What a beautiful Rosh Hashana we had !
I personally felt uplifted and inspired, I hope it was as inspiring and uplifting for you as well. It also was so exciting to come into the newly and beautifully refurbished Shule!
After Rosh Hashana we have entered a new sacred time. The “Ten days of Teshuva (Repentance).
It is during these days in the lead to Yom Kippur that we reflect on how to channel the inspiration from Rosh Hashana into real practical plans.
Both in our relationship with others and in our relationship with Hashem.
In the Parsha this week we read about the transition of leadership and the shift the Jewish people will go through as they go into the Land of Israel.
There is a statement and a warning from Hashem about not turning off the path of the Torah.
“Is it not because our God is no longer among us that these evils have befallen us?”
There is an alternate way of reading this verse that reveals a deep truth. We can read it like this: “It is because my God is not within me that this evil has found me.”
Jewish philosophy explains this verse as referring to the concept of not judging others. The truth is, that to show us our own faults which we are naturally not going to notice, God shows them to us in other people.
The message is then the following:
Because my God is not within me: Because I am not sufficiently spiritually attuned to be sensitive to my own shortcomings—
That this evil has found me: I have been forced to see my own evil reflected in my fellow Jew.
Rather than noticing others’ faults, we should endeavour to notice their virtues; moreover, we should emphasize them, in our own minds, in their minds, and in the minds of all those around us. Just as the sages encourage us to inspire those around us to love God, so should we endeavour to inspire those around us to love every Jew, for, as we know, loving our fellow Jew is a means by which we can achieve love of God.
It’s advantageous at this time of the year to judge others favourably. In return we will deserve that G-d will judge us favourably as well as we get closer to Yom Kippur.
Wishing you well over the fast, Shabbat Shalom, and looking forward to seeing you in Shule.
