדְבָרוֹ הוֹחָלְתִּי. |
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in His word do I hope. |
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ו נַפְשִׁי לַאדֹנָי– מִשֹּׁמְרִים לַבֹּקֶר, שֹׁמְרִים לַבֹּקֶר. |
6 My soul waiteth for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning; yea, more than watchmen for the morning. |
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ז יַחֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶל-יְהוָה: כִּי-עִם-יְהוָה הַחֶסֶד; וְהַרְבֵּה עִמּוֹ פְדוּת. |
7 O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption. |
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ח וְהוּא, יִפְדֶּה אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל– מִכֹּל, עֲוֹנֹתָיו. |
8 And He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. {P}
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May everyone be inscribed in the Book of Life for a sweet and good year. I’ll see you again on the other side.
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