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Rabbi Yehuda {Leonard} Blank MS, BCC
Vice President of Professional Development and External Affairs
Chair of the Chaplaincy Commission
Rabbinical Alliance of America/Igud HaRabbonim
917-446-2126 rablenblank@gmail.com
<><> September 26, 2024, Elul 23, 5784<><>
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Happy New Year and New Years Resolutions VS K’Siva V’chasima Tova
Our fervent wishes for the forthcoming Jewish New Year.
“Tie Ones’s Thoughts to G’s Kindness.”
“True Happiness”
“Rejoice on Rosh Hashanah.”
“Remain Hopeful.”
Continue to have faith and trust in H.
“The heart, the eyes the ears.”
“Time For The Basics”
Always Give Thanks to H.
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Through the years I have had many unaffiliated Jewish people who would wish me a Happy Holiday or a Happy New Year without understanding the significance of Rosh Hashanah or even think of attending the High Holy Days synagogue services. One of the most well known baseball players who publicly would not play on Yom Kippur was Sandy Koufax. I was often asked what the difference was between the two New Years. Many would share with me how important it was to be keep the resolutions they would make. Even if they were not able to keep them, they would try again. When the ticking of the clock reached 12:00 AM they would wish each other a happy new year hoping for the good things to come and the negative things to disappear. How different it is for those of us who observe Rosh Hashanah with the various tefilos, customs and symbolic foods. We also go to a body of water to say Tashlich and symbolically throw our sins into the water. We do teshuva and beseech the Ribono shel Olam for His mercy and forgiveness. We know that the Ribono shel Olam loves us and we aspire to grow in our mitzva observance. We try our best to convey these thoughts to those who seek our guidance and support. We help them to proceed in life with positivity, guidance, encouragement and inspiration. Of course, what we say, how we say it, the words we choose are all important considerations to take into account with those we minister to.
When we wish each other a k’siva v’chasima tova and a gut gebenched yar, we do so with a sincere heart, not just to have a happy New Year but that the Ribono shel Olam should make it possible to have a year filled with hope, goodness, kindness, good health, happiness and all the blessings from H.
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From: Faith and Trust:
True Happiness
By Rabbi Shemuel Houminer, Published by Quantum Press. Distributed by Feldheim Publishers. Page 24/25. “The one who trusts G is always happy, as the verse says, “Let our hearts rejoice, for we have trusted in His holy name.” (Tehillim 33:21)( Eved Ha-melech)
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From: Faith and Trust
Rejoice on Rosh Hashanah
(ibid page 24/25) “On Rosh Hashanah, the Day of Judgment, it is proper to rejoice and feel good-hearted. One should trust in G, that in His great love and mercy He will judge us favorably.”
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From: “Tie One’s Thoughts to G’s Kindness
(ibid page 24/25) “The Maggid of Mezritch explains the verse, “He who trusts in G will be surrounded by kindness” (Tehillim 32:10), to mean that a man’s soul clings to that which occupies his thoughts. Should his thoughts be tied to G’s judgment, his soul will be judged. When a person trusts in G’s attribute kindness, his soul will cling there, and “happiness will surround him.” Therefore, he should constantly immerse himself in thoughts of G.” (Maggid of Mezritch).”
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From: “Rejoice on Rosh Hashanah”
(ibid page 24/25) “On Rosh Hashanah, the Day of judgment, it is proper to rejoice and feel good-hearted. One should trust in G, that in His great love and mercy He will judge us favorably.” (Eved Ha-melech).”
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From: “Remaining Hopeful”
(ibid page 26/27- 28/29) “R. Yitzchak said, everyone should be hopeful. Even if he isn’t otherwise worthy, his hopefulness, faith and trust will be accounted to his credit.
When one is suffering, let him remain hopeful. When one is sanctifying the name of G until death, let him be hopeful. When one prays in the merit of the patriarchs, let him be hopeful. When yearning for the World to Come, remain hopeful. The verse which reflects this is Yeshayahu 26:8, “Even when in the path of Your judgments, H, have we longed for You. The desire of our soul is to Your name, and to the remembrance of You.” “Your judgments” are sufferings. “To Your name” parallels sanctifying G’s name. “The remembrance of You” refers to the patriarchs. “The desire of our soul” alludes to the yearning for the future world.
Finding Divine favor depends on our longing for His help, as the verse states, “O H, be gracious to us, we have waited for You, be their arm every morning, also our salvation at the time of trouble” (Yeshayahu 32:2). Divine forgiveness depends upon our longing for His assistance. This is derived from the juxtaposition of the verses: But there is forgiveness with You in order that You be feared. I wait for H, my soul waits, and in His word I hope” (Tehillim 130:4-5).” (Midrash Rabbah).
