Call On Hashem And He Will Be Gracious

As stated in our previous blog, the prophet Joel informs us that despite the perils that await the Jewish Nation, as well as the rest of the world right before the Great Day of Hashem, there is a path to safety. We are informed in 3(5) that anyone who calls in the Name of Hashem will escape. The Hebrew words for this is והיה כּל אשׁר יקרא בּשׁם יקוק ימלט. But what does it mean to call in the name of G-d?
If we examine these 7 words a little closer we see a great hint. For the gematria of the first letter of these 7 words add up to 59. This number 59 is the same value as the word אחן, which means I will be gracious and show favor. G-d tells this to Moses in Exodus 33(19) after Moses requests of G-d that He show him His glory, that is, His ways. The entire verse states that Hashem shall show favor when He chooses to show favor, and shall show mercy when He chooses to show mercy. But how does Hashem choose? He doesn't treat us based on some pre-determined fate that we have. Everything that occurs in our lives is based on our individual actions. So many think that we don't have any free will if G-d knows what our actions and thus our ultimate fate will be. Nothing can be further from the truth. We have total free will to act in a pure, truthful, faithful manner to the G-d of the Universe and to our fellow man and woman. We can love and fear G-d with total free will and thus grow closer to Hashem. But remember, the closer we are to G-d, the greater responsibility we will have for our actions. And G-d knows exactly what our actions, decisions, words, sincerity and true committment will be. He knows the future. He know what we will choose to do. That is not an obstacle to our actions. He simply knows every single act that we will choose in our lifetimes. If two teams have to play a game, G-d knows who will win and who will lose. No one else does. And so the game still has to be played and both teams must try with all their skills to be victorious. G-d observes and weighs each of our deeds, good and bad. So often we are not aware of our misdeeds and wrong and hurtful words to each other. We say to ourselves so often, "Oh that was just a joke. I tried to be funny."
If someone receives a gift from someone, we automically thank the donor either in writing or orally. So wouldn't it be logical that when G-d grants us a great day, a new job, nachas and joy from our children, and simply a day totally free of pain, discomfort and troubles that we should seek Hashem, and thank Him. Say more to Him than just "Baruch Hashem, or thanks G-d." Thank Him like you would thank a donor for his gift. If you thank G-d and call on Him when things go well, then He will listen to you when you call on G-d when things are not going well. A child away from his parents can keep calling on them when they need money and things. But do they call their parents awhile later when this money and things lead to success and happiness? Hashem wants to hear from His children more than, "Give me, give me or help me now." He wants to hear how thankful we are for all the good He has already given us. He wants us to tell Him "good news." If we can do this then G-d will indeed be gracious to us and show favor when we call.

Our King, Our Ruler

The gematria of Rosh Hashanah ראשׁ השׁנה is 861, the same value as בּית המקדשׁ, Bais Hamikdosh (the Temple). And considering that the atbash, or reverse gematria of Rosh Hashanah is 596, the same value as ירושׁלים, Jerusalem, there appears to be an important connection between Rosh Hashanah and our Holy Temple, soon to be rebuilt by G-d Himself in Jerusalem, and thus, last forever.
The main focus of Rosh Hashanah is the sovereignty of Hashem. For two days our service is filled with references to G-d as King. Without the subjects of a kingdom voluntarily proclaiming their king, as their king, there is no real recognition of his sovereignty. Before the creation of man, G-d had no one with free will to proclaim Him as the King of the Universe. The angels who were created before man, have no evil inclination and are pure agents of G-d's will. They see the truth and only the truth of G-d's existence and ways, and are not capable of any doubt. But because of this lack of choice, the angels see G-d not as their King, but as their Ruler. G-d wants the people of His Kingdom to proclaim Him their King not because He needs the recognition. By accepting Him as the King of the Universe we would be benefiting G-d by showing Him how we have elevated ourselves. With free will G-d is our King. With no free will G-d is our ruler. Obviously, because there are forces attempting to pull us off the path of the truth, it is much greater for us to proclaim G-d as our King rather than as our Ruler. But time is running short. When Mashiach comes and chases the Soton away, we too will resemble the angels and only see the ways of truth, and will also proclaim G-d as our Ruler. In fact the atbash of the word for Ruler מושׁל has the same atbash as Mashiach.
On Rosh Hashanah the shofar is sounded both before and during Mussaf. We have been taught that it is done this way in order to confuse and trick the Soton. But the confusion caused by all our different customs (how many times we blow, when do we blow during Mussaf and at the end of Mussaf) actually gives the Soton ammunition. This provides evidence against us as to the total lack of unity that we have. We trick the Soton not because of the number of blows or when we blow. We trick the Soton because of what the prophet Amos states in 3(6), "Is the shofar ever sounded in a city and the people not tremble?" When the Soton sees the intensity of the Jewish People as they prepare to listen, when he hears the total silence during the blowing, when he feels our souls trembling, the Soton temporarily loses his power and goes into hiding. Our trembling neutralizes the Soton. He is tricked into believing that this time it's for real. This time the Jewish People have totally repented. This time it will last and we won't revert back. The Soton knows that the gematria of Amos' words, עם לא יחרדו, "the people not tremble," is 369, the same as ונשׁובה, "And we shall return."
On Yom Kippur, we resemble an angel. We don't eat, we don't drink, we dress in white, we stand with our feet together (this resembles angels which appear to have one foot), and we say בּרוך שׁם aloud instead of in a whisper. But we are greater than angels for we have free will to choose. We can grow to greater heights. We can turn our lives completely around. The connection between Rosh Hashanah and our redemption period, when we will all be in Jerusalem together and witness the Temple with our own eyes, is that at that time, Hashem will be our ruler. We will finally be free of the Soton and will only see the path of truth. We won't need the shofar blasts to cause our souls to tremble for we will all follow Hashem's ways as the knowledge of His words fill the air. And then we will learn to Love Hashem, and when we do, He will finally be our King, not as before for just a few days, but forever and ever.