{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection","title":"Elul 16 - Three Keys to Rosh Hashanah Judgment","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1852,"description":"Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores what it really means to stand in judgment on Rosh Hashanah. Drawing on the Mishnah’s description that every person passes before Hashem “Kivnei Maron,” he explains that the heavenly judgment is intensely personal. We are not evaluated merely as members of a crowd. Hashem looks at each individual—the words we spoke, the abilities we were given, what we accomplished with those gifts, and the influence our choices had on the people around us.  \nThe first area of accountability is speech. What did we talk about throughout the year? Were our words truthful? Did we fulfill our commitments? What did we praise and value? Rabbi Wolbe invokes King Solomon’s teaching that a person can be understood by what he praises. Our conversations reveal what occupies our hearts: materialism and distractions, or growth, relationships, family, Torah, and becoming better servants of Hashem. \nThe second area is personal potential. Hashem does not compare us to our neighbors; He compares us to the person we were capable of becoming. Through the story of the Netziv—who feared arriving in Heaven only to be asked, “Where is your book?”—Rabbi Wolbe teaches that we may possess abilities far beyond what our parents, teachers, or even we ourselves imagine. We are not masters of results, but we are responsible for effort. Selling ourselves short means leaving Divine gifts unused.  \nThe third area is influence. Every person affects others, especially in a world where our words and actions are constantly visible. Do people become stronger because they watch us, or do our compromises give them permission to compromise as well? Rabbi Wolbe shares his grandfather’s advice that one powerful preparation for Rosh Hashanah is to become a valuable asset to the community—to serve, volunteer, uplift, encourage, and become someone whose presence matters to others. \nUltimately, Rosh Hashanah is not meant to be approached only with dread. It is a magnificent festival in which we crown...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/76tI1XOrBfK-PjMp-DsYPvoo8EZGRPqfIP9oxC23HYU/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8zN2Vi/ZDJhMmE0MjViNjFl/MWZkODkzOWUwZmJm/ZTQ5ZS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}