Rabbi's Message

The month of Tishrei is the most spiritually rich and colorful month of an entire year. The meaningful period of the Aseret Yemei Teshuva, begins with the unique and deeply moving observance of Rosh Hashanah and culminates in the great sanctity of Yom Kippur. We then flow into the joyous celebrations of the seven days of Succot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah. These days are timeless moments that convey the essential concepts of life itself. Messages of self-renewal, hope, and self realization that call on us to enlarge our vision and gain a deeper understanding so that we are not overwhelmed by self serving attitudes which impede our judgement and shatter our morale.

The principle of our faith, which states that man must stand in judgement for his failures and sins carries with it the hopeful determination that he also has the possibility of making amends.

It is the sound of the Shofar, that simple but penetrating sound, that begins for us this journey of the Yamim Nora'im. It is that clarion call that movingly reaches our very hearts and soul. It is the call of the Jewish Neshama itself, our inner self, that calls to us to that higher calling of our heritage, our Torah, and our potential to affect the world with goodness, kindness, graciousness, and love. The Shofar, our Sages tell us, is in addition, an expression of that most moving aspect of Jewish reality that goes beyond words and normal expression. It is the sound of the Jewish Neshama crying in pain. It is the sound of the deep feelings that go beyont tears. It is the sound of the Jewish heart breaking. It is that sound that gives us entry into these days of awe, the Yamim Nora'im.

It is when our souls hear that cry of the Shofar, that cry of the Jewish Neshama, that the doors of heaven are opened wide for us so that our prayers and hopes can be answered.

This year, so tragically, is a year that we are in such dire need of hearing that sound of the Shofar, that collective cry and tears of our soul. What a terrible and difficult time it has been for our people. We have such reason for all of us to cry with bitter tears for the innocent and precious blood of our brethren, children, babies, loving sons and daughters, fathers, mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers so brutally murdered by a vicious enemy, so consumed with hatred.

How heavy is our heart, how deep is our collective tears, how we yearn for that pristine sound of the Shofar to release us from this bitter reality.

Aand yet it is that very sound, that very cry, that is the eternal promise of hope for a better tomorrow. It is when we hear those sounds, when we are moved by those tears and identify with them we in turn will be renewed and inspired to create a world of light in the midst of darkness, of hope in the midst of despair.

In that sublime moment we will return as children to our Father and we again will rediscover our true selves; the feeling passionate parts of ourselves; the sharing and caring selves.

As we stand on the threshold of this New Year, as we hear the sound of the Shofar may it be the one that releases us to freedom, Tekah B’Shofar Ga’dol L’Chairutainu. May it bring us to a more meaningful observance of Torah, a more sensitive social awareness with greater efforts for the needs of Israel and humanity, and the will to help usher in a new era of blessedness, joy, and peace for all mankind.