In an address which the Mashgiach HaRav Yeruchom gave in Yeshivas Mir on the day following Yom Kippur, he demanded of the students: "The pinnacle of Yom Kippur is on the day after. What have we accomplished on Yom Kippur? Nothing. All we did was to promise 'to pay up.' But we didn't even come with a penny worth. This is why we must make good our promises, to pay, to toil throughout the year to fulfill our commitments. Only in this manner can we justify Hashem's reliance on our promises."
We presented these words before the present Mashgiach of Yeshivas Mir, HaRav Binyomin Finkel, asking,
What indeed is our obligation in these days following the spiritual elevation of those sanctified days we have experienced?
HaRav Finkel: We are still in the midst of the beloved month of Tishrei, the winding up and summation of those sacred and uplifting days, where every Jew became exalted and now finds himself in a higher level than before. Our mission is to wisely contain and further carry out all that we achieved during this period.
In his work "Avodas Hakodesh", the Chida wrote that in these culminating days of Tishrei and during the beginning of Cheshvan, each one of us must utilize increased momentum and perseverance in Torah and the service of Hashem lest there be accusation against us for having made promises in vain during the Yomim Noraim. Have we promised to repent, and then afterwards reverted to our previous state?
This is why it is customary to rise early on the day following Yom Kippur in order to demonstrate that we have indeed ascended and maintain our new positions. He writes another reason why we must specifically increase our toil during these days, so as to provide a good omen and evidence of beginning the new year with reinforcement on our new plateau.
