Rosh Hashanah 10/02/24
I spent an hour on the phone with a sister-in-law this morning, detoxing from yesterday’s historic events. Her family had a pizza delivered right before the alarms sounded, so her kids grabbed the pies and took dinner and refuge in the shelter. What aplomb! Her pride in their fortitude was mixed with a healthy dose of resentment. I cannot remember another event in my lifetime where the entire country was sent to shelters - not along the border or around important sites, but literally everyone. And what happened the next day? The shopping malls and grocery stores were full of people preparing for the holidays. My sister-in-law loaded the car and drove the family three hours south to Eilat, as originally planned, to spend the long holiday weekend with family. I called to give her support, but she lent me more strength than I gave her. Israelis continue to live! They refuse to cower and give the terrorists another victory. I am continually in awe of their strength.
I hope to tap into my own dwindling reserves of strength when tonight, we celebrate the first night of Rosh Hashanah and enter the 10 Days of Awe. It’s the holiest time in the Jewish calendar. The arc of these ten days until Yom Kippur is all about repentance: first to our fellow man and then to Gd, as the world is judged and our fate in the coming year decided.
But what does Rosh Hashanah actually commemorate? We refer to it as the New Year, but it’s really the anniversary of the birth of the world and of humanity. Mankind is commanded to look deep within ourselves, to confront our achievements and mistakes. There is no time for falsity, rather a demand for a brutally honest reckoning. Who am I? Why am I here? How have I been living my life? What is wrong in my life and needs mending? What wrongs can I put right? We leave the previous year's baggage at the door, in order to embark on a new year unencumbered.
We say Chamol al ma’asecha-have compassion and forgive. Life is too short to hold onto petty grudges and resentments. I will not mince words: this war is not about grudges or revenge, it is about survival; it is not about hate, but about the love of family and our people.
Rabbi Sacks Z”L said many times that “no one can offend me without my permission, and I refuse to give bad people the victory of knowing I care about what they say or do. On these holy days, we have to let go of hate. We have to forgive. And we will then travel lighter through life, with less grief, more joy.” I want to embrace this message. I owe apologies to neighbors, friends and family. To anyone I have hurt, my sincerest apologies: for my words, for not being present, for my indifference, for letting darkness seep in when I should only be motivated by light.
And as is customary, I also wish to impart a blessing, not just an apology. I wish for everyone to experience fulfillment, to embark on a rich life full of meaning. I was recently asked why I don’t wish for peace, health, success or happiness? Those are all great things and I obviously wish for them too, but those accomplishments spring from a life of purpose. Gd gave us a pantheon of emotions. Use them. Use your frustration to fuel success. Use your surprise to ask better questions. Use your fear to drive necessary change. It’s unhealthy (and weird) to experience emotional stasis, even if you’ve managed to stop the wheel on “happy.” I wish you fulfillment because I wish you a life of meaning, whatever your purpose may be.
L’Shana Tova and Am Yisrael Chai. May all of our hostages and soldiers return to us safely in the New Year.
Kelly