Yom Hadin
Q:
If Rosh Hashana is the Yom Hadin, the day that Hashem is judging us, shouldnโt we spend the whole day saying vidui and confessing our sins?
A:
On Yom Kippur weโre busy saying ืืฉืื ื ืืืื ื ืืืื ื. We spend the whole day admitting our sins. Now, why donโt we do that on Rosh Hashana, you ask. Itโs a day of judgement. Why donโt we confess our sins on Rosh Hashana?
There is a very good reason why we donโt say vidui on Rosh Hashana. The answer is that thereโs something even more important to do on Rosh Hashana. We have more vital business to transact, and thatโs the business of Hashem Melech โ the business of recognizing that Hakodosh Boruch Hu is around.
You know, I mentioned before that there are people who are pious in details. But they are not pious in the generalities. They donโt believe much in Hakodosh Boruch Hu. They believe in kashrus, and in Shabbos, and in taharas hamishpacha, and they wonโt shave with razor blades. And all thatโs wonderful. They sit in the sukkah, they buy an esrog, wonderful! But they donโt remember Hashem enough. They forget about Him.
So, Yom Kippur is for the details. Of course you must speak about the details. Certainly! Certainly if a Jew has sinned, he has to atone for that. But on Rosh Hashana we have to devote time to the premise, the foundation. And the foundation of everything is yiras Hashem โ to be aware of Hashem.
And thatโs why on Rosh Hashana, instead of spending the day bent over saying ืกืื ืื ื and ืืฉืื ื ืืืื ื, we spend the day on our feet shouting ืโ ืืื ืโ ืืื ืโ ืืืืื ืืขืืื ืืขื โ Hashem was always the King, Hashem is the King now, and Hashem will be the King forever and ever. Because thatโs the message that has to strike home on Rosh Hashana.
And once you become aware of Hashem, once you get into your head that Hashem is King, then youโll be ready for the details of Yom Kippur.