Torah Commentary Archives

Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah

Genesis 21–22

Numbers 29:1–6

1 Samuel 1:1–2:10

Jeremiah 31:2–20

The King In The Field​

In order to write on Yom Teruah before it occurs, I am departing from published Torah cycles this week.

Tradition is an interesting thing. Is a tradition, or maybe I should say legend, right or wrong? In the end we really do not know, as I have no way of proving it right, nor are you able to prove it wrong. Of course, we should never base our lives on such a thing, but rather ponder them with HaShem. I will illustrate this pondering by sharing about our puppy, Chayah.

All dog owners know each dog has his/her own personality (just like children do). Chayah is the most inquisitive dog I have ever seen. When something new is presented to her, she will tilt her head and stare at it with a look of wonder, as if she is trying to quickly process this new-to-her item. This is how I desire to approach unknown things; not by immediate fear and rejection, but rather wonder and amazement as I seek to discern whether it is from Yah or not. Which is where writing about pondering on legends comes in.

During Elul, according to Jewish legend, The king steps out of his palace and comes into the field to meet the workers face-to-face. He does this in order to ask how he can best help them in their work in the field. It has been called the 40 days of repentance, but I see it a bit differently. Let's use our children as an example here.

Let's say you saw your children working on a project and walked over to help them. What would you think if, when they saw you, they just started repenting for being a terrible son or daughter? What if this happened for 30 consecutive days? Would you begin to consider something might be wrong with them or your relationship? You came to help them, but they could not get their eyes off their faults long enough for you to encourage them, much less assist them in their work. No good parent wants this to be the response of their children.

So if the tradition is true, during this month our King has stepped into our field so He may help us, so we may bring forth a greater harvest for Him. He knows all of our humaneness. Does He know our faults? Yes! And yet, He joyfully brought us into His Kingdom, all because He desires us. But our entrance into His Kingdom is conditional. He has asked us to present Him with our filthy rags, first, so He can clothe us in His Righteousness. We need to accept His New Clothes, while focusing on Him and Who He Is. Additionally, we must be learning to walk with Him as the man or woman He created us to be, rather than attempting to put our old, stinky, filthy rags back on.

Did you catch the importance of those last sentences? If not, feel free to read it again before continuing.

On Yom Teruah, it is said the king turns and makes his way back to the palace. It is a day of sounding the trumpets to announce the exciting event! Imagine this with me for a moment. The king has just been talking with you, and then the trumpet sounds! You see him smile at YOU, nodding his approval and appreciation of the work you've been doing. He then turns and begins his walk back to the palace. Would you just go back to your duties? I think not! You would be so awestruck by the moment, you would just stand there watching his return in amazing wonder, knowing in ten days, you will be asked to make that same walk to join him. How would your next ten days of work be? Would you give it everything you have, and then some more? As you begin harvest-time, would you carefully choose the choicest of all your gatherings, then safely set your first-fruits apart as the gift you will be taking to him? Consider that for the next few days.

Our King is still in the field and He is standing with us. His Desire is not to find out how bad our mistakes are; but rather, to prove how good He truly is. He is asking how He can help each one of us in the Harvest He has called us to. Can we at this time trust Him with our deepest thoughts? Can we accept His answers when they are so out-of-the-box, we would've never considered something like it?

In just a few days He will be turning to go back to the palace. Spend these days asking and listening so when those shofars begin to sound on Yom Teruah, we can stand in awe as we watch Him turn, knowing Yom Kippur is coming. Then, in just a few days, we will follow His Steps and stand with Him in His Throne Room.

I'll write about that day next week!