In the amida prayer on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we cite toward the end of the third berakha the verse, “The Lord of Hosts ascended in judgment, and the sacred God is sanctified through justice” (Yeshayahu 5:16). This verse expresses the theme of kedusha – God’s “sanctity” – specifically as it relates to God’s role of judge over the earth. It is therefore inserted in the section of the amida discussing God’s kedushaduring the period of the Yamim Nora’im, when we highlight the Almighty’s role as judge.
What exactly does it mean that God “ascends in judgment”?
In this chapter of Yeshayahu, God describes Benei Yisrael as a wealthy, arrogant society that focuses its attention on material excess and indulgence, and He warns of the impending catastrophe that will be visited upon the nation as a result. In verses 11-12, for example, God depicts the people’s indulgence in drinking and music, and their utter disregard for their religious responsibilities. In the next verse, He warns of the hunger and thirst they will suffer as a result of their preoccupation with wealth, food and drink. The purpose of this calamity, God proclaims, is, “Mankind is [then] lowered, the man is humbled; the eyes of the haughty ones shall be humbled” (5:15). The arrogance and self-absorption displayed by the people infringes upon God’s honor. He is thus compelled to humble them by destroying their wealth, at which point, “The Lord of Hosts ascends [or, ‘is raised’] through justice…” The retribution visited upon the overly confident, egotistical evildoers “raises” God and reminds the world of His unparalleled power and authority over all people.
We cite this verse in our Yamim Nora’im prayers because it expresses the significance of God’s role of judge. His judgment of the world demonstrates His exclusive control and authority, instantly placing all people – including the wealthy and prominent members of the upper classes – in the position of helpless defendants whose fate lies solely in the hands of the Judge.
The Mabit, in his Beit Elokim (Sha’ar Ha-teshuva, 15), suggests a different reading of this verse, namely, that God “ascends” during judgment to evaluate His subjects from a distance, rather than inspecting them up close. When sitting in judgment, God mercifully avoids analyzing our conduct too closely, He does not thoroughly inspect our behavior to unearth our mistakes and defects. By invoking God’s compassion through our efforts to repent, we succeed in avoiding detailed scrutiny which would expose our numerous faults and misdeeds.
Besides offering us encouragement during this period of judgment, the Mabit’s insight is also instructive concerning our relationship to others. We, too, should endeavor to evaluate our peers from “up high,” from a distance, rather than looking to scrutinize. If the Almighty makes a point of judging from afar, to take into account our overall standing rather than inspect the small details of our characters, then we should similarly learn to respect others for their overall achievements without “digging” to unearth their small faults and imperfections.
Courtesy of Yeshivat Etzion - www.etzion.org.il