Adam Judged and Acquitted on the New Year

"Rosh Hashanah." "Forever, O LORD, Your word stands firm in the heavens" (Psalms 119:89). Rabbi Eliezer taught: On the twenty-fifth of Elul the world was created. And the teaching of Rav accords with this teaching of Rabbi Eliezer, for it was taught in the shofar-service of Rav: "This day is the beginning of Your works, a remembrance of the first day," and so forth. "For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance" (Psalms 81:5). Concerning the provinces, on it [the New Year] it is said which is destined for the sword and which for peace, which for famine and which for plenty, which for death and which for life. And creatures are remembered on it, to call them to mind for life and death. You therefore find that on Rosh Hashanah the first man was created. In the first hour his dust was gathered. In the first hour the thought of him arose; in the second, He took counsel with the ministering angels; in the third, He gathered his dust; in the fourth, He kneaded it; in the fifth, He formed it; in the sixth, He set him up as a lifeless mass upon his feet; in the seventh, He cast a soul into him; in the eighth, He brought him into the Garden of Eden; in the ninth, He commanded him; in the tenth, he transgressed His command; in the eleventh, he was judged; in the twelfth, he went out acquitted from before the Holy One, blessed be He. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Adam, this is a sign for your children. Just as you entered before Me in judgment on this day and went out acquitted, so your children are destined to enter before Me in judgment on this day and to go out acquitted. When? "In the seventh month, on the first of the month" (Leviticus 23:24).