ROSH HASHANAH D’VAR TORAH
THE STORY IS TOLD ABOUT AN ENGLISH PHILOSOPHY PROFESSOR WHO RECEIVED AN INVITATION TO DELIVER A LECTURE IN BEJING, CHINA. SINCE HE DIDN’T SPEAK CHINESE, AN INTERPRETER STOOD BESIDE HIM TO TRANSLATE HIS LECTURE TO THE AUDIENCE. AFTER COMPLETING SEVERAL SENTENCES, THE PROFESSOR STOPPED TO ALLOW THE TRANSLATOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSLATE, BUT THE TRANSLATOR WAVED HIS HAND TO CONTINUE. SO THE PROFESSOR CARRIED ON FOR THE NEXT FIFTEEN MINUTES AT WHICH TIME THE CHINESE INTERPRETATOR SAID EXACTLY FOUR WORDS IN CHINESE AND THEN MOTIONED TO THE PROFESSOR TO CARRY ON. AFTER ANOTHER FIFTEEN MINUTES HE STOPPED AGAIN AND THE TRANSLATOR SAID ANOTHER FOUR WORDS. AFTER ANOTHER FIFTEEN MINUTES PASSED, THE PROFESSOR STOPPED AND THE TRANSLATOR SAID ANOTHER FOUR WORDS IN CHINESE. FINALLY, AFTER ONE HOUR, AT THE COMPLETION OF THE LECTURE, THE TRANSLATOR SAID THREE WORDS AND THE AUDIENCE STOOD AND LEFT THE AUDITORIUM. AT THIS POINT, THE PROFESSOR WAS TRULY BEWILDERED AND HE TURNED TO THE CHINESE TRANSLATOR AND SAID THAT WAS TRULY A REMARKABLE FEAT! I PRESENTED THE MOST COMPLICATED PHILOSOPHY LECTURE AND YOU SUCCEEDED IN TRANSLATING THEM IN JUST A FEW WORDS. WHAT DID YOU SAY? THE TRANLATOR ANSWERED: ‘ACTUALLY, IT WAS QUITE EASY! AFTER FIFTEEN MINUTES I SAID, ‘SO FAR, HE HASN’T SAID ANYTHING NEW! AFTER THIRTY MINUTES I SAID, ‘HE STILL HASN’T SAID ANYTHING NEW! AFTER FORTY-FIVE MINUTES I SAID: ‘I DON’T THINK HE’S GOING TO SAY ANYTHING NEW AND AFTER ONE HOUR I SAID: ‘I WAS RIGHT!’ WELL, I HOPE THAT AT THE END OF THIS D’VAR TORAH, YOU WILL WALK AWAY AND FEELTHAT I DID HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY THAT WAS NEW AND REFRESHING!
TO BEGIN WITH, SOMETHING NEW DID TAKE PLACE THIS PAST YEAR. IN CASE YOU DIDN’T NOTICE, SOME OF OUR MOST FAMOUS ENTERTAINMENT PERSONALITIES FOUND RELIGION. NOT JUST ANY RELIGION! FROM MADONNA TO ASHTON KUTCHER AND DEMI MOORE, TO PARIS HILTON, TEEN SENSATION LINDSAY LOHAN, PAUL NEWMAN, LIZ TAYLOR AND EVEN BRITTANY SPEARS, HOLLYWOOD’S HOTTEST HAVE DISCOVERED THE SACRED STUDY OF KABBALAH. AS MADONNA PROUDLY ANNOUNCED ON LARRY KING LIVE BACK IN JUNE.’ I’M A KABBALAH-IST!” IN GOOD KABBALISTIC TRADITION, SHE SPORTS A RED ‘BENDEL’, A RED BRACELET TO WARD OFF THE ‘AYIN HARAH-THE EVIL EYE.’ THAT’S HOW WE JEWS COINED THE YIDDISH PHRASE-‘K-NINE A HORAH---THE EVIL EYE SHOULD NOT BE IN CONTROL. THE PHRASE IS FRAUGHT WITH ALL SORTS OF KABBALISTIC OVERTONES!
MADONNA, AMONG OTHER CELEBRITIES BELONGS TO THE KABBALAH CENTER IN LOS ANGELES UNDER THE AUSPICES OF RABBI YEHUDAH BERG. DUE TO ITS NEW FOUND CELBEBRITY, THE CENTER NOW SELLS RED BRACELETS FOR $26.00 A PIECE! PERHAPS A NEW FUND RAISING IDEA FOR THE SHUL! THEY ALSO SELL KABBALAH WATER WHICH MADONNA DRINKS BACK STAGE. APPARENTLY, SHE WON’T DRINK ANY OTHER KIND OF BEVERAGE. THIS WATER CLEARLY HELPS MAKE THE SOUL, SHALL WE SAY, MORE TRANSPARENT! HAVING BONDED WITH HER NEWFOUND RELIGION, MADONNA HAS TAKEN ON THE HEBREW NAME OF ESTHER, BELIEVING THAT THIS NEW NAME PROVIDES HER WITH NEW SPIRITUAL ENERGY. RABBI BERG SAYS THAT “ THE ONE GOOD THING ABOUT HIGH-PROFILE PEOPLE STUDYING [KABBALAH] IS THAT PEOPLE REALIZE THAT IT IS FOR EVERYONE.” EVERYONE, INCLUDING CHILDREN WHO WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND A KABBALAH GRADE SCHOOL THAT MADONNA IS FINANCING TO THE TUNE OF 20 MILLION DOLLARS. THIS NEW VENTURE ALREADY TITLED ‘THE ‘K’ SCHOOL’ WILL ENROLL STUDENTS AT $3600 A SEMESTER.
IT’S NOT SURPRISING THAT SOME RABBINICAL SCHOLARS FEAR THAT THE KABBALAH CENTER HAS CREATED A NEW BRAND OF KABBALAH-WHAT ONE WOULD LABEL AS ‘KABBALAH LITE.’ INTERESTINGLY, MADONNA REFERS TO THIS NEW ADDITION TO HER LIFE AS ‘PUNK-ROCK’ AND AS ‘ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT. IT SEEMS THAT EVEN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS SOME RESERVATIONS ABOUT MADONNA’S ‘NEW AGE’ RELIGION SEEING IT AS A POTENTIAL THREAT TO THE CHURCH ITSELF.
