English translation — ר"ה

1.

One of the reasons why one does not mention Rosh Chodesh in the prayers of Rosh Hashanah is¹

: "To confuse the Satan,

so that he should not know that today is Rosh Chodesh Tishrei

(and he should not come to accuse²)

The same matter

(to confuse etc.)

is brought³

also as a reason for the custom that one does not mention

(bless)

the month of Tishrei on the Shabbat preceding it

(as one does on every Shabbat preceding Rosh Chodesh — Shabbat Mevarchim).

It is seemingly not understood*³

The "Satan" is indeed an angel and comes to the heavenly court <b>etc.</b>,

and as explained in the Book of Job

(at its beginning⁴),

that the Satan came on the day of judgment

(on Rosh Hashanah⁵)

among the sons of God "to present himself before the Lord" — so how can one say that one can "confuse him",

and "mislead him" in such a simple matter⁶,

that he should not know

(because of

the customs)

that it is Rosh Hashanah — the most well-known thing,

printed in tablets etc. etc.

2.

In Levush⁷

also brings the reason — "in order to confuse the Satan so that he does not know the day that is Rosh Hashanah",

but he adds: "since they did not <b>sanctify</b> it".

And based on this one could explain,

according to the known⁸,

that the fixing of the months etc. depends on the opinion of the court: Rosh Chodesh has its fixing only through the sanctification of Jews; through that which the court

(Jews)

are fixing the day as Rosh Chodesh,

<b>becomes </b>the day Rosh Chodesh.

Until that "when the ministering angels gather before the Holy One, blessed be He, to say when is Rosh Hashanah and when is Yom Kippur,

the Holy One, blessed be He, says to them: Me you ask,

I and you will go to the court below"⁹.

Consequently, since Rosh Chodesh is not mentioned in the Rosh Hashanah prayers, and due to the omission of the mention on the Shabbat preceding it¹⁰

— the day is indeed as if¹¹

it was not established as Rosh Chodesh Tishrei,

consequently the Satan does not know

(with certainty?)

"the day that is Rosh Hashanah."

But the answer is not sufficient,

because:

a)

On Rosh Hashanah one does <b>various</b> matters in which it is evident and emphasized that this is the day of Rosh Hashanah

(Rosh Chodesh Tishrei)

— so how can one say,

that because of the fact that "they did not sanctify it"

(Rosh Chodesh)

will the Satan not know that it is Rosh Hashanah?

And the main point: the reason of "confusing the Satan" is brought¹²

regarding two additional customs,

which have no connection to the matter of Rosh Chodesh:

(a)

"And for this reason also we do not blow shofar on Rosh HaShanah eve¹³,

because then the Satan will think that the Day of Judgment has passed"¹⁴,

b)

(b)

"And likewise, because of this we begin reading Bereishis on Simchas Torah so that he should not understand the beginning of the year or the end of the year"¹⁴.

The difficulty returns to its place: How is it possible to say,

that by not blowing shofar on Rosh HaShanah eve and by not beginning to read Bereishis on Rosh HaShanah we confuse the Satan,

that he should think that "the Day of Judgment has passed" etc.,

and especially since from several matters it is proven that it is Rosh HaShanah

(and the month)?

3.

This will be understood by prefacing what the concept of confusing the Satan is brought¹⁵

also as a reason for the custom to blow the shofar during the month of Elul — one thereby confuses the Satan "so that

he will not know when Rosh Hashanah will be"¹⁶.

What also in this is not understood,

as above: how can one "fool" the Satan,

that he should not know "when is Rosh Hashanah"?

And it is explained, the explanation in this:

The concept of confusing the Satan is found

(in relation to Rosh Hashanah)

in the Gemara¹⁷,

regarding the commandment of shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah <b>in general</b>: Said Rabbi Yitzchak ..

Why do we blow tekiah and teruah when they are sitting and blow tekiah and teruah when they are standing? In order to confuse the Satan.

Rashi explains on this¹⁸

: "That he should not prosecute,

when Israel hears that they cherish the commandments, his words are silenced."

That is,

since the Jews are not satisfied with tekiah and teruah blasts once,

rather they blow tekiah and teruah another time,

it shows that they cherish the commandments — and this silences the words of the Satan the accuser.

