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40 | Harav Yonah Lazar Harav Mattisyahu Monheit | 41

our zest to actively perform Mitzvos. Wrapped in Chibuv Hamitzvos, our Harav Ma t ti s y ah u M onhe i t
essence changes, and we become unrecognizable to the Satan. The defendants
he once sought to accuse are no longer there. Chaver Kollel, Passaic Clifton Community Kollel

Similarly, I recently saw a comparable idea to explain the confusing of the Satan
on Erev Rosh Hashana. The Halacha is that, if one does something for thirty
days, it establishes a concept of Chazaka – of habit and automation. There are
pros to performing an act over and over until it is ingrained within us, but The Inner Circle
there are challenges, too, as the repetition can lead to a loss of enthusiasm
and thoughtful action. As we blow the Shofar each day of Elul, we benefit from hen we observe the dancing at a wedding, a hierarchy among the
the conscious recognition of the time period that we are in, but we also risk guests can be detected. The inner circle is reserved for immediate
the Shofar becoming an exercise of habit. To prevent this from happening, we W family members and friends, whose simchah is evident as they
stop the Shofar on Erev Rosh Hashana, in order to break the habit and begin exuberantly embrace those around them. The next circle generally includes
anew on Rosh Hashana. those who are happy for the young couple and patiently wait for their moment

Ultimately, Chazal understood that our best defense against the Satan is to dig to wish them mazel tov. The outermost circle is composed of those who have
deep within ourselves and to bring our best selves forward. The Satan wants a social obligation to attend the wedding – they go through the motions of
us to think that we are stuck and confined to what we are in the moment, but shuffling their feet to the music. At least they are at the wedding…
we all have the capacity to change and to improve. Let us seize the opportunity Then there is a fourth group: those at home who were not even invited. They
to be mischadeish, to wrap ourselves in Chibuv Hamitzvos, and to make are going about their daily routine, oblivious to the beautiful event taking
ourselves better. May we be Zoche to allow our enthusiasm for Torah and place without them.
Mitzvos to come to the forefront, occluding all accusations of the Satan in
their place. May we be zoche to a Ksiva Vachasima Tova, with good health, On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, we lein about the Akeidah. Then,
B’arichus Yomim V’Shanim Lanu U’Lchol Yisroel. surprisingly, we have the last aliyah dedicated to listing the names of Avraham’s
nephews. Rav Shimon Schwab asks why it is important to read this as a
separate aliyah when it seems to have nothing to do with the Yom Hadin.

He answers with a powerful message. Rashi explains that these people are all
listed in order to mention someone very important: Rivka. Yet, Rav Schwab
observes, Lavan is conspicuously missing from the listing. This must be telling
us that while everyone else in the family can be mentioned in the Torah based
on their relationship to Rivka, Lavan in his wickedness cannot. That is the
lesson for us all to take on Rosh Hashanah. We must do teshuvah, and not allow
our wickedness to prevent us from being written in the Book of Life.

Perhaps we can extend this concept slightly. Doing teshuvah gets us to the
wedding. But then we are in the outer circle. We are mentioned in the Torah

A Agudah Achas
Agudah Achasgudah Achas