SO WHAT’S THIS KABBALAH ALL ABOUT? WHERE DOES IT COME FROM AND WHY HAS IT SWEPT SO MANY PEOPLE, SPIRITUALLY, ‘OFF THEIR FEET?’ AND PERHAPS, MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR US ON ROSH HASHANAH, WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM KABBALAH THAT CAN IMPACT OUR LIVES AS WE ENTER A NEW YEAR?
TO BEGIN WITH, THIS POPULARITY WITH KABBALAH STANDS IN DIRECT CONTRAST TO HOW KABBALAH WAS UNDERSTOOD BY JEWS FOR MANY CENTURIES. ITS ORIGIN DATES BACK TO THE BIBLICAL VISIONARY EXPERIENCES OF THE PROPHETS ISAIAH AND EZEKIEL WHO MYSTICALLY SAW THE SECRET MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD AS THE UNIVERSE CAME INTO EXISTENCE. THEIR PERSONAL RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR THE FAMOUS STORY OF RABBI AKIVA AND HIS THREE COLLEAGUES WHO ATTEMPTED MYSTICALLY TO ACHIEVE A MYSTICAL UNION WITH GOD. BECAUSE THERE WAS GREAT SPIRITUAL DANGER IN TRAVELLING THIS UNKNOWN SPIRITUAL PATH, KABBALAH AS A LEGITIMATE SACRED ACT OF STUDY AND PRACTICE BECAME RESERVED ONLY FOR THE SPIRITUAL ELITE. OUR SAGES UNDERSTOOD THE POTENTIAL PITFALLS OF THE MASSES ENGAGING IN THIS MYSTICAL JOURNEY AND EMPHASIZED THAT ONE MUST FIRST BE GROUNDED BOTH IN BIBLICAL AND RABBINIC LAW BEFORE ENTERTAINING THE IDEA OF ENGAGING IN KABBALAH. BUT, BY THE LATE 13TH CENTURY WITH THE WRITNG OF THE MYSTICAL BIBLICAL COMMENTARY ON THE TORAH, CALLED THE ZOHAR, THE SEED WAS PLANTED SO THAT THE JEWISH MASSES COULD NOW BEGIN TO STUDY THIS ANCIENT WISDOM OF JEWISH MYSTICISM.
FOR THOSE SITTING HERE TODAY THINKING THAT ALL OF THIS MYSTICAL TALK IS ‘NARISHKEIT-NONSENSE’ AND THAT KABBALAH REALLY EXISTS OUTSIDE THE REALM OF MAINSTREAM JEWISH THINKING, I SUGGEST THAT A QUICK GLANCE AT THE LITURGY OF OUR SIDDUR WILL REVEAL THAT KABBALISTIC THOUGHT HAS PENETRATED THE VERY HEART OF THE JEWISH WORSHIP SERVICE. FOR EXAMPLE! THE KABBALAT SHABBAT SERVICE THAT WE CHANT FRIDAY NIGHT, INCLUDING L’CHA DODI WAS CREATED BY KABBALISTS IN SAFED, ISRAEL IN THE 16TH CENTURY; SECOND, THE PAGES LEADING UP TO THE CHANTING OF THE SHMA YISRAEL IS REPLETLE WITH KABBALISTIC TERMS LIKE SERAPHIM, OPHANIM, CHAYOT HAKODESH; THE TORAH SERVICE ITSELF WITH THE PRAYER, ‘BRICH SHMEI’ COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE ZOHAR AND THE CONCLUDING HYMN, ‘ANIM Z’MIROT’ IS REPLETE WITH KABBALISTIC THOUGHT. EVEN ‘EIN KELOHEINU’ IS A KABBALISTIC CREATION TO BE CHANTED IN A CERTAIN RHYTHM IN ORDER TO RAISE ONE’S LEVEL OF SPIRITUALITY. SUFFICE IT TO SAY, THE MYSTICAL PATH TO UNDERSTANDING JUDAISM STANDS FIRMLY SIDE BY SIDE THE RATIONAL AS A LEGITIMATE WAY TO COMPREHEND GOD, THE TORAH AND OUR WORLD.
SO WE SEE THAT BY THE 15TH CENTURY, BUILDING UPON THE ZOHAR’S INFLUENCE, ONE MAN, ISAAC LURIA, SETTLED IN THE CITY OF SAFED AND TRANSFORMED KABBALISTIC THINKING. HE, MORE THAN ANY OTHER JEW, INFLUENCED NOT ONLY HIS OWN GENERATION, BUT HIS WRITINGS WERE TO HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON HASSIDISM AND WORLD JEWRY AND EVEN UPON ENTERTAINERS LIKE MADONNA AND BRITTANY SPEARS. ‘LURIANIC KABBALAH RECOGNIZED THE SPIRITUAL THIRST OF THE JEWISH SOUL TO UNITE WITH GOD. WITHOUT ISAAC LURIA, THERE WOULD BE NO KABBALISTIC CENTER IN LOS ANGELES AND NO MADONNA TO CALL KABBALAH, A ‘PUNK-ROCK’ RELIGION, AND FOR THAT MATTER, NO CHABAD MOVEMENT.
WHAT WAS SO TRADITIONAL AND YET SO REVOLUTIONARY IN LURIA’S UNDERSTANDING OF KABBALAH THAT CONTINUES TO ATTRACT SO MANY DEVOTEES TO HIS THINKING, EVEN AMONG THE NON-JEWISH WORLD? ESSENTIALLY, LURIA ENVISIONED GOD AS CREATOR IN A MOST UNIQUE WAY. WHEN LURIA READ THE WORDS IN OUR MACHZOR, ‘HAYOM HARAT OLAM’-TODAY ON ROSH HASHANAH WE CELEBRATE THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE, HE UNDERSTOOD CREATION AS A PROCESS OF CONTRACTION AND EXPANSION, VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH SOME PHYSICISTS AND THEIR THINKING ABOUT HOW OUR UNIVERSE CAME INTO EXISTENCE. FOR LURIA, CREATION OCURRED BECAUSE GOD CHOSE TO WITHDRAW INTO HIMSELF AND THIS ACT LURIA CALLED ‘TZIMTZUM,’-A REVOLUTIONARY IDEA!
