(9) You stand this day, all of you, before the LORD your God—your tribal heads, your elders and your officials, all the men of Israel, (10) your children, your wives, the ger within your camp, from wood chopper to water drawer— (11) to enter into the covenant of the LORD your God, which the LORD your God is concluding with you this day, with its sanctions; (12) to the end that He may establish you this day as His people and be your God, as He promised you and as He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (13) I make this covenant, with its sanctions, not with you alone, (14) but both with those who are standing here with us this day before the LORD our God and with those who are not with us here this day.
~ Who stands? When? What is happening here?
~ What is Moshe doing, with these words?
(11) Surely, this mitzvah which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nor is it beyond reach. (12) It is not in the heavens, that you should say, “Who among us can go up to the heavens and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?” (13) Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?” (14) No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it.
~ What is the basic assumption of these verses?
~ What is "the mitzvah" Moshe is talking about, considering the text above?
~ Do you personally agree?
ולא אתכם לבדכם (שם שם יג), אלא אף דורות העתידין לבא היו שם, שנאמר כי את אשר ישנו פה עמנו וגו' ואת אשר איננו פה עמנו היום (שם שם יד), ולמה אומר ישנו פה ולמה אומר איננו פה, לפי שכל הנפשות היו שם, והגוף עדיין לא נברא, לפיכך לא נאמר כאן עמידה
Deut. 29:13 [14]): AND NOT ONLY WITH YOU <HAVE I MADE THIS COVENANT AND THIS OATH>, but the generations that have yet to come were also there, as stated (in vs. 14 [15]): BUT WITH THOSE WHO ARE <STANDING ('MD)> HERE WITH US <TODAY> … AND WITH THOSE WHO ARE NOT HERE WITH US TODAY. Now why does it say: THOSE WHO ARE <STANDING ('MD)> HERE? And why does it say: THOSE WHO ARE NOT HERE (without using the word STANDING)? Because all the souls were there, <even> when <their> bodies had still not been created. It is for that reason <their> existence (literally: standing, rt.: 'MD) is not stated here.
~ What is the basic idea of the midrash? Who does it come to include?
ד"א כי אם שמור תשמרון את כל המצוה הזאת - שמא תאמר ישנן בני הזקנים, ישנן בני הגדולים, ישנן בני הנביאים! - תלמוד לומר כי אם שמור תשמרון את כל המצוה הזאת; מגיד הכתוב שהכל שוים בתורה! וכן הוא אומר (דברים לג) תורה צוה לנו משה מורשה קהלת יעקב, כהנים לוים וישראלים אין כתוב כאן, אלא קהלת יעקב. וכן הוא אומר (דברים כ״ט:ט׳) אתם נצבים היום כלכם לפני ה' אלקיכם ראשיכם שבטיכם זקניכם ושוטריכם כל איש ישראל. מה אלו לא היו במעמד זה, שעמד וקיים תורה בישראל - לא היתה תורה משתכחת מישראל. ומה אלו לא עמד שפן בשעתו ועזרא בשעתו ור' עקיבא בשעתו - לא היה תורה משתכחת מישראל. ואומר (משלי טו) דבר בעתו מה טוב, דבר שאמר זה שקול כנגד הכל. הרי הוא אומר (עמוס ח) ישוטטו לבקש את דבר ה' ולא ימצאו... רשב"י אומר: עתידה תורה שתשכח מישראל! והלא כבר נאמר כי לא תשכח מפי זרעו?! אלא איש פלוני אוסר, איש פלוני מתיר, איש פלוני מטמא, איש פלוני מטהר - ולא ימצאו דבר ברור.
