Every High Holy Day we sing the Un’taneh Tokef Prayer as part of the Musaf Amidah.  The basic meaning of this prayer is: “Let us describe the power of the holiness of this day, for it is awesome and fearsome…You will open the Book of Remembrances, and it will be read by itself, and the signature of every person is within it…On Rosh Hashanah it will be inscribed, and on the day of the fast of Yom Kippur, it will be sealed how many will pass away, and how many will be created, who will live, and who will die…but repentance, prayer and charity nullify the harsh sentence…”

The Un’taneh Tokef Prayer was written approximately one thousand years ago.  Because of the dramatic and moving imagery it also was including during the Yom Kippur service.  This powerful prayer was intended to evoke a sense of trepidation and awe as we stand before G-d’s throne for judgment.  As if all of humanity passes before G-d like sheep beneath the staff.

Not only does this prayer describe the frailty and transience of humanity, and the fear that we should feel, it also notes G-d’s supreme mercy, noting that by changing one’s heart and life will overturn even the most severe decree of punishment.

The Un’taneh Tokef is recited prior to the Kedusha prayer focusing on Divine Judgement.  There are four paragraphs to the Un’taneh Tokef.  This them of divine decree comes in part to a Talmudic Teaching:

“On Rosh Hashana, three books are opened [in Heaven] – one for the thoroughly wicked, one for the thoroughly righteous, and one for those in-between. The thoroughly righteous are immediately inscribed clearly in the Book of Life. The thoroughly wicked are immediately inscribed clearly in the Book of Death. The fate of those in-between is postponed from Rosh Hashana until Yom Kippur, at which time those who are deserving are then inscribed in the Book of Life, those who are undeserving are then inscribed in the Book of Death.” (T.B., Rosh Hashana 16b)

As a token of this belief, the common greeting on Rosh Hashana is Leshana tovah tikatev – “May you be inscribed for a good year.”

Leonard Cohen was inspired by this prayer to create a song “Who By Fire” after singing in front of Israeli Soldiers in the Frontier in the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

The lyrics to this power song reflect Leonard Cohen’s Feeling on this powerful Prayer:

“And who by fire, who by water, who in the sunshine, who in the night time,
who by high ordeal, who by common trial, who in your merry merry month of may,
who by very slow decay, and who shall I say is calling?

And who in her lonely slip, who by barbiturate, who in these realms of love, who by something blunt,
and who by avalanche, who by powder, who for his greed, who for his hunger,and who shall I say is calling?

And who by brave assent, who by accident, who in solitude, who in this mirror,
who by his lady’s command, who by his own hand, who in mortal chains, who in power,
and who shall I say is calling?”

As we hear the sound of the Shofar and the Prayers of the High Holy Days, let us remember to reflect, not only about the people we have been over the past year, but also on how we can be better people for the next year of 5777.  From my wife Kathy, and our Sons Nathan and Aaron we want to wish all of you Leshana Tovah Tikatev – “May we all be inscribed for a good year.”