WHY? BECAUSE LURIA ADDRESSED THE RELIGIOUS QUESTION? HOW AND WHY DID GOD CREATE THE UNIVERSE? IF GOD’S PRESENCE FILLS ALL OF SPACE THEN, BY DEFINITION THERE CAN’T BE ANY ROOM LEFT OVER ANYWHERE FOR THE UNIVERSE TO COME INTO EXISTENCE. GOD’S BEING IS EVERYWHERE! FOR LURIA, THE SOLUTION LAY IN THE IDEA OF ‘TZIMTZUM’-GOD WAS COMPELLED TO WITHDRAW INTO HIS VERY BEING IN ORDER TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE, VERY MUCH LIKE INHALING, TAKING A DEEP BREATH. SO WE SEE, THAT THE FIRST ACT OF CREATION MEANT THAT INSTEAD OF GOD REACHING OUTWARD TO CREATE THE UNIVERSE, GOD INSTEAD RETRACTED. GOD WITHDREW INWARD INTO HIMSELF IN ORDER TO MAKE SPACE FOR THE CREATION OF NEW LIFE. IN THE LANGUAGE OF GIVING BIRTH, GOD HAD TO GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF ‘BIRTH CONTRACTIONS,’ JUST LIKE A WOMAN IN LABOR IN ORDER TO ALLOW LIFE TO EMERGE. SO TOO, GOD, SO TO SPEAK WENT THROUGH LABOR PAINS. THE END RESULT OF THE CONTRACTIONS RESULTED IN THE CREATION OF OUR UNIVERSE. BY GOD CONTRACTING INTO HIMSELF, SPACE NOW EXISTED TO SEND FORTH DIVINE RAYS OF LIGHT, WHICH PRODUCED NOT ONLY OUR UNIVERSE, BUT ALSO A PARALLEL SPIRITUAL UNIVERSE EXISTING SIDE BY SIDE WITH OUR WORLD. CALL IT A SPIRITUAL DIMENSION IN TIME AND SPACE.AND BECAUSE THIS DIMENSION IS LINKED TO OUR WORLD, WHAT WE DO IN OUR UNIVERSE BEARS DIRECTLY UPON THE SPIRITUAL WORLD OF THE ALMIGHTY. WHEN WE COMMIT A SIN, THE POWER OF THAT WRONGDOING UPSETS THE BALANCE IN GOD’S UNIVERSE. WHEN WE PERFORM A MITZVAH, THE EFFECTS OF THAT MITZVAH REVERBERATES NOT ONLY THROUGHOUT OUR UNIVERSE, BUT, ALSO CREATES HARMONY IN GOD’S WORLD. THAT’S ONE REASON WHY WE INVOKE DIVINE HELP TO BRING ABOUT HARMONY HERE ON EARTH IN THE LAST LINE OF THE KADDISH. ‘OSEH SHALOM BIMROMAV-HE WHO CREATES HARMONY ABOVE---ABOVE MEANING IN GOD’S DIVINE SPACE-MAY HE ALSO HELP US TO CREATE THAT SAME KIND OF HARMONY HERE ON EARTH. IN OTHER WORDS, KABBALAH SAYS THAT IF WE ARE TO BRING ABOUT DIVINE HARMONY, WHICH GOD DESPERATELY NEEDS AND WANTS, WE MUST IMITATE GOD’S ACTION OF TZIMTZUM HERE ON EARTH. WE TOO, MUST GO THROUGH THE LABOR PAINS OF CONTRACTION AND EXPANSION WITHIN OURSELVES, IF WE ARE TO EMERGE AS NEW AND TRANSFORMED HUMAN BEING ON ROSH HASHANAH.
SO, HOW DO WE GO ABOUTACCOMPLISHING ‘TZIMTZUM’ IN OUR OWN LIVES? HOW DO WE REACH THAT HIDDEN,SECRETIVE PART OF OUR SOUL? LIKE THE ALMIGHTY-IT’S AN ACT OF WILL! FIRST ANDFOREMOST, I MUST SAY TO MYSELF THAT I DESPERATELY NEED AND WANT TO LEAVE BEHINDNEGATIVE PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR IN ORDER TO CREATE NEW SPACE IN MY LIFE. I NEEDTO REACH THE POINT WHEN I SAY TO MYSELF THAT THE HURTS AND ANGERS AND FRUSTRATIONSTHAT AT TIMES SO OFTEN OVERWHELM ME, NEED NOT CONTROL MY LIFE. THERE IS ANOTHERAND MORE BENEFICIAL PATH TO TRAVEL, BECAUSE THE SECRET MESSAGE OF KABBALAHCALLS OUT TO ME TO IMITATE THAT FIRST ACT OF CREATION. TO WANT SO BADLY TOCREATE A NEW PATH AND A NEW WAY OF THINKING THAT LIKE GOD, I TOO CAN WITHDRAWINTO MYSELF, IF BUT FOR A MOMENT, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT FROM MY SOULSEARCHING WILL COME FORTH A NEW AND BETTER ME. ONCE I BEGIN THE PROCESS OF‘TZITZUM-PERSONAL WITHDRAWAL, I CAN BEGIN TO FIND BALANCE IN MY LIFE. WE SEE THIS IDEA EXPRESSED IN THE STORYABOUT A PHILADELPHIA MAN WHO MADE ALIYAH TO ISRAEL. A NOVELIST BY PROFESSIONAND LIVING IN JERUSALEM, HE WAS ONCE ASKED BY HIS FORMER RABBI HOW LIFE DIFFEREDNOW THAT HE LIVED IN ISRAEL. HE ANSWERED SAYING THAT ONE OF THE BIG DIFFERENCESWAS THAT IN PHILLY HE HAD AN OFFICE OUTSIDE HIS HOUSE; IN Y’RUSHALAYIM HISSTUDY IS IN HIS HOME. AND THEN HE QUOTED A LINE FROM JAMES THURBER WHO ONCEWROTE THAT THE HARDEST THINK FOR A WRITER TO DO IS TO CONVINCE HIS WIFE ANDCHILDREN THAT WHEN HE’S LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW HE’S REALLY WORKING! THE MOSTCREATIVE IDEAS HE SAID OFTEN COME, NOT WHEN YOU GO LOOKING FOR THEM, BUT WHENYOU SETTLE BACK, WITHDRAW INTO YOURSELF AND ALLOW THE SILENCE OF THE UNIVERSETO PERVADE YOUR BEING. TO BE AT ONE WITH ONESELF IS TO ALSO BE AT ONE WITH GOD! HOW OFTEN INOUR MOST PRECIOUS RELATIONSHIPS DO WE WANT TO FEEL ‘AT ONE’ WITH THOSE WHOM WELOVE AND SOMETIMES WE JUST CAN’T FIND THE RIGHT WORDS TO EXPRESS HOW WE TRULYFEEL. SOMETIMES AS PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS OR SIMPLY LOVING FAMILY MEMBERS WEHAVE SAID TO OURSELVES, HOW PROUD WE ARE OF OUR CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN ORNIECES AND NEPHEWS. AND FOR SOME REASON, PERHAPS, WE WEREN’T RAISED TO DO SO ORTHE MOMENT PASSED BY THAT WE WANTED TO TELL OUR CHILD OR ‘EINEKLECH, HOW PROUDWE WERE FOR WHAT THEY HAD ACCOMPLISHED! AND INSTEAD OF SAYING IT, WE THINK ITBUT DON’T EXPRESS IT! NO ONE OFFERED US A COURSE IN PARENTING OR INGRANDPARENTING 101 OR HOW TO BE A GOOD UNCLE OR AUNT, BUT, IF WE TRULY LOVE OURCHILDREN, THEN WHAT WE FEEL ON THE INSIDE NEEDS TO BE EXPRESSED ON THE OUTSIDE.IF GOD HAD KEPT HIS LOVE INTERNALIZED AND NOT EXPRESSED IT WITH THE CREATION OFHUMANKIND, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. SO IN GOOD KABBALISTIC TRADITION, LETYOUR WORDS OF PRAISE EXPAND EXPONENTIONALLY TO THOSE WHOM YOU LOVE. THAT’SEXACTLY WHAT WAYNE GRETZKY’S FATHER DID WHEN THIS FAMOUS HOCKEY STAR RETIREDSEVERAL YEARS AGO. AT THE END OF THE HOCKEY GAME IN NEW YORK, AND HAVINGRECEIVED THE ADULATION AND APPLAUSE OF HIS FANS, GRETZKY WAS ASKED WHAT WAS THEHIGHLIGHT OF THE EVENING FOR HIM. HE ANSWERED, THE MOST TOUCHING MOMENT CAMEWHEN MY FATHER CAME UP TO ME AND TOLD ME HOW PROUD HE WAS OF ME. ‘WHEN YOU’RE ASON, YOU WANT TO HEAR IT,’ GRETZKY SAID WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES.’ ‘HE TOLD MEHOW PROUD HE WAS OF ME!’ HOW OFTEN DO WE WANT TO REACH OUT AND TOUCH SOMEONEBRINGING THAT PERSON CLOSER BUT WE JUST CAN’T FIND THE RIGHT WORDS-LISTEN TOTHE FOLLOWING TWO POEMS AND ASK YOURSELF, IS THIS ME?
IT’S HARD TO SAY, “I’M SORRY,” ALTHOUGH I’M FEELING SORRY. THE “S” ALWAYS STICKS IN MY THROAT. AND “I MADE A BIG MISTAKE” WOULD PRODUCE A BELLYACHE THAT MIGHT LAST TILL I WAS OLDENOUGH TO VOTE.“PLEASE FORGIVE ME,” SOUNDS REALGOOD. AND I’D SAY IT IF I COULD, BUT, BETWEEN THE ‘FORIVE’ AND THE‘PLEASE,’I WOULD HAVE TO GO TO BED WITH A POUNDING IN MY HEAD AND A VERY SHAKING FEELING IN MYKNEES.‘I WAS WRONG’ SEEMS OH SO RIGHT. BUT, IT GIVES ME SUCH FRIGHT THAT MY ‘WAS’ ALWAYS TURNS INTO‘AIN’T’ SO I HOPE YOU’LL TAKE THIS RHYME AS MY WAY OF SAYING ‘I’M REALLY SORRY.’ NOW EXCUSE ME---WHILE I FAINT!’ (JUDITH VIORST, IF I WERE IN CHARGE OF THE WALL AND OTHERSTORIES.) OR, ANOTHER POEM ENTITLED: “I’MGOING TO SAY I’M SORRY.” I’M GOING TO SAY I’M SORRY. IT’S TIME FOR THIS QUARREL TO END. I KNOW THAT WE BOTH DIDN’T MEAN IT. AND EACH OF US MISSES A FRIEND. IT ISN’T MUCH FUN BEING ANGRY AND ARGUING’S JUST THE WORST,
SO I’M GOING TO SAY I’M SORRY…
JUST AS SOON AS YOU SAY IT FIRST! (JEFFMOSS, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR.) AS WE SEE, IT’S SO HARD TO CHANGE OUR HABITS, TO TAKE A CHESHBON HANEFESH, APERSONAL ACCOUNTING. WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THE MIRROR OF OUR LIVES AND TAKE AGOOD, HARD, LOOK AT WHO IS STARING BACK AT US. LOOK DEEP BEYOND THESUPERFICIAL. LOOK INTO THE EYES THAT MIRROR THE SOUL AND ASK THE HARDQUESTIONS. WHAT HAVE I DONE THIS PAST YEAR THAT HAS CREATED DISHARMONY WITHINMYSELF AND WITH THOSE WHOM I LOVE? WHAT NEGATIVE PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR HAVE IFASHIONED THAT AFFECTS THE ASSOCIATES THAT I WORK WITH? LOOK FIRST AT OURSELVESBEFORE POINTING THE FINGER AT SOMEONE ELSE. KABBALAH REMINDS US THAT WHEN