B"H
Monday, Elul 20, 5784 / September 23, 2024
There are many different customs we do on Rosh Hashana to symbolize that we pray that G-d grant us a good New Year and provide us with all our needs. For example, it is customary to eat from the head of a fish or lamb at the Rosh Hashana meal and recite, "May it be Your will that we be a head and not a tail." We eat the seeds of a pomegranate and recite, “May our merits multiply and be many as the seeds of the pomegranate. We dip the Chalah in honey and pray that we should have a sweet New Year.
The Magid of Dubna explains that although these symbols are important and are part of our tradition, we need to do more than just the symbols. We need to prepare during the month of Elul through acts of charity and generosity. We need to help make someone else’s life happy and sweet, so that we should be deserving of His blessings. He explains the Rosh Hashana customs with the following parable:
A poor man was once invited to the home of a wealthy man for a meal. He was overwhelmed by all the glamour and wealth that he saw in the rich man's house. One thing amazed him the most. Every time they finished a course, the owner would press down on a small bell and immediately servants would enter the room with all kinds of delicacies and wonderful, tasty foods. When they finished the course, he would sound the bell and again the servants cleaned off the table and then serve the next course.
He was fascinated by this magic bell. After the meal, he went and bought a bell just like that one. He came home and with great excitement, called for his wife and children to sit down at the table. He placed the bell on the table and proceeded to ring it as hard as he could, anticipating that any minute now, waiters will enter with platters of food. But ring as hard as he would, nothing happened!
Angrily, he went back to the storekeeper and complained that he was cheated. "Why didn't you sell me the same exact bell that you sold the wealthy man?"
"But it is exactly the same bell!" replied the storekeeper. "What makes you think that it is not the same?"
He told the storekeeper the purpose for which he wanted the bell. "How can this be the same bell, when in the rich man's house, every ring of the bell brought food to the table! In my house, I rang and rang and not a morsel of food was brought to the table!"
The storekeeper laughed, "The bell is worthless in and of itself. It doesn't prepare nor serve the food. The wealthy man prepared the food and waiters to serve the food beforehand. The bell was only a reminder to the waiters that it was time to bring the food to the table. But without preparation the bell is worthless."
“The same is with our many customs,” explained the Magid. Dipping the Challah and apple in honey, wearing white on Yom Kippur, etc. is like the bell. We must prepare beforehand, during the month of Elul, through the performance of mitzvot and good deeds, which act on our behalf to bring us a happy and healthy New Year.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY & SHANA TOVA
UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW