The Kavanot of Rosh Hashanah, the new year and day of judgment, and the Mitzvah of the Shofar, are some of the most complex to understand

Everyone looks anxiously to these two days of judgment, because the way we spend them will heavily impact how the rest of the year will roll out. In Shaar HaKavanot, the Arizal teaches that there’s a massive down-pouring of dinim (judgments), symbolized by the many Kavanot of ריו which is Gematria Gevurah 216, and the Sephirot of CHABAD (Chokhmah, Binah and Da’at) of the entire coming year will be formed. These judgments must be sweetened through the Shofar and Kavanot of the prayers.

While a full exposition of these subjects is far beyond this post, here we will try to learn about Rosh Hashanah and the Shofar in a general sense, which will still help us have a sweeter year.

Introduction to Rosh Hashanah

The Zohar teaches that the reason why Rosh Hashanah is two days is because had it been only one, there would be a lot of judgment and we wouldn’t be able to withstand it. The first day is “Dinah Kashia” (Harsh Din) while the second day is “Dinah Rafiah” (Soft Din). Rabbi Chaim Vital writes in Shaar HaKavanot that it is absolutely forbidden to speak any language of sin such as חטאנו לפניך in Avinu Malkenu so as to not elicit any accusations. We beseech Hashem to judge us favorably and with compassion, promising to do Teshuva and be better, but never do any confession or mention any sin whatsoever, according to Kabbalah.

There, we also find that on the first day, we are rectifying the internal part of the Partzufim of Zeir Anpin and Nukvah, while on the second day, we are rectifying “even their external part. Some commentators explain this to mean that on the first day we are judged in our relationship and service to Hashem, while on the second day vis-a-vis others.

The reason why Rosh Hashanah is one of the most complex Kavanot is because, as the Rashash (Rabbi Shalom Sharabi) reveals to us, there is not only 1 Partzuf as in the entire rest of the year, but 6, which are rectified in the 2 days, as follows:

• External:
  1. • Back side
     • Front side
• Internal:
  • Front side:
    • Front of the front
    • Back of the front
  • Back side:
    • Front of the back
    • Back of the back

From the Siddur of Rabbi Shalom Sharabi:

“For each of the six aspects of these ZON (Zeir Anpin and Nukva), it is necessary to refine the aspects of their backside, to draw down for them the intellect of the backside, to build them in the backside, and to guard them. Therefore, on Rosh Hashanah, through the prayers and shofar blasts, we refine, build, and guard these six aspects of ZON according to the order that will be explained.

We must remember that within each of the six aspects of ZON, they have ten sefirot, where the six lower sefirot (Vav Ktzavot) are already rectified since the time of the tikkun (rectification of Atzilut). It is necessary to rectify and clarify their three upper sefirot. On Rosh Hashanah, by the power of the time, we can only rectify the aspects of Chokhmah and Binah of these six ZON and draw down for them the revealed intellect from Abba and Imma to the Chokhmah of ZON, and from Yesod to the Binah of ZON in a concealed manner.

However, due to the constraints of time, we are not able to clarify and rectify the aspect of Keter of these ZON by drawing down the intellect from Arich Anpin. (Keter is rectified by Hashem alone).

We must also remember that within each aspect, there are three vessels, and therefore when we want to rectify the ZON of these six aspects in their Binah or Chokhmah, it is necessary to rectify them in the three vessels as known. The Rav (i.e. the Arizal) wrote that the intentions of Rosh Hashanah are just like regular weekdays (i.e. in regards to certain Kavanot only) .

Thus, in the Shacharit prayer of Rosh Hashanah, we build the inner vessels, in Mincha the middle vessels, and in Arvit the external vessels of the Binah of ZON, and we draw down for them the intellect from Yesod to their Binah. In Mussaf, we clarify the aspect of Chokhmah of ZON of these six aspects and draw down for them the revealed intellect from the upper Abba and Imma. Each day of the two days of Rosh Hashanah, we rectify that specific aspect of ZON that is being rectified on that day.”

Chaim’s commentary: essentially, in Shacharit, Mincha and Arvit, we are rectifying the Binah, while on Mussaf, the Chokhmah.

Zochrenu L’Chaim (Remember us for life)

This insertion of Zochrenu L’Chaim is the most important of the 4 additions, and cannot be skipped or forgotten. If they are not said, the person might need to go back all the way to the beginning. The reason for their importance is that, parallel to all these rectifications we do to bring down the Mokhin and sweeten the Dinim, we are also “sawing” (i.e. Separating) the 11 Sephirot of ZON of the most general Partzuf of Gevurah of Adam Kadmon (A”K) that is presented to us.

To clarify: there’s a process by which all Partzufim are rectified which follows the model Hashem did when creating Adam and Chava.

