10/01/2024
This has been a very challenging year for Mishpachat Beit Yisrael – “The Family of the House of Israel” -the entire Jewish people. However, the reason it has been such a difficult period since Shemini Atzeret (10/7), is precisely because we are a family. We don’t always agree with each other, we don’t always stay connected, but we are always bound up in the reality of our relationship. One never stops being a parent, or a child, or a sister, or a brother. We rejoice in the joys of our fellow Jews and mourn with them in their sadness of loss.
This then is a actually the dark lining of a beautiful reality. We care deeply about the tragedies befallen Jews we never met, whom we didn’t even know existed because we are part of a greater, indivisible whole. G-d says to us “Atem Edai” – “You (Israel) are my witnesses”. Our existence testifies to G-d’s existence, to G-d’s Providence and to G-d’s deep concern with what human beings do with their lives. G-d is One, Indivisible, yet the Source of All. Our unity reflects G-d’s unity, and our eternal existence against all odds and all logic, reflects G-d’s eternity.
We care so much about our siblings in Israel – because of this connection rooted in our souls all being rays of a single luminary – G-d. Everything is created by G-d and given life by G-d but our souls testify to G-d’s presence. Through our life as Jews, through actualizing this power we are given by Torah study, performing Mitzvot and the experience of Tefilah – prayer that connects us to our G-dly self.
So, let us dedicate ourselves ever more strongly to our Judaism, and especially to our fulfillment of the all the mitzvot that directly support the Jewish People in the Land of Israel: Speaking up for them, donating Tezedakah that supports to all the many elements of Israeli society and her people that need supporting.
Let this be the year that through our efforts and G-d’s response to those efforts, that this year, the prayer contained in each High Holiday Amidah be completely fulfilled:
“And then the righteous will see [this] and rejoice, and the upright will be jubilant, and the pious will exult with joyous song; injustice will close its mouth, and all the wickedness will vanish like smoke, when You remove the rule of evil from the earth. And You G-d will reign alone over all Your works on Mount Tziyon, dwelling place of Your glory, and in Yerushalayim, city of Your Sanctuary, as it is written in Your holy words, G-d will reign forever; Your G-d, Tziyon, throughout all generations.”
May we G-d bless us all with a healthy , prosperous year, a year of growth in our Judaism, and a year of peace through victory by Israel’s Defense Forces for our family in the “Land the Lord, your G-d, looks after; the eyes of Lord your G-d are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.”
Shanah Tovah U’metukah – may we all be inscribed for a good and sweet year.
Shlomo and Chana Yaffe