Another opinion - Lest you say: There are the sons of the elders, there are the sons of the great ones, there are the sons of the prophets (Let them study the Torah!) It is, therefore, written "For if keep, you (plural [i.e., all of you]) shall keep all of this mitzvah." (Deuteronomy 11:22) We are hereby taught that all are equal in (the mitzvah of studying) Torah. And thus is it written "Torah was commanded to us by Moses, the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob"(Deuteronomy 33:4): It is not written "Cohanim, Levites, and Israelites," but "the congregation of Jacob." And thus is it written (Ibid. 29:9) "You are standing this day, all of you, before Ad-nai your God, your heads of your tribes, your elders and your officers, all the men of Israel." If not for (all of) these, who stood and fulfilled Torah in Israel, would Torah not have been forgotten in Israel? And if Shafan in his time (viz. II Kings 22) and Ezra in his time and R. Akiva in his time had not stood up (on behalf of Torah), would Torah not have been forgotten in Israel? And it is written (Proverbs 15:3) "A thing in its time — how good!" The thing that this one (i.e., each one of those in his time) said is over and against all! It is written (Amos 8:12) "They will wander to seek the word of the L-rd and they will not find it"... R. Shimon b. Yochai says: God forbid Torah will be forgotten from Israel! Is it not written (Devarim 31:21) "for it will not be forgotten from the mouth of their seed"? How, then, am I to understand "They will wander to seek the word of Ad-nai and they will not find it"? They will not find a clear halachah in one place, but one man will forbid, and another permit; one man will rule unclean, and another, clean, and they will not find a clear thing.
~ How does this midrash open regarding the equality of studying Torah?
~ Do you agree?
~ What is the tension in the midrash, regarding this equality? Can everyone be a leader?
~ Is there a clear halachah today?
כִּי הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת (דברים ל, יא), הֲלָכָה, אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁעוֹמֵד לִקְרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה, כֵּיצַד מְבָרֵךְ, כָּךְ שָׁנוּ חֲכָמִים, הַפּוֹתֵחַ וְהַחוֹתֵם בַּתּוֹרָה מְבָרֵךְ לְפָנֶיהָ וּלְאַחֲרֶיהָ. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁטְּעוּנָה בְּרָכָה לְפָנֶיהָ וּלְאַחֲרֶיהָ, שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהלים קיט, יב): בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' וְאַחַר כָּךְ לַמְדֵנִי חֻקֶּיךָ, הֲרֵי בְּרָכָה לְפָנֶיהָ. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁטְּעוּנָה בְּרָכָה לְאַחֲרֶיהָ, אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן, שֶׁכָּתוּב אַחַר הַשִּׁירָה (דברים לג, א): וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה, מִשֶּׁשָּׁנָה לָהֶן אֶת הַתּוֹרָה וְאַחַר כָּךְ בֵּרַךְ, הֲרֵי בְּרָכָה לְאַחֲרֶיהָ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִם נִזְקַקְתָּ לְבִרְכָתָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה, אַף אֲנִי מְבָרֵךְ אוֹתְךָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ, כא): בְּכָל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי וגו'. דָּבָר אַחֵר רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִם בֵּרַכְתָּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, לְעַצְמְךָ אַתְּ מְבָרֵךְ, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ט, יא): כִּי בִי יִרְבּוּ יָמֶיךָ וְיוֹסִיפוּ לְךָ שְׁנוֹת חַיִּים, וְאִם תֹּאמְרוּ שֶׁמָּא לְרָעַתְכֶם נָתַתִּי לָכֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, לֹא נָתַתִּי אוֹתָהּ לָכֶם אֶלָּא לְטוֹבַתְכֶם, שֶׁמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת נִתְאַוּוּ לָהּ וְנֶעֶלְמָה מֵהֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב כח, כא): וְנֶעֶלְמָה מֵעֵינֵי כָל חָי אֵלּוּ הַחַיּוֹת, (איוב כח, כא): וּמֵעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם נִסְתָּרָה אֵלּוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה ו, ו): וַיָּעָף אֵלַי אֶחָד מִן הַשְֹּׂרָפִים, אָמַר לָהֶם, בָּנַי, מִמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת הִיא נִפְלֵאת, אֲבָל מִכֶּם אֵינָהּ נִפְלֵאת, מִנַּיִן, מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרִינוּ בָּעִנְיָן (דברים ל, יא): כִּי הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם לֹא נִפְלֵאת הִיא מִמְךָ.
