How to Merit Hashem’s Mercy on Rosh Hashanah: The Power of Jewish Unity

Judgment Day is approaching. On Rosh Hashanah, when the Books of Life are opened, there is one question that comes before all the others: Do we stand before our Creator as children or as servants?

The difference between the two is profound. The familiar prayer Avinu Malkeinu reflects this distinction in its very wording: first “Our Father,” and only then “Our King.” When a child makes a mistake or strays from the proper path, a father's compassion is awakened, as the verse says, “As a father has compassion on his children.” A servant who violates the king's commands, however, faces judgment according to the law.

What Makes Us Hashem's Children?

The answer can be found in Parashat Re'eh: “You are children of Hashem your God; you shall not cut yourselves” (Deuteronomy 14:1).

Our Sages also derived from the words lo titgodedu (do not cut yourselves) a prohibition against dividing the Jewish people into competing factions: “Do not form separate groups.”

This raises an obvious question. Why does the Torah introduce this prohibition against division with the declaration, “You are children of Hashem your God”?

The answer points to a fundamental principle of Jewish unity: Hashem desires unity among His children. Conflict between brothers undermines the very relationship implied by the word “children.” In other words, one of the ways we express our identity as Hashem's children is by standing together rather than allowing disagreement to tear us apart.

“You Are Standing Today, All of You”

Parashat Nitzavim opens with a powerful image. Every level of the Jewish people, from the leaders of the tribes to the woodcutters and water carriers, stands together before Hashem to enter into a covenant:

“You are standing today, all of you, before Hashem your God: the heads of your tribes, your elders and your officers, every man of Israel; your children, your wives, and the stranger in your camp, from your woodcutter to your water carrier.”

Chassidic teachings see in this verse an allusion not only to that historic moment, but also to Rosh Hashanah itself. On Rosh Hashanah, all of us, despite our different roles and spiritual levels, stand once again before the Source of life and receive renewed vitality for the coming year.

The key is contained in the words “all of you.” The different groups remain different, but they stand together. When that unity exists, Hashem's fatherly compassion shines upon us, and we merit to be regarded as His children.

This does not mean erasing distinctions, hierarchy, or individuality. Torah scholars have a unique status, and there are many different levels and roles within the Jewish people. Unity does not mean sameness.

The Torah says, “He became King in Yeshurun when the heads of the people gathered together, the tribes of Israel united” (Deuteronomy 33:5). It is precisely when the different tribes come together that Hashem's kingship is revealed.

A Theme That Runs Through Tishrei

The principle of unity does not end with Rosh Hashanah, but continues throughout the month of Tishrei.

Before Yom Kippur, we ask forgiveness from one another and grant forgiveness, working to remove the barriers that have formed between us. At Kol Nidrei, the community declares its willingness to pray together even with those who have transgressed.

Then is Sukkot, when the Four Species are brought together as one. Each species is different and represents something different, yet the mitzvah requires them to be joined.

Even the etrog retains its individual identity. It is held alongside the other species rather than losing itself within them. The symbolism is striking: unity does not require anyone to disappear. We can come close to others, influence them, and be influenced by them while remaining ourselves.

Perhaps it is also significant that Tishrei is the seventh month. The number seven carries a theme of wholeness in Jewish thought: six directions surrounding and converging upon a single center.

True unity is not created by eliminating differences. It is created when our differences find a common center.

Unity Also Has Boundaries

With all the emphasis on unity, there is an important balance that must not be overlooked.

The verse says, “You are standing today, all of you, before Hashem your God.” Unity has a spiritual purpose. It is not a demand to erase every distinction or pretend that every behavior is acceptable.

The Baal HaTanya addresses this delicate balance in chapter 32 of Tanya. When someone who shares a commitment to Torah and mitzvot has gone astray, there may be a place for rebuke and, when appropriate, a certain degree of distance.

When dealing with someone who is simply far removed from Torah, however, the approach is different. The Baal HaTanya invokes the teaching of Hillel: “Be among the disciples of Aharon, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving people and drawing them close to Torah.”

The goal is to draw people closer through bonds of love. Even when those efforts do not immediately succeed, the love itself has value.

Ultimately, both appropriate rebuke and genuine love, when they come from the right place, can express the same desire: to see another Jew as a brother or sister, not as a stranger.

How Do We Want to Stand Before Hashem?

As Rosh Hashanah approaches, the question before us is not only, “What will I do better this year?” But also, will we stand together?

We come before Hashem with different backgrounds, personalities, struggles, strengths, and spiritual levels. The Torah does not ask us to erase those differences, but to remember what exists beneath them. We are one people, standing before one Father.

The opening words of Nitzavim therefore carry a particularly powerful message as we approach the Days of Awe: “You are standing today, all of you, before Hashem your God.”

If we want to awaken the compassion of Avinu, our Father, then we must remember that the people standing beside us are His children too. Unity does not mean agreeing about everything. It means refusing to allow our disagreements to erase the bond that connects us.

As we prepare to stand before Hashem on Rosh Hashanah, perhaps one of the greatest preparations we can make is to stand together.