(Mishnah): At four times (in the calendar) the world is judged - on Pesach for the produce; on Shavuos for the fruits; on Rosh Hashanah, all come before Hash-m like 'Bnei Maron', as the Pasuk states (Tehilim 33, 15), "He forms together their heart; he understands all of their actions''. On Sukos is the judgment for water.

(Gemara): Beraisa #1 - All are judged on Rosh Hashanah and each item's decree is (also) sealed on Rosh Hashanah.

Beraisa #2 - All are judged on Rosh Hashanah and each item's decree is sealed on Yom Kippur.

Beraisa #3 - All are judged on Rosh Hashanah and each item's decree is sealed at its time (e.g. the produce on Pesach).

Beraisa #4 - Each item is judged at its time and its decree is also sealed at its time.

The Mishnah follows the view that each item is judged at its time and its decree is also sealed at its time - as the Mishnah says that on Sukos, there is a judgment on the water.

Rav said that everything is judged and the decree sealed on Rosh Hashanah.

As it says in the order of the Musaf organized by Rav, "This is the day of the beginning of your work, a remembrance of the first day. For it is a law for Israel, a judgment for the G-d of Yaakov.''

About countries it says, "Which will go to the sword and which will go to peace? Which will have famine and which will have satiation?'' And on this day, the creations will be considered to be remembered for life or death.

It is not like the opinion of R. Yosa, who said that an individual is judged at all times.

What is his source? The Pasuk states (Iyov 7, 18), "...You consider him every morning and test him at every moment''. "You consider him every morning'' - this refers to his livelihood; "and test him every moment'' - this refers to his food.

R. Yitschak Rabbah quoting Rebbi: A king and a community are judged every day. What is the source for this? The Pasuk states (Malachim 1, 8, 59), "to grant the justice of His servant and the justice of His nation Israel, every day's need in its day''.

R. Levi: The Pasuk states (Tehilim 9, 9), "And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will judge nations with fairness''. The Holy One judges Israel in the daytime, when they are performing Mitzvos. He (is also fair to the nations and) judges them at night when they are not performing sins.

Shmuel: At the same time that He judges Israel, He judges the nations (to highlight the contrast between them as a merit for the Jews).

Question: How does Shmuel understand the Pasuk "He will judge nations with fairness''?

Answer: He remembers the story of Yisro (the convert) and Rachav (the convert) for them.

Question (R. Chiya bar Ba): If a crop was ruined before Pesach, in which judgment was it decreed? If you say that it is from this year's (judgment that will be on Pesach), it has not yet happened?! If you say that it was from last year's judgment (that occurred last Pesach) why did it take until now to receive the decree?

If people die between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, in which judgment was it decreed? If you say that it is from this year's judgment, the judgment has not yet been completed! If you say that it was from last year's judgment (that occurred last Rosh Hashanah), why did it take until now to receive the decree?

Answer: Did he not hear the statement of R. Kruspa quoting R. Yochanan - there are three 'notebooks'; one is for the completely righteous, one is for the completely evil and one is for those in between.

The Book of the completely righteous - they already received the stamp of life on Rosh Hashanah; the Book of the completely evil - they already received the stamp of death on Rosh Hashanah; the Book of those in between - they were already given the ten days of repentance - if they repent, they are immediately written with the righteous; if they do not, they are written together with the evil.

Question: What is the source for these three books? The Pasuk states (Tehilim 69, 29), "May they be erased from the Book...'' - this refers to the evil; "of life'' - this refers to the righteous; "let them not be inscribed with the righteous'' - this refers to those in between.

Question (R. Chananya, friend of Rabbanan): Can the Holy One not see the future?! (Why does he wait during the ten days of repentance to observe if the person will repent?)

Answer: Did he not hear that R. Simon quoted R. Yehoshua ben Levi - The Holy One only judges a person according to the situation at the time of the judgment.

Question: What is the source for this? The Pasuk states (Bereishis 21, 17), "Do not be afraid, as Hash-m has heard the voice of the youth where he is''.

R. Levi: The Pasuk states (Tehilim 5, 6), "Merrymakers cannot stand up before Your eyes; You hate those that do evil.''

R. Yisachar of Kfar Mandi expounds: The Pasuk states (Iyov 11, 11), "For he recognizes deceitful people, he see sin but appears not to realize.''

R. Yehoshua ben Levi: The Pasuk does not state (Iyov 8, 6), "if you were pure and straight'', but rather, "if you are pure and straight [he would even now recall for you (your merits)]''. (This is understood to mean that if the person is acting correctly now, Hash-m will judge him favourably even if he might change for the worse in the future.)

R. Chiya bar Ba: The Pasuk states (Mishlei 30, 31), "The greyhound, the he-goat and the king against whom no-one can stand.'' It is normal that each king wishes to be victorious against a greyhound that is against him.

However, this is not the way of the Holy One - 'and the king against whom no-one can stand'- Hash-m does not stand up to be victorious. As the Pasuk states (Tehilim 103, 9), "He will not quarrel for eternity'' - he does not quarrel with them as he wishes them to win. (Note: This entry follows the explanation of Rav Chaim Kanievski.)

R. Elazar: (Explains the Pasuk in Mishlei 30, 31 differently) The Pasuk refers to three types of rulers. It is normal that if a human king makes a decree - the king may or may not keep his decree as he wishes. However, the Holy One decrees and fulfills him own decree.

Question: What is the source for this? The Pasuk states (Vayikra 22, 9), "And they shall keep my guarding...I am Hashem''. I am the One who first kept the commandments of my Torah.

R. Simon: The Pasuk states (Vayikra 19, 32), "Arise before an elder and honor the presence of a sage; you shall fear your G-d, I am Hash-m.'' - I was the first to fulfill standing before a sage (to Avraham Avinu).

R. Simon: The Pasuk states (Devarim 4, 8), "Which is a great nation that has righteous laws and ordinances etc.''

R. Chama bei R. Chanina and R Hoshiya disagreed. One said, "Who is like this nation?! It is normal that when a person knows that he has a judgment, he wears and wraps himself in black and grows his beard, as he does not know what the result of the judgment will be. But Yisrael is not this way - they wear and wrap themselves in white and cut their beards and they eat, drink and rejoice with the knowledge that Hash-m will perform miracles for them.''

The other one said - "Who is like this nation?! It is normal that if the ruler says that the judgment will be today and the one who is being judged say that it will be tomorrow, who do we listen to? Certainly we listen to the ruler. However, with the Holy One it is not that way. If the Beis Din declare that today is Rosh Hashanah, the Holy One says to the Ministering angels, "Set up a stand, set up defending angels, set up prosecuting angels - my children declared that today is Rosh Hashanah!''

If the Beis Din decide to postpone it until tomorrow, the Holy One says to the Ministering angels, "Remove the stand, remove the defending angels, remove the prosecuting angels - my children have postponed it until tomorrow''.

What is the source for this? The Pasuk states (Tehilim 81, 5), "It is a law to Yisrael, a judgment for the G-d of Yaakov'' - if it is not a law to Yisrael, it is not a judgment for the G-d of Yaakov.

R. Krispa quoting R. Yochanan: Originally (Vayikra 23, 4), "These are the festivals of Hashem'', from then on (Hash-m gave them to us to control), "that you called them''.

R. Ila: If you declared them, they are called My festivals; if you did not, they are not My festivals.