1. Days of Judgment | Rabbi Eliezer Melamed | Beit Midrash

Sections
Peninei Halakha

קטגוריה משנית

Shabbat and Holidays
The High Holidays

3 min read

1. Days of Creation – Blessing and Judgment
Each year, God creates life anew for each and every one of His creations. God judges all beings on Rosh Ha-Shana, allotting blessing and abundance to the good, and minimizing them for the wicked. In addition to this being fitting and just, it is also necessary to improve the world. For if God were to extend His mercy to the wicked and provide them with an abundance of life and blessing, this would reinforce their wickedness, thus harming the entire world (Shlah).
Thus, the days on which God draws close to His creations and renews their lease on life are also the days on which He judges them. These are also the times when repentance is most readily accepted, since God is closer to His creations then. Therefore, even though it is appropriate to repent all year round, repentance is more readily accepted during the ten days between Rosh Ha-Shana and Yom Kippur. As the verse states, "Seek the Lord while He can be found; call to Him while He is near" (Yeshayahu 55:6). Accordingly, this time period is known as the Ten Days of Repentance (RH 18a; MT, Laws of Repentance 2:6).
Even though judgment does not begin until Rosh Ha-Shana and the Ten Days of Repentance, it is better to begin thinking about repentance beforehand. This way, by the time the Ten Days of Repentance arrive, we can truly return to God. Additionally, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. For as a general rule, before a person is called to account for his sins, it is relatively easy for him to express remorse for them, to rectify them by repenting, and to neutralize the charges against him or at least to minimize them. (This is true for human courts as well.) However, once the time of judgment has arrived and the prosecutor has already laid out his case, it is harder to get the charges dropped (Sifrei, Naso §42). Therefore, Jewish practice is to begin repenting in Elul.
Each year anew, we approach these days of repentance both fearfully and joyfully. We are fearful because we do not know if we will be vindicated before Him, nor what sentence we will receive if found guilty. For many people who were alive and well at the beginning of the previous year are no longer alive at year’s end, or are alive but suffering. At the same time, we are joyful because we have the opportunity to return to God through repentance, to pray before Him and offer supplications, to cleanse ourselves of the evil adhering to us, and to reconnect with our values. Even if suffering is to be our lot, this is for the best, as it will purify us from our sins and enable us to improve ourselves and have a good life.
Without a yearly accounting, the wear and tear of daily life would cause us to forget all the great ideals to which we aspire. Without a vision, we would be overcome by evil – slaves to our desires and hostages to our animalistic side. The High Holy Days allow us to remember yearly all the great hopes we had, all the topics and books which we wanted to study, all the good deeds that we wanted to do. We become disgusted with the sins to which we have fallen prey. We are sorry for having committed them, and we confess to them; and we re-examine our priorities. All this in hope that the upcoming year will be a good one, during which we will increase our Torah, mitzvot, and good deeds, and dedicate ourselves to improving our families, society, and nation. As a result, we ascend higher and higher each year, improving the world and contributing to it.
2. Justice and Judgment
The belief that God created the world and animates it is a foundation of faith. Were He to stop willing life to the world even momentarily, the entire world would cease to exist. Also foundational is that God gave man free will. If he chooses good, he draws down life and blessing upon himself and upon the world. If he chooses evil, he causes suffering and death. The choices a person makes are the criteria which determine how God manifests His justice and kindness in the world. For when He created the world, God determined that one who draws near to Him will benefit from an abundance of blessing, while one who distances himself will receive less abundance and life, leading to his suffering and death. A person who studies Torah and performs mitzvot is drawing close to God. In contrast, one who distances himself from Torah and transgresses its commandments is drawing close to death.
Thus we read, "See, I set before you this day life and prosperity, death and adversity. For I command you this day to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His laws, and His rules, that you may thrive and increase, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land that you are about to enter and possess. But if your heart turns away and you give no heed, and are lured into the worship and service of other gods, I declare to you this day that you shall certainly perish; you shall not long endure on the soil that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess" (Devarim 30:15-18). God wants us to choose life, as we read, "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life – if you and your offspring would live – by loving the Lord your God, heeding His commands, and holding fast to Him. For thereby you shall have life and shall long endure upon the soil that the Lord your God swore to your ancestors, Avraham, Yitzĥak, and Yaakov, to give to them" (ibid., verses 19-20).