WEWITHDRAW INTO OURSELVES, WE OPEN OURSELVES UP TO THE ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES OFHEARING WHAT GOD WANTS FROM US. A WORLD WHERE WE HAVE THE POWER TO CREATEHARMONY IN OUR LIVES THAT WILL REVERBERATE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. BUT, FIRST, WEMUST STRIKE THE BALANCE IN OUR OWN LIVES. ‘IM EIN ANI LEE ME LEE-IF I AM NOTFOR MYSELF, WHO WILL LOOK OUT FOR ME, ‘UKSHEANI LAZTMEE-AND IF I AM ONLY FORMYSELF-WHAT AM I. ‘IM LO ACHSHAV, EIMATAI-IF NOT NOW, WHEN? YES, I MUST TAKECARE OF MYSELF. I MUST NURTURE ME. BUT,I DON’T LIVE UNTO AN ISLAND BY MYSELF. I MUST MOVE BEYOND ME TO REACH OUT TOOTHERS IN ORDER TO FIND THE BALANCE I NEED IN MY LIFE. THIS IS AN ESSENTIALLESSON OF KABBALAH. THERE’S ALSO ANOTHER CRUCIAL IDEAIN KABBALAH THAT IS FOUND IN THE STORY ABOUT A JEW, A NON-BELIEVER WHO SAT ATTHE BEDSIDE OF HIS WIFE IN THE HOSPITAL DAY AND NIGHT NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO ORSAY THAT COULD BRING SOME MEASURE OF COMFORT TO HIS WIFE OR HIMSELF. THE RABBIWHO CAME TO OFFER SOME EMOTIONAL SUPPORT INVITED THE MAN TO COME TO SHUL ONROSH HASHANAH SO THAT HE COULD JOIN TOGETHER WITH OTHER JEWS AND PERHAPS FEELCLOSER TO GOD’S PRESENCE. THE MAN TURNED TO THE RABBI AND SAID: “LOOK RABBI,WHATEVER I HAVE TO ASK OF GOD, I CAN ASK HIM FROM HERE.” THE RABBI ANSWERED: “THAT’S TRUE, BUT MAYBE GOD HAS SOMETHING TO ASK OF YOU.” THAT’SWHY WE COME TO SHUL ON THE HIGH HOLIDAYS-NOT ONLY TO TELL GOD WHAT WENEED-BUT TO HEAR WHAT GOD NEEDS FROM US. TO LISTEN TO GOD’S DREAMS ANDHIS VISIONS OF THE WAY THE WORLD SHOULD BE. TO FIND OUT WHAT GOD WANTSFROM US. THAT’S ALSO WHY WE’RE HERE TODAY.
IN KABBALISTIC TERMS: ‘TZORECHGAVOAH’-THE NEED ON HIGH.’GOD ALSO HAS NEEDS! THE NEED TO FEEL US ASPARTNERS IN CREATION. THE NEED TO FEELWHOLE AT ONE WITH HIS UNIVERSE. HOW STRANGE IT MUST SOUND TO OUR EARS! GOD HASNEEDS! TO TURN TO GOD AND INSTEAD OF ASKING SOMETHING FOR OURSELVES, TO ASKGOD: RIBONO SHEL OLAM-MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE: ‘WHAT DO YOU NEED? WHATARE YOUR DESIRES? HOW OFTEN WE READ IN THE SIDDUR EXACTLY WHAT GODWANTS AND PERHAPS OUT OF HABIT WE SKIP RIGHT OVER IT. IT’S RIGHT THERE IN THEREADING OF THE SHMA YISRAEL. WE’RECOMMANDED: ‘AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALLYOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT? GOD ALSO NEEDS LOVE! HOW CAN WE ACCOMPLISHTHIS MITZVAH TO LOVE GOD? THE KABBALAH TEACHES! THE MORE I LOVE ANOTHER HUMANBEING, THE MORE GOD FEELS LOVED BY US! BECAUSE OUR NEEDS ARE ALSO GOD’SNEEDS! I OFTEN WONDER, ESPECIALLY ON ROSHHASHANAH WHEN WE RECITE THE ‘UNTANEH TOKEF’ IN THE MUSAF SERVICE AND WE COME TOTHE WORDS, ‘MI YICHYEH, U’MI YAMUT’-WHO SHALL LIVE AND WHO SHALL DIE,’ I ASKMYSELF, IF WE WERE TO KNOW THAT IN THIS COMING YEAR, A LOVE ONE OF OURS WAS TODIE, WHAT WOULD OUR REACTION BE? IF THOSE PERSONS WHO DIED IN THE WORLD TRADECENTERS KNEW THAT SEPTEMBER 11 WOULD BE THEIR LAST DAY ON EARTH, HOW WOULD THEYHAVE LIVED THEIR LIVES DIFFERENTLY THAT MORNING, OR A WEEK EARLIER OR A YEAREARLIER?
RABBI CHAYIM LISTFIELD, A CONSERVATIVECOLLEAGUE IN NEW JERSEY SHARED THE FOLLOWING TRUE STORY THAT BEARS REPEATING,ESPECIALLY AS WE COMMEMORATED 9/11 THIS PAST SHABBAT. HE WRITES THAT A FORMERCONGREGANT SENT HIM AN E-MAIL. HER NAME IS FRANCINE. “DEAR RABBI, -I HAVE ABROTHER; WE HAVE BEEN ESTRANGED FOR 10 YEARS. YOU GAVE A SERMON ABOUT FAMILIESHEALING BREACHES. I’VE DECIDED THAT IT’S TIME FOR ME TO HEAL. I’M GOING TO CALLMY BROTHER AFTER ALL THESE YEARS OF BITTERNESS AND SEPARATION. HE LIVES IN LONGISLAND; HE’S MARRIED NOW AND HAS TWO KIDS. I WANT US TO MAKE UP. I’M NOT ASKINGYOU TO DO ANYTHING. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT THIS. MAYBE YOU CAN SAY APRAYER AND HOPE THAT THIS WILL WORK OUT.”
