Last Shabbos of the Year = All the Shabbosim of 5776

By Rabbi Avi Neuberger

The Bris Avrohom (of Slonim) would say: Since Chazal write, “One day of the year can be considered like the complete year” (Rosh Hashanah 2b), it is possible for one to rehabilitate the entire year even on its final day. Certainly the same applies to the last Shabbos of the year: It is possible to elevate the Shabbosos of the entire year on this final Shabbos.

His son in law, the Nesivos Shalom adds:

Aside from the restoration of the past year that can be achieved on this final Shabbos, this Shabbosserves also as the gateway and preparation for the awesome Yomim Noraim of the following year.

When a Jew stands on the days before Rosh Hashanah, he is faced with a question, “How will I look when I appear before the King? How can I possibly enter the great and awesome “Day of Hashem”? How can I again come to plead before Heaven about all the things troubling me when looming before me are the barriers and blockades that I myself erected through the sins I performed throughout the entire year?”

The entranceway can be found on this final Shabbos of the year, for the “Be’er Mayim Chaim” writes:

The Zohar (cheleik 2, 88a) states: “All the blessings for above and below depend upon the seventh day (of Shabbos). For all matters and aspects pertaining to the following week are determined and sourced in the preceding Shabbos.” This, then, is the idea of Shabbos Hagadol, for through this Shabbos all the radiance of Pesach flows. Similarly, the radiance of Yom HaKippurim flows through Shabbos Shuvah. And by the same token, all aspects of Rosh Hashanah stream through the preceding  Shabbos, the final Shabbos of the year.

Even this great and awesome day— the time during which His nation Yisrael is judged at the start of the year; when their lives, livelihood and sustenance is ordained—everything is determined and flows through that preceding Shabbos. This likewise applies to all the spiritual levels that can attained on Rosh Hashanah, asChazal say, “They are all examined with a single glance.” This means that all souls pass before Hashem and He assigns each that which befits and corresponds to the source of this soul. All this exists already on this final holyShabbos, which serves as the gateway and entrance to Rosh Hashanah.

Nesivos Shalom, Moadim, Elul, ma’amar Shabbos Shelifnei Rosh Hashanah

{Matzav.com}