Each year, I share some brief thought before Rosh Hashanah with a large list of personal contacts, both Jewish and non-Jewish. Some recipients have liked them, so I will share the one I mailed out with the larger world.

The great Reb Zusha of Anapoli’s wagon overturned, leaving him buried beneath it in the mud. He turned his eyes heavenward, and said, “Master of the Universe! I know why I am here. It is because of my sins, for which I would like to do teshuva/repent. 

 

But how can I do teshuva in the mud?

 

We find ourselves, like no year in memory, deeply mired in the mud of this last year. As we ready ourselves to stand before our Creator sitting in judgment, it is so difficult to extricate ourselves. Especially since the mud continues to ooze. Any moments of quiet focus are disturbed by memories of the cries of families butchered and burned; of the babies decapitated; of the wailing of the widows and orphans; of the thousands of wounded brave soldiers whose pain does not subside; of the hostages delivered to a fate we try not to think about; of the shrieks of the pro-Hamas demonstrators and garden-variety anti-Semites around the world.

 

Reb Zusha knew that the most important first step was getting out of the mud. We have to ensure that we remember the many points of light that punctuated the darkness: the incessant march of small and large miracles that we have witnessed, and the steadfast support of good friends who maintained moral clarity. Plus reminding ourselves that we have survived, and how wonderful it is that we are not among the barbarians.

 

The Sifrei – one of the oldest rabbinic works – comments on Deuteronomy 32:4, “A G-d of faith without iniquity.” In Hebrew, the ideas of “faith” and “belief” are inseparable. The Sifrei comments with startling words: 

 

“G-d believed in the world and created it.”

 

G-d believed in His world! And G-d does not change. He still, as it were, looks positively upon the world. Upon us. If He does, how could be not? We are buoyed by His confidence – forced by His confidence – to pick ourselves up, shake off the mud, and beseech Him to give us a better year than last. A year of health, happiness, satisfaction, spiritual uplift