Chat Event: Rosh Hashanah - How to Pass the Judgment. Date: Sunday, September 12, 2004, Time: Jerusalem 10:15 pm , NY 3:15 pm

This was our first Chat event. Even though not so many people showed up I feel it was a good start. Please feel free to comment!

Rabbi Mitterhoff lets start
Rabbi Mitterhoff The question on hand is how to make through the day of judgment
Berry is Online
Rabbi Mitterhoff I have a Sichas Musser piece that is unbelievable
Rabbi Mitterhoff Shalom Berry
Berry shalom Rav
Berry i wanted to share what I heard yesterday about one of the ways of being zocheh badin in Rosh Hashanah
Rabbi Mitterhoff Lets hear
Berry in the story of Elishah and the shunamit woman, when she built him the alyiah
Rabbi Mitterhoff yes
Berry and then he told Gehazi to ask her what she needed,maybe to speak to the King or governor..
Berry and the Zohar says that that day was Rosh HAshanah
Berry and the King, Melekh malkhei hamelachim
Berry and her answer was:betoch ami ani yoshavet...
Berry meaning she wanted to be judged together with all klal Ysrael
Berry and the Zohar concludes that whoever puts himself amongst the klal.like sheep in a herd, fr4om Heaven they dont look upon his bad attitudes
Rabbi Mitterhoff The question I have is how do we do that?
Berry by not having our lives for ourselves,but by caring and doing things for our people
Berry let there always be guests in our shabbos table...
Berry teaching others who know less...etc..
Rabbi Mitterhoff That is a wonderful word which fits in with a another principle to help us make it thru the judgment -If other need you, like the community or your family on there merit one can be saved
Rabbi Mitterhoff The vincible I wanted to speak about was a Gemara in Rosh HaShanna 17a- he who forgives his right to exact punishment is forgiven (maver al middosav)
Rabbi Mitterhoff Any comments from the peanut gallery
Rabbi Y. Kacev Excellent vort from Berry
rob is Offline
Rabbi Y. Kacev What is your unbelievable Sicha Rabbi Mitterhoff?
Rabbi Mitterhoff The principle of not not acting tit for tat can can save one even on his death bed like the continuation of the Gemara RH 17a
Rabbi Mitterhoff But there is a catch
Rabbi Mitterhoff It has to be out of humility not arrogance that you are above everything
Rabbi Y. Kacev quite a catch
Rabbi Mitterhoff He brings proof from Sukka 45a that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochie could exemt the whole word from judgment until his present time but Yotom the son of Uzziah could save the world untill till the end because he was so humble
Rabbi Mitterhoff He was king but always quoted his father
Rabbi Mitterhoff The real chidush is he explains how to acquire humility
Rabbi Mitterhoff Humility comes from seeing one potential and where one is holding now
Rabbi Mitterhoff Sanhedrin 37a says that one is obligated to say the world was created for me
Rabbi Mitterhoff Rashi there says one must say "I am as impotent as an entire world"
Rabbi Mitterhoff If you were as impotent as an entire world would you destroy yourself with sin?
Rabbi Mitterhoff (thats a side point)
Rabbi Mitterhoff Nu?
Rabbi Y. Kacev I'm not sure how the proof works
Rabbi Y. Kacev What is the connection between the Gemmorah in Sukkah and RH
Rabbi Mitterhoff Your right, Sukka justs proves the power of a measure of humility
Rabbi Mitterhoff the gemara in RH continies R. Aha son of R. Hanina said: We have here a fat tail with a thorn in it: ˜for the remnant of his inheritance', but not for all his inheritance.
Rabbi Mitterhoff Here are the two Rashis: thorn- there is a difficult thing here because not everyone is treated equally.
Rabbi Mitterhoff and Rashi 111b "Remnant"-He is not impotent in his eyes and does not uplift himself
Rabbi Mitterhoff The bottom line is not acting tit for tat and humility is sound advise for passing thru the judgment
Rabbi Y. Kacev Yasher koach
Rabbi Y. Kacev Let me add the following
Rabbi Y. Kacev Yasher koach
Rabbi Y. Kacev we know that Rosh hashanah is called the day O f Judgemen
Rabbi Y. Kacev Yet we make no mention in our prayers about our sins or forgiveness
Rabbi Y. Kacev Does this not seem strange?
Rabbi Y. Kacev The explanation is the following
Rabbi Y. Kacev the greatest obstacle to doing Teshuva is a feeling of hoplessness over the sins one has done doing the year
Rabbi Y. Kacev Therefore on Rosh Hashana we do not concentrate on our sins
Rabbi Mitterhoff that a great point
Rabbi Y. Kacev Rather it is a day we try to uplift ourselves and become closer to G-d
Rabbi Y. Kacev after we feel better about ourselves we are ready to tackle our sins and prepare for Yom Kippur
Rabbi Mitterhoff This is why all the bali musser focused on "the greatness of man"
Rabbi Y. Kacev that is true
Rabbi Mitterhoff Sichas Mussar brings a midrush Rabbah in dvarim that says man should be like G-d in his greatness!
Rabbi Mitterhoff He says we dont understand because we dont understand the greatness of man but chazal did!
Rabbi Mitterhoff Kadoshim teheyou
Rabbi Y. Kacev This is also why the Rambam says that kabblah lehaboh comes before charatah lesh'ovar
Rabbi Mitterhoff why?
Rabbi Y. Kacev because if a person first concentrates on his Aveiros he will become depressed and not be able to go on
Rabbi Mitterhoff If we knew who we were we would be jumping for joy
Rabbi Mitterhoff What do you think berry?
Rabbi Mitterhoff By me its 12:00am so I think it is time to close up
Rabbi Y. Kacev a shame more people didnt take advantage
Rabbi Mitterhoff Should we do another one next Sun. same time?
Rabbi Y. Kacev ok--
Rabbi Y. Kacev kesivah ve'chasimah Tovah
Rabbi Mitterhoff I will send out another news letter and we can give it try next week on some subject of Yom Kippor
Rabbi Mitterhoff I am going to post this chat in the mussar room for others to see and maby it can continue there
Rabbi Mitterhoff kesivah ve'chasimah Tovah
Rabbi Mitterhoff Good night
Rabbi Y. Kacev good night

