Rosh Hashanah: The Gates are Open | Rabbi Asher Druk

Dear brothers, we are now on Erev Rosh HaShanah, towards the great, critical days of the year, Rosh HaShanah, the Ten Days of Teshuva and Yom Kippur. But Erev Rosh HaShanah itself is a very important day. It says in the holy books that what Chazal say, One day in the year is considered a year, is talking about Erev Rosh HaShanah. Self-reflection and a good undertaking on Erev Rosh HaShanah can decide the judgment of a person and the whole world for the good. What undertaking can we take on? Vayimaen. The Ra’avad writes, that one whose eyes are guarded, his heart is guarded. If his heart is guarded, then his whole being is guarded. As such, he writes, this is the first of all Gedarim, first of all Gedarim. Chazal say that Hashem says: If you give me your eyes and heart, אנא ידענא דאת לי I know that you’re mine, that you’re crowning me. Rabeinu Yona says about an undertaking, In one moment, one comes out of darkness into a bright light. But how do we do it? How can we fulfill this? How can we succeed? There was once a Yeshiva Bochur who didn’t have the willpower to sit and learn diligently. He would sit for ten minutes, then he would need to go out for a cup of coffee, here, there. He found a friend who was in a similar situation and they were both, unfortunately, Bochurim who would learn a little bit, and mostly not learn. And so, years went by. One year, in the beginning of the Winter Zman, which is the Yeshivish term for the month of Cheshvan, one of the two noticed that his friend had changed. He watches him during morning Seder, and he was used to after 15-20 minutes, their eyes would meet and they would leave the Beis Medrash. He’s not lifting his eyes from the Gemara. Half an hour, an hour, 2 hours, a whole Seder, a whole day. He says to himself: He got some Chizuk today. Let’s see how much it holds out. A week passed, 2 weeks, a month, 2 months, it’s already Chanukah. He’s learning day and night, throughout the winter. During the Nissan Bein HaZmanim, he had a personal conversation with him, for the first time. The Bochur who was not yet diligent with the Bochur who became diligent. He tells him: You should know, I’m very jealous of you. I didn’t believe that one could undergo such a change. Can you tell me what you did? His friend says to him: I’ll tell you. This year, before Rosh HaShanah, I heard a very meaningful lecture about the power of prayer, in general, and especially prayers during these ten days. The gates of heaven are open. R’ Shimshon would say, If the blessing coming down all year round is called by the Kabbalists: ‘Drops-drops’, what is it called during these days? The windows of heaven were opened. It’s like a flood compared to a drop. In short, I decided that this year I was going to focus. I’m going to mainly pray for desire in Torah learning and the strength to persist. He tells his friend: I’m not exaggerating. From the beginning of Rosh HaShanah till the end of Yom Kippur, I prayed for desire in Torah learning and the strength to persist hundreds of times. I said: Ribono shel Olam, I can’t. I’m stuck in the mud. I’m begging You. You can do it. Lift me up. He tells him: The Shofar blowing at the end of Ne’ila came, I felt a new soul within me. I thought perhaps I was imagining it, from praying for it so much and wanting to see results, but the winter Zman started, I’m sitting down for a Chavrusa during morning Seder, suddenly I check the time, it’s 1 o’clock. If the first time that day I checked the time was at 1 o’clock, it’s a sign that something good happened to me, that I didn’t notice the time passing. This Bochur became diligent through the prayers of the Ten Days of Teshuva. Rabosai, I tell this story in many places in Israel and abroad. I hear stories like the splitting of the Red Sea and the battle against Amalek. People see miracles and wonders. Rabosai, do you want an undertaking that will sweeten our judgment? An undertaking concerning a Geder that is first of all Gedarim, guarding one’s eyes? Pray for it on Rosh HaShanah, the Ten Days of Teshuva and Yom Kippur. We will see miracles and wonders. Have a good, blessed year.