It is only just that one who draws near to God, the source of life and blessing, is privileged to receive more life and blessing. In contrast, one who distances himself from the source of life is moving away from life, and thus experiences illness, suffering, and tragedy.
God gave people a wonderful gift when He granted them free will, as this means the good which they receive from God is theirs justly and by right. This knowledge provides them with joy and satisfaction, as they have earned everything through their own efforts. If God just gifted everything to people, they would not experience the same joy and satisfaction (Ramĥal, Derekh Hashem 1:2).
This experience is predicated on knowing that God’s judgment is accurate, exact, and detailed, taking into account each and every deed, each and every word, and each and every thought. True, a person is judged in accordance with the majority of his deeds, and is vindicated in judgment if his deeds are mostly meritorious. Nevertheless, he is punished for every sin which he does not rectify via repentance. Similarly, even if a person is judged harshly because most of his deeds are evil, he still receives reward for every mitzva he does. The King of Justice knows how to make these calculations. He also determines when rewards and punishments will be meted out (BK 50a; Ĥagiga 5a).
God wishes to benefit His creations, as we read, "The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is upon all His works" (Tehillim 145:9). The purpose of punishment is to correct, not to avenge. Punishment in this world is meant to direct a person so that he leaves sin and returns to the proper path, as we read, "Bear in mind that the Lord your God disciplines you just as a man disciplines his son" (Devarim 8:5). If someone has not repented in this world and so evil still adheres to him when he dies, he cannot be the recipient of divine goodness even though he has many merits. Therefore, he is sentenced to suffering in hell, where he is cleansed of evil. He can then ascend to heaven, as we read, "The Lord deals death and gives life, casts down into Sheol and raises up" (1 Shmuel 2:6). Those who are entirely wicked are eradicated in hell (RH 17a; Pesikta Rabbati §40; Nefesh Ha-ĥayim 1:12).
3. Times of Judgment
As we have seen (section 1 above), blessing and judgment are linked. At the same time that God bestows life upon the world, He also passes judgment upon it, determining who will be graced with blessing and life, and who will not. Since God renews life on Rosh Ha-shana, this is the primary time for the whole world to be judged.
Thus, the Sages state: "On Rosh Ha-shana all of humanity pass before Him like sheep, as we read (Tehillim 33:15), ‘He who fashions the hearts of them all, Who discerns all their doings’" (RH 16a). They also state, "Just as a person’s earnings are determined on Rosh Ha-shana, so are his losses" (BB 10a).
Even though judgment primarily takes place and is recorded on Rosh Ha-shana, it is sealed on Yom Kippur. Therefore, the days between the two of them are a time for repentance and prayer, which may be able to modify the judgment. R. Meir states, "All are judged on Rosh Ha-shana, and the verdicts are sealed on Yom Kippur" (RH 16a). Similarly, the Sages state, "All a person’s earnings are determined between Rosh Ha-shana and Yom Kippur" (Beitza 16a).
Even though the judgment is sealed on Yom Kippur, in exceptional circumstances it is still possible to affect it until Hoshana Rabba and Shemini Atzeret. This is because the angels responsible for carrying out sentences receive their instructions then, so it is the final stage of the yearly judgment (Zohar III 33b; Peninei Halakha: Sukkot 6:1).
While Rosh Ha-shana is the general day of judgment for the entire year, the mishna states that there are three specific areas in which other festivals function as judgment days. On Pesaĥ, judgment is passed about grain; on Shavu’ot, judgment is passed about fruit; and on Sukkot, judgment is passed about water (RH 16a). Since these holy days are a conduit for divine blessing to descend to the world, there is judgment then regarding the blessings which they convey. The timing of the holidays reflects natural processes. Sukkot is at the start of winter (the rainy season in Israel), so it is the conduit for the blessing and judgment of water. Pesaĥ is when crops grow, so it is the conduit for the blessing and judgment of the crops. Shavu’ot is when fruit begin to grow and ripen, so it is the conduit for the blessing and judgment of fruit. In other words, on Rosh Ha-shana the general fate of water, crops, and fruit is determined, while the detailed judgment is reserved for later: water on Sukkot, grain on Pesaĥ, and fruit on Shavu’ot (Peninei Halakha: Mo’adim 1:2).
