01 Sep NEETSAVIM: CROWNING THE KING WITH A SMILE

The Gemara (Rosh
Hashanah 11a)
lists several events
that occurred on
the date of Rosh
Hashanah, the first
of Tishreh. These include Sara conceiving
with a child at the age of 90, after decades
of infertility and desperate longing for a
child. For this reason, we read on the first
day of Rosh Hashanah the story of the
birth of Sara’s son, Yishak Abinu.
The Gemara also mentions that Rosh
Hashanah was the day when Yosef was
released from prison in Egypt. He had
been imprisoned when Potifar’s wife
falsely charged that he assaulted her,
and Yosef spent 12 years in the dungeon,
until he was brought before Pharaoh to
interpret the king’s mysterious dreams.
This led to his being named Pharaoh’s
vizier. It was on Rosh Hashanah, the
Gemara teaches, that Yosef was brought
out of prison and taken before Pharaoh.
This event is alluded to in the 81st chapter
of Tehillim, which – for good reason –
is the chapter we read as the “Shir Shel
Yom” (daily Psalm) on Rosh Hashanah.
We find in this chapter references to
both the sounding of the Shofar on Rosh

Hashanah (“Tik’u Ba’hodesh Shofar” –
verse 4), and Yosef’s emergence as the
leader of Egypt (“Edut Bi’Yehosef Samo
Be’seto Al Eretz Misrayim” – verse 6) –
clearly indicating that Yosef left prison
on Rosh Hashanah.
The Maharsha (Rav Shmuel Eidels, 1555-
1631), in his commentary to Masechet
Rosh Hashanah, draws a curious
connection between these two events
– Sara’s conception, and Yosef’s rise to
power in Egypt. In the aforementioned
chapter in Tehillim, Yosef’s name appears
with an extra letter Heh, such that it is
written “Yehosef” instead of “Yosef.”
The Maharsha writes that this extra letter
came from Sara, whose name ended with
a Heh. Additionally, the Maharsha adds,
according to the wisdom of Kabbalah, the
letter Heh at the end of G-d’s Name (the
Name of “Havaya”) signifies the concept
of Malchut, kingship, and it was thus
added to Yosef’s name when he ascended
to a position of royalty in Egypt.
The commentators explain further that
Sara’s name, as we know, was originally
“Sarai,” which ended with the letter Yod,
and it was later changed to “Sara,” which
ends with Heh. The letter Yod in Gematria

equals 10, and it was divided into two
Hehs, as the letter Heh in Gematria
equals 5. One was given to Sara, and the
other was given to Yosef.
The question then becomes, why did
specifically these two figures receive
the letter Heh? What is their particular
connection to this letter, which expresses
the theme of Malchut?
The answer lies in the fact that both Sara
and Yosef faced numerous hardships
over the course of many years and
nevertheless maintained pristine faith
in Hashem. Sara was childless for many
years, was twice abducted by ruthless
kings, and wandered from place to place
for much of her life. Yosef was cruelly
banished from his home, brought as a
slave to Egypt, where he was tempted by
his master’s wife – and when he refused,
she had him imprisoned. As mentioned,
he remained in prison for 12 years.
Neither Sara nor Yosef ever questioned
or challenged G-d’s judgment. They fully
and wholeheartedly accepted His rule
over the world without complaint. And
this is the greatest expression of Malchut –
unconditional and unreserved submission
to, and acceptance of, Hashem’s will as
the ultimate good.
This is why Sara and Yosef are
associated with the letter Heh –
which signifies Hashem’s kingship
– and why they are associated
with Rosh Hashanah, the day we
celebrate Hashem’s kingship.
This teaches us a crucial lesson
about how we must approach
Rosh Hashanah.
Many people approach this day
focused solely on what went
wrong during the previous year,
and on their hopes and aspirations
for the coming year, everything
they want to be better during the
new year. But they forget about
all that went right during the past
year, all the wonderful blessings
that Hashem had granted them.
The Tiferet Shlomo (Rav Shlomo
of Radomsk, Poland, 1801-1866)
taught that if we want our prayers
to be answered, we must first
thank Hashem for all the good
in our lives before proceeding to
ask for what we want. We cannot
enter Rosh Hashanah ungratefully,

complaining about all that is wrong with
our lives, without first acknowledging,
appreciating and being thankful for all
that is currently right with our lives.
After all, Rosh Hashanah is the day when
Hashem is crowned anew as king over
the universe, an event to which only
“VIP members” are invited – and we,
Am Yisrael, are the “VIP members.”
Imagine someone receiving an invitation
to attend the Presidential inauguration,
and he shows up with a frown, angry and
agitated. When he gets a turn to greet
the President, he doesn’t smile, because
he’s so upset about whatever it is that’s
bothering him. He would likely be thrown
out of the party, and he certainly would
not be invited the next time around…
On Rosh Hashanah, we are the special
guests at Hashem’s “inauguration.”
And thus, Ezra Ha’sofer told the people
on Rosh Hashanah, “Hedvat Hashem
Hi Ma’uzchem” – that their source of
strength and success was their joy and
festivity on this day (Nehemia 8:10).
We must show up on Rosh Hashanah
smiling, celebrating Hashem’s kingship,
grateful for all He had done for us. Each
and every year throughout her years
of infertility, Sara joyously celebrated
Hashem’s kingship on Rosh Hashanah
– just as Yosef did each and every year
he spent in the dungeon. Of course, they
also prayed for what they needed – but
not before they felt genuine gratitude for
all that they had.
Let us enter Rosh Hashanah not only with
a “laundry list” of everything we want
Hashem to give us, but also with sincere
gratitude for all that He has already given
us, and we will then be worthy of His
continued grace, kindness and blessing,
Amen.