Why We Tremble

I once heard a beautiful shmuess in Chodesh Elul from Ray Shlomo Wolbe. At the end of the shmuess, he said that he wanted to close with the most important point: "With regard to everything I said tonight, ich mein du, mit du, mit du, mit du... I meant you, and you, and you, and and you..." He symbolically pointed to everyone in the audience. Beautiful and inspiring words are meaningless if the listener does not apply them to himself ~ R' Zev Smith

There is a mystical idea that being alive today because one was alive yesterday is called dying. Being really alive means that one's life is generated today, not as a passive result of the past but as an explosion of newness now and always ~ R' Akiva Tatz

Avraham Avinu says of himself - "Anochi Afar Va'efer - And I am dust and ashes" (Bereishis 18:27). What is the meaning of "dust and ashes"? The idea is this. Ashes are the bare elements left when a substance has been completely burned. "Dust" of the earth is the rich soil in which growth takes place. Avraham, who most profoundly represents the idea of newness, of being the father, the founder, of the Jewish people, who forged a whole new way of living, sees himself as constantly incinerating what he has become in order to use those elements as soil for new growth. No element of his development is allowed to continue passively - here today because it was here yesterday ~ R' Akiva Tatz

As we prepare for our "trial" on Rosh Hashanah we need to be convinced that we are worthy of a favorable judgment ~ R' Eli Mansour

The Steipler was once asked if one should daven for a person who has an incurable sickness. It would seem to be a waste of time. The Steipler said, "First of all, the tefillos may help him have less pain. Also, the tefillos may help him have chayei sha'ah - he may live a little longer." And the third reason he gave was that the tefillos will help - even if they don't help him, they will help other sick people in Klal Yisrael. Tefillos don't go to waste ~ R' Shmuel Felder

How should one start the teshuvah process? One might think that the most difficult areas should be tackled first, that the areas that are easier to change can be worked on later. However, the opposite strategy works better here. A person should begin with the areas that are easier for him. For we must remember: the biggest indictment against us is our failing at the easy things ~ R' Dovid Schustal

The four days of self-inspection also gives us hope and motivation to repent. A permanent blemish invalidates a sacrifice, but a temporary blemish invalidates a sacrifice only as long as it is there once it is healed or removed, the animal is once again fit to be offered. During our four days of inspection, when we discover and acknowledge our spiritual defects, we must also be aware that they are temporary blemishes that can be corrected and removed through teshuvah, repentance. This perception gives us the desire and encouragement to make the attempt to repent ~ R' Zev Leff

The Avnei Nezer said that one reason we eat honey on Rosh Hashanah is that honey comes from pesky bees that cause pain and discomfort. This indicates that on Rosh Hashanah, the hardships of the past can become sweet. Similarly, the Shem MiShmuel quotes from poskim (see Shach, Yoreh De'ah 84:37) that in certain situations parts of a bee that fell into honey become permitted, because they dissolved and turned into honey. We therefore eat honey on Rosh Hashanah to remember that all the bad of the be turned around, and leave us with a sweet future ~ R' Elimelech Biderman

Just as Hashem created the world with Asarah Ma'amaros, we, too, create the world with Asarah Ma'amaros, the ten pesukim of Malchuyos, Zichronos, and Shofros ~ Rav Moshe Wolfson

The brachah of thanks, Modim, comes at the end of davening. Why is hoda'ah placed at the end of davening? Because we just gave the Ribono Shel Olam a shopping list of requests. Heal us, give us parnassah, and so on. We are giving Hashem a long list of things we would like. Then, we make something perfectly clear: "Don't get me wrong. Even though I'm giving You a whole list of requests, still, 'Modim anachnu lach,' I thank You for my life. I appreciate whatever I have. I'm just asking You, Hashem, to keep it going, and if You can make it better, please..." ~ R' Fishel Shachter

The pasuk (Mishlei 22:9) says, "Tov Ayin Hu Yivorach, he who has a good eye is blessed." If you appreciate that someone else has it good, you are blessed. It doesn't say "he will be blessed,' meaning he will get a blessing as a reward. It says "he is blessed." A tov ayin is gebentched. The greatest brachah in the world is when it doesn't bother you when somebody else has it good. "Somebody else has it good, better than I have? That's great! I am so happy for him." ~ Rav Fishel Shachter

When in the sukkah, one is under Hashem's protection, the Kanfei HaSchenah. When within the sukkah, one can experience oros [spiritual radiance] that are beyond this world. The walls of the sukkah cut the person off from this world, and place him in a heavenly area. The Sfas Emes (5639 d.h. Taam) explains that one can achieve these great oros only after experiencing Yom Kippur. At any other time of year, it would be impossible to reach this level. Only with the purification of Yom Kippur can we enter the sukkah, ready to bask in its spiritual radiance ~ Rav Moshe Wolfson

When a ben Torah says Tefillas Geshem, he is referring to spiritual rain. Ein Mayim Elah Torah, There is no water except Torah. That is what we are davening for from the Ribono Shel Olam when we ask for geshem. The Zohar (tikkun 13, p. 29b) teaches that on Shemini Atzeres, the fountains of Torah open. We daven to Hashem Al Timnah Mayim, do not withhold water from us. Ribono Shel Olam, give us Torah so we can come close to You ~ Rav Moshe Wolfson

In the Yud Gimmel Middos Harachamim. No request is articulated. Who, then, gives it expression? Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Our request is based on His understanding of our needs. Hakadosh Baruch Hu Himself, Who understands our needs better than anyone, including ourselves, gives expression to our tefillos ~ R' Dov Kahan