English translation — ר"ה-ו' תשרי

1.

In the haftorah of the first day of Rosh Hashanah

(beginning of the book of Shmuel)¹

it is told about Chana,

the wife of Elkanah,

that the content is,

that at first it was “and to Chana there were no children”²,

and afterwards,

through her prayer

(being in Shiloh in the Mishkan),

she was remembered with a son — Shmuel the prophet.

The intention of the reading of the haftorah on festivals,

as with all haftorahs,

is — concerning the matter of the reading of the Torah³,

from the word hora’ah*³

— that a Jew should <b>learn</b> from it a lesson in the service of a Jew on that Shabbos and on that festival.

And so too in our matter: although the reason why we say the haftarah on Rosh Hashanah is because&lt;sup&gt;4&lt;/sup&gt;

Chana was remembered on Rosh Hashanah&lt;sup&gt;5&lt;/sup&gt;

- but the haftarah contains many instructions in the service of a Jew on Rosh Hashanah

(and also many instructions in general&lt;sup&gt;6&lt;/sup&gt;

And since the "service" that brought about the remembering of Chana - that this

is the main point of the haftarah

(in its connection to Rosh Hashanah)

as above - was its prayer

(in Shiloh),

it is reasonable to say,

that the main lesson of the haftarah regarding the service of a Jew on Rosh Hashanah is in the prayer of Channah

that

(also)

the prayer of Channah was on Rosh Hashanah].

B.

one will understand this with the prior explanation of the story about the prayer of Channah,

that at first Eli the Kohen took her for a "drunkard"

(because her prayer was in a manner of "speaking upon her heart etc.")

and he therefore rebuked her "Until when will you be drunk etc."; and Channah answered him about this "No, my lord etc. and I have poured out my soul before the L-rd"&lt;sup&gt;8&lt;/sup&gt;

A.

Z.

V.

At first glance it is not understandable:

a)

How does it come,

that Eli the Kohen should have such a mistake - from one extreme to the other! - instead of recognizing⁹

that she is

He prays with an outpouring of the soul,

did he actually think that she was a "drunkard"?

b)

Even if one were to find an explanation as to how Eli made the mistake¹⁰

—it is still not understood,

why does the Torah tell about this?

It is indeed that even "the Torah did not speak in disparagement of an unclean animal"¹¹,

all the more so,

to distinguish,

regarding Eli the Kohen!

Since that "and he thought her ..

to be a drunk woman"¹²

- why did Eli wait with his rebuking her until she had finished her prayer

(as Rashi explains "And Eli watched her mouth"¹³

- language of waiting)

- should he not have <b>immediately</b> interrupted her and seen that she be taken out of the House of Hashem?

3)

3.

From all this it is proven,

that Eli considered her not as a drunk woman in the simple sense¹⁴,

but a "drunk woman" in the matter of prayer.

That means: Since that the prayer of Chanah was in a manner of "<b>multiplying</b> to pray"¹³

- it is a prayer beyond the measure,

which is not a desirable thing¹⁵

when one stands before Hashem in the House of Hashem

(as will be explained later sec. 9)

And Chana’s answer to this is — “And I poured out my soul before the Lord,”

that when the “multiplying to pray” is connected with &lt;b&gt;pouring out the soul&lt;/b&gt;,

it is

(not a matter of “drunkenness” in prayer,

but,

on the contrary)

a high level&lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;

in prayer.

And this is also the connection of Chana’s prayer to Rosh Hashanah — because the claim and response between Eli the Kohen and Chana regarding the manner of prayer in the House of God,

also gives an understanding in the general content of Chana’s prayer and of several prayers on Rosh Hashanah,

as follows.

4.

Regarding the prayers of Rosh Hashanah, one finds two opposite matters:

Rosh Hashanah is the Day of Judgment on all the needs of man,

both in spiritual and in physical

"For a statute for Israel it is, a judgment for the God of Jacob": <b>Statute</b> for Israel — from the language¹⁷

"Provide me my allotted bread" — means the judgment and verdict on sustenance

(including all needs)

physical¹⁸

; and "judgment <b>for the God of</b> Jacob" is the judgment and verdict on spiritual matters¹⁸

(how much should be drawn forth "revelation of G‑dliness in his soul"¹⁹)]

; and therefore one asks in the prayers of Rosh Hashanah for children, life, and sustenance,

and also for success in spiritual matters.

