[Avodah] Dayan haEmes

[Micha Berger]

I asked Mesorah for some support in a debate I'm having on scjm. The
other respondents replied so numerously that my confidence was shaken.
An off-list discussion that /that/ spawned turned into something that
belongs more here.

The gemara (Pesachim 50a) says the berakhah is "Dayan haEmes", which I
took to be a semichut, since there is a hei hayedi'ah on only one word.
If "emes" were an adjective, it would be "haDayan ha'Emes", figuring
that "amiti" is a newer construction than the berakhah. (Or perhaps the
commonly said "Dayan Emes", but that might have the heretical implication
ch"v that Hashem is "a", not the only, true judge.)

Semantically, one is accepting the tragedy as an expression of His Justice
(which is true), the other is an acknowledgment that Hashem is the One
Who judges which truths to reveal, and which to keep hidden from us. I
therefore prefer "Dayan ha'Emes", which acknowledges the reality that I
am not capable of coming to terms with the death, even if I intellectually
know in theory that He has good reasons.

I was going to post to scjm a nice thought from R' Hutner related to it,
but I found that Kollel Iyun haDaf already did a better summary. So, below
is a quote from <http://www.dafyomi.co.il/rhashanah/insites/rh-dt-032.htm>
on Rosh haShanah 32b.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Today is the 15th day, which is
micha at aishdas.org        2 weeks and 1 day in/toward the omer.
http://www.aishdas.org   Chesed sheb'Tifferes: What is the Chesed in
Fax: (270) 514-1507                            harmony?


	  THE ACCEPTANCE OF HASHEM'S KINGSHIP ON ROSH HASHANAH

QUESTION: The Gemara discusses a dispute whether the verse, "Shema Yisrael
Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad," is considered a verse of Malchiyos such
that it counts as one of the ten verses which must be recited in the
Musaf Shemoneh Esreh of Rosh Hashanah.

RAV YITZCHAK HUTNER zt'l (in PACHAD YITZCHAK, Rosh Hashanah, Ma'amar 11)
asks that the Gemara earlier (32a) says that "Ani Hashem Elokeichem"
is the source for reciting verses of Malchiyos. Why, then, is there any
argument whether the verse of Shema Yisrael counts as an expression of
Malchiyos? The words "Hashem Elokeinu" in the verse of Shema Yisrael
should be the ideal expression of Malchiyos, because the verse of "Ani
Hashem Elokeichem" is the undisputed source for Malchiyos!

Conversely, when one recites Keri'as Shema he must recite the verse in
its entirety, including the words "Hashem Echad," in order to properly
fulfill the Mitzvah to accept Hashem's Kingship upon oneself. If he omits
the words "Hashem Echad," he has not properly expressed his acceptance of
Hashem's Kingship; the words "Hashem Elokeinu" are not sufficient. Why,
then, is "Ani Hashem Elokeichem" a valid source for reciting Malchiyos
if those words do not fully express Hashem's Kingship?

Another difference exists between the acceptance of Malchus Shamayim of
Keri'as Shema and the acceptance of Malchus Shamayim in the blessing
of Malchiyos on Rosh Hashanah. In Keri'as Shema, one accepts upon
himself the Kingship of Hashem with an emphasis on the love of Hashem
"*v'Ahavta* Es Hashem." On Rosh Hashanah, in contrast, one accepts upon
himself the Kingship of Hashem with an emphasis on the fear of Hashem
(as Rosh Hashanah is the first day of the "Yamim Nora'im," the Days of
Awe). What is the basis for this difference?

ANSWER: RAV HUTNER zt'l cites the words of Rashi on the verse of Shema
Yisrael. Rashi explains that the verse means, "Listen, O Israel: Hashem,
Who is our G-d now in this world, will be One G-d [accepted by all
people] in the World to Come." This principle is expressed in the Gemara
in Pesachim (50a) which says that in this world Hashem is not recognized
by all as One. The Gemara adds that in this world man does not recognize
the singular goodness behind all that happens. Consequently, in this
world a person recites one blessing for bad tidings ("Dayan ha'Emes")
and a different blessing for good tidings ("ha'Tov veha'Metiv"). Times
of suffering appear to be times of strict judgment and punishment,
while times of prosperity appear to be times of mercy and goodness. Olam
ha'Ba will be different; there, one will recite one blessing, "ha'Tov
veha'Metiv," on all that happens, because "on that day Hashem will
be One and His Name will be One" (Zecharyah 14:9). (See Insights to
Pesachim 50:1.)

Rav Hutner explains that man's mission on Rosh Hashanah is to accept
Hashem as King in this world according to the limits of his perception
in this world. A person in this world cannot fathom the concept of
Hashem's Kingship the way it will be revealed in the World to Come
when "Hashem will be One and His Name will be One." In this world,
we do not see Hashem as Echad, but rather as both "Dayan ha'Emes" and
"ha'Tov veha'Metiv." Therefore, when we accept upon ourselves Hashem's
sovereignty on Rosh Hashanah, we must do so with the expression of "Ani
Hashem Elokeichem" -- without the additional "Hashem Echad" -- "Hashem
is One." This verse expresses the way we perceive Hashem as King in this
world. The acceptance of Hashem as King the way He will be perceived
in the future is not part of our present experience, and thus such an
acceptance cannot comprise a full-hearted acceptance of Malchus Shamayim.

In contrast, in our acceptance of Hashem's sovereignty in Keri'as
Shema, we proclaim our belief in the way Hashem will be recognized in
the future when His true Oneness will be revealed to and perceived by
all. Accordingly, one does not fulfill his obligation properly if he
recites Shema Yisrael without the words "Hashem Echad," for he omits the
essential component of the future acceptance of Hashem's sovereignty,
that Hashem will be recognized as One. On Rosh Hashanah, however, these
words are not an ideal expression of the this-worldly Kingship of Hashem
which we proclaim in Malchiyos. (Even though the verse "Shema Yisrael"
also contains the words "Hashem Elokeinu," that phrase is not the main
point of the verse and thus "Shema Yisrael" does not count as a verse
of Malchiyos. Alternatively, the phrase "Hashem Elokeinu" in the verse
is not an expression of our acceptance of Hashem as King, but it is a
statement of fact: "Hashem, Who right now is our G-d...." In order to
be considered a verse of Malchiyos, the verse must contain an acceptance
of Hashem as King and not merely be a statement of the fact that Hashem
is our G-d. See PACHAD YITZCHAK, ibid. #22.)

This also explains the emphasis in Keri'as Shema on the love of Hashem
("v'Ahavta"). Keri'as Shema refers to the time in the future when we will
perceive Hashem as "ha'Tov veha'Metiv" and we will be drawn to Hashem
through our love for Him. In this world, in contrast, when we accept
Hashem as our King as we perceive Him now -- as the judge of mankind,
"Dayan ha'Emes," and as "ha'Tov veha'Metiv" -- we accept His Kingship
through an expression of awe and fear.