Rabino Kalman Packouz
(Nosso rabino consultor)
GOOD MORNING! Rosh Hashana begins Wednesday evening, September 12! Many Jews all over the world are rushing to make sure that they have places reserved in their synagogues. I am reminded of the story of the person who had to deliver a very important message to a man in a synagogue on Rosh Hashana. The usher wouldn't let him in because he didn't have a ticket. "Please, I just need a moment to tell him the message!" "No way!" says the usher, "No ticket, no entrance!" "Please," begs the man, "I promise ... I won't pray!" If you need a place to pray and don't belong to a synagogue, go to: http://www.NoMembershipRequired.com!
WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF ROSH HASHANA AND HOW DO WE OBSERVE IT?
___Rosh Hashana is the Jewish New Year. Unlike the secular New Year which is celebrated in many parts of the "civilized" world by partying, drinking to excess and watching a little ball descend a tower in Time Square, the Jewish New Year is celebrated by reflecting upon the past, correcting one's mistakes, planning for the future, praying for a healthy and sweet year and celebrating with holiday meals.
___Rabbi Nachum Braverman writes, "On Rosh Hashana we make an accounting of our year and we pray repeatedly for life. How do we justify another year of life? What did we do with the last year? Has it been a time of growth, of insight and of caring for others? Did we make use of our time, or did we squander it? Has it truly been a year of life, or merely one of mindless activity? This is the time for evaluation and rededication. The Jewish process is called "teshuva," coming home - recognizing our mistakes between ourselves and God as well as between ourselves and our fellow man and then correcting them."
___On Rosh Hashana we pray that we are inscribed in the Book of Life for life, for health, for sustenance. It is the Day of Judgment. Yet, we celebrate with festive meals with family and friends. How can we celebrate when our very lives hang in balance? Ultimately, we trust in the kindness and mercy of the Almighty ... that He knows our heart and our intentions and with love and knowledge of what is best for us, will accordingly grant us a good decree for the new year.
___It would seem to make more sense to have the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) before the Day of Judgment (Rosh Hashana). However, until we recognize our Creator and internalize the magnitude and consequences of our actions, we cannot truly seek to change ourselves or to seek atonement. That is why the three essential themes of Rosh Hashana are: Malchuyot (Kingship), Zichronot (Providence) and Shofrot (Revelation). The musaf (additional) prayer service is structured around these three themes.
___The Book of Our Heritage clarifies:
___In the Kingship section we acknowledge God's creation of all existence, His active supervision of the entire universe, and our acceptance of His eternal rule.
___In the Providence section we proclaim our understanding that: 1) the Creator has a one on one relationship with every human being 2) God cares about what we do with our lives and sees and remembers everything 3) there are Divine consequences for our actions.
___In the Revelation section we accept the Torah as if it were given once again with thunder and lightning and mighty shofar blasts. We also await the final redemption which is to be heralded by the "shofar of the mashiach (messiah)."
___At the festive meal both nights of Rosh Hashana it is customary to dip the challah, specially braided bread, as well as an apple, into honey symbolizing our hopes for a sweet year. There is a custom to eat various Symbolic Foods - primarily fruits and vegetables - each one preceded by a request. For instance, before eating a pomegranate, "May it be Your will... that our merits increase like (the seeds of) a pomegranate." Many of the requests are based on "plays on words" between the name of the food and the request. Since these "plays on words" are lost on many who don't know Hebrew, there are those who have added their own requests. My favorite: before eating a raisin on a celery stick, "May it be Your will ... that I receive a raise in salary."
___Another custom is Tashlich, a symbolic casting off of transgressions. It is done after the Mincha, the afternoon prayers, on the first day of Rosh Hashana. Remember - these symbolic acts help you relate to what you need to do in life, to awaken your emotions and passions; they are not an end in themselves. It is worthwhile to get a copy of the Rosh Hashana Yom Kippur Survival Kit to get a better understanding of the holiday, the prayers, the prayer services and the opportunity that is afforded to you to grow in spirituality, to come closer to the Almighty, to perfect yourself and to perfect the world!
Torah Portion of the Week
Nitzavim-Vayelech
___On the day of Moshe's death he assembles the whole Jewish people and creates a Covenant confirming the Jewish people as the Almighty's Chosen People for all future generations. Moshe makes clear the consequences of rejecting God and His Torah as well as the possibility of repentance. He reiterates that Torah is readily available to everyone.
___Nitzavim concludes with perhaps the clearest and most powerful statement in the Torah about the purpose of life and the existence of free-will: "I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil ... the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life that you may live, you and your descendants." (Now that's a real Quote of the Week!)
___VaYelech begins with Moshe passing the torch of leadership to Yehoshua (Joshua). Moshe then gives Yehoshua a command/blessing which applies to every Jewish leader: "Be strong and brave. Do not be afraid or feel insecure before them. God your Lord is the One who is going with you, and He will not fail you nor forsake you."
___Moshe writes the entire Torah and gives it to the Cohanim and Elders. He then commands that in the future at the end of the Shmita (Sabbatical Year) the king should gather all the people during Succot festival and read to them the Torah so "... that they will hear and learn and fear the Lord your God and be careful to perform all the words of the Torah."
___The Almighty describes in a short paragraph the course of Jewish history (that's starting from Deuteronomy 31:16 for the curious). Lastly, before Moshe goes to "sleep with his forefathers," he assembles the people to teach them the song of Ha'azinu, the next weekly Torah portion, to remind them of the consequences of turning against the Almighty.
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Dvar Torahbased on Growth Through Torah
Rabino Zelig Pliskin
___In the Torah it is written:
"[The Torah] is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it?' Nor is it beyond the sea that you should say, 'Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it to us that we may hear it or do it?' " (Deut. 30: 12,13)
___The Talmud (Eiruvin 55a) states on this verse that if the Torah were in heaven, you would still have to climb up to reach it. If the Torah were on the other side of the ocean, you would still have to go traveling for it.
___This means that the Torah is so crucial for one's existence that even if it were extremely difficult to acquire, you would still have to make every possible effort to acquire it.
CANDLE LIGHTING - September 7
Jerusalem 6:21
Guatemala 5:52 - Hong Kong 6:17 - Honolulu 6:35J'Burg 5:39 – Porto KOAH 7:16 - Los Angeles 6:54Melbourne 5:45 - Mexico City 7:28 - Miami 7:17New York 7:02 - Singapore 6:54 - Toronto 7:26
