We need a better answer on Rosh Hashanah to Hashem’s question of, “Who are you?”
One of the recurrent Rosh Hashanah themes of Rav Moshe Shapiro, ztz”l, was the nature of the judgment on each of us as individuals. His starting point was invariably the second mishnah in tractate Rosh Hashanah, which describes all those who come into the world as passing before HaKadosh Baruch Hu as “bnei maron.” Though the Gemara offers three different interpretations of the term “bnei maron,” they each have the aspect of passing single file — as a distinct individual — in front of Hashem.
The mishnah in question states that the world is judged four times in the year. Three of those judgments parallel one another: On Pesach the world is judged on the grain for the coming year, on Shavuos on the fruits, and on Succos on the water. The gemara (Rosh Hashanah 16a) specifies the different offerings brought on each of the days of judgment: the Omer offering on Pesach, the two loaves on Shavuos, and the water libation on Succos — each connected to what is being judged.
Rosh Hashanah stands out from the other three days of judgment cited in the mishnah. First, the mishnah does not specify what the judgment is on Rosh Hashanah, only that we pass in front of HaKadosh Baruch Hu as individuals. Nor is there any parallel to the other three specified offerings, which are clearly related to the judgment at hand. With respect to the judgment of Rosh Hashanah, however, the Gemara specifies no offering to be brought, only that we recite Malchuyos, Zichronos, and Shofros.
The difference between the judgment on Man and the judgments on the grain, fruits, and water lies in the difference in their manner of creation. All the other species were created “limineihu — according to their kind.” Only Adam Harishon was created “yechidi — as an individual.”
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