Here are my preperation notes for this event:

Micha 7:18 Who is a God like You, Who forgives iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not maintain His anger forever, for He desires loving-kindness.


Rosh Hashana 17a
Raba said: He who forgoes his right [to exact punishment] is forgiven all his iniquities, as it says, Forgiving iniquity and passing by transgression. Who is forgiven iniquity? One who passes by transgression [against himself].

Rashi: There is no harsh judgment

Even thou there has not been atonement there is no harsh judgment

R. Huna the son of R. Joshua was once ill. R. Papa went to inquire about him. He saw that he was very ill and said to those present, Make ready provisions for his [everlasting] journey. Eventually, however, he [R. Huna] recovered, and R. Papa felt ashamed to see him. He said to him, What did you see [in your illness]? He replied, It was indeed as you thought, but the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them [the angels]: Because he does not insist upon his rights, do not be particular with him, as it says, Forgiving iniquity and passing by transgression. Who is forgiven iniquity? He who passes by transgression.

Even after death has been degreed to the point of being on ones death bed not insisting upon ones rights can save their life

[The verse continues], ˜to the remnant of his heritage'. R. Aha son of R. Hanina said: We have here a fat tail with a thorn in it: ˜for the remnant of his inheritance', but not for all his inheritance.

Rashi thorn- there is a difficult thing here because not everyone is treated equally.
Rashi 111b Remnant-He is not impotent in his eyes and does not uplift himself

Is a person is not harsh for other reasons (like arrogance, since he it above it) this recipe does not work.

Sanhedrin 92a
R. Eleazar also said: Be always humble: so shalt thou endure. R. Zera said: We have learned likewise. The windows of a dark house may not be opened to examine its leprosy. This proves it.

By hiding ones self you can endure the judgment

Sukka 45a
Hezekiah further stated in the name of R. Jeremiah who said it in the name of R. Simeon b. Yohai, I am able to exempt the whole world from judgment from the day that I was born until now, and were Eliezer, my son, to be with me [we could exempt it] from the day of the creation of the world to the present time, and were Jotham the son of Uzziah with us, [we could exempt it] from the creation of the world to its final end

Rashi- Jotham the son of Uzziah was the most humble because he was a king who only listened to his father.

More humily produced 2000 more years of saving the world

What produces humilty? When one understands one potential and juxtaposes it to his current position

Talmud - Mas. Sanhedrin 37a
FOR IF A MAN STRIKES MANY COINS FROM ONE MOULD, THEY ALL RESEMBLE ONE ANOTHER, BUT THE SUPREME KING OF KINGS,42 THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, FASHIONED EVERY MAN IN THE STAMP OP THE FIRST MAN, AND YET NOT ONE OF THEM RESEMBLES HIS FELLOW. THEREFORE EVERY SINGLE PERSON IS OBLIGED TO SAY: THE WORLD WAS CREATED FOR MY SAKE.

Rashi- I am as impotent as an entire world

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rabbi Mitterhoff,