On the other hand, however, it is known,

that the point of the service

(whose essence is in prayer)

of Rosh Hashanah consists in crowning

the Above as King²⁰,

and in the language of our Sages²¹

"that you make Me king over you"

"King over all the earth",

and more]

- that the <b>crowning </b>of the king and acceptance of his kingship is specifically through the movement of utter self-nullification,

through that which one throws oneself entirely under the king,

until one feels not at all the "own" desires²²

(and <b>this </b>self-nullification calls forth from the king that he should "accept" the coronation)

That these matters are indeed contradictory: when one stands in a state of utter self-nullification

(to the King)

one is not in a capacity to think

(and ask)

about one's own needs

(which is relevant only when one has one's own desires)

- and this is so even regarding spiritual needs,

and certainly regarding physical requests

(upon which is the primary law of Rosh Hashanah,

as explained in Hagahot Maimoniyot²³).

that those who ask "on the Days of Atonement" for "sustenance, forgiveness, atonement, and life,

inscribe us for life",

are like dogs that cry "give give",

because they think about themselves,

and not about the Shechinah.

But on the other hand, the requests

(for human needs)

were inserted into the text of the prayer by Chazal and they explain that then is the time of will for the fulfillment of the requests etc.,

from which it is understood,

that the requests must be not

(only)

from the aspect of acceptance of the yoke - since the Above has commanded a Jew to ask for his needs on Rosh Hashanah,

he does so

(only)

in order to fulfill the supernal will - but in a manner that he has a will and feeling for the needs requested].

D.

On one side one must &lt;b&gt;want &lt;/b&gt;and intend

(in this part of praying),

that the Above should give him his needs&lt;sup&gt;25&lt;/sup&gt;,

which requires,

that one feel one's own existence

(feel what is lacking &lt;b&gt;to him&lt;/b&gt;

(; and together with this he must be permeated with the fulfillment of the "make Me king over you",

which requires a complete nullification,

which negates one's own existence.

H.

5.

At first glance, one can ask the same question also regarding the prayers of the entire year*²⁵

By the prayer of the Shemoneh Esrei, the one praying is as one standing before the king²⁶,

that standing before a king, one may not show any movement²⁷

of one's own existence

as we find in

Gemara²⁸,

that even "a wave of the hand before the King" is a thing for which the punishment of the opposite of life comes]

; and together with this they established

(for every Jew)

in the text of the prayer the twelve middle blessings,

whose content is — asking one's needs.

But there is a great difference between the prayer of Rosh Hashanah and the prayers of the entire year:

During the entire year,

&lt;b&gt;After &lt;/b&gt;the coronation of Rosh Hashanah,

the Most High, as it were, is like a “king” who governs a country — therefore then the nullification of the citizens to the king is in a manner,

that it is heard that &lt;b&gt;there &lt;/b&gt;is the existence and the needs etc. of the people of the country,

with which the king governs; it is only that while one stands literally before the king,

it must be evident that the entire existence of the country is not an independent one,

but rather it is subjugated to the king.

When, however, one must first &lt;b&gt;crown &lt;/b&gt;the

(Most High as)

king,

when He is still exalted and removed from the conduct of kingship,

a greater,

deeper nullification is required,

a nullification to the utmost in which &lt;b&gt;nothing &lt;/b&gt;is heard besides the king alone — the question arises: how can one in &lt;b&gt;such &lt;/b&gt;a situation ask the king about one's own needs?

6.

