By the Grace of G-d Erev1 Shabbos Kodesh2 Sedra: “You3 are standing firmly this day, all of you,”4Shabbos Selichos,5 5745 Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

At this time, in the last few days before Rosh Hashono,⁷ on the threshold of the new year — may it bring us and all our people Israel only good and blessing,

And in keeping with the instruction “to go⁸ from strength to strength,” which is expected of every Jew, “to keep on the ascendancy⁹ all matters of holiness,”

Especially in connection with such an essential matter as Rosh Hashono, which — as is well known — means not only the “beginning¹⁰ of the year,” but also the “head¹¹ of the year,” in the sense that Rosh Hashono stands in relation to all the days of the new year as that of the head to all parts of the body and the entire body which the head animates; which — in the spiritual realm — expresses itself in concrete terms of thought,¹² word, and deed, with deed being the essential thing,¹³

With the additional significance that Rosh Hashono of the coming year is the “head” of a Leap Year,¹⁴ referred to in Torah, Toras Chaim, as Shono Temimo¹⁵ a complete (perfect) year —

It is high time to reflect and ponder even more deeply over the essential aspects of Rosh Hashono; be it noted that Rosh Hashono brings and includes also Yom Kippur,¹⁶ especially as Yom Kippur is termed the pnimius¹⁷ (“inwardness”) of Rosh Hashono and is called (in Torah-shebiksav,¹⁸ the Written Torah) “Rosh Hashono.”

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In the letter of Chai (18) Elul —

It is noteworthy that Yom Kippur invariably occurs on the same day of the week as Chai Elul (this year — Wednesday) —

Attention was focused on, the convergency of two (apparently) contradictory aspects: On the one hand, Rosh Hashono is connected with the most sublime level of spirituality, as expressed in the “Coronation” of the Supreme King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He. On the other hand, this is carried out (not by angels, but) by man, who was created — on the first Rosh Hashono on earth — from “dust of the earth,”¹⁹ the lowest thing even in the inanimate (mineral) world; and only thereafter did the Creator “breathe into him a living soul.”

Inasmuch as Yom Kippur is “inwardly” Rosh Hashono, and is called “Rosh Hashono,” as mentioned above—it is to be expected that the said two contradictory aspects should be reflected — in a subtle (“invariably”) way — also in Yom Kippur, and also to be expressed in action, which is the essential thing. Indeed, they are found in the underlying content of this Holy Day:

The innermost aspect of Yom Kippur is that this day has been designated as The Holy Day²⁰ and the “One Day”²¹ of the Year. This means that this day is the holiest day of the days of the year, including the festivals and Shabbos. For this reason, Yom Kippur is called in the Torah, Toras Chaim, Shabbos Shabboson²² — the “Supreme Shabbos.” On this day Jews attain the highest level of spirituality, so that they are likened to angels.²³

Yet, having attained this sublime spiritual level, the Jew is instructed, immediately on Motzoei (termination of) Yom Kippur, to make a “sumptuous meal,”²⁴ and “A Heavenly voice²⁵ issues and proclaims, ‘Go and eat with joy!²⁶’”

Similarly, on Yom Kippur itself, when the service is connected with the very essence of the soul, the Yechida she'bnefesh,²⁷ and, to quote a familiar expression,²⁸ “It is the time of Teshuva for all,” etc., and, “The highpoint of Divine forgiveness and pardon for the Jewish people” — one would have expected that concentration on the prayers with the fullest inspiration of all the soul’s forces, etc., would take precedence of all other imperatives of Yom Kippur. Actually, however, the rule of the Halocho is that if the said concentration creates a doubt, G-d forbid, as to the ability to fast, the fasting takes precedence over the concentration on the prayers. To put it more explicitly: Not withstanding the highest spiritual content of Yom Kippur, the emphasis, in practice, is on a seemingly corporeal matter (the not eating and not drinking) even though this would detract from the fullest concentration ability to attain the highest degree of introspection, dvekus (soulful attachment), inspiration, and overpowering devoutness during prayer on Yom Kippur.

This is similar to the contradictory aspects of Rosh Hashono mentioned above, as reflected in Yom Kippur.

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The explanation of it is also similar to that stated in connection with Rosh Hashono, discussed in the letter of Chai Elul:

The true holy nature of a Jew—of everyone who belongs to the “Holy Nation,”²⁹ is in being attached to the holiness of HaShem, in accordance with the Divine commandment: “You shall sanctify³⁰ yourselves and be holy, for I (HaShem) am holy.”

To “sanctify oneself and be holy” means to conduct one’s daily life in accordance with the holy precepts of HaShem (“Who has sanctified us with His commandments³¹ and commanded us”). Thereby the physical body, together with all its physical aspects (eating, drinking, etc.) is elevated and sanctified. At the same time, all other sectors of the physical world (inanimate, vegetable and animal) that serve the Jew’s needs, are elevated with him.

The said sublimation, to the point of the highest and fullest degree, on the holy day of Yom Kippur, the “One Day³² of the Year,” is achieved through the worship of the Yechida she'bnefesh, the sublimest part of the soul³³ present in every Jew by virtue of belonging to the people whom G-d has chosen and designated to be a Holy Nation which partakes of His holiness.

For this reason, the matter of not eating and not drinking on Yom Kippur is particularly accentuated,³⁴ inasmuch as eating and drinking is the most conspicuous characteristic of every living thing on earth; hence, the denial of eating and drinking on Yom Kippur is the expression of the preponderance³⁵ of spirituality over corporeality, of the soul over the body³⁶ — since only in this way can the material be elevated to, and even transformed into, the realm of spirituality.

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Needless to say, the above includes the Great Principle³⁷ of the Torah, v’ohavto lre’acho komocho — to awaken and help the Yechida she’bnefesh of Jews, men, women, and children, so that every Jewish soul can carry out in the fullest measure its Divine mission in this world — “to make³⁸ an abode³⁹ for Him in this lowest, material world.”

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May HaShem grant that every one of us, man and woman, in the midst of all our people, should complete the preparation for Rosh Hashono and Yom Kippur in fullness and perfection⁴⁰ in every respect. In the words of the Baal Shem Tov:⁴¹ “Be tomim (complete) in serving HaShem,”

And bring out into actuality the uniting force binding the two extremes: the inwardness of the innermost soul (Yechida she'bnefesh) with the most corporeal aspect of the body, in order to transform the material into spiritual, in keeping with the well-known saying of the Alter Rebbe:⁴² “HaShem gives Jews material things, and Jews convert the material into spiritual”:

And all this should enhance even more the Kesivo vaChasimo Tovo, materially and spiritually, for the kind of good that is revealed and evident, evident (also) to the physical eye,⁴³

And in a manner of “Going⁴⁴ from strength to strength to appear before G-d in Zion (at the true and complete Geulo).... Grace and honor will HaShem give... goodness to those who walk betomim (wholeheartedly).”

With esteem and blessing for a

Kesivo vaChasimo Tovo,⁴⁵ for a good

and sweet year, materially and spiritually,

in the good that is revealed and evident,

/Signed: Menachem Schneerson/