Measure for Measure?
Rosh HaShanah is the day Adam and Eve were created and the day they came before the Heavenly Court and were judged for their deeds. Similarly, all people are judged by the heavenly court each year on Rosh HaShanah by their own actions as witnesses.
We see this, for example, in the story of Job. We read, "Now there was a day when the sons of Elokim came to present themselves before Havayah, and the Adversary came also among them." (Job 1:6) "Now there was a day," Rabbi Elazar says that "a day" here refers to Rosh Hashanah, the day that G-d rises to judge the world.
The sons of Elokim can refer to angels who travel the world to watch what people do. But we can also interpret angels as our words, our deeds, our thoughts.
Good deeds create angels that advocate for us in heaven. Bad deeds create angels that prosecute us in heaven. The Baal Shem Tov took this to the next level and taught that not only our deeds, but the words we speak also create angels.
It is our thoughts, words and deeds that testify for or against us. If we live our lives in accordance with our 7 Noahides Mitzvot it will be for our good, if we do not observe them or neglect them - and we do not regret it - it will be for our bad.
In Job we see that besides the angels, one more angel is specifically mentioned. The adversary. We can think of this as all the words - thoughts - we had during the past year to judge others negatively or when we did not give them the benefit of the doubt. This witness is the most important witness in the heavenly court. For: With the measure with which you measure, you will be measured. [Middah k'negged middah].
So how important it is to judge people positively! To forgive them if they ask for it!
The reward that people receive for doing Mitzvot is so great that [except for non-pious Noahides or unbelievers] they do not receive it in this life but in the World to Come. The reward people receive in this life is the time and opportunities to do more Mitzvot.
May we only be written in the Book of Life to do more Mitzvot in the coming year.
Brought By Angelique Sijbolts
Angelique Sijbolts is one of the main writers for the Noahide Academy. She has been an observant Noahide for many years. She studies Torah with Rabbi Perets every week. Angelique invests much of her time in editing video-lectures for the Rabbis of the Academy and contributes in administrating the Academy's website in English and Dutch. She lives in the north of the Netherlands. Married and mother of two sons. She works as a teacher in a school with students with special needs. And is a Hebrew Teacher for the levels beginners and intermediate. She likes to walk, to read and play the piano.
Sources
AskNoah Article: Sons of G-d” angels (Job 1:6) and Rosh HaShanah
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