Rosh Hashanah: A Day for Reflection

As the color of the leaves begin to change to beautiful oranges and reds and we transition into the autumn months, the Jewish community prepares to celebrate one of the holiest days on the Hebrew calendar: Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish New Year. Starting on Wednesday, October 2nd at sundown, the day marks the beginning of an entire month of festivals, garnering inspiration to start off the year on a spiritual high.
It is a unique holiday with both solemn and joyous parts to it. It is a day of prayer, a time to ask the Almighty to grant us a new year abounding with peace, prosperity and happiness for ourselves and our loved ones. The synagogues swell with congregants, including many that count this day amongst the few holidays they formally observe.
But it is also a joyous day as we hope and look forward to the blessed year ahead, to new opportunities and a brighter future. For this reason Rosh Hashanah feasts customarily feature a sweet cuisine including (but not limited to) special raisin Challah bread, and apple dipped in honey and pomegranates.
Though this year has been a tough one we have trust in G-d (even though it’s hard) that in everything there is a silver lining, and we pray that next year we see only goodness and blessings revealed.
Although Rosh Hashanah is a Jewish holiday marking the beginning of the Jewish year, its historical context, message, and significance are universal, as it commemorates creation. More specifically, it is the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve — the first human beings — as recorded in the Bible.This is an event that holds relevance and meaning to all of humanity.
Like Adam and Eve, who were formed and created by G-d Himself, every human being, of all races and creeds, is created in G-d’s image, with a unique purpose that only he or she can achieve. This idea serves as the bedrock upon which all ethics and morals stand: respect for the feelings of others, their property, and being fair and just.
The Bible relates that Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden were asked on the first day of their life only one thing: not to eat from the “Tree of Knowledge.” However, they succumbed to their temptations, forgetting the principle for successful living that “the mind should rule the heart” and not vice-versa.
There is much to dwell on in the esoteric meaning behind this famous story but what is most relevant is the practical lesson that we can learn for our daily lives as we seek to transform the world back to the divine garden that it was meant to be.
Following the story of eating the forbidden fruit the Bible says: “And G-d called to man, and said to him: “Where are you?”
The story is recounted that some two hundred and fifty years ago a Russian minister of government who was well versed in both the Bible and Jewish theology posed the following question to Rabbi Schneur Zalman, the first Chabad hasidic spiritual leader. “How does it make sense for G-d to ask, ‘Where are you?” the minister queried. “Isn’t G-d aware of everything that transpires in the world? Can’t He see everything?”
The Rabbi then shared with him a profound thought that I like to ponder upon when sounding the Shofar (rams horn), customarily played during Rosh Hashanah services.
G-d was not simply seeking out Adam’s physical location, The question was infinitely deeper.
More so it should be understood as not only being directed to Adam, but rather to each person and for all time. Each individual has been given abounding abilities, talents and skills which can be used to have a constructive and positive influence in the lives of their family and community.
The question of “Where are you?” beckons all of us to live up to our truest potential and make a positive difference in our world.
Let us not underestimate the effect we can have. If there is one thing that the recent Coronavirus pandemic has taught us, it is just how interconnected we truly are.
When someone sneezed in Melbourne, nursing homes in Miami were no longer safe. A fever in Portland could greatly impact the economy of Poland. The boundaries of space fell aside as the world transformed into one global village with entire schools, colleges and businesses being run remotely online.
When we reflect on the above, we can learn an important lesson about the effect that each of us can have on one another, even on people who are physically far away or very different from ourselves. A single act of charity, a cheerful greeting to a stranger, or an encouraging word can have far-reaching effects. Performing an act of kindness is like dropping a pebble in a lake - watch and see how the ripples go out from the point of contact and influence everything around you. As the Lubavitcher Rebbe taught, there should be no need for labels and division amongst people, for indeed we are all created by the same G‑d, with the same expectation and ability to add goodness and charity to our world.
Rabbi Avrohom Dyce directs the Gresham Chabad Jewish Center which also services the Sandy and Mt. Hood area and can be reached at rabbi@jewishgresham.com