Internalize the Message of the Yamim Noraim

As I was saying slichot this morning, a question bogged me. During the slichah "אדון בשפטך" I realized that we were basically asking Hashem not to judge us harshly becasue we are nothing and full of sin. אדון בשפטך אנוש רמה תזכר ברגז חנות רחם- "Master of the World, when you judge man who is but a worm, in Your mercy remember to be have mercy upon us!..."

זדון בחבו הלא און בקרבו. עוון מלא ופשע רב. חשבון ודין למלך מלכי המלכים! סופו לתן בבוא חליפתו

Is not man full of aveirot!?They are not hidden! How can we go before HaKadosh B"H, the Melech Malchei HaMelachim and give him our cheshbon nefesh for all of the terrible things we have done agaisnt him?! And yet, everyone must give their cheshbon before Hashem once his end comes. Our own evils will testify against us; even the walls of our houses will testify against us! This slichah should fill us with such a pachad for our judgement, its words are so powerful. Yet, is it possible that we just skim through these words? Even if we do read and understand these words, how many of us will take them and internalize them? As we go through the Yom HaDin, do we have these things in mind. And just as important, as we go on through the rest of the year will we have these things in mind? Will these words just pass by in our minds for a few minutes or will they leave an imprinted message that we should evaluate the way we act to see if we can improve our shmirat Torah u'mitzvot? Will our Yirat Shamayim be affected in any way?

It says in Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh about emunah that there are 3 broad levels: Chachma, Bina, and Da'at. Chachma and Bina are basically in one category of emunah that we beleive and accept the Hashem exists and created/s the world. But the level of Da'at, understanding, is when we take this belief, this knowledge, and incorporate it into the way we think and act. This has to be our goal during these times; to take the emunah that Hashem is really the Master of the World and that He presides over every creation and is judging us now. We need to ingrain this into our minds so that the teshuvah and intense davening we do now should not be temporary! It should stay with us throughout the year.