RABBI LISTFIELD CALLED IMMEDIATELYAND WISHED FRANCINE WELL AND THAT HE WOULD PRAY FOR HER SUCCESS. A FEW DAYSLATER, ANOTHER E-MAIL ARRIVED AND FRANCINE HAD CONTACTED HER BROTHER. THEYSPOKE, GUARDEDLY, BUT THEY CAUGHT UP ON EACH OTHER’S LIVES. NEXT STEP WAS THATTHE TWO FAMILIES WOULD GET TOGETHER. HER CHILDREN AND HIS CHILDREN WOULD NOW MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME. FINALLYTHE TWO FAMILIES MET AND THE KIDS LOVED EACH OTHER AND SLOWLY THE PROCESS OFFORGIVENESS FELL INTO PLACE. FRANCINE AND ADAM BEGAN THE PROCESS OF HEALING ANDRECONCILIATION. THE INITIAL E-MAIL THAT GOT THE BALL ROLLING WAS AUGUST 30,2001. THE FAMILIES FINALLY MET ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2001. RABBI LISTFIELDWRITES THAT HE SENT AN E-MAIL TO FRANCINE ON SEPTEMBER 10 ASKING HER TO KEEPHIM INFORMED OF HOW THINGS WERE DEVELOPING. THE NEXT DAY, TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 11,FRANCINE CALLED THE RABBI AND SAID: “ RABBI, I THINK SOMETHING IS TERRIBLYWRONG. ADAM WORKS AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER. WE HAVEN’T HEARD ANYTHING ALLMORNING. HE’S ON A PRETTY HIGH FLOOR AND WORKS FOR A FIRM CALLED CANTORFITZGERALD. ADAM, FRANCINE’S BROTHERDIED IN THE TWIN TOWERS. HE WAS 41YEARS OLD AND LEFT A WIFE, TWO YOUNG CHILDREN, HIS PARENTS, A SISTER FRANCINE,A BROTHER-IN-LAW BARRY AND HIS NEPHEW AND NIECE, BARRY AND HEATHER WHOM HE METFOR THE FIRST TIME THE PREVIOUS SUNDAY.
SO I ASK THE QUESTION? WHAT ARE YOUWAITING FOR? DOES IT TAKE A TRAGEDY, A DEATH IN OUR LIVES TO FINALLY MAKE USREALIZE THAT TODAY, NOT YESTERDAY OR TOMORROW, WE HOLD IN THE PALMS OF OURHANDS THE ANTITODE OF ‘FORGIVENESS’ THAT CAN BEGIN TO LESSEN OUR OWN PERSONALSUFFERING. WHY SHOULD WE LIVE WITH GUILT AND ANGUISH AFTER THE FACT THAT WE DIDNOT TAKE ADANTAGE OF THE PLECIOUS TIME THAT’S GIVEN TO US ON THIS EARTH, TOTAKE THE CHANCE, TO TAKE THE RISK, TO SEEK RECONCILIATION, TO HEAL AND TO LOVEAGAIN. WHY SHOULD WE WAIT UNTIL SADNESS STRIKES TO SAY, IF ONLY HE OR SHE WASALIVE TODAY I WOULD HAVE ACTED DIFFERENTLY. TODAY, ROSH HASHANAH BECKONS US TOBEGIN THIS NEW YEAR AFRESH BY TURNING TO THE PEOPLE WE LOVE AND SAY TO THEM, IWOULD GIVE ANYTHING TO SPEND WHATEVER TIME I HAVE ON THIS EARTH WITH YOUWITHOUT ALL THE HURTS AND ANGERS THAT SO OFTEN CONTROL OUR LIVES. ‘MI YICHYEHU’MI YAMUT’-WHO SHALL LIVE AND WHO SHALL DIE. THE DAYS, THE WEEKS AND THEMONTHS THAT ARE ALLOTED TO US SHOULD FROM THIS MOMENT BE FILLED WITH THECREATION OF A NEW SPACE IN OUR LIVES, FILLED WITH LOVE, WITH CARING AND WITHCOMPASSION. FOR IN THE END, WE WOULD WANT FOR OUR LOVED ONES AND FOR OURSELVES,THE LAST PRECIOUS AND FLEETING MOMENTS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP TO BE REMEMBERED ASTIMES OF HEALING AND RESOLUTION, AND NOT ONE OF SEPARATION. THAT’S WHY JEWISHTRADITION SAYS; REPENT THE DAY BEFORE YOU DIE! OUR SAGES ASK: ‘BUT, HOW DO YOUKNOW WHEN THAT DAY WILL COME?’ THE ANSWER: ‘WE DON’T, SO REPENT EACH DAYOF YOUR LIFE.’ HOW MUCH MORE SO WHEN IT COMES TO LOVING THOSE WHOM WE LIVE WITHEACH DAY AND WITHOUT WHOM OUR LIVES WOULD SURELY BE DIMINISHED. ON ROSHHASHANAH, THE WORDS OF THE MACHZOR HIT US RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES! DON’T WAITUNTL TOMORROW TO HEAL AND TO FEEL LOVE AGAIN, FOR THERE MAY NOT BE A TOMORROW.DON’T PUT OFF UNTIL TOMORROW, WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY! AS OUR MACHZOR SAYS AT THE END OF OUR DAVENING AND REPEATS ITOVER AND OVER AGAIN. HAYOM, HAYOM, HAYOM-TODAY BLESS US, TODAY STRENGTHEN US,TODAY FORGIVE US.
I RECALL READING WORDS WRITTEN BY RABBI MITCHEL WOHLBERG, THEMODERN ORTHODOX SPIRITUAL LEADER OF BETH T’FILOH IN BALTIMORE WHO WROTE: “WHENBROTHERS AND SISTERS FIGHT, WHEN HUSBANDS AND WIVES ARGUE AND MOST CERTAINLYWHEN CHILDREN AND PARENTS QUARREL, THE LEAST IMPORTANT QUESTION IS: WHOSERIGHT? THAT QUESTION TAKES YOU NOWHERE. THE REAL QUESTION IS: HOW DO YOUSTAY TOGETHER? SURE, MOM SHOULDN’T HAVE TRIED TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO…BUT SOWHAT?...WHO CARES WHO WAS RIGHT? WHAT DOES IT MATTER WHO SHOULD HAVE DONE WHATYESTERDAY? THE ONLY THING THAT COUNTS TODAY IS TO PREVENT DISTANCE FROM SETTINGIN, BECAUSE DISTANCE BEGETS DISTANCE, SILENCE BEGETS SILENCE, SEPARATION BEGETSSEPARATION. [BUT] FORGETTING, [FORGETTING] BEGETS FORGOTTEN.’ AS THE BIBLICAL BOOK OF KOHELET TEACHES US. ‘THERE’S A TIME TO BE BORN AND A TIME FOR DYING…ATIME FOR SLAYING AND A TIME FOR HEALING, A TIME TO CRY AND A TIME TO LAUGH… ATIME FOR LOVING AND A TIME FOR HATING, A TIME FOR WAR AND A TIME FOR PEACE.ANDFOR RABBI WOHLBERG, THERE’S ALSO A TIME FOR FORGETTING. BECAUSE FORGETTINGLEADS TO FORGOTTEN. FORGOTTEN DOESN’T MEAN THAT HURTFUL EVENTS ARE ERASED FROMOUR MEMORIES. HOW COULD THEY BE, FOR AFTER ALL, THEY RESONATE IN OUR BEINGALONGSIDE THE JOYFUL EVENTS OF OUR LIFE. RATHER, FORGOTTEN MEANS, WHEN YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARM AND THE INJURYINFLICTED, THE TIME COMES TO FINALLY PLACE THE HURTS AND ANGERS WHERE THEYBELONG INTO THE DEEP RECESSES OF OUR MIND WHERE, FOR OUR OWN PERSONAL HEALING,THEY REMAIN SEALED FOREVER, NOT TO BE OPENED EVER AGAIN. THOSE MEMORIES ARESTILL PART OF OUR BEING, BUT WE MAKE THE CONSCIOUS EFFORT NOT TO ALLOW THEM TORESURFACE. WHY? BECAUSE THEY WREAK HAVOC IN OUR LIVES AND LIFE IS TOO SHORT!LIFE IS TOO PRECIOUS! IF WE ARE TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF HEALING, IF WE ARE TOBE WHOLE, THEN WE MUST ALSO LEARN HOW TO FORGET!
