The days between and including Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are called 'The ten days of Tshuvah'. Between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are exactly seven days, a full week. Traditionally, these seven days are a last opportunity to fix anything lacking in our daily activities of the previous year and to prepare ourselves for the coming year with good deeds. The Rabbis told us to focus on one particular verse during these days to keep ourselves on track, 'Search for G-d where He will be found, call Him while He is near' (Yishaya 55,6). Tshuvah, returning to our spiritual Source, requires first searching within ourselves and then calling out to G-d, a hint for us to reveal the holiness within ourselves. The importance of this search is expressed in this week's portion, Ha'azinu, which is always read between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.

The day Moshe passed away was the day Yehoshua assumed leadership of the Jewish people. The verse says, "And Moshe came and said this song to the ears of the nation, he and Hoshea (Yehoshua) the son of Nun" (32/44). The Talmud, Sotah 13/b, explains the words, 'he and Hoshea' to mean that the leadership was passed from one to the other. This is noteworthy and peculiar, because the Talmud, Sanhedrin 8a, says "only one, not two leaders in a generation". If so many leaders in Jewish history assumed the mantle only after the passing of a predecessor, why does it seem that Yehoshua took over during Moshe's lifetime?
The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that this is so because Yehoshua was the "servant of Moshe" (Shmos 33/11) During Moshe's lifetime he made himself totally nullified to him (unlike any other protegee and leader). This created the necessity that Yehoshua begin his role as leader while Moshe was still alive. Among the traits a leader requires are presence and aloofness. Yehoshua had exemplified the opposite during his entire relationship with Moshe. Only by accepting the leadership during Moshe's life could he possibly make the transition. (By the way, there is a strong message here for every parent and child.)

Notwithstanding, the Torah calls Yehoshua by his original name, Hoshea, meaning 'to be saved'. Forty years prior, before going to spy out the Land of Israel with the other 11 spies, Moshe changed Hoshea's name to Yehoshua, meaning 'G-d will save you'. Rashi explains that the Torah is telling us that even though Yehoshua was now the leader, he did not allow himself to become proud; rather he kept himself humble and lowly as in the very beginning.

Isn't this a contradiction? We just explained that Yehoshua had to make a transition to greatness. Now we are saying that he kept himself humble? Yet THIS was Yehoshua's greatness. When the average person becomes more powerful, he or she goes through character changes reflecting their new status. On the other hand, Yehoshua accepted his position of leadership and demonstrated all of affiliated characteristics, he nevertheless separated his status from his ego. He had to display certain leadership traits, but on a personal level, he remained humble and bowed, never leaving his position as 'the servant of Moshe'.

The lesson here is that even as we progress in our personal and business lives, we should not think that this is due to personal merits and strengths. Such haughtiness will ultimately damage us personally and the job that must be done. We must always remember that our accomplishments come from G-d. Humility to G-d sustains us in fulfilling our mission faithfully. More importantly, it is the vessel to draw down the maximum divine blessings, not just now, in the days before Yom Kippur, but throughout the year.

Rebbe Michil comments on a verse from our Yom Kippur prayers regarding the high priest's Yom Kippur service in the Holy of Holies, "He entered the place he entered, and he stood in the place that he stood". Why is the verse being obscure? It could have just said that he went 'into the Holy of Holies'. Rebbe Michel explains that the high priest could only attain ('enter' and 'stand') according to the level of refinement of his actions and the sanctity of his thoughts during the entire year.
After its destruction, the Temple's sanctity and spiritual power was divided among all the Jewish people. Each Jew is like the high priest serving in his or her own Temple. Yom Kippur is no panacea. It is the level that we attain before entering Yom Kippur that will determine what level we can reach that day. Maximize these last few days, and may you be sealed in the book of life.