The explanation in this:

That which a Jew asks for his matters on Rosh Hashanah,

must be the request not

For &lt;b&gt;His &lt;/b&gt;benefit,

in order that &lt;b&gt;He &lt;/b&gt;should have an abundance in matters of this world

(Or,

even,

an abundance in spiritual matters),

only as a continuation of the service of "Make Me king over you":

So that there should be fulfilled the "Reign over the entire world in Your glory",

that in the entire world the kingship of the Holy One, blessed be He, should be apparent,

this is through that which a Jew occupies himself with matters of this world and makes of them a "dwelling place for His blessed Self"²⁹

And since every Jew has sparks of holiness that are related to his soul and which &lt;b&gt;he &lt;/b&gt;

(specifically)

must refine&lt;sup&gt;30&lt;/sup&gt;

- which are clothed in the physical things that the Almighty designates for his portion and for his service - therefore the Jew asks the Almighty that He should bestow upon him the things

(needs),

so that through them he should accomplish the

(part of)

"Reign over the entire world" that is related to him.

It turns out,

that also in the request for his needs of Rosh Hashanah there is not mixed in a feeling of the existence of man,

because he asks for them only for the sake of the Almighty's matters&lt;sup&gt;31&lt;/sup&gt;.

And on the contrary - this comes specifically from the aspect of the ultimate self-nullification in which one stands during the service of crowning the King; for since the refinement of the sparks has to do with and is connected with &lt;b&gt;the essence &lt;/b&gt;of the soul&lt;sup&gt;32&lt;/sup&gt;

(which is carried out through the work of clarifications)

is rooted in His Essence, may He be blessed,&lt;sup&gt;34&lt;/sup&gt;,

so too is it among Jews

(who carry out the intention in actuality),

that the service is connected with the essence of their souls]

That in the essence of the soul, the entire matter of its own desires is not relevant,

it is "embraced and cleaving to You ..

yechidah to unify You"&lt;sup&gt;35&lt;/sup&gt;

- it is understandable,

that the request for one's needs

(in order to carry out the supernal intention)

is connected with the self-nullification of the essence of the soul

(which is revealed in the service of "make Me king over you").

7.

At first glance one can ask: The request for one's needs of Rosh Hashanah the Sages established in the text of the prayer for <b>every Jew</b> in every situation and circumstance in which he finds himself — and it is indeed known to a person in his soul,

that that which he asks for his material needs

(and spiritual),

is

(not only in order that the intention of the Above should be fulfilled,

but

(at least — also))

because he finds himself in a "strait" literally,

he wants that the Above should fulfill <b>his</b>

(the person's)

needs "from His <b>full</b> and <b>open</b> hand etc." and moreover in this consists the mitzvah,

<b>and as is explained</b> in the blessings of the prayer and in this consists the superiority³⁶

and function of prayer — that the sick person should be healed and the rain should fall etc.

So it is understandable, if one would demand of him that in the prayer of Rosh Hashanah he should not think at all about his material needs,

but his entire service should be only in the matter of "accept Me as King over you" — to effect in himself acceptance of the yoke of His kingship, may He be blessed — then this would be no question:

For since it is then the time of "the drawing near of the luminary to the spark"³⁷,

every Jew is predisposed to become aroused with a self-motivated movement to draw closer to the Most High,

and consequently to forget about his own needs,

and have only the desire to be together with the "king".

But how does one demand <b>of every Jew</b>,

that with him there should be both extremes together: he should think about his own needs and <b>want </b>that the Most High should fulfill them,

and in that very thing there should not intermingle any personal feelings and ulterior motives,

but entirely be for the sake of the Most High's ways?

8.

will one understand this according to the explanation of the Baal Shem Tov³⁸

on the verse³⁹

"Hungry and also thirsty, their soul within them faints" — that the hunger and thirst of the body for a food item or drink,

comes from that which "their <b>soul </b>within them faints" — the soul wants to refine the holy sparks from that food and drink

(because the sparks are related to him,

"that he

(specifically)

needs to rectify").

That is,

that although the person feels only his natural hunger to eat from the side of the body,

it is however in truth the "hunger" of his soul for the holy sparks in the food that belong to him.

And so it is in our matter: That which a Jew asks on Rosh Hashanah with supplications etc. that the Almighty should give him his material and spiritual needs,

is

and his existence,

it is however]

the truth and inwardness of the outpouring of the soul — the “hunger” of the soul to fulfill the supernal intention to make from physical things a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He.

