Rabbi's Message

The clarion call of the shofar each day of the month of Elul heralds the imminent arrival of the most sacred time of the year, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It is these days that we designate as the yamim noraim, the days of awe, for they tower above all other days of our rich and meaningful Jewish calendar. These days are the Yamei Ha Din, days of judgement, in which the fate of each and every individual hangs in the balance. At this time that all of G-ds creations stand in front of the all knowing Almighty in judgement while their future, fate, existence and ultimate survival is being decided upon.

Torah and tradition tell us that the supreme purpose of the yamim noraim with its aseret yamei tshuva, ten days of penitence) is for the forgiveness of our sins and rectification of our failings. Remarkably, this doctrine that man stands in judgement for his transgressions carries with it the reassuring determination that he also has the potential to make amends and restitution -- that man has the power and ability to change for the better.

Tshuva -- penitence, tefila -- prayer, and tseduka -- acts of loving kindness, are the vehicles upon which we can journey back in the path of righteous living. The fuel for these spiritual vehicles is Kavanah, sincerity and earnestness of purpose together with deep introspection that we apply to our thoughts, prayers, and deeds.

Ironically, these sacred days of awe and judgement that we observe happily become a promising opportunity to recreate ourselves, to strike a renewed balance in our lives between what we are and have become and what we could and should be. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur become a sublime search for the good that is within ourselves, so that it is not the sins alone that we are searching for but rather the good that has been supplanted by them.

Let us set our will to make this new year a time of enlarged vision and deeper sensitivity to bring to the surface of our habitual lives the unused riches of mind and heart that we possess.

May these days of reverence bring us a revitalized spiritual attentiveness and social concern as we reestablish ourselves with the centrality of Torah and halacha as the touchstones of our lives.

May the new year bring blessing in true peace and contentment to Am Yisroel, Klal Yisroel, Medinat Yisroel, and all mankind.