For this mitzvah (Deuteronomy 30:11) - Halacha: a person in Israel that stands to read from the Torah, how does that person bless? This is what the sages taught: the one who begins and the one who ends say a blessing before and after the Torah (Mishnah Megillah 4:2). And from where do we know that [reading the Torah] needs a blessing before and after? As it is written " Blessed are You, Ad-nai; train me in Your laws. " (Psalms 119:12) - here is the blessing before. And from where do we know that [reading the Torah] needs a blessing after? Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: it is written after the song (Deuteronomy 33:1) "and this is the blessing - [so too] one who taught Torah to them and afterwards blessed: here is the blessing afterwards. Another explanation: the Holy Blessed One said "if you merited to bless the Torah, I too will bless you, as it is written "in every place you call My name, I will come to you and bless you" (Exodus 20:21). The rabbis said another explanation: the Holy Blessed One said: if you bless the Torah, you bless your own self. From where [do they know this?] "For through me your days will increase, and years be added to your life" (Proverbs 9:11). And if you say that I gave the Torah to you for your detriment, that is not true, I only gave Torah to you for your benefit since the ministering angels desired Torah and it was hidden from them, as it says, "She has been hidden from the eyes of all living," (Job 28:21) these are the animals, "and from the birds of the sky it has been hidden," these are the angels. How do we know this? As it says, "One of the serafim (type of angel) flew to me," (Isaiah 6:6) God said to Israel: My children! From the ministering angels this thing is out of reach, but from you it is not. From where do we know this? From what is written regarding this issue: "this mitzvah which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nor is it beyond reach" (Deuteronomy 30:11).
~ What are the many possibilities regarding why we say a blessing for reading from the Torah, in this midrash?
~ From whom comes the blessing, and to whom it goes?
~ Why can't the angels have Torah? Why would they want Torah?
(ג) זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (משלי כד, ז): רָאמוֹת לֶאֱוִיל חָכְמוֹת בַּשַּׁעַר לֹא יִפְתַּח פִּיהוּ, מַהוּ רָאמוֹת לֶאֱוִיל חָכְמוֹת, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא הַטִּפֵּשׁ הַזֶּה נִכְנַס לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וְהוּא רוֹאֶה אוֹתָן שֶׁנּוֹשְׂאִים וְנוֹתְנִים בַּתַּלְמוּד וְהוּא אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ מָה הֵן אוֹמְרִין, הוּא מִתְבַּיֵּשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בַּשַּׁעַר לֹא יִפְתַּח פִּיהוּ, וְאֵין שַׁעַר אֶלָּא סַנְהֶדְרִין, דִּכְתִיב (דברים כה, ז): וְעָלְתָה יְבִמְתּוֹ הַשַּׁעֲרָה אֶל הַזְּקֵנִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי הַטִּפֵּשׁ הַזֶּה נִכְנַס לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וְרוֹאֶה אוֹתָן עוֹסְקִים בַּתּוֹרָה, וְהוּא אוֹמֵר לָהֶן הֵיאַךְ אָדָם לָמֵד תּוֹרָה תְּחִלָּה, אוֹמְרִים לוֹ תְּחִלָּה קוֹרֵא בַּמְגִלָּה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ בַּסֵּפֶר, וְאַחַר כָּךְ בַּנְּבִיאִים, וְאַחַר כָּךְ בַּכְּתוּבִים, מִשֶּׁהוּא גּוֹמֵר אֶת הַמִּקְרָא שׁוֹנֶה אֶת הַתַּלְמוּד, וְאַחַר כָּךְ בַּהֲלָכוֹת, וְאַחַר כָּךְ בַּאַגָּדוֹת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁשּׁוֹמֵעַ כָּךְ אוֹמֵר בְּלִבּוֹ אֵימָתַי אֲנִי לָמֵד כָּל זֹאת וְחוֹזֵר מִן הַשַּׁעַר, הֱוֵי בַּשַּׁעַר לֹא יִפְתַּח פִּיהוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לְכִכָּר שֶׁהָיָה תָּלוּי בָּאֲוִיר, טִפֵּשׁ אוֹמֵר מִי יוּכַל לַהֲבִיאוֹ, וּפִקֵּחַ אוֹמֵר לֹא אֶחָד תָּלָה אוֹתוֹ, מֵבִיא סֻלָּם אוֹ קָנֶה וּמוֹרִיד אוֹתוֹ. כָּךְ כָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא טִפֵּשׁ אוֹמֵר אֵימָתַי אֶקְרָא כָּל הַתּוֹרָה, וּמִי שֶׁהוּא פִּקֵּחַ מַהוּ עוֹשֶׂה, שׁוֹנֶה פֶּרֶק אֶחָד בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם עַד שֶׁמְסַיֵּם כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: לֹא נִפְלֵאת הִוא, וְאִם נִפְלֵאת הִיא, מִמְּךָ, שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה עָסוּק בָּהּ, הֱוֵי כִּי הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת.
