September 15, 2025|כ"ב אלול ה' אלפים תשפ"ה Accountability and Faith: The Dual Path of the Yamim Nora’im By Rabbi Jonathan Muskat

As we prepare for Rosh HaShana, one of the rituals that ushers in this season – at least for Ashkenazim – is the beginning of Selichot, which start tonight. Our Sephardic brothers and sisters have already been reciting them since Elul – that’s the tradeoff for kitniyot on Pesach!

But what is Selichot really about? On one level, it’s about saying sorry – reflecting on our mistakes and taking responsibility. But it’s more than that.

The Mishnah teaches that on Rosh HaShana kol ba’ei olam ovrin l’fanecha kivnei maron – all pass before God like bnei maron. The Gemara (Rosh HaShana 18a) gives three explanations:

1.    Like sheep, moving as a flock – passive, indistinguishable, dependent on the Shepherd.

2.    Like travelers on a narrow mountain pass – each step dangerous, trembling with fear.

3.    Like the soldiers of King David – marching with courage, determination, and strength.

So which image defines us? Passive sheep? Fearful travelers? Or confident soldiers?

Years ago, I suggested it depends on preparation: if we prepare well, we can stand before God as confident soldiers, not just anxious travelers or submissive sheep. That was the ideal. But now – I’m not so sure.

About a month ago, I shared a hike I took to Iceberg Lake in Glacier National Park. On the trail, I met a Baptist preacher, his wife, and their children. What struck me was how well-behaved the kids were: walking in line, calm, no fighting.

I compared it to my family hikes: Ahava refusing to go, Netanel provoking Daniel, Leora tripping and injuring herself and Elisheva veering off the trail and nobody realizing for a long time. Watching this Baptist family, I wondered: how do they manage this?

At one point, the preacher’s wife, the Baptist Rebbetzin, explained to Yael: “It’s simple. The kids behave because they’re afraid of going to Hell.” Fear of punishment was the motivator.

But the more we spoke, the more their theology struck her. She explained that in Catholicism, people are born bad but can repair themselves through good deeds. In her Baptist faith tradition, by contrast, people are born bad and stay bad. The only path to redemption is belief in their god. Good deeds are not intrinsically valuable – they are merely proof of faith.

Yael was in shock. Yael kept asking: then how do you encourage your kids to practice good deeds? Her answer was: “If you do good deeds, it shows your faith.” For her, it seemed natural to base a whole religion on faith alone. But for Yael, it felt very strange – even unsettling.

Because Judaism rejects that. We do not believe in a system where fear and faith alone guarantee salvation. We believe in personal responsibility – ma’asim, actions. The Yamim Nora’im are not about begging for salvation regardless of behavior. They’re about accountability, ownership, change.

And yet – faith still has a place. The question is: what is its role?

This week’s parsha offers perspective. It opens with the mitzvah of bringing bikkurim, first fruits, to the Beit Hamikdash and expressing gratitude to God. The Torah says v’anita v’amarta – Rashi explains this means the declaration must be said b’kol ram, aloud. But in the very next section, when we affirm that we’ve given terumot and ma’asrot properly, called vidui ma’asrot, the Torah simply says v’amarta – to be said b’kol namuch, quietly.

Rabbi Lamm explained that this contrast reflects the Jewish character: we proclaim gratitude out loud, but confess obligations softly. We underplay our achievements, while publicly acknowledging our faults.

In other words – even when we succeed, we focus not on ourselves but on God. Teshuva requires responsibility—but also faith and gratitude. We recognize that God accepts our teshuva, forgives us even when we fall short, and that even our successes are possible only with His help.

Like the star athlete who thanks the coach – we may train hard, but without God, we falter.

We see this as a people, too. For weeks, it seemed as though Israel was invincible. The army had placed a stranglehold on Gaza, soldiers were safe, citizens were protected, and enemies could be struck anywhere, anytime. Israel was doing an incredible job – taking full responsibility and succeeding. But this past week reminded us of our limits: six murdered in a terrorist attack in Ramot, four soldiers killed in Gaza, and what appears to be a failed attempt to assassinate Hamas leadership in Qatar. These tragic losses have shaken our sense of security and reminded us that, no matter how much responsibility we take, we cannot do it alone. We still need God.

And in our personal lives, too: teshuva is not only about our work. We must ask Hashem to help us, to guide us. We must work on our emunah – our faith and relationship with Him – just as much as on our deeds.

That’s where the images of the Mishnah come together. Until now, I thought sheep were passive, travelers were fearful, and only soldiers represented the ideal. But maybe sheep and travelers also hold essential truths. As sheep, we acknowledge dependence – we need God, and we are grateful when He helps us. As travelers, we feel fear, recognizing our smallness before His greatness and power. Both images reflect humility and faith, which then inspire us to act.

So Selichot are not simply reminders to repent. They are a call to humility, gratitude, and reliance on God. At the very beginning of Selichot we say: lekha Hashem ha-tzedakah, ve’lanu boshet ha-panim – to You, Hashem, belongs righteousness; to us, shame. We admit: lo b’chesed v’lo b’ma’asim banu lefanekha – we do not come before You relying only on our deeds. Ki al rachamekha ha-rabim anu botchim – we depend on Your abundant mercy, even as we take full responsibility for our behavior and commit to repent.

As the old year closes and as we prepare for the new one with heartfelt selichot this evening, may we approach Hashem with both action and faith, with accountability and humility, like the bikkurim. And may we merit the Torah’s blessing: ve’samachta b’chol hatov asher natan lecha Hashem Elokecha u’leveitecha – “And you shall rejoice in all the goodness that the Lord your God has given you and your household.”