To be deserving of our Creator’s beneficence and forgiveness we endeavor to prove ourselves worthy and unsullied. The shofar’s piercing cries penetrate our innards stirring our souls towards teshuvah (repentance). Like the unruly child craving to be enfolded within the secure confines of his/her parent’s unconditional love who declares with trepidation and tears You’re the greatest Dad! – we G-d’s children do likewise on Rosh Hashanah. Who as a parent would feel inclined to punish such remorseful endearing and adoring offspring?
During the succeeding ten days we set about putting our best foot forward gearing up for the holiest day of the year. Yom Kippur the tenth of Tishrei has signified forgiveness since the time of Moshe Rabbeinu’s descent from the Heavens with the new Tablets after having successfully pleaded our case before G-d.
Lacking a Moses in our midst today to take up our cause we prevail upon our compassionate Creator to hearken to our pleas and to nullify any looming harsh decrees hopeful that individual and communal contrition sincere confession fasting and abstinence from earthly pleasures will pull weight in the Heavenly Court to tip the scale in our favor. Should the prosecuting angel G-d forbid present a convincing argument Hoshana Rabba on the 21st of Tishrei allows us our day and say in the Court of Appeals.
Person to Person
Yudi and Shmuly were as close as brothers could be sharing and toiling together in cooperative style. Harmony prevailed over many years until an altercation proved to be the agent provocateur for a serious falling out. The feud fomented and escalated into a deep-seated resentment of one another.
Shmuly the younger dug a trench on their adjoining parcel of fertile soil as a defining line of division between their properties. Longstanding goodwill turned to obstinate ill will; a permeating heaviness replaced lightheartedness.
Soon afterward a carpenter appeared at Yudi’s door looking for work. The homeowner invited the craftsman to design and erect a fence around the perimeter of his acreage.
A surveillance of ongoing progress revealed a most amazing and unexpected sight. There in all its glory stood not a barrier but a bridge. Expertly fashioned the structure spanned a spread that stretched from the land of one brother to solid ground of the other.
Before Yudi could react a lone figure walked toward him across the newly-built bridge over troubled waters. Shmuly the younger held his hands aloft exclaiming emotionally In light of the way I’ve treated you and the chasm I’d created between us this marvel of a handiwork is mighty big of you.
The laborer meager possessions slung over his shoulder made ready to take his leave.
Hey! Don’t go! I have more work! came Yudi’s ardent cry. But the stranger simply replied Must be on my way – got other bridges to build.
Penitence and remorsefulness regardless of genuineness and sincerity may come up short in the long run should one neglect to pull out all stops in making peace with others.
The World at Large
A powerful and telling text in our Rosh Hashanah machzor reads Atah zocher maaseh olam – You remember the deeds of the world…nothing is hidden from your eyes from the day of creation…everything is open and known unto You till the end of generations…and over the nations you enact your edict which shall succumb to sword which to peace…which to hunger and which to sate… the dwellers within the nations – who to life and who to demise…
Indeed a compelling message – to the left-wing liberal no doubt a startling disclosure. Neither the guidance of Vice President Cheney nor the fervor of President Bush topples evil dictators in faraway lands. They but carry out the will of G-d – His ordinances determined on the Jewish New Year when all the world is judged.