(3) This is what is written: "Wisdom is too lofty for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the gate" (Proverbs 24:7). What does "Wisdom is too lofty for a fool" mean? Rabbi Tanhuma said: This fool walks into a synagogue and sees those that are involved in Talmud [study], the fool doesn't understand what they are saying and is embarrassed, as it says: "He does not open his mouth in the gate." The 'gate' is Sanhedrin, as it is written: "his brother’s widow shall appear before the elders in the gate" (Deuteronomy 25:7). Another interpretation: The rabbis say a fool [is one] who walks into the synagogue and sees those that are involved in Torah [study]. The fool says to them: "How does one learn Torah at first?" They respond: "First you read Megillah (Esther), then the Torah, then the Prophets, then the Writings. When he completes the Written Torah, he studies the Talmud, then the laws, then the allegorical passages." When the fool hears this, the fool thinks, "When am I going to learn all of this?!" and leaves the "gate" [i.e. the synagogue], as the verse says: "He does not open his mouth in the gate". Rabbi Yannai said: This is comparable to a loaf suspended in the air. The fool says, "who could bring it down [to earth]?" The alert one says, "didn't someone put it up there?" he then gets a ladder or pole and brings it down. Similarly, fools say, "When will I read the entire Torah?" And what does the alert one do? - s/he studies one chapter each day, until s/he concludes the entire Torah. The Holy Blessed One said: "It is not mysterious", and if it is, it is "from you" [due to you]. This explains the verse (Deut 30:11) "This mitzvah".
~ What is a fool, according to the midrash?
~ What is the basic difference between a fool and an alert person?
פעם אחת הייתי מהלך ממקום למקום ומצאני אדם אחד שלא היה בו לא מקרא ולא משנה והיה מתלוצץ ומלעיג בדברים ובא כנגדי ואמרתי לו בני מה אתה משיב לאביך שבשמים ליום הדין ואמר לי רבי יש לי דברים שאני משיבו בינה ודעת לא נתנו לי מן השמים שאקרא ואשנה ואמרתי לו בני מה מלאכתך ואמר לי ציד אני ואמרתי לו בני מי למדך ואמר לך שתביא פשתן ותארגהו מצודות ותשליכהו לים ותעלה הדגים מן הים. ואמר לי רבי בזה נתנו לי בינה ודעת מן השמים ואמרתי לו ומה להביא פשתן ולארוג מצודות ולהשליך לים ולהעלות דגים מן הים נתנו לך בינה ודעה מן השמים ולדברי תורה שכתוב בה (דברים ל׳:י״ד) כי קרוב אליך הדבר מאד בפיך ובלבבך לעשותו לא נתנו לך בינה ודעה מן השמים. מיד היה מרים קולו ובוכה ומתאנח ואמרתי לו בני אל ירע לך אלא כל שאר בני אדם באי עולם הן משיבין תשובה זו על אותו ענין שהן עוסקין בו אבל מעשיהן מוכיחין עליהן ועליהן ועל כיוצא בהן ועל העושים כמעשיהן מהו אומר הכתוב עליהן (ישעיהו י״ט:ט׳) ובושו עובדי פשתים שריקות ואורגים חורי ראשית ואחרית הדברים כולן יראת שמים ומעשים טובים.
In your mouth and in your heart to do it... Once, I was travelling around and I found a person who didn't know Torah or Mishnah, who liked to jest and ridicule and he came to me, and I said to him: My son, what will you say to God in heaven on the day of judgement? He said: Rabbi, I have something to answer God: understanding and knowledge were not given to me from the heavens, and thus I didn't read or learn.
I said to him: My son, what is your occupation? He said to me: I am a fisherman! I said to him: My son, who taught you to bring string and to make a net out of it and to throw it into the water and to bring forth fish from the sea? He said to me: Rabbi, this knowledge was given to me from the heavens. I said to him: My son, so the ability to draw fish from the water was given to you by heaven, but words of Torah, about which it is written, "the words are very close to you," you claim that you were not given understanding and knowledge!?