In a similar manner, one can also explain the concept of confusing the Satan regarding the shofar blasts of the month of Elul:

The shofar-blasts of the month of Elul are indeed their subject

(as is known¹⁹)

"in order to warn Israel that they should do repentance, as it is said²⁰

If a shofar is sounded in the city, etc."; and therefore,

through this very thing that Jews blow the shofar and become aroused in repentance,

the satan becomes confused²¹,

thinking,

that Jews have

through their repentance in the month of Elul already <b>in Elul </b>merited in judgment²²,

and therefore there is no benefit,

he has nothing to prosecute on Rosh Hashanah — "his words are silenced."

4.

Based on this one will also understand what is said,

that the confusion of the Satan

(through the shofar blasts of Elul)

accomplishes that "he will not understand when Rosh Hashanah will be":

The explanation of "he will not understand when Rosh Hashanah will be" is²³

(<b>Not</b> that he does not know

(what is written in the calendar)

when is the <b>day</b>

(time)

of Rosh Hashanah,

but rather)

that he does not know when is the division,

the essence of Rosh Hashanah,

the <b>judgment and verdict</b> of Rosh Hashanah

(which then is its time to accuse)

: and he does not know when is the <b>judgment</b> and he will accuse]

When a Jew does teshuvah properly <b>before</b> Rosh Hashanah comes,

he is already assured that he will be written and sealed in the book of the righteous — his "judgment" has already been decided for good in the month of Elul,

that also on all the days of the year

(not specifically on Rosh Hashanah)

one can through teshuvah and prayer properly merit a final judgment for good; for example: King Hezekiah²⁵

who through prayer and teshuvah effected "And I will add to your days fifteen years"²⁶,

and it is implied from this story that it was not at a special time like Rosh Hashanah and the like²⁷].

And therefore the Satan is confused from the shofar blasts of the month of Elul: he thinks that Jews have through the awakening of repentance of the month of Elul already been found meritorious in judgment

(and his accusation can already accomplish nothing).

Thus,

that his accusation on Rosh Hashanah is at least only on the doubt,

and consequently not with a force etc.

And according to this explanation, it is also understood that which "we do not blow shofar on the eve of Rosh Hashanah,

because then the Satan would think that the Day of Judgment has passed":

In order to confuse the Satan even more,

that he should think that Jews have <b>already</b> been vindicated in judgment in the month of Elul

(through the awakening of repentance from the shofar blasts of the month of Elul)

we <b>nullify</b>

(Erev Rosh Hashanah)

the shofar blasts of the month of Elul: we no longer need to attain the awakening from the shofar blasts.

that what we do not blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah is a fixed custom <b>since</b>,

and that its reason and rationale is indeed because of this itself,

in order to confuse the Satan — nevertheless this is a custom which

(the custom of Israel)

is Torah²⁸,

Torah of <b>truth</b> and consequently if they merited — then this

(the absolute merit in judgment)

would truly be so,

we have already completed the service of Rosh Hashanah and "the day of judgment has passed"; and therefore his accusation is about the doubt,

with a weakness,

as above].

5.

<b>Regarding this</b> one could seemingly answer concerning the other above-mentioned matters which we refrain from doing on Rosh Hashanah "to confuse the Satan" so that he should not know that it is Rosh Hashanah:

That Rosh Hashanah is simultaneously the day of Rosh Chodesh Tishrei is not only a matter in the order of time

(that the beginning of the year is consequently the beginning of the month),

but it also pertains

(and in the language of the Talmud

— "Ahnei")

to the essence and content of Rosh Hashanah: the awakening that comes from the fact that this is Rosh Chodesh,

adds to the awakening and service of the day of Rosh Hashanah,

and consequently also to its result — to be vindicated in judgment.

