Igrot Kodesh · Letter 249 — Rosh Hashana · Man's Creation and Divine Kingship

27 Elul 5706

To the honorable Elchanan Cohen, also called Alexander Kowen [1], may he live.

I hereby bless you and all those close to you with a Ketiva vaChatima Tova* — to be written and sealed for a good and sweet year.

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In connection with Rosh Hashana*, it is worthwhile to reflect on the following:

Rosh Hashana* falls on the sixth day of creation — the day on which man was created — and not on the first day of creation. Why is this significant?

The first five days of creation represent the creation of the material world. And the nature of material, physical creation is that it conceals and hides the divine light — it creates a 'darkness' that allows for false and mistaken ideas to take hold.

But when man was created on the sixth day, he was given the power and the capacity to illuminate the material world — through his observance of Torah* and mitzvot*, he elevates and refines the physical, lifting up all the worlds together with himself.

Thus, on the very day of his creation, Adam* proclaimed the kingship of Hashem* over all of creation. This is recorded in Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer*, chapter 11, and in the Zohar*, volume 1, page 221b: Adam* called out to all of creation, 'Come, let us bow down and prostrate ourselves before Hashem* our maker' (Psalms 95:6).

This is the inner meaning of Rosh Hashana* — not merely a day of judgment, but the day on which the purpose of all creation is renewed and reaffirmed: that man, through Torah* and mitzvot*, illuminates the darkness of the material world and reveals the divine light within it.

May Hashem* grant us and all of Israel* a good and sweet year — materially and spiritually.

With blessings,
M. Schneerson

P.S. Enclosed is a copy of the letter sent to Stolman [2].