B"H
Tuesday, Tishrei 4, 5781 / September 22, 2020
As we begin the new year, 5781, I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a Gmar Chatima Tova - a wonderful, joyous, HEALTHY, sweet and successful year.
May G-d answer all our Rosh Hashana prayers; for ourselves, our family and our prayers for Klall Yisrael. May G-d bless the land of Israel, it’s people, the Jewish people wherever they are and the entire world with true and lasting peace. Amen.
There are ten days from the first day Rosh Hashana through Yom Kippur. They are called "Aseret Yemai Teshuva" - "Ten days of repentance." Our sages say, that on Rosh Hashana, the verdict for the New Year is written. However, it is not sealed until the end of Yom Kippur. Thus, even a harsh decree, G-d forbid, on Rosh Hashana may still be changed between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
In the Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur prayers we read that, "Teshuva (repentance), Tefilah (prayer) and Tzedakah (charity) annul a severe decree." During these days, between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, it is important that we perform more mitzvot, especially the mitzvah of Tzedakah - by giving more charity. By helping others in their time of need, we too, will be rewarded, measure for measure, and granted whatever we need for the coming year.
A person who lived all his life in the big city decided one day to become a farmer. He bought a parcel of land and went to live on the farm. Knowing that his success depends on rain, he prayed fervently to G-d for rain. His prayers were answered and much rain descended on the fields. Now he was sure that his field would yield much fruits and vegetables. Yet, a while later, when he checked his field, to his dismay, he found only weeds. His disappointment became even greater when he saw that all his neighbors' fields were indeed filled with beautiful fruits and vegetables.
In despair, he approached one of his neighbors, "My field had the same amount of rain as yours. My field had the same sunshine as yours. My field is even the same size as yours, yet mine didn't yield any fruit while yours did. Can you explain to me what happened?"
"The answer is simple!" explained the neighbor. "G-d's blessings are only effective when you do your part. I planted seeds, fertilized the ground and removed the weeds, so now G-d's blessing of rain has brought forth wonderful fruits. You, however, didn't do anything in your field. All you did was pray for rain, but you didn't do anything to cultivate G-d's blessings. You didn’t do YOUR part, how can you expect G-d’s blessings to bear fruit?
The same is true with our prayers. On Rosh Hashana we ask G-d to grant us everything we need in the coming year, but that is not enough. We have to do our part. The mitzvot and good deeds we perform are the seeds we sow in order for G-d's blessings to take effect. Between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is the most appropriate time to begin planting!
MAY WE ALL BE BLESSED WITH A HAPPY, HEALTHY, SWEET & FRUITFUL NEW YEAR