Imagine the Kohen Gadol about to enter the Kadosh Kedashim: Can you picture the intense focus and concentration, the awe and dread that accompanies him? On the other hand, what an opportunity! Who wouldn’t want the chance to be so close to the Shechinah, to the revealed presence of Hashem?
The truth is that each and every one of one has that same encounter, at least once a year.
We know that when the Kohen Gadol went into the Kadosh Kedashim he was not allowed to wear his special four garments because they had gold on them. Yet there was gold everywhere in the Beis HaMikdash and the Kohen Gadol was given these garments specifically to draw honor to his position as the supreme servant of Hashem! What’s suddenly wrong with gold? The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 26a) explains that inside the Kadosh Kedashim one may not wear gold, as it would remind Hashem of the sin of the Golden Calf. Similarly, a shofar made from a horn of a cow is invalid because it reminds Hashem of the Golden Calf. Rav Chisda explains that since the shofar is coming to remind Hashem of us, and to ask for atonement, it’s as if it is inside the Kadosh Kedashim!
Rav Yisroel Salanter (founder of the Mussar movement) points out that with this halacha Chazal are giving a powerful tool to help visualize the awesomeness of Rosh Hashanah. It is the day Hashem has given us to meet with Him personally and directly. On this day every Jew is as close to Hashem as the Kohen Gadol was inside the Kadosh Kedashim. Wow!
The Torah refers to Rosh Hashanah as “Yom Teruah,”the day of the shofar blast (Bamidbar 29:1). Teruah means “blasting a shofar,” but it also means “to awaken,” as in Lecha Dodi‘s “his’oreri, his’oreri.” In our tefillos we refer to the day as “Yom Hazikaron – the day of Remembering.” Why don’t we find a greater emphasis and more references to Yom Hadin – the day of Judgment?
The answer is in the Gemara we just learned, which paints an image of the essence of the day. Rosh Hashanah is not primarily a day of judgment, rather it’s the day that each and every one of us has yechidus, a private appointment to meet with Hashem. That means, just as we are privileged on Rosh Hashanah to see the glory of the King and understand His Malchus with greater clarity, so too the King takes a closer look at us – and when you stand in close proximity to a King, you must look and act your best. This yechidus, this meeting, takes place precisely when the shofar is blown.
We are awakened on this day to teshuva and since Hashem never forgets our actions, and on this day examines us closely, it is also the day on which we are remembered and, by virtue of that remembrance, we are judged.
The thought of meeting with Hashem is, of course, very scary, but it is also a tremendous opportunity. Kapital 27 (the kapital of tehillim we say from Rosh Chodesh Elul through Shemini Atzeres) begins “L’Dovid Hashem Ori – Hashem is my light.” The Midrash explains that this refers to Rosh Hashanah: light represents clarity. The light of Rosh Hashanah is the clarity of purpose that comes from being close to Hashem. We eagerly await that day when we accept the absolute reality of Hakadosh Baruch Hu being the world’s King and Creator. And on that day, when the truth becomes clear, the honest and righteous people of the world rejoice.