1. First, there’s a building up of the back part of both Partzufim
2. Then there’s the Tardema on the male (Zeir Anpin), during which the female (Nukvah) is separated (called Nesirah)
3. Finally, both Partzufim are rectified on their front part and unite

Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Shmini Atzeret/Simcha Torah are one giant Partzuf (again: spiritual system) composed of Zeir Anpin and Nukvah. The Ramban already taught us back then that it parallels the system of Pesach, Sephirat HaOmer and Shavuot. As we know from the Zohar, each of the Jewish Festivals rectifies one Partzuf of a specific Sephira of A”K as follows:

• Chesed on Pessach (but also NAHY [Netzach, Hod and Yesod] of Tiferet/Shavuot)
• Gevurah on Rosh Hashana, Sukkot, Yom Kippur and Shemini Atzeret
• Tiferet on Shavuot (also the Counting of the Omer)
• Netzach on Purim
• Hod on Chanukah
• Yesod on Tu B’Shvat
• Ateret HaYesod on Tu B’Av
• Malkhut on Tisha B’Av

So, during the first 9 days of the New Year, we are rectifying the back part of the 11 Sephirot of that ZON until before Yom Kippur (yes, including Keter and Da’at). To be precise, we rectify all of them in order until before Yom Kippur, in which we rectify Hod, Yesod and Malkhut, and this is the reason for celebrating with a lavish meal just before the holy Day of Atonement.

The Nesirah (i.e. sawing of the Sephirot) happens on the Zochrenu insertion, which contains 11 words, each one to separate a Sephira of Nukvah from Zeir Anpin, of the Sephira of that particular day.

1. Zochrenu is Keter
2. L’Chaim is Chokhmah
3. Melekh is Binah
4. Chafetz is Da’at
5. Ba’Chaim is Chesed
6. Kotvenu is Gevurah
7. Besefer is Tiferet
8. Chaim is Netzach
9. Le’maanach is Hod
10. Elohim is Yesod
11. Chaim is Malkhut

All of these 11 words will “separate” the specific Sephira between Zeir Anpin and Nukvah of the overall back side of the Partzuf. 1st day of the year is Keter, 2nd is Chokhmah, 3rd is Binah, 4th is Da’at, and so on until the 9th is Hod, Yesod and Malkhut as seen above.

We say it 3 times per day then so that we separate the Internal part (Pnimiut) on Shacharit, Middle part (Emtza’i) on Mincha and external part (Chitzoniut) on Arvit of these 10 days of repentance.

Kavanot of the Shofar

The Shofar is the central Mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah for many reasons: We are crowning Hashem king, we are proclaiming the New Year, doing Teshuva, crying and so on. There are a lot of great resources to learn about the Pshat (see here), but here we will focus on the Sod. This is a time of tremendous Rachamim (compassion) and sweetening of all the dinim, and so it behooves us to prepare well for it.

I don’t think I could do justice to the greatness of the power of the Shofar and privilege of listening to it. First, it’s important to repent before the blowing of the Shofar. Some congregations have the custom of reading the Zohar (Emor 99) which speaks about the significance of the Shofar. Others have some Mussar or Divrei Torah spoken before this moment.

We want to be considered good and pure for when Shofar is blowing so we merit to bring down all its blessings.

This is why many people do the Yichud Notzer V’Nake to prepare themselves for the blowing of the Shofar, in which we draw down light from 2 of the 13 Attributes of Mercy of God (Notzer and Nake) to sweeten the judgments and purify ourselves, as follows:

Take note: there’s a big dispute in Kabbalah whether we are allowed or not to say tefilot with Kavanot out loud like the ones that follow the Leshem Yichud. During the pre-Mitzvah Kavanot+Tefilot we are not effectively eliciting the responses with the act of the Mitzvah itself and so saying it out loud would be problematic by causing the light to come when there’s no vessel (i.e. the act).

This is the position of the Chida and the Shemen Sasson among many others, and the one my Yeshiva (and I) follows. Those of this position say the Leshem Yichud only and then just think everything that follows. Others believe that there’s no problem because you can’t draw down light through thought alone and either way you are being mekaven that the light should come only when you make the act.There are many great Kabbalists that follow the opinion that you can do it out loud.

I’m saying this because of the above Yichud Notzer V’Nake, but there’s also a big tefilah with Kavanot for the blowing of the Shofar.

Below is the Kavanah specific to the Shofar of Meyushav (the one with the bracha), but it also applies to all other Tekyot during Mussaf.

After that, it’s customary to also recite out loud the 7 Pesukim whose initial letters spell out the holy name קרע שטן, which seeks to undermine the Samekh Tet’s efforts to bring accusations to us on this critical day, with the following Kavanot (from Pri Etz Chaim):

Bonus: Kavanot AYE of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

There is a very powerful (but little known) Segulah to be mekaven on the 4 times we have the word AYE in the Kedusha of Mussaf of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and of Neilah of Yom Kippur. It is brought from Machberet HaKodesh in the name of the Arizal that one who is mekaven the following Kavanah can be granted one of the following 3 wishes:

• Riches for Avodat Hashem
• Children who are Tzadikim
• Ruach HaKodesh

Here’s the Kavanah to be printed:

May your year be sweet and bring you all the salvations you need!