4. The Gradual Descent of Blessing and Judgment
Even though judgments are written down on Rosh Ha-shana and sealed on Yom Kippur, a person’s behavior during the rest of the year still has significant impact. This is because the abundance of life allotted on Rosh Ha-shana descends to the world gradually, through Rosh Ĥodesh and Shabbat, and while descending it can be directed towards good or evil. In general, the holy days are meant to draw down blessing to the world, each day in accordance with its special character. Accompanying the blessing is judgment, to ensure that the blessing will reach those who deserve it.
Since the blessing descends via Rosh Ĥodesh, it is a time of judgment, and thus a propitious time for repentance, atonement, and forgiveness. Those who are meticulous repent on the day before Rosh Ĥodesh (also referred to as Yom Kippur Katan). Shabbat too is holy and blessed, and its blessing extends to the six weekdays. In order to ensure that the blessing extends properly, on Shabbat we should repent out of love. Homiletically, the word "Shabbat" can be understood as related to the word "teshuva" (repentance), which includes the letters of Shabbat within it.
The abundance which arrives through Rosh Ĥodesh and Shabbat descends via the weekdays as well. Each and every day has a special sanctity, as it reveals some divine aspect, never previously revealed. Accordingly, each day a person is judged to determine whether he deserves the abundance of that particular day. This is the meaning of R. Yossi’s statement, "A person is judged every day" (RH 16a). Actually, every hour presents a unique opportunity to reveal a certain aspect of holiness, and thus there is an element of ever-present judgment. This is the meaning of R. Natan’s statement, "A person is judged every hour" (ibid.). Because of the blessing and judgment that take place daily, we pray Shacharit, Minĥa, and Ma’ariv daily, to improve the blessing and judgment specific to that day.
The judgments passed on Rosh Ĥodesh, Shabbat, and the rest of the year do not actually change the judgment written and sealed at the beginning of the year. How is this possible? While the judgment is written and sealed at the beginning of the year, the way it will be carried out is not. This is tremendously important, for better and for worse. It can be compared to a country’s budget. Even though the budget is passed at the beginning of the year and the government does not have the authority to change it, every minister has the ability to influence how the budget will be divided. Even ministry bureaucrats may have the ability to direct it towards good or evil. (See Berakhot 58a.) Similarly, the deeds done all year can influence the Rosh Ha-shana judgment for better or for worse. The Gemara elaborates (RH 17b): "What is an example of ‘for better’? Let us say the Jews were completely wicked as of Rosh Ha-shana, and therefore were allotted only a small amount of rain. Later, they repented. It is not possible to send more rain, as the amount has already been determined. However, God can make sure that rain falls at the ideal times and in the places that most need it. (This way, a minimal amount of rain can still bring great blessing.) What is an example of ‘for worse’? Let us say that the Jews were completely righteous as of Rosh Ha-shana, and therefore a lot of rain was allotted to them. Later, they sinned. It is not possible to send less rain, as the amount has already been determined. Rather, God can make sure that rain falls at the wrong times and in places that do not need it. (Thus, the rain is useless)."
The ideal sequence is as follows. We repent during the month of Elul, and accept God’s kingship on Rosh Ha-shana, leading to a good initial judgment. We continue to ascend spiritually by repenting on Yom Kippur, leading to a better final judgment. With this momentum, we continue to walk in God’s ways. We absorb the abundance of holiness on Shabbat, holidays, and Rosh Ĥodesh, thus increasing the enlightenment and blessing present in every day, hour, and minute.
5. Judgment and the World to Come
The judgment passed on Rosh Ha-shana relates to a person’s life in this world and in the World to Come. As far as judgment as it relates to this world, we have discussed it in the previous sections, and will continue to discuss it in the upcoming sections. Let us now take the opportunity to explain judgment as it relates to the World to Come. First, we must explain that life in the World to Come has two stages. The first stage begins with a person’s death, when his soul ascends to the world of souls, where there is heaven for the righteous and hell for the wicked. The next stage is after the resurrection of the dead has perfected the world. At that time, souls will once again unite with bodies, and together they will experience an infinite ascent (Ramban, Sha’ar Ha-gemul; Ramĥal, Derekh Hashem 1:3; Shelah, Toldot Adam, Beit David).
Both these stages of the World to Come are also referred to as the World of Truth. In contrast to this world, where falsehood dominates and external appearance obscures internal essence, in the World to Come the true value of a person and the true worth of his actions become clear.
