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s Rosh Hashanah a day of festivity or 
a day of angst? Is it an occasion to joy-
ously celebrate or a time for solemn, 
tearful prayer?
Reviewing the sources, we find con-
tradictory indications. On the one hand, 
the Torah includes Rosh 
Hashanah in its list of hol-
idays in Leviticus (23), sug-
gesting that Rosh Hashanah 
is a day of festive celebration, 
like the other festivals. On 
the other hand, the joyous 
songs of Hallel (Psalms 113-
118) — a basic feature of 
all other holidays — are omitted on Rosh 
Hashanah, as they are deemed inappropri-
ate on a day of judgment. 
In the Talmud’s words (Rosh Hashanah 
32b), “Is it possible that the King sits on the 
throne of judgment, with the books of life 
and books of death open before Him, and 
Israel sings praise?”
How do we reconcile these conflicting 
messages? How can Rosh Hashanah be 
both a frightening day of judgment and a 
day of festivity?
People are capable of simultaneously 
experiencing multiple — even conflicting 
— emotions. We can feel the dread of judg-

ment and the joy of a holiday at the same 
time. 
Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner (Pachad Yitzchak, 
Rosh Hashanah 7) explained that we reveal 
the value and worth of our existence by 
recognizing the possibility of our lives 
becoming not worth living. If we are wise 
enough to ignore that which is transient 
and vacuous, and embrace that which is 
valuable and significant, then we justify our 
existence. Our lives become worth living 
once we recognize that it could be other-
wise, and we commit ourselves to make 
them worth living.
Some people feel depressed on their 
birthday, seeing another year of life wasted, 
having gone by with unfulfilled hopes and 
aspirations. By contrast, Rabbi Yosef Chaim 
of Bagdad (Ben Ish Chai, vol. 1, Re’
ei) writes, 
“Some have the practice of observing their 
birthday every year as a holiday, and this 
is a good omen. This is the practice in our 
home.
” 
On the anniversary of a person’s birth, 
as he reflects upon the life he has lived 
and the many opportunities he had squan-
dered, he has reason to weep in anguish. 
But these moments of reflection can propel 
him to spiritual awareness, whereupon his 
life becomes meaningful and valuable. His 

birthday is then an occasion to joyfully 
celebrate.
In the Musaf service on Rosh Hashanah, 
this day is referred to as yom haras olam, the 
world’s “birthday,
” as it is the day of the cre-
ation of Man, the pinnacle of creation and 
the purpose of all existence. The essence of 
Rosh Hashanah is the commemoration of 
man’s coming into existence. As the “birth-
day” of mankind, 
Rosh Hashanah features two dimensions. 
We cry as we reflect on the opportunities 
we squandered by focusing on the vanities 
of the world, but this reflection leads us 
to an awareness of life’s purpose, such that 
our lives become meaningful and signif-
icant. And thus, Rosh Hashanah is also a 
great day of celebration, a time to rejoice 
over the creation of mankind. The fear and 
angst bring us to the joy of reclaiming our 
sense of meaning and purpose.
As we prepare for Rosh Hashanah, let us 
all commit to introspect, to reconsider our 
priorities and points of focus, so we can 
ensure that our lives are truly worth living. 
Have a happy, healthy and sweet new 
year! 

Asher Eisenberger is a rabbi at Agudas Yisrael Mogen 

Avraham.

Rabbi Asher 
Eisenberger

fellow as well; since I have been cursed, I 
will curse my fellow as well.
” 
Rabbi Tanchumah said, “If you act thus, 
realize who it is that you are willing to have 
humiliated — ‘the one who was made in the 
likeness of God.
’”
Throughout history, the larger society has 
shamed us for being Jews. We were forced 
to wear a yellow star or other demeaning 
symbols. We had no place in the world to 
be independent and free. We were ridiculed 
for our names and persecuted for our ritu-
als. We were invisible for centuries except in 
the imagination of antisemites. 
I believe this has affected how we see 
ourselves and how we sometimes react. So 
many people have shared stories of being 
humiliated just because they were Jewish, 
and why they work so hard to prevent that 
from ever happening again. 
This has caused multigenerational pain 
and survivor shame. For example, children 

of survivors often feel that they cannot 
complain about anything in their lives 
because others have gone through worse. 
This leads at times to emotional repression 
that affects everyone around them, even if 
they do not realize it. 
Many people who were abused blame 
themselves for the abuse, and not the abus-
er. They feel shame because they believe 
they are the reason the abuser acted in the 
way they did. 
How do we help ourselves and others 
from feeling shamed? We have to help peo-
ple feel like they belong to a community 
and family. 
Brene Brown said, “True belonging only 
happens when we present our authentic, 
imperfect selves to the world, our sense of 
belonging can never be greater than our 
level of self-acceptance.
”
Religion must not be a cause of shame. 
All people are created in God’s image. We 

have to make sure each person is accepted 
and loved for who they are, not who we 
want them to be.
We need to realize that our personal 
history is not our destiny. We can write our 
own Book of Life. We can begin to end the 
cycle of shame that has been holding us 
back from living happier lives. 
Spend time writing down what feelings 
of shame that you have, and ask where you 
think they came from. Ask what shame you 
may have caused. Get professional help. 
There is no shame in asking for help. JFS is 
a wonderful resource.
Being human is a difficult job. Be gentle 
to yourself. 
We are enough. We are doing our best, 
and that is nothing to be ashamed of. 
May the New Year bring sweetness, light 
and joy. 

Aaron Bergman is a rabbi at Adat Shalom Synagogue.

The Complexity of Rosh Hashanah

ROSH HASHANAH

