Angels of Truth

Yom Kippur is a day on which we change not only the way we act, but even the way we look. Married men wear their Kittel and Talis the entire day, and many have the Minhag to wear other white garments as well. The color white is generally associated with the Yom HaKadosh because the Passuk in Yeshaya tells us: “Im Yihiyu Chatechem Kashanim KaShelg Yalbinu”, and it is on this day we hope that the stains of our inequity will be cleansed.

My Rebbe, R’ Moshe Twersky zt”l, point out another effect that this change in clothing has: on this day we take on the appearance of Malachim. While we have little understanding of the physical manifestation of Malachim, there are some characteristics that we learn from Divrei Chazal: Malachim have the appearance of being dressed in white, they have no need for physical sustenance and they are unable to sit. On Yom Kippur, when we wear white, eschew physical nourishment and spend most of the day standing in Teffilah, we come as close as is humanly possible to resembling Malachim. R’ Twersky discussed this idea at length, explaining how it should affect our outlook on Yom Kippur, specifically encouraging us to look forward to the day, rather than dreading it as many do.

We must however ask ourselves why we go to such great lengths to impersonate Malachim on Yom HaKippurim. What message is this practice supposed to convey to us on this, the Yom HaDin?

Perhaps a better understanding of the essence of Malachim will help us better appreciate this aspect of Yom Kippur.

One place that Malachim are prominently mentioned in the Torah is the dream that Yaakov Avinu had while he slept on Har Habayis on his way to Choron. The Passuk tells us: “VaYachalom…V’Hinei Malachei Elokim Olim V’Yordim Bo.” In his dream, Yaakov saw the Malachim going up to Shamayim and returning to earth, and the repeating the cycle in reverse.

There are a number of explanations given by Chazal as to the meaning of “Olim V’Yordim Bo”, and why the Malachim were ging up and down. One Pshat, broght in the Medrash Rabbah, seems to allow us a window into the way Malachim think, so to speak.

The Medrash tells us that according to some, “Olim V’Yordim Bo” refers not to the ladder, but to Yaakov himself, meaning that they were going up and down because of Yaakov. The Medrash continues, explaining that the Malachim went up to Shamayim and saw that the Demus of Yaakov Avinu was engraved in the Kisei HaKavod, and then they went down to the earth and saw him sleeping, repeating the cycle so as to ensure they were seeing correctly, so to speak. It seems from the Medrash that this caused some Malachim to mock or ridicule Yaakov, incredulous that one being could reach such lofty heights as to be engraved on the Kisei Hakavod itself, yet be engaged in something so physical as sleep.

If we think about it, the Malachim were clearly mistaken in their reaction to finding Yaakov asleep. We of course know that Yaakov, at that time, was sleeping for perhaps the first time in many years, following his stay in Yeshivas Shem V’Ever. But even without that, Yaakov was, after all, a human being. We are different from Malachim in that we require certain physical concessions in order to carry out our Avodas Hashem, one of which is sleep. Perhaps, though, herein lies the hallmark of Malachim: they have no ability to process excuses, good as they may be.

We see a similar outlook attributed to Malachim throughout Chazal.

For example, the Gemarah in Brachos tells us that the Malachim asked Hakadosh Baruch why he acts toward Bnei Yisroel with undue mercy, being Noseh Panim, if it says in the Torah “Asher Lo Yisah Panim V’Lo Yikach Shochad? Hashem answers the Malachim explaining that He does so because Bnei Yisroel are Medakdek B’Mitzvos. We see here again that the Malachim exhibit an inability to see beyond the most obvious and simple truth. In their world there is no room for ambiguity or flexibility—only truth.

While it may seem somewhat merciless to us, this Middah does not only result in their criticism of mankind. We are told that at the time that Bnei Yisroel said “Na’aseh V’Nishma” it was the Malachim who came down to crown us with two Kessarim. This reaction seems to fit with the sensibilities of the Malachim: Na’aseh V’Nishma is an unequivocal declaration of our intention to follow the Ratzon Hashem. When Klal Yisroel pledged to act in this manner, which precludes the opportunity to justify our actions in any way that is not in keeping with the Torah, the Malachim were appropriately pleased and therefore they were the ones to grant us the Kesarim. In fact we are also told that the syntax of “Na’aseh V’Nishma” is itself “Lashon SheMalachei HaShares Mishtamshimin Bo”, it is the way the Malachim speak of their dedication to the Dvar Hashem because it so clearly defines their essence.

Perhaps with this in mind we can understand our desire to appear and act as Malachim on Yom Kippur.

Yes, we are human, and we are generally compelled to act as such, but there is one day each year when we transcend this reality, living a purely spiritual existence. On this one day we can try to have the outlook of Malachim, cleaving to the Dvar Hashem without a hint of ambiguity, without equivocation. On this day we can examine our lives and see where we are correctly applying the justifications that our humanity provides us with and we are perhaps abusing them.

Malachim can tolerate only that which is absolutely right, abhorring any deviation from that path—they see only what is correct and not the reasons we may be allowed to act otherwise. Though we cannot live this way the whole year, perhaps Yom Kippur is a time to try and find one small area that we may. Using the inspiration of the day on which we live as Malachim, we can try to identify one part of our lives that we too can be absolute—pushing aside the excuses and rationalizations that hold us back from growth. If we are successful in this endeavor, we can take the Yom HaKadosh with us, enhancing our spiritual existence for the year to come.