Every year at the start of the year, on Rosh Hashanah, we have the privilege of renewing ourselves and our commitment to G-D. But very often renewal is merely repetitious from year to year. We make the same resolutions and never live up to them, we plan life changes that we never put into effect. So as exhilarating as Rosh Hashanah can be, it also serves as a reminder that we're back where we started, especially with our spirituality. In "shul," during our prayers we seem to draw closer to G-D, to forge a deeper relationship, and then we walk out and the ties that bind become severed or very frayed until the next year and our next foray into Synagogue. This very dilemma can be illustrated by the following story:

An earnest G-D fearing Jew came to the Ba'al Shem Tov- the founder of "chasidus"- and emitted a plaintive comment about his relationship with G-D. "l work so hard to get close to Hashem, Rebbe. And then just when I think I have succeeded, I feel G-D pull away and I'm further away than ever." "Listen to me, Reb Yid," said the Ba'al Shem Tov. "You're not doing anything wrong. You're goal is to get close to G-D, and that's commendable. But that's not G-D's goal. HIS goal is for you to grow, to stretch yourself. For this HE has to move away, so that you will extend yourself farther, reach up higher and work harder, in the process becoming a better human being. This is akin to a father teaching his son to walk. When the baby first begins to walk, the father stations himself close by, so his baby won't be frightened. But after the baby has taken his first tentative steps, the father moves away so that the baby will seek him out, taking more steps and becoming a proficient walker in due course. My suggestion to you is to keep striving for the closeness you desire, for that is your purpose on earth. The striving is in man's hands, the attainment is up to G-D."

And that is the lesson we can internalize for the New Year. Don't be discouraged that you haven't achieved your objectives from the previous year. Keep striving. On Rosh Hashanah, we are reborn and that's why Hashem appears so close to us. But as the year progresses, HE moves away and expects us to seek HIM out. It is in creation of our New Year resolutions that we re-attach ourselves to our Creator, and it is in our effort to actualize them that we maintain that bond. May the New Year bring peace, love and health to us all and may we enjoy the journey even as we endeavor to reach our goal.

Rosh Hashanah 5762 | Back to Rabbi's Messages