And on the contrary: This very thing that one sees,

that Jews become aroused when saying “Untaneh Tokef etc. Who will rest etc.” from the depths of the heart more than the arousal when saying “Reign over the entire world in Your glory” etc. — is a proof,

that so it is also in the truth of the matter.

For although the revealed reason for this is,

because being a soul in a body,

the matters of this world are closer to him and affect him more than spiritual matters — but the inner reason for this is,

because the intention of His Essence, blessed be He, is

(specifically)

in a dwelling place in the lower realms

(as above section 6),

and consequently it also affects a Jew in the essence of his soul;

And therefore he becomes aroused etc. specifically in the requests,

which in inwardness is the essential movement from the essence of the soul to fulfill the supernal intention to make the world a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He.

9.

And it can be said that this is also the reason in avodah why it was established to say the haftarah of the prayer of Chanah on Rosh HaShanah,

together with the words of Eli the Kohen "Until when will you be drunk etc.":

The claim of Eli was,

that when one stands "before Hashem" - "before the Holy of Holies"⁴⁰

- there must not be relevant any matter outside of that one is "before Hashem"⁴¹

; there is no place then to lie in requests for physical matters and even not for such a request as "and give to Your maidservant seed of men"⁴²,

and especially still in a manner of "you have <b>abounded </b>in praying"⁴³

- this is indeed a state of "drunkenness" from her good but nevertheless her own

(and give to Your maidservant)

desires⁴⁴

; her desire is so strong that she does not grasp where she finds herself,

that she stands "before Hashem".

To this Hannah answered "And I poured out my soul before the Lord": Not only is her prayer for male children not a matter of "drunkenness" G-d forbid in her own desires,

but on the contrary - this is an <b>outpouring</b> of the <b>innermost essence</b> of the soul,

which specifically has a connection to the state of standing "before the Lord",

and as it is written⁴⁵

"Seek <b>My face</b>

(for)

the

<b>face of</b> the Lord I will seek"⁴⁶,

which has no desire of its own,

her entire existence is that "she is embraced and cleaving to You";

With this it is also understood what she in her request &lt;b&gt;immediately &lt;/b&gt;vowed,

that if "and give to Your maidservant seed of men,"

then—"and I will give him &lt;b&gt;to the Lord all the days of his life&lt;/b&gt;"&lt;sup&gt;42&lt;/sup&gt;

: his entire life will be

(not his own,

but)

given away to the Most High; because her request for seed of men is not for herself,

but only for the sake of the Most High&lt;sup&gt;47&lt;/sup&gt;,

which is heard in her soul inwardly.

Yud.

And from this every Jew has a lesson in his service to the Blessed One in his prayer on Rosh Hashanah:

It is not enough that the inwardness of a Jew is as it should be,

rather the inwardness must come out in a revealed way.

And therefore,

at the time that a Jew stands on Rosh Hashanah to ask from the Supreme One for his material needs,

or even the spiritual ones — there is the aspect of “Eli the Kohen” that is in his soul,

which argues to him: “Until when will you be drunk”! What kind of thinking now about matters of this world and one’s own needs at such a time of the coronation of the King!

Nevertheless,

he must ask for the matters,

on the contrary — this very thing calls forth the answer of Chanah,

that regarding every Jew,

even the one who perhaps thinks he [is asking] about his needs for himself,

is

(the innerness of)

the request — a matter of “<b>and I poured out my soul before the L-rd</b>”,

an outpouring of the innerness of the soul,

which is “embraced and cleaving to You”,

one thing with His Essence.

And just as the answer of Chanah completely answered the claim of Eli,

until that,

on the contrary,

Eli agreed with her — to the extent of giving her his blessing

(and promise)

in the “and the G-d of Israel will give your request which you have asked from Him”⁴⁸

— so too does the Above fulfill the request of every Jew,

for a good and sweet year,

simply — in the good that is seen and revealed,

in children, life, and sustenance

(and in all of them)

abundantly.

(From the sicha of the second day of Rosh Hashanah 5736)