Adapted from the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s teachings by Rabbi Simon Jacobson

Every new year radiates a new Divine light that had never yet shone. The light of the previous year withdraws to its source on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, ‘when the moon is covered.’ Then, the Shofar sounds and the prayers arouse an entirely new and superior sublime light that has never yet shone since the beginning. Its manifestation depends on our actions, merits and penitence here below.”
(Tanya Igeret HaKodesh 14)

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The past year has seen great unrest and upheaval, centered in the Middle East but reverberating throughout the world. We are confused by the paradox of our times: The new technologies dramatically improving our standard of living cannot protect us from primitive Jihad extremism. Medical and scientific advances haven’t improved the quality of our emotional and intimate lives, only amplifying the dissonance between our outer and inner lives, between material progress and spiritual regression.

We are left with a sense of helplessness over the future.

Yet despite the fear of the unknown, we are blessed with a new Rosh Hashanah, the New Year that is a source of new hope, vision and direction.

One hundred years ago, at the dawn of the 20th century, life was more difficult, bringing us the most deadly period in all of history. But then, as now, we had a gift called Rosh Hashanah, and we had an invaluable companion, the Torah of life and direction –that has been at our side through thick or thin, through the worst of times and the best of times, to illuminate and inspire us. Torah helps us transcend the immediate challenges by seeing the bigger picture, and giving us strength and clarity to forge ahead.

A century ago, the Rebbe Rashab launched a classic series of discourses to explain these ideas.
What is higher, Rabbi Sholom Ber of Lubavitch asks, heaven or earth? Which is superior: spirit or matter? The Talmud offers two opinions: The school of Shammai argues that heaven precedes and is greater than earth. The school of Hillel disagrees and feels that earth precedes and is superior to heaven.

The Rebbe Rashab explains that both opinions are correct, each addressing a different perspective. On the conscious level, heaven precedes earth. But from the perspective of the true goal of creation and purpose of existence, earth is the ultimate purpose, while heaven is only a means to an end.

The process of implementing any plan (say, real-estate development) consists of various stages, from initial abstract concepts to written designs and charts, from the skeleton layout to the final product. Obviously, the early planning stages must precede the actual building. But the initial purpose of the entire plan is fulfilled only by the final finished structure.

To quote the Friday night Lecha Dodi prayer: “Sof maaseh b’machshovo techila,” “Last in action, yet first in thought.” Or as expressed in the Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Formation): “The end is wedged in the beginning; the beginning in the end.”

The purpose of Creation, including the loftiest levels of spirituality, is to transform the material earth into a Divine home. In doing so, each of us creates something new – something possible only here on earth, not up in heaven.

All spiritual dimensions, even the highest revelations, are just that: revelation. They only reveal higher states of consciousness. Nothing new is generated, but a selfless act in a selfish world, the kind gesture in a callous environment, like the lowly seed planted in the ground can give birth to new fruit. The inedible seed produces a delicious crop.

In mystical Kabbalistic terms: All divine sefirot do no not innovate or create anything new; they only reveal that which is higher than them. The very lowest, Malchut, however, is rooted in the Divine Essence (“The end is wedged in the beginning”) that is beyond revelation, and includes sources that are not transmitted in the light. Therefore Malchut has the power to actually create anew, while even the highest Keter creates levels that are relatively new, but still sublime. Only Malchut has the power to create material existence, a truly new entity.

The same is true in our efforts to “refine the sparks:” The primary objective of refining the material universe is fulfilled only here on earth, in our “lowest” world, where the Divine light seems to be concealed. Here, we create a new state of being; converting matter into spirit, transforming the inclination to narcissistic survival into a selfless channel that serves a higher calling.

Despite the greatness of the noble Atzilut soul, the true purpose of creation is fulfilled by the “simple servant,” for only he truly creates a new energy.

In probing the dynamics of innovation and creation, Samach-Vav defines the two conditions necessary for true innovation: 1) The simple servant is under the control of the material domain and has no natural spiritual inclination. Thus, his choice of Divine service is a complete and unprecedented transformation from a materially driven individual to one totally subjugated to the Divine. 2) The effort – and its results are completely self generated, not due to any other infusion or assistance, or a result of a ready-made product. When someone else does the work for you, you are getting a ready made product. It therefore does not contain the innovation, and resulting pleasure, of self-initiated effort.

Higher souls with an innate sense of the Divine do not create real transformation, only revelation. Only the self-generated hard work here below fulfills the ultimate purpose of existence: To transform the material universe into a Divine home – a truly new innovation, drawing down unprecedented energy from the Essence of the Divine.

After all of life’s difficult challenges, after all the pain and loss, what do we ultimately achieve? Do we actually have the power to generate something worthwhile, or is life one aimless battle to make ends meet? Is there something more to life than mere survival? Do our choices and actions make a difference in the world, or are they merely arbitrary?

Rosh Hashanah offers a powerful answer: Precisely through the challenge of overcoming darkness, with no Divine revelation, our self-generated effort draws new, unprecedented energy and fulfills the purpose of all existence.

Many of our activities are about reshaping the old. We tinker with what we are given and try to produce something nicer. But our greatest achievement that gives us the most satisfaction, is when we create something new.

Yes, we have the power to create. Not just reveal, expose, actualize potential, but to innovate – to give birth to something utterly new. Each of us has a unique contribution to make, to play a special stanza in the song that was never sung before.

As this complicated year comes to a close and we enter the New Year, it is empowering to know that this Rosh Hashanah brings “a new and more sublime light that has never shone since the beginning of the world.” Its manifestation, however, depends on our initiative.

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