FROM CHASSIDIC LITERATURE WE LEARNTHIS MOST INVALUABLE LESSON. THE STORY IS TOLD THAT ONE DAY A CHASSIDIC REBBEASKED A MISNAGID, AN OPPONENT OF CHASSIDISM IF HE KNEW THE TALMUD WELL. THEMISNAGID REPLIED THAT OF COURSE HE KNEW TALMUD. THEN YOU KNOW, SAID THE REBBE, THAT THE TALMUD TEACHES THAT WHENA CHILD IS IN ITS MOTHER’S WOMB, A LIGHT IS KINDLED ABOVE ITS HEAD AND ITLEARNS THE ENTIRE TORAH. HOWEVER, JUST BEFORE IT EMERGES INTO THE WORLD, ANANGEL TOUCHES IT ON THE MOUTH AND THEREUPON IT FORGETS EVERYTHING. NOW HERE’STHE QUESTION? WHY SHOULD THE CHILD LEARN ALL OF TORAH ONLY TO FORGET IT? THEMISNAGID WAS SILENT. HE HAD NO ANSWER. SO THE REBBE CONTINUED. THE REASON ISTHIS: IF THERE WERE NO FORGETTING, THEN EACH HUMAN WOULD CONSTANTLY REMEMBERTHAT THE DAY OF HIS OR HER BIRTH WOULD ULTIMATLEY LEAD TO THE DAY OF ONE’SDEATH. IF THIS WERE THE CASE, THEN EACH HUMAN WOULD OBSESS ABOUT DEATH AND NOTENGAGE IN LIFE’S PURSUITS. THERE WOULD BE NO FAMILY, NO LOVE, AND NO CONCERNFOR OTHERS. ONLY SELF-ABSORPTION AND SELF-PITY. THEREFORE, IN ORDER TO ALLOWEACH PERSON TO GROW AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORLD, GOD PLANTED FORGETTING WITHINEACH HUMAN. THAT’S WHY THE ANGELTOUCHES THE CHILD ON THE MOUTH TO MAKE THE INFANT FORGET IN ORDER TO OPEN THEDOOR TO A NEW WORLD FILLED WITH ENDLESS POSSIBLITIES TO SHARE IN GOD’SCREATION. AS LEO BUSCAGLIA WRITES IN HIS BOOK ‘LOVING EACH OTHER, “UNLESS WEARE ABLE TO FORGET THE PAST, WE’LL NEVER BE FREE OF IT’S POWER TO REAWAKEN HATEAND PAIN.”
THIS IS THE POWERFUL LESSON OF ROSHHASHANAH. TODAY IS THE DAY TO REJOICE BECAUSE WE ARE ALIVE AND POSSESS THEPOTENTIAL TO BRING HARMONY INTO OUR LIVES. TODAY AS WE CELEBRATE GOD’S GREATESTGIFT TO US, ‘CHAYIM,’LIFE IN ALL ITS MANIFESTATIONS, WE ARE REMINDED THAT WEHAVE THE POTENTIAL TO GIVE BIRTH TO A NEW, MORE SENSITIVE AND CARING HUMANBEING.
AS WE PASS THROUGH THIS FIRST STAGEOF BIRTH, LIKE GOD, WE’RE NOW READY TO EMERGE AS A NEW ENTITY READY TOEXPERIENCE THE BALANCE, THE HARMONY THAT WE ALL SEEK AS WE CELEBRATE A NEWBIRTH-THE BEGINNING OF NEW LIFE FOR OUR LOVED ONES AND OURSELVES. I FINISHTODAY WITH A STORY THAT SPEAKS TO RE-BIRTH AND REACHING OUT TO ANOTHER WITHLOVE AND COMPASSION. FOR EXPRESSING LOVE TO ANOTHER CAN IMPACT A PERSON’S LIFEFOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
IN A SMALL HOUSE AT THE EDGE OF A TOWN, LIVED A POOR SEAMSTRESS.HER MOST PRIZED POSSESSION WAS HER SEWING MACHINE. IN SPITE OF HER OUTWARDPOVERTY, SHE SEEMED TO POSSESS AN INNER STRENGTH, A RICHNESS OF SPIRIT. HERONLY VISITORS WERE HER WEALTHY CUSTOMERS WHO ARRIVED AT HER DOOR LADED WITHBOLTS OF FABRIC TO BE MADE INTO GARMENTS. EVER SINCE ANYONE IN THE TOWN COULDREMEMBER, THE SEAMSTRESS PROVIDED THE CLOTHES FOR THE CHILDREN IN THE LOCALORPHANAGE. SHE SEEMED TO TAKE A SPECIAL DELIGHT IN CREATING SIMPLE SHIRTS ANDPANTS OUT OF THE REMNANTS LEFT OVER BY HER CUSTOMERS. EACH YEAR, BEFORE ROSHHASHANAH, SHE WOULD DELIVER THE NEW CLOTHES TO THE CHILDREN. THE DIRECTOR SAWHOW HAPPY THE CHILDREN WERE AND HE ATTRIBUTED THEIR DELIGHT TO HAVING RECEIVEDTHE NEW CLOTHES FROM THE POOR SEAMSTRESS. THIS CONTINUED FROM YEAR TO YEAR,UNTIL ONE YEAR, JUST BEFORE ROSH HASHANAH, THE WOMAN DIED. HER DEATH WAS HARDLYNOTICED BY ANYONE IN THE TOWN.
