The Scales of Tishrei and Abraham's Power to Atone for Empty Vanities

Rabbi Hiyya son of Rabbi Mareyah in the name of Rabbi Levi opened: "Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie" (Psalms 62:10). It is the way of the world that people say, "So-and-so will marry so-and-so" — "surely men of low degree are vanity." "This woman will marry that man" — "men of high degree are a lie." "In the balance they go up" (ibid.) — Rabbi Hiyya bar Mareyah said: while they are still being formed they are mere vanity in their mothers' wombs, "they are together lighter than vanity" (ibid.). Rabbi Nahman said: all the vanities and lies that Israel commit in this world — our father Abraham is worthy to atone for them all. And what is the proof text? "The greatest man among the giants" (Joshua 14:15). "In the balance they go up" — in the balance you are atoned for, in the month whose sign is the Scales [Libra]; and which is that? This is Tishrei. "In the month" (Psalms 81:4) — renew your deeds. "Shofar" (ibid.) — make your deeds beautiful [shapperu]. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: if you have made your deeds beautiful before Me, behold, I become for you like this shofar: just as the shofar takes in at one end and brings out at the other, so I rise from the throne of judgment and sit on the throne of mercy, and I am filled with compassion for you and have mercy on you and turn the attribute of judgment into the attribute of mercy for them. When? "In the seventh month" (Leviticus 23:24).