Rabbi Yakov HaberK'riat Sh'ma and the Festivals of Tishrei

Often we find that central religious themes which are expressed in an abbreviated form regularly are more fully expressed on a particular occasion. Thus, the commemoration and celebration of y'tzias mitzrayim (the Exodus from Egypt) which finds its full expression on Pesach is remembered twice daily through the mitzva of z'chirat y'tziat mitzrayim fulfilled through a brief recitation at the end of k'riat sh'ma and in the blessing of "ga'al yisrael". Similarly, the intense grief felt over the absence of the Beit HaMikdash and Hashem's revealed Sh'china (Divine Presence) on Tish'a B'Av is more briefly experienced through the blessings focusing on the return of Temple service in the Shemone 'Esrei and Birchat HaMazon, the introductory paragraph of 'Al Naharos Bavel before Birchat HaMazon and the Tikkun Chatzot recited by many at midnight. It can be suggested that the same type of relationship exists between the twice-daily recitation of k'riat sh'ma and the three festivals of Rosh HaShana, Yom HaKippurim, and Sukkot.

One of the primary themes of Rosh HaShana is clearly kabbalat 'ol malchus shamayim or acceptance of Divine sovereignty over every aspect of our individual and collective lives. From the majestic coronation tunes sung at the introductory bar'chu of the evening prayer to the frightful declaration of "HaMelech!" before shacharit to the dominant theme of "Melech 'al kol ha'aretz" in the shemone 'esrei, the Rosh HaShana experience is clearly suffused with the theme of G-d's majesty. Mention of repentance and our faults is hardly present at all. Several Jewish thinkers have suggested that before focusing on our individual faults, we must first realign ourselves with our unique mission in life -- to subjugate our will to the Will of our Creator, the Master of All who placed us into existence; only then can we properly attempt to redirect our energies toward that lofty goal.

Yom HaKippurim -- with its heavy emphasis on our faults both in our fulfillment of the positive and negative commandments through the vidui (confession) and our embarrassment and regret at not performing them properly -- stresses the fact that it is insufficient to merely accept Divine sovereignty, we must recommit ourselves to the totality of 'avodas Hashem (Divine service). Nothing less than perfection in every aspect of Divine service is our eventual, hopeful goal.

Rounding out the Tishrei cycle of festivals, Sukkot stresses, in an extreme way, the actual performance of mitzvot. From the preparations before the holiday -- the building of the sukka and the search for and purchase of the four species combined with the regular hectic Yom Tov preparations -- to the celebration of Sukkot itself -- through living in the sukka, augmenting our prayers with the joyous singing of Hallel and the intense recital of Hoshanot coupled with the taking of the Four Species, culminating in the longer tefilot and teshuva themes of Hoshana Rabba, tefilat geshem on Sh'mini 'Atzeret and the jubilant, ecstatic celebration of Simchat Torah -- the Jew is totally immersed in the preparation for and the actual performance of mitzvot. Indeed the mitzva of dwelling in the Sukka itself encompasses the entire body and most human activities. The Four Species also represent the various parts of the human body all being utilized for Divine service as described in a well known Midrash.

These same three themes -- acceptance of Divine sovereignty, acceptance of all of the Divine commandments, and the actual performance of them -- are expressed in a compacted form every day in the k'riat sh'ma. The mishna in Mesechta B'rachot (13a) cites R. Yehoshua b. Karcha who explains the reason that we recite the three sections of the k'riat sh'ma in the order that we follow. The first parsha of "Sh'ma" is recited before the second parsha of "V'haya" in order that we first be "m'kabeil 'ol malchus shamayim" (accept the yoke of Heaven) and only afterward accept "'ol mitzvot" (the yoke of commandments). Maharal (Nesivos 'Olam - Nesiv Ha'avodah 8) elaborates on this mishna emphasizing the fact that the true servant of G-d must fully accept both the belief in G-d as ruler and commit himself fully to the totality of His legislation. The Maharal concludes by noting that the third parsha, that of tzitzit, is symbolic of the actual performance of mitzvot. Tzizit is chosen as a prototype mitzva because it is a commandment that encompasses the entire body. It is insufficient to theoretically accept 'ol mitzvot -- the yoke of Divine commandments; one must translate the commitment into action through his whole being. This action is symbolized by tzizit.

According to the above analysis, it is precisely this progression which we follow in a more magnified and focused manner throughout the the three festivals of Chodesh Tishrei. We start by re-committing ourselves in theory to Hashem and His Torah during the festivals of Rosh HaShana and Yom HaKippurim; we then translate this commitment immediately into action through the mitzva-filled celebration of Sukkot whose main commandments themselves symbolize total dedication of all aspects of our existence to Divine service. After the last hakafa on Simchat Torah, we are hopefully then able to apply this new two-fold theoretical and active commitment to the rest of the year with the attitude of "'ana 'avda d'Kudsha B'rich Hu" -- "I am a servant of the Holy One, Blessed be He!"