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Conscious Acceptance of His Sovereignty the establishment of a dwelling place requires not only that G-dly energy -
תויח יקולאbe extended into those lowly realms, but also that those realms be
Despite its uniqueness, the 25th of Elul is eclipsed by Rosh Hashanah. This is aware of the G-dliness - תוקולא in their midst and accept it. Only then is His
because the creation of man opened a new and deeper relationship between dwelling place in the lower worlds complete.
Hashem and the created world.
Before man’s creation, G-dliness and the world appeared to be opposites; the
Of all the beings in the physical and spiritual realms, man alone can choose world, from its own perspective, did not relate to the G-dly potential with
to accept Hashem›s sovereignty. Only man’s relationship with Hashem stems which it is invested. Only with the creation of man did the possibility for an
from conscious decision and free will. Though Hashem creates and regulates internalized awareness of Hashem come into being.
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all the other beings in the universe, they do not consciously accept this
relationship. Their link with the creator flows from His creativity; it does not Hashem's Partner in Creation
result from their own decision.
Man was created not only for the purpose of expressing unity with Hashem in
With the creation of man, Hashem introduced the potential for voluntary his own life; he was also given the potential to suffuse the entire world with
acceptance of His unity and active consent to His will. Admur Hazokain illustrates an awareness of Hashem›s unity. Adam, the first man, gave expression to this
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the difference between Hashem›s relationship with man and His relationship potential on the first day of his existence by addressing all of creation: “Come,
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with the remainder of creation by contrasting two forms of absolute rule, let us bow down; let us bend the knee before Hashem our Maker.”
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tyranny and sovereignty. A tyrant exercises dominion without his subjects’
consent, by virtue of his might; the subjects of a king, must willingly coronate By imparting his superior relationship with Hashem to the entire world, man
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him, accept his authority and seek his sovereignty. becomes Hashem›s partner in creation and contributes a necessary element
to the world›s existence - a conscious union with Him. This uniquely human
Unlike every other created being, man has the choice of embracing Hashem›s perception of Hashem’s pervasive unity makes Rosh Hashanah -the day of
dominion or rebelling against it. Man alone has been empowered to man’s creation, - eclipse the 25th of Elul. For the potential for oneness with
acknowledge the unity of Hashem through his own thought processes, and to Hashem that came into being with man’s creation overshadowed all previous
relate to Him as his sovereign. levels of creation.
Making Hashem Part of Our Reality A Diverse Existence

Why must Hashem’s sovereignty be consciously perceived by man? From His The question, however, remains: Why do our Rosh Hashanah Tefillos proclaim
perspective, His unity with the world encompasses every facet of creation. that the world was formed on the 1st of Tishrei? Even if it is acknowledged
Man is rarely able to conceive of Hashem’s unity from this perspective. Why, that Rosh Hashanah takes precedence, it was on the 25th of Elul that the
then, should mere man›s awareness and recognition be of such importance? world was created.

Chazal teach that Hashem created the world because He “desired a dwelling
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place in the lower worlds.” In order for this desire to be completely realized,
7 See Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Teshuvah, ch. 5. 10 Zohar III, 107b.
8 Likkutei Torah, Rosh Hashanah, p. 55b ff. 11 Tehillim 95:6.
12 Shabbos 10a; see Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XV, p. 95 ff.
9 Midrash Tanchuma, Parshas Bechukosai, sec. 3; Tanya, chs. 33 and 36.

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