In the book of Melachim, there is a story about a lady called Shunamit. She hosted Elisha HaNavi, and built a special room for him in the attic. It says there in the pasuk: ויהי היום ויבוא שמה. Chazal asks, when exactly was that day? They say that it was on Rosh HaShana. Out of gratitude, the Navi asked Shunamit, “Do you want me to speak on your behalf to HaShem?” She answered, “בתוך עמי אנכי יושבת,” - I am sitting amongst my nation. In other words, I don’t want or need a special treatment. The obvious question is, why didn’t she accept this amazing offer, for the Navi to talk to HaShem on her behalf!
We can answer this question with another question: If we look in the Torah, the Torah doesn’t say that this day is called Rosh HaShana, and also doesn’t call it a day of judgement. The Torah calls this day, Yom Teruah, the day of blasts. But why don’t we call it the day of the Shofar, like all the other chagim. Like Pesach which is called Yom HaMatzot, or Sukkot. We don’t call Pesach a day of eating matzot, or Sukkot a day of sitting in the Sukka. Why is Rosh HaShana named after the action, not the object?
We can explain it based on how Yirmiyahu HaNavi compares Am Yisrael to a sheep. How can a sheep protect itself? It has no horns, no sharp teeth, and it can’t kick. The only way for them to protect themselves is by being part of group. That is why Moshe Rabbeinu chased after the lost sheep. Why wasn’t he afraid of what would happen to the other sheep? He wasn’t afraid of this because they can protect themselves as a group while Moshe goes to save the lost sheep, who is in danger because it’s alone. This also why Moshe Rabbeinu was chosen to be the leader, the shepherd of Am Yisrael. He wanted them all to be together like sheep. Am Yisrael, even if they are far away from each other in different countries, are all safe because we help each other and support each other from wherever we are.
This concept is expressed in the famous story with an old man who asked his 12 children to come by his bed before he passes away. He gave each one a bundle of 12 sticks, and told them to break it. None of them could break the bundle. So the father took those 12 sticks, and took apart the bundle, and broke each stick one by one. The children asked the father, “What’s the big deal, we can also break each stick one by one by themselves.” The father said, “There is a lesson I want to teach you, if you stick together as a bundle, no one can break you, like these sticks. But, if you separate from each other, you will be easily broken.”
This is why we call Rosh HaShana יום תרועה - Yom Teruah naming it after the action, because Teruah is from the root of Reut - being together. No matter from where you come from, what background, whether Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Chasidish, left, or right, being together, all in one place is what protects us on the day of judgment.
This is why the lady Shunamit answered the prophet saying that she doesn’t want a special treatment, to stick out. That would not protect her. Rather, to be together, the same as everyone else will protect her to have a good year. And the same for us, that we should come together as one nation, so we should be protected to have a wonderful upcoming year, Amen.
Wishing you all the best and Sana Tova umetuka
Rabbi Eliyahu Tal