Judgement Day - I

When a servant enters into the king's palace he feels a great sense of pride as he is a living expression of the king's monarchy. He is cognizant of his self-worth, the purpose for which he lives. He contrasts the way he feels now with the small manner in which he generally lives his life. The short-sighted goals. The petty actions. The shallow pursuits which are incommensurate with his true value.

This self-evaluation, the knowledge of what he should be doing as a royal servant leads him to self-criticism of his daily actions. There is a gulf between his true value and the way he lives. Not only does he recognize this, but so does the king. On the one hand he his a royal servant and should be acting in a manner that reflects his position. On the other hand, at many times he seems to forget his purpose. This comparison is the essence of Din. Din is the contrast between the potential and the actual. Din  is the demand for focus. You cannot demand of a person something of which he is incapable. We don't demand of a donkey to speak, as speech is not one of his capabilities.

Din is the focus on the ideal. When the ideal is shining in its full force the gap between the actual and the ideal is self-evident. The act of standing in the king's palace before the king naturally generates a state of Din. Similarly, proclaiming Hashem as king in and of itself creates the powerful Din of Rosh HaShanah.