B"H
Wednesday, Elul 25, 5778 / September 5, 2018
Q.Rosh Hashana is the only Biblical holiday which occurs on Rosh Chodesh, the first day of the new month. Yet, there is no mention in the Rosh Hashana prayers about Rosh Chodesh. Why?
A. Among the various reasons give is this one. When a king visits a city together with his ministers and officers, attention and excitement is centered on the king not on the officers.
Similarly Rosh Hashana is when we proclaim G-d as King of the universe. Rosh Hashana is the coronation of The King. Thus, the entire focus of our prayers on Rosh Hashana is proclaiming G-d as king. Rosh Chodesh, which signals the arrival of the new month, has significance during the rest of the year, not on Rosh Hashana when our complete focus is on G-d.
On Rosh Hashana we eat certain foods which allude to blessing. For example, we dip the Challah and an apple into honey and pray for a good and sweet New Year. It is also customary to eat from the head of a fish or sheep the first night of Rosh Hashana and recite, "May it be Your will that we shall be a head and not as the tail."
Q. Why is it significant to add "and not as the tail" after asking to be a “head"?
A. In the city of Chelm, a person passed by a long line on the street. He asked the last one in line what are you standing in line? The person replied that he had no idea, but when he walked by and saw the long line he figured it must be worthwhile so he got into line. Curious, the man went from one person to another, asking why were they all in line? Each one had the same reply, "We have no idea but we figured it must be worthwhile."
Finally he asked the man at the head why he was in line. The man replied that he also had no idea. "I was walking and stopped to tie my shoe, when I saw a line formed behind me!"
The man was shocked. "I can understand the people behind you, they think that you are waiting for something important, but you know that there is no purpose for this line! So why don't you leave?"
"What! I should leave the line? This is the first time in my whole life that I'm at the head of the line... are you suggesting that I just leave?!"
"May it be Your will that we shall be a head and not as the tail." As we try so hard to go "forward" and "advance" in life, we must judge whether the things we work so hard for to be at the head of the line, do they really put us "ahead" or are we in a "tail-spin" going nowhere?
Before Rosh Hashana we take stock of the past year. How was our commitment to our family; to G-d, and to our community, and set the proper goals to be truly “a-head” in the New Year.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & SHANA TOVA
B"H
Thursday, Elul 26, 5778 / September 6, 2018
From Rosh Hashana until Yom Kippur, we recite special passages during the Amidah prayers, asking G-d to inscribe us, "In the Book of Life, blessing, peace, prosperity, deliverance, consolation and favorable decrees."
In the Modim prayer, recited three times daily, we thank G-d, "For our lives which are committed in your hand, and for our souls which are entrusted to You, for your miracles which are with us daily."
On Rosh Hashana we ask first and foremost to be inscribed in the Book of Life and good health. In the hustle bustle of day-to-day life our priorities may at times become distorted and we sometimes forget to appreciate the miracle called "life" which G-d grants us every second of every day.
A chassid once came to his Rebbe complaining that he had a bad year financially. The Rebbe asked him, "How is your health and the health of your family?"
The chassid replied that health was, thank G-d, good. The Rebbe told him to have trust in G-d and quoted him the words of the Talmud, "He Who gives life will surely provide sustenance!"
The Rebbe went on to explain the words of the Talmud with the following parable, "A wealthy businessman was traveling home from the fair and had with him a large sum of money. The way home was long and for Shabbat he stopped at an inn run by a Jewish innkeeper. As it is not permitted to carry money on Shabbat, the businessman entrusted his wallet of money to the innkeeper for safekeeping until after Shabbat. The wallet contained 5,000 rubles plus 5 pennies.
"All Shabbat the businessman was worried whether the innkeeper was trustworthy and will he return his money. Immediately after Shabbat he asked for his wallet which the innkeeper returned. The merchant quickly went back to his room to count the money. He counted the rubles and found the 5,000 rubles intact."
The Rebbe now turned to his chassid and said, "Do you think that after seeing that the innkeeper was honest and gave back the 5000 rubles, would the businessman be worried if he kept the five pennies? Only a fool would suspect the innkeeper of not giving back the five pennies!"