Since the World to Come is incomparably more important than this world, as "this world is like a corridor leading to the World to Come" (Avot 4:16), the judgment which occurs on Rosh Ha-shana primarily relates to the World to Come. This judgment can be divided into two parts.
The first takes into account all the deeds of the past year. For a person’s good deeds, reward awaits him in the World to Come; for his evil deeds, punishment awaits him. But the judgment passed on Rosh Ha-shana is not final. If he repents during the upcoming years, he can save himself from hell, and increase his reward in the World to Come. If, God forbid, he regrets the good deeds he has done and wishes them undone, he will go to hell and lose the reward which had been reserved for him in the World to Come.
The second relates to the opportunities to draw close to God in the upcoming year. If someone’s judgment on Rosh Ha-shana is favorable (=life), he will have experiences during the year which will help him continue to ascend in Torah and mitzvot. Through these he will merit life in the World to Come. When he studies Torah, he merits additional enlightenment and understanding; when he is involved with mitzvot and good deeds, he merits additional happiness and blessing, comparable to the World to Come. If, God forbid, his judgment is unfavorable (=death), during the upcoming year he will find himself facing many trials and difficult situations which are liable to distance him from God and lose him his place in the World to Come. Even when he studies Torah, it will be hard for him to absorb the divine light within it; even when he engages in mitzvot, he will not be privileged to feel the sanctity and pleasure they bring. This is the meaning of the Sages’ statement (Avot 4:2), "A mitzva brings another mitzva in its wake, while a sin brings another sin in its wake, because the reward for mitzva performance is a mitzva, and the punishment for sinning is sin" (Nefesh Ha-ĥayim 1:12).
In general, reward is referred to as "life." Life means closeness and connection with God, the source of life. This closeness allows a person to experience all the goodness that God brings to this world, the world of souls, and the World to Come. God is the source of all the goodness of life, and all the pleasures and delights of this world flow from Him. But they are only a pale reflection of the ultimate pleasure, namely closeness to God. The Sages state, "One hour of spiritual bliss in the World to Come is better than the whole of life in this world" (Avot 4:17). This is because in the World to Come, a person has the privilege to be with God and enjoy the radiance of the Shekhina (Divine Presence). Life there becomes immeasurably stronger and more intense. In contrast, the divine light which reaches us in this world is filtered and constricted. Nevertheless, by drawing closer to God through Torah study and mitzva observance, a person can experience the equivalent of the World to Come in this world, taking pleasure in his closeness to God.
While reward is referred to as "life," punishment is referred to as "death," meaning distance from the source of life. The distance leads to the suffering and death of the body in this world, and the suffering of the soul in the World to Come.
6. The Depth and Complexity of Judgment
The broad outlines of judgment are straightforward. Anyone who walks in God’s ways is blessed in both this world and the World to Come, while anyone who is wicked is punished in both this world and the World to Come. However, things do not always work out this way. There are many possible reasons for this, as we will detail below, and it is all meant to improve the world.
Before we begin to study this, a fundamental principle must be grasped. In order for human efforts to improve the world to be meaningful, people must have free will. Were people immediately rewarded or punished for their actions, free will would be compromised. Thus, as the world has not yet reached perfection, it is governed by the laws of nature and chance which God established. This means it is not possible for all the righteous to thrive and all the wicked to suffer. Judgment as it applies to each individual is incredibly complex and involves myriad details. Therefore, there are always righteous people coping with suffering, and wicked people enjoying this-worldly pleasures. This allows free will to be preserved. When a person chooses to do good, he improves himself and the entire world.
Nevertheless, if we take the long view, for example when it comes to relationships and true happiness, we find that in this world too, usually the righteous experience blessing while the wicked suffer. The crux of our challenge then is to disregard our evil inclination, which pushes us to take a superficial and short-sighted view of the world, and instead to follow our good inclination, which encourages us to look at the world more deeply and with the long view. If in fact people get their just deserts in this world, doesn’t this compromise free choice? No, because this fact is not immediately apparent and thus is easily missed.
Let us explain some of the details. One person’s destiny is to be rich and to deal with the challenges that accompany wealth. Even if he sins greatly, he will remain rich. His judgment on Rosh Ha-shana is about the conditions of his life as a wealthy person. Will he find pleasure in his wealth, or will he worry non-stop? He is also judged regarding his spirituality (World to Come). Will his wealth help him to withstand trials, be they minor or major? Might they even help in his worship of God? Another person’s destiny is to cope with poverty. Even if he is righteous, he will remain poor. The question is simply whether his poverty will be bearable or unbearable. In terms of the World to Come, will his life circumstances promote his worship of God or disrupt it? (Rarely, a person can actually change his destiny, due to truly outstanding merits or extremely grave sins.)
Sometimes, a person’s destiny is not absolute, but only determines a direction, and this allows for certain changes. In such cases, the judgment on Rosh Ha-shana can determine the details. For example, within the category of someone who is meant to have money, the question remains – will he be comfortable, rich, or filthy rich? Similarly, within the category of someone who is meant to do without – will he be a little strapped, poor, or grindingly poor?
7. Considerations in Judgment
Sometimes a person is destined to be neither rich nor poor. If he has made good choices in matters connected to money and charity, then he deserves to be wealthy. That way, he can continue to make these choices and become even more righteous. However, it may be clear to the Knower of Secrets that were he to become wealthy, his evil inclination would tempt him to become arrogant, covetous, and stingy; he would no longer be righteous. Since people’s relationship to God is the most important thing and their eternal life depends on it, heaven has mercy upon him and sentences him to struggle to make a living. This way he avoids the difficult challenge, and he is more likely to earn a place in the World to Come. Without such mercy, he may experience wealth in this world, but face such serious challenges that he is likely to end up in hell.
Another consideration which comes into play in judgment is how difficult it is for a person to choose good or avoid evil. Some people are born with a very strong evil inclination, or grow up in very difficult and toxic environments. If they succeed in learning even a small amount of Torah and manage to do a few good deeds, this is extremely impressive, and they will receive tremendous reward. As the Sages say, "In accordance with the pain is the reward" (Avot 5:23). Other people are born with a strong good inclination, or grow up in a supportive environment. If they nevertheless sin, they will be severely punished.
Sometimes a wicked person who has done a few mitzvot is rewarded for them in this world, but ultimately he will suffer in hell. Similarly, sometimes a righteous person who has committed a few sins receives his punishment in this world, so that he will ascend to heaven in purity. Even though reward and punishment in this world are trivial compared to reward and punishment in the World to Come, these judgments are still fair. The wicked person performed mitzvot with superficial motivations, because he wanted to show off and impress people. Thus, it is fitting that his reward be in this superficial, transient world, rather than in the World of Truth. In contrast, the primary interest of the righteous person was closeness to God. If he sinned accidentally, just as his sin was superficial, so is his punishment. This will purify him and lead him to enter the World to Come without a stain on his soul (Kiddushin 39b; Derekh Hashem 2:2:6).
These are a few of the factors that God takes into account in judgment. In the upcoming sections, we will elaborate upon additional considerations. From man’s perspective, what is important is to repent and return to God. For even if we do not understand the profundity of the judgment, we know definitively that repentance and good deeds are always good for a person. The reward for them is received primarily in the World to Come, and secondarily in this world. As long as a person is alive in this world of free choice, his actions are of incalculable value and earn him eternal reward. This is as the Sages say, "One hour of repentance and good deeds in this world is better than the whole of life in the World to Come" (Avot 4:17).
8. The Individual and the Collective in the Land of Israel and the Diaspora
It is important to be aware that even though judgment is passed on Rosh Ha-shana for each nation as a whole and for each and every individual, nevertheless the judgment of individuals is very influenced by the general state of their nation. This is in accordance with what the Torah tells us about the Jewish nation in the section dealing with blessings and curses: "If you follow My laws and faithfully observe My commandments, I will grant your rains in their season so that the earth shall yield its produce and the tress of the field their fruit. I will grant peace in the land. . . . You shall give chase to your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. . . . I will be ever present in your midst; I will be your God, and you shall be My people. . . . But if you do not obey Me and do not observe all these commandments . . . I in turn will do this to you: I will wreak misery upon you – consumption and fever, which cause the eyes to pine and the body to languish; you shall sow your seed to no purpose, for your enemies shall eat it. . . . I will break your proud glory. I will make your skies like iron and your earth like copper, so that your strength shall be spent to no purpose. Your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit. . . . I will lay your cities in ruin and make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not savor your pleasing odors. . . . And you I will scatter among the nations, and I will unsheathe the sword against you. Your land shall become a desolation and your cities a ruin. . . . You shall not be able to stand your ground before your enemies, but shall perish among the nations; and the land of your enemies shall consume you" (Vayikra 26).