And likewise also that "it would have been fitting to read the portion of Bereishit on Rosh Hashanah",

which can be said that this is not only because Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of the year

(in time),

but also because of the fact that the matter of "the completion of the Torah"

and "the beginning of the Torah" is

Adds to the merits of Jews —

And it is understood,

that both a greater awakening and an addition to the merits of Jews are a great benefit in the work and effort of Rosh Hashanah,

to be found meritorious in judgment,

And this is the intention of the reason that one does not mention Rosh Chodesh on Rosh Hashanah "to confuse the Satan so that he does not know that today is Rosh Chodesh Tishrei"

(which does not mean lack of knowledge regarding the &lt;b&gt;time&lt;/b&gt; of Rosh Chodesh on Rosh Hashanah,

but regarding — &lt;b&gt;its essence and service&lt;/b&gt;)

Since Jews do not mention Rosh Chodesh on Rosh Hashanah,

the Satan will not sense on Rosh Hashanah the arousal and service of Rosh Chodesh — "he will not know that today is Rosh Chodesh"&lt;sup&gt;33&lt;/sup&gt;

And so too regarding the matter of "they begin reading Bereshit on Shemini Atzeret so that he should not understand the beginning of the year etc." — because Jews do not actually begin "reading Bereshit" on Rosh Hashanah,

he will assume that in the service of the beginning of the year the matter and action which are connected with the conclusion and beginning of the Torah are lacking — "he will not understand the beginning of the year etc." —

this will confuse the Satan "and he will not come to accuse",

because if they merited,

as above — their main service is so completely and with elevation,

that they do not need to come to the additional arousal of Rosh Chodesh and "the conclusion of the Torah" and its beginning; they already

(without that)

merited in judgment.

6.

The explanation is, however, not entirely smooth:

According to this explanation it turns out,

that by not mentioning Rosh Chodesh

(and by not beginning to read Bereishis)

only the confusion of the Satan is brought about; but the <b>cause</b> of his absence

(or weakness)

of the prosecution

("and he shall not come to prosecute")

consists mainly in that he thinks that the service of <b>Rosh Hashanah</b> is already in perfection and one needs not at all to come to the above-mentioned —

had according to this needed to be emphasized

(not only the negative side,

the "he did not know" of Rosh Chodesh etc.,

but at least <b>also</b>)

the positive detail

(the service — in the manner of the service of Rosh Hashanah)

in this matter.

from the conciseness of the language³⁴

"one does not practice to mention Rosh Chodesh explicitly on Rosh Hashanah ..

to confuse the Satan so that he does not know that today is Rosh Chodesh Tishrei

(and he will not come to prosecute)

" implies,

that also the reason of "he will not come to prosecute" is because of that which "he did not know that today is Rosh Chodesh Tishrei".

("We do not blow shofar on the eve of Rosh Hashanah")

emphasizes that previously they would blow shofar,

which from that perspective

(the shofar blasts of the month of Elul)

is "the Day of Judgment has passed".

7.

And one may say,

that regarding the two matters

(not mentioning Rosh Chodesh in connection with Rosh Hashanah and "We begin reading Bereshit on Simchat Torah")

the content of "to confuse the Satan" is:

When the Satan sees,

that on the day of Rosh Hashanah there is missing among Jews the de-

mand and consequently the arousal of Rosh Chodesh and so forth — the quality of the conclusion of the Torah and its beginning,

it brings out a weakness in his accusation — meaning,

that there is missing in the service among Jews,

and consequently he does not need to exert himself to seek further shortcomings among Jews.

And even though the Satan knows this very thing — one does it because one is in order to confuse <b>him</b> — nevertheless — <b>in practice</b> the awakening and merit is lacking

(with all the consequences that this brings)

: one does not have the awakening etc. of Rosh Chodesh and one does not have the completion of the Torah and the beginning of the Torah!

8.

Based on this, however, the question turns the other way:

How is it that one should actually take all this away from Jews?

True, indeed there is in this the intention "to confuse the Satan" — but,

as above: after all, &lt;b&gt;are missing&lt;/b&gt; indeed by Jews on this day the services: the arousal from the sounding of the shofar on Erev Rosh Hashanah,

the arousal from Rosh Chodesh and the matter of the completion of the Torah and the beginning of the Torah?

So the explanation in this is:

This itself,

that one refrains from these things in order to "confuse the satan",

must and brings about a deeper awakening of repentance,

than that which would have been brought about by the aforementioned matters.