"The same is with you," concluded the Rebbe. "G-d gave you and your family life and health which is worth far more than anything else in the world. Don't you think that you can also trust Him to give you your livelihood? If you have true faith that G-d gives you life and health, you will automatically have faith that He will bless you in your dealings and will provide you with your livelihood as well. For, "He Who gives life will surely give sustenance!"
SHANA TOVA – A HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SWEET NEW YEAR
B"H
Thursday, Tishrei 4, 5778 / September 13, 2018
As we begin the new year, 5779, I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a Shana Tova - a wonderful, joyous, healthy, sweet and successful year.
May G-d answer all our prayers, for ourselves, our families, for Klal Yisrael and for the entire world. May G-d fulfill our prayers for a true and everlasting peace in Israel and the world. May G-d grant strength and protection to the men and women who serve in the IDF and to all who dedicate their lives to protect our Holy Land. May G-d bless them and watch over them. Amen.
There are ten days from the first day Rosh Hashana to Yom Kippur. They are called, "Aseret Yemai Teshuva" - "Ten days of repentance." Our sages tell us 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, may still be nullified 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." Between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, it is important that we perform more mitzvot, especially the mitzvah of Tzedakah, giving more charity. By helping others in their time of need, we too, will be granted our needs for the new year.
A parable worth repeating: 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 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 effective when we do what is expected of us. I planted and fertilized my field, 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, but you didn't do anything to cultivate G-d's blessings. How can you expect His 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 Tzedakah and good deeds we perform are the seeds we sow in order for G-d's blessings to take effect.
Now, between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is the most appropriate time to begin planting!
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY& A GMAR CHATIMA TOVA
B"H
Friday, Tishrei 5, 5779 / September 14, 2018
This Shabbat, which is between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, is called, Shabbat Shuva (as we read the Haftorah which begins with the word, “Shuva”). Some call it Shabbat Teshuva (as it is one of the Ten Days of Teshuva-Repentence). The Torah reading this Shabbat is Parshat Vayeilach. It is the smallest Parsha in the entire Torah, consisting of only 30 verses.
Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement, begins Tuesday evening (Sept. 18) through Wednesday (Sept. 19).
Q. During the Yom Kippur services, we recite the "Vidui" - "confession." For each sin mentioned, we tap/strike our chest, near the heart. What is the reason for this?
A. Our sages explain, that sin begins in the heart. The Torah tells us, "Remember all the Mitzvot of G-d and perform them; and do not turn after your heart and after your eyes after which you stray..." (Numbers 15:39). Thus, we "strike" the heart which led us to sin.
Q. The "Vidui - confession" is said in the plural, "We have sinned...We have transgressed..." etc. Why in the plural, not "I have sinned, I have transgressed..." in the singular?
A. Our sages explain that as Jews, we are not only responsible for our own deeds, but also for our fellow Jew. If another Jew sinned, we are all partly responsible. We confess and ask forgiveness not only for our sins, but also for others who sinned.
Q. The Hebrew date for Yom Kippur is the 10th day in the month of Tishrei. Although the secular date varies from year to year, the Hebrew date is always the same. Why did G-d choose the 10th of Tishrei as the Day of forgiveness?
A. When the Jewish people sinned by making the Golden Calf, G-d wanted to annihilate the entire nation. Moshe stood up for his people and pleaded with G-d for forgiveness. After many prayers, Moshe finally secured G-d's forgiveness for the Jewish people. It was on the 10th of Tishrei that G-d forgave the Jewish people for the sin of the Golden Calf, and gave Moshe the Second Tablets. As a result, G-d designated the 10th of Tishrei as the day of forgiveness for all generations.
Q. Are all sins forgiven on Yom Kippur?
A. Our sages tell us that only sins committed against G-d are forgiven on Yom Kippur. Wrongdoings committed against people are forgiven only after first receiving forgiveness from that person, and restitution made, if there was any loss incurred to that person. For this reason it is customary to ask forgiveness from others before Yom Kippur, especially when one knows for sure that they have done something wrong to them.
SHABBAT SHALOM& A GMAR CHATIMA TOVA
Montreal candle lighting time: 6:49 / Shabbat ends: 7:50
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