Immediately he became depressed, his voice became bitter and he cried. I said to him: My son, don't let this be bad for you, rather know that most of the world answers this question with reference to what they busy themselves with - what does the text say about them? "[The fishermen shall lament...] The flax workers, too, shall be dismayed, both carders and weavers chagrined" (Isaiah 19:8-9). The beginning and the end of all words are having awe of heaven and doing good deeds...
~ What is the story behind this midrash?
~ What is the rabbi trying to teach the fisherman? Why?
~ What do you think of the rabbi's technique?
אתם נצבים היום, "You are standing today, etc." We have to analyse what these words are meant to tell us. Besides, why did Moses have to single out "your heads" and "your children," and did not simply say "all of you?" Moreover, what was the reason for this covenant? Just a few lines ago (28:69) Moses had written: "these are the words of the covenant, etc." If Moses was anxious to include what is written in this portion in the covenant, he should have written this chapter sooner and everything would have been included in what are described as "the words of the covenant in 28:69."
It appears that what Moses wanted with this new covenant was to make the Israelites responsible for one another. Each Jew has to see to it that his fellow Jew does not stumble and commit sins. The proof that this is what Moses had in mind here is to be found in verse 28 of our chapter where the Israelites are relieved of their responsibility when the nature of the sin committed is one that is secret. The Torah emphasises "publicly committed sins," must be dealt with by ourselves. It is clear that that verse speaks of the mutual responsibility of one Jew for the conduct of another. Naturally, the degree to which we have to carry out this responsibility varies with our position in the community.
ומעתה באנו להבין מאמר אתם נצבים שהכוונה הוא על דרך אומרו (רות ב') הנצב על הקוצרים ל' מינוי, ואומרו כלכם פירוש כולם יש עליהם עול זה כל א' לפי מה שהוא על דרך אומרם ז''ל במסכת שבת (נ''ד:) כל מי שיש בידו למחות בכל העולם נתפס על כל וכו' וכל מי שיש בידו למחות באנשי עירו נתפס על אנשי עירו, וכל מי שיש בידו למחות בבני ביתו נתפס על וכו', והוא מה שפרט הכ' כאן ואמר ראשיכם וגו' שכל אחד יתחייב כפי מה שיש בידו, ראשיכם הם הגדולים שבכולן שיכולין למחות בכל ישראל אלו יתחייבו על הכל, שבטיכם כל שבט ושבט יתחייב על שבטו, זקניכם ושוטריכם כל זקן יתחייב על משפחתו, כל איש ישראל הם ההמון כל אחד יתחייב על בני ביתו...
Let us now understand the meaning of the words: "you are standing here today." We may best understand this by referring to Ruth 2:5, "the one standing over the reapers." The word in Ruth means "the one appointed over the reapers." Moses added the word "all of you," to make plain that the mutual responsibility with which he charged each member of the people applied to one and all. We have been taught in Shabbat 54b that anyone who is in a position to protest a sin of the entire world and who does not exercise the power of protest is considered as an accessory to the sin of the entire world; of one's town, for the entire town; of one's family, for the entire family. "Your heads" refers to the individuals who share in the responsibility of the conduct of the whole nation. "Your tribes" refers to heads of tribes. "Your elders and your officers", refers to heads of clans. "Every man of Israel" are the majority, that share the responsibility of the conduct of their family....
~ According to the Ohr HaChayim, what is the point that Moshe wants to make?
Additionally, Rabbi Elazar interpreted the following verses homiletically: “You have affirmed, this day, that the Lord is your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His mitzvot, and His ordinances, and listen to His voice. And the Lord has affirmed you, this day, to be God's treasure, as God promised you, and that you should keep all His mitzvot” (Deuteronomy 26:17–18). Rabbi Elazar explained: The Holy One of Blessing, said to the Jewish people: You have made Me a single entity in the world. And therefore I will make you a single entity in the world. You have made Me a single entity in the world, as it is written: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One” (Deuteronomy 6:4). And therefore I will make you a single entity in the world, as it is stated: “And who is like Your people, Israel, one nation in the land?” (I Chronicles 17:21).
~ According to this piece of the Talmud, what is this verse teaching us?