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From: Kol Dodi on the Torah
By Rabbi David Feinstein, Artscroll Judaica Classics. Mesorah Publications Ltd. Parshas Ki Savo page 285 “And H did not give you a heart to know and eyes to see and ears to hear until today (29:3). Moshe is consoling the Jews: “Until now, H did not give you the ability to see and understand His great kindness to you. It is not your fault that you did not appreciate them because in the past you were not capable of it. Now, however, that He has given you these powers, you will be held responsible for your actions.” And now that they were capable of doing so, Moshe was able to charge them with the responsibilities he speaks of in Parshas Nitzavim.”
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From: Living Emunah on Yomim Noraim
“Time for the Basics”
By Rabbi David Ashear. Artscroll Series. Mesorah Publications, Ltd. “Time for the Basics” pages 56-58. “The Alter from Kelm writes: “There are times during the year that are auspicious for spiritual growth, and this month of Elul is one of them. And therefore, during these days, we should utilize this golden opportunity to strengthen the fundamentals, which will bring us success in other areas of religion as well. What are those fundamentals to strengthen?” He continues, “To internalize that everything that happens in life is only form H- Hakol Bidei Shamayim.”
Even though we feel we may know this already, do we really believe it? If we honestly believed that everything that happens is from H, we would never worry, never feel stressed, and never become angry. How could a person be angry if whatever just happened was directly from H?
Mark* needed to borrow his neighbor’s car. In general, he doesn’t like borrowing and being responsible for other people’s possessions, but this time he had no choice. He was very careful when he drove that day, but on his way home, a pebble hit his windshield and cracked it.
The natural reaction in such a situation would be to think, How could this happen? I was being so careful. It wouldn’t have bothered me if it was my own car, but now I have to deal with fixing someone else’s car? This never happened to me in my life! The one day I borrow someone else’s car, it does? Mark had to take time from work to have the car repaired. Even worse, he had to tell his neighbor what happened.
Since Mark is someone who works on emunah and believes that everything is from H, he did not become stressed. He immediately said, “The pebble was placed there directly by H, for my good,” and thanked H for doing it. The whole scenario was a setup- borrowing the car, the pebble- it was because H knew that was what he needed at that moment. Mark took care of the repairs with a smile.
Nothing just “happens.” H’s hashgacha is totally encompassing; He controls every single detail of every single moment of life. If we want to become greater in this belief, now is the time to work on it and ask H for help.
The Alter of Kelm writes further: We need to strengthen the fundamental belief that whatever H does is the absolute best for us, even though it doesn’t appear that way.”
The owner of Pinny’s Amusement Park* rents out his facility to summer camps for morning and afternoon sessions. Reservations are generally made several months in advance.
One Monday in July, Pinny received a phone call from the director of a small boy’s camp cancelling their reservation for Thursday afternoon, only three days in advance. Pinny, who is a maamin baShem, did not yell at him; he did not complain nor make him feel bad for depriving him of half a day’s business. Parnassah is from H, he reminded himself as he hung up the phone. He then whispered a small tefillah requesting that H send him a different customer.
The very next day, the head of a girl’s camp with over 300 girls called, inquiring if Thursday afternoon might possibly be available. The camp didn’t only want to rent out the facility, they wanted to buy 3,200 tokens as well! Pinny does not rent to boys and girls at the same time, but now, because the boys’ camp had cancelled, the slot was available. “Thank You, H!” he called out in a loud voice while still on the phone. “Thank You, H!”
When the first camp backed out, it looked as if he would lose most of the day’s business, but that was really H paving the way to give him even more business.
We don’t always see the good in everything that happens when things don’t go our way, but we need to strengthen the belief that it’s good, even though we don’t see it, and it was all planned and done by the One Who loves us more than we can imagine. These are the fundamentals, and now is the opportunity to internalize them more. This will connect us to H and help us grow in other areas as well.”
It is not an easy task for those who have various types of challenges and many doubts in life. Patience is a virtue. Those who we minister to need empathy, understanding, and compassion. There is a need for wisdom of what to say and what not to say. Ultimately, with the help of H, those challenges in life can better be met with the blessings of H. There is always the possibility a person might need the help of a professional who deals with deep rooted issues and doubts in life. Whatever the case, H Yisbarach is here for all of us. We never give up hope. Where there is a will, there is a way and H will help pave the way. We truly have to believe how much H loves us and only wants the best for us. Our love for H should also be with full hearts. Can we truly say we do our best to enhance Achdus and Shalom Al Yisrael. Are we judgmental or do we love our fellow Jew like we love ourselves. Do we find opportunities to make a Kiddush H?
One day last week a young lady who lives in my apartment building stopped to talk to me and said” I didn’t know you were a rabbi.” She is not of the Jewish faith but was enamored to find out that I am not just Jewish but a rabbi too. By being polite and courteous everyone has the ability of making a kiddush H.
May we be blessed with H’s blessing for success in all that we do.
K’siva V’chasima Tova
Respectfully and sincerely. Rabbi Yehuda Blank