Sometimes there is no contradiction between the judgment of the nation and that of the individual. For, even if the nation as a whole merits an abundance of blessing, this does not mean that a few individuals cannot be punished for their sins. Similarly, if the nation as a whole is punished, this does not mean that a few individuals cannot be rewarded. However, sometimes there is a contradiction between the judgment of the nation and that of the individual. For example, if a harsh decree such as destruction or exile has been decreed against the nation, the righteous of necessity will also suffer. Nevertheless, the judgment stands, and the righteous will receive their reward in the world of souls, in heaven. Similarly, if the nation as a whole is good, the wicked of necessity will not receive their punishment in this world but in the world of souls, in hell. The completion of judgment will be in the World to Come when the dead are resurrected and souls reunite with bodies.
It is also important to be aware that when the Jewish nation is in exile and the Temple lies in ruins, God’s role in the world is deeply hidden. It appears as if God has left the earth and evil rules the world; the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer. The same forces of evil that destroyed the Temple allow the wicked to prosper. Just as the Shekhina is suffering in exile, so too the righteous are drowning in pain and suffering. Additionally, when harsh decrees are passed against the Jews, all individual Jews suffer as a result.
The righteous suffer more than anyone else from the exile of the Jews. While it does not seem fair, this is the way of the righteous. As long as the honor of heaven is trampled by non-Jews, the righteous take no joy from this-worldly pleasures. Their sorrow and mourning for Zion and the Temple allow them to cling to the Shekhina and draw redemption nearer. For this, their reward is very great.
9. The Judgment of the Jews
The judgment of the Jewish people influences the entire world, since the relationship of the Jews to the non-Jews is comparable to the heart’s relationship to the body’s other organs. The existence of the entire world depends upon the Jews, who must reveal the light of Torah in the world in order to guide it to perfection. Thus the Gemara declares, "God made a condition with the creation and said, ‘If the Jews accept the Torah, you will continue to exist; if not, I will return the world to chaos’" (Shabbat 88a). Ever since the Torah was given to the Jews, the world’s existence has depended upon their adherence to it. Furthermore, the redemption of the world depends upon the repentance of the Jews. Since the Jews bear such great responsibility, when they sin their punishment is more severe than the punishment that non-Jews would receive for the same sin. On the other hand, the reward of the Jews for choosing what is right is greater as well, since by doing so they draw down blessing and redemption to the entire world.
Therefore, judgment on Rosh Ha-shana begins with the Jewish people, as we read, "Blow the shofar on the new moon, on the full moon for our festival day; for it is a law for Israel, a ruling for the God of Jacob" (Tehillim 81:4-5). Only after judging the Jews does God judge the other nations (RH 8a-b).
The Gemara’s declaration above would seem to imply that if (God forbid) the Jews choose evil, God will destroy them and the entire world. But God chose His nation, and entered into a covenant with them. Therefore, even if they sin greatly, He will not desert them. Rather, He will punish them horribly and rule over them wrathfully, in order to encourage them to return to the right path. This accords with the conclusion of the section of blessings and curses in Vayikra: "Yet even then, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or spurn them so as to destroy them, annulling My covenant with them; for I the Lord am their God. I will remember in their favor the covenant with the ancients, whom I freed from the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God; I am the Lord" (Vayikra 26:44-45).
Additionally, Devarim states that ultimately, after the suffering of the Jewish people, God will doubly punish their wicked tormentors, and will redeem His people and purify His land: "For He’ll avenge the blood of His servants, wreak vengeance on His foes, and purify His land and His people" (Devarim 32:43). Similarly, we read: "For the Lord will not forsake His people; He will not abandon His inheritance" (Tehillim 94:14).
We see that the Jews’ existence in this world and the World to Come is guaranteed. What the judgment determines is what type of existence they will have. Will it be blessed and peaceful, or (God forbid) the opposite? Similarly, the Jews are guaranteed that redemption will arrive; if they repent, it will arrive more quickly and peacefully. If they do not repent, a long exile will culminate in terrible, awful suffering. Following this, the scattered Jews will gather together and settle the Land. They will continue to ascend until they achieve complete repentance and redemption (Sanhedrin 97b-98a; Zohar III 66b).

The High Holidays

Peninei Halakha