ומי כעמך ישראל גוי אחד בארץ. אמרינן במדרש שלשה מעידין זה על זה ישראל ושבת והקדוש ב"ה ישראל והקדוש ברוך הוא מעידים על השבת שהוא יום מנוחה ישראל ושבת על הקדוש ב"ה שהוא אחד הקב"ה ושבת על ישראל שהם יחידים באומות ועל זה סמכינן לומר אתה אחד במנחה בשבת אע"פ שאינו מדבר מעניינא דיומא דשבת כמו תפלת ערבית ושחרית:
And who is like Your people, Israel, one nation in the land - It is stated in the Midrash "three testify on each other: Israel, the Shabbat, and the Holy One. Israel and the Holy One attest to the Shabbat as a day of rest. Israel and Shabbat attest to the Holy One that God is One. The Holy Blessed One and the Shabbat attest to Israel - that they are singular among the nations." And we rely on this to say "You are One [and Your Name is One and who is like Israel, one nation in the world] in the Saturday afternoon prayer even though this is not really specifying the day of Shabbat, as is done in the evening and morning prayers.
~ Tosfot (Rashi's grandsons) comment on that passage of the Talmud. What else do they add?
Rabbi Simcha Zissel posted the following notice on the door of the Kelm Talmud Torah in the month of Elul, which immediately precedes the High Holidays. In its specific prescription for ethical self-development through meditation and its careful, rigorous, even philosophical, linking of devotion to God with devotion to one’s fellow man, it is characteristic of the Musar movement. It is translated here by Geoffrey Claussen, who directs the Jewish Studies program at Elon University and is working on a book about Simcha Zissel’s ethical thought.
As is known, the sages taught [that God commanded]: “recite verses of kingship before me . . . so that you make me king over you” (Babylonian Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 34b).
When we meditate upon the power to maintain a kingdom [ruled] by [a king of] flesh and blood, [we find that] the kingdom is maintained only when the king’s subjects are all like one person in their service to him. And if . . . division were to emerge among the subjects of the king, the knot of the kingdom would be untied, and (God forbid) the world would be destroyed. As our sages of blessed memory said, “were it not for the fear [of the government], a person would swallow his neighbor alive” (Mishnah Avot 3:2). Thus the unity of the subjects maintains the kingdom.
Rabbenu Tam of blessed memory wrote in his Sefer Ha-yashar that we can find the way to serve the King of Kings, the Holy Blessed One based on the service given a king of flesh and blood. And so we can understand that the essence of fulfilling [the commandment] “that you make me king over you” is in the unity of the servants of the Blessed One. Thus it is written, “There will be a king in Jeshurun”—when?—“when the heads of the people will be gathered, when the tribes of Israel will be united” (Deut. 33:5).
Therefore there is an obligation upon us, prior to the Day of Judgment (may it come upon us for good), to occupy ourselves during the entire year with the positive commandment “You shall love your fellow as yourself” (Lev. 19:18). And through this there will be unity among the subjects of the Blessed Lord, and [God’s] Kingship will come into our hands well . . .
But if (God forbid) the sin of hating people is on our hands, how can we not be ashamed and disgraced to be speaking lies . . . when we ask [in prayer for God to] “rule over the entire world, in Your glory”? We have not prepared ourselves to do what is essential for maintaining the kingdom of heaven in power over us . . . And so we must accept upon ourselves the work of loving people and of unity. With this, one’s path will slowly, slowly improve—and, in any case, one will already have turned a little bit toward repentance. And, if we merit a community that is immersed in this work during the entire year, who can measure the greatness of the merit for us and for the entire world?
No one should say that this work is too difficult. It is not only the decree of the King, but we hope that when one works at this, with appropriate reflection, it will slowly, slowly, become easier, and one will find great joy in it . . . This message should remain before our eyes all year long. And so may we all merit to be written and sealed for good [in the Book of Life] with the whole people of Israel. Amen—may this be God’s will.
It is good to set aside a place for thinking of this matter every day during prayer. The clear place for it in prayer is in the blessing “True and Firm” [when praising God for redeeming Israel from Egypt, with these words]: “Upon the shore of the sea, they were all together”—this is love and unity. And thus [the liturgy continues] “they all praised God and made God King.” Without such [love and unity], God forbid, there is no full acceptance of the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to continually make an effort at this, and may we merit to fully accept the kingdom of heaven with the whole people of Israel.
https://jewishreviewofbooks.com/articles/519/notice-posted-on-the-door-of-the-kelm-talmud-torah-before-the-high-holidays/
~ What is the main introspection and meditation one should do, according to Rabbi Simcha Zissel during the days of awe?
~ What does he deal with the question of difficulty?