MANY YEARS LATER, THE LITTLE TOWNGREW INTO A BUSTLING SUBURB, THE OPHANGE CLOSED DOWN AND THE LITTLE SHUL BECAMEA GRAND SYNAGOGUE. AS ROSH HASHANAH APPROACHED, THE CONGREGATION NEEDED TORAISE FUNDS FOR THEIR OPERATING COSTS. THE PRESIDENT REMEMBERED THAT A VERYSUCCESSFUL INDUSTRIALIST HAD SPENT HIS CHILDHOOD IN THE LOCAL ORPHANGE. ‘IF HEWOULD COME TO WORSHIP WITH US FOR THE HIGH HOLIDAYS, PERHAPS HE WOULD SHARESOME OF HIS SECRETS OF SUCCESS’. SO THEINVITATION WAS EXTENDED, AND FOR SENTIMENTAL REASONS, THE MAN ACCEPTED THESYNAGOGUE’S INVITATION. “SO,” SAID THEPRESIDENT IN A SELF –IMPORTANT VOICE. “TELL US. WHAT’S THE SECRET OF YOURSUCCESS? FROM RAGS TO RICHES?” THE INDUSTRIALIST ANSWERED VERY HUMBLY, ‘’IT’SACTUALLY VERY SIMPLE. WHEN I WAS A CHILD, AS YOU KNOW, I LIVED IN THE LOCALORPAHANAGE. NOW YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THE LONELINESS OF AN ORPHAN. ALL TOO MANYNIGHTS MY PILLOW WAS WET WITH TEARS, TEARS OF LONGING FOR MY POOR DEAD PARENTS,TEARS OF ANGER FOR WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME. IN SPITE OF THE KINDNESS OF THESTAFF AND MY CHILDHOOD FRIENDS, I OFTEN FELT VERY ALONE. SO EVERY YEAR, IWAITED IMPATIENTLY FOR ROSH HASHANAH TO ARRIVE. FOR IN HONOR OF THE HOLIDAY,EACH CHILD WAS GIVEN A NEW SET OF CLOTHES. NOW, SIMPLY RECEIVING A SET OFCLEAN, NEVER-BEFORE-WORN CLOTHES MIGHT HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL ENOUGH. BUT, FOR ME,THE NEW CLOTHES HELD A SPECIAL SECRET: EACH YEAR IN ONE OF THE POCKETS, WAS ASMALL NOTE. THE NOTE WAS JUST FOR ME. AND I SAVORED Its MESSAGE THROUGHOUT THEYEAR. IT REASSURED ME THAT I WAS NOT ALONE IN THIS WORLD AND THAT I WOULD NOTSPEND ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE IN LONGING.
“SO TELL US, SAID THE PRESIDENT,WHAT WAS WRITTEN ON THE NOTES. WHAT WORDS COULD HAVE MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR YOUTO RISE FROM THAT TO THIS?” THE MAN ANSWERED: “ THAT’S NOT WHAT’S IMPORTANT.SOMEONE, AND I NEVER LEARNED WHO, SENT THOSE MESSAGES TO ME. IT BROUGHT ME HOPE. IT BROUGHT ME COMFORT.IT MADE ME FEEL THAT SOMEONE TRULY CARED ABOUT ME. IT MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCEIN MY LIFE. I REALIZED THAT THIS PERSON NOT ONLY ACTED WITH ‘TZEDAKKAH’ AN ACTOF RIGHTEOUS JUSTICE, BUT THIS CARING, COMPASSIONATE PERSON WENT BEYOND WHAT WASREQUIRED OF HER IN HER WORK AND FILLED MY POCKETS WITH A MESSAGE OF LOVE. SO I LEFT THE ORPHANGE WITH AN INNER SENSEOF BALANCE IN MY LIFE. WHEREVER LIFE WOULD LEAD ME AND WHATEVER WORK I WOULDACCOMPLISH, I KNEW FROM THAT MOMENT ON, THAT THE ONLY WAY I COULD EXPERIENCEINNER HARMONY WAS TO REACH OUT TO OTHERS WITH JUSTICE IN ONE HAND, AND MERCYAND LOVINGKINDNESS IN THE OTHER. THAT’S HOW I SUCCEEDED IN BECOMING ANINDUSTRIALIST BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IN STRIVING TO BE A MENTSCH.
SO ON THIS ROSH HASHANAH, WE TURNTO GOD AND BESEECH THE ALMIGHTY TO GUIDE US IN OUR PATH OF TZIMTZUM. FROM THISWITHDRAWAL WILL EMERGE A NEW AND BETTER ME. A MORE COMPASSIONATE PERSON WHOWILL DISCOVER THE ETERNAL MESSAGE OF KABBALAH. WITH JUSTICE IN ONE HAND, ANDWITH LOVINGKINDNESS AND MERCY IN THE OTHER, WE CAN CREATE THE INNER HARMONY,THE BALANCE THAT WE SEEK FOR OURSELVES AND FOR THE ALMIGHTY. HAYOM, TODAY WEREACH OUT TO OUR LOVED ONES AND SEEK HEALING, FOR NO ONE HERE IS GUARANTEED ATOMORROW. TODAY WE TAKE TO HEART THE MESSAGE OF THE CHASSID HOW MUCH HEALING WECAN BRING TO OURSELVES THROUGH THE ACT OF FORGETTING. TODAY, WE TURN TO GOD TOHELP US IN OUR QUEST TO BRING RECONCILIATION INTO OUR LIVES. AS WE RECITE EACHDAY AT THIS SEASON OF THE YEAR. ‘THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION.’ MAYGOD’S DIVINE RADIANCE SHINE UPON US, GUIDE US AND INSPIRE US AS WE BEGIN A ‘NEWBEGINNING’ ON THIS ROSH HASHANAH.
SHANAHTOVAH U’METUKAH-MAY WE ALL BE BLESSED WITH A NEW YEAR FILLED WITH SWEETNESS ANDINNER HARMONY.
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