A WEEKLY TORAH THOUGHT FROM RABBI MORDY
So it begins! The new year has finally arrived – at least the Jewish new year – and it could not come soon enough. As the new year brings new “Mazel,” luck, let us hope that things only get better from here and that we are all blessed with a peaceful, sweet, happy and healthy year. One thought I have as I get ready (and it makes for a whirlwind of a week) is the name Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah does not mean “New Year.” It means “Head of the Year.” There are many reasons for this, but one that relates to us all and especially this year, is that it is not simply the first day of the year but more than that. Rosh Hashanah is a special day, a day for a bit of celebration and also of hope and planning for the coming year, knowing that it will be better than the past one. So much so that, just as sustenance would flow from the mouth (head) through the rest of the body, Rosh Hashanah, the head of the year, brings sustenance and the assurance that the year will be a good one.
What is the connection to us all now? We are all the sum of one whole. We are all a part of something bigger with unique roles to play. One of us may be the “foot,” another the “arm,” and another the “brain.” And yet, each of us plays a unique role in our overall mission to make this world a better place. Sure, I may look at someone else and wish that I played his or her role, but I must realize that my position is essential, part of a G-dly whole, and that I have the responsibility to make the most of it. Rosh Hashanah reminds us of this. Just as every day is unique, every month has its designated purpose and every week has its mission, so too each and every one of us can see ourselves through the lens of a meaningful life. So while we may not be as “together” as we would like to be, we must remain true to this concept in fulfilling our unique mission, thereby raising up the entire “body.” And may this resolution assure us that 5785 will be a year of only joy, health and success. K’tiva v’chatima Tovah – may we all be inscribed for a good and prosperous year!