The awakening of repentance in a manner of "a voice that goes out from the innermost of the heart" is evoked "by the bitterness in his soul over his distance from G-d, from Whom he is distant to the utmost"³⁶

And this bitterness "over his distance from G-d" is heard by a Jew in a very strong manner — through his contemplation of that which the good matters mentioned above are withheld from him in order "to confuse the Satan".

He hears his situation,

that the Satan has such power against him,

until that because of this they must &lt;b&gt;take away from him &lt;/b&gt; a matter of Tash,

the mention of Rosh Chodesh and the reading of Parshat Bereishit

(on Rosh Hashanah).

And yet in a particular aspect the awakening of repentance is even deeper than that which comes through blowing the shofar etc.: the awakening of repentance from the shofar blast comes from a thing outside of him

(and similarly the reading of Parshat Bereishit and the mention of Rosh Chodesh)

But the awakening of repentance that comes from the "not" — that one is prevented from a matter of teshuvah etc. — it comes from <b>him</b> himself,

from <b>his</b> situation etc.³⁷.

— And it can be said that it is in the manner of³⁸

the story of Chassidim about the Rebbe

(the Rebbe Rashab)

of blessed memory

(in the time of the beginning of his leadership)

A Jew entered for a private audience with the Rebbe, of blessed memory, and asked for a blessing in a serious matter,

in which he needed a great awakening of mercy.

But the Rebbe, of blessed memory, answered him,

that he could not help him in this.

After hearing such an answer,

the Jew went out of the Rebbe's room and wept bitterly with bitter tears.

Walking tearfully, he met the Raza

(the brother of the Rebbe, of blessed memory),

and to his question why he cries so strongly,

the Jew told him what had happened and what the Rebbe had answered him.

The Raza entered to his brother the Rebbe

(as mentioned,

it was at the beginning of his days of leadership)

and said to him: How can it be — that when one comes in to ask for your blessing,

you say that you cannot help him,

until the petitioner weeps a flood of tears from great distress!

The Rebbe N"E put on the belt and gave over,

that the Jew should come in to him once more — and when he entered, the Rebbe N"E blessed him and the blessing was fulfilled in actuality.

At first glance one must understand: since that the Rebbe N"E could help him

(apparently from the conclusion of the event),

why did he initially not do this and even refused in such a manner that it brought him to tears etc.?

But the explanation in this

(in a possible way)

is in the manner of the above-mentioned:

The Jew,

who had asked the Rebbe's blessing,

was <b>then</b>,

because of his spiritual state,

not fit,

could not receive such a great blessing as the situation demanded — he was not a vessel for it.

And therefore one cannot help him.

But the Rebbe's answer,

had effected in the Jew a brokenness and he poured out his heart before the Almighty — this caused that he became like a new reality,

a vessel for the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He, through the Rebbe, of blessed memory.

9.

A deeper matter in this:

Not only is this a matter which calls forth a deeper awakening of teshuvah,

but in the depth of the matter, also lacking thereby is the elevation of that which is actual:

That which one refrains from these matters,

is the custom of Israel which "&lt;b&gt;Torah it is&lt;/b&gt;"&lt;sup&gt;28&lt;/sup&gt;

— it becomes a matter of &lt;b&gt;fulfillment&lt;/b&gt;

(active)

of the Torah&lt;sup&gt;39&lt;/sup&gt;,

which he does out of great joy.

When fulfillment of Torah and commandments is only from reason and intellect,

or because he has in it a taste — then there is a place for the distinction that one cannot have such vitality in

(a custom which is)

"negation" — as in a matter of active.

and even regarding thought — there are also levels in thought&lt;sup&gt;40&lt;/sup&gt;].

But in the true essence of the matter,

from the perspective of &lt;b&gt;the will &lt;/b&gt;of the king,

there is no difference between one service and another&lt;sup&gt;41&lt;/sup&gt;,

When a Jew fulfills commandments because "He sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us" — there is no difference for him,

Even when it appears that he <b>loses </b>a good matter,

since however that he knows that this itself is "Torah it is",

<b>Does </b>he it out of great joy <b>and good </b>heart⁴².

And this itself brings the writing and sealing for a good year and a sweet year below ten handbreadths,

in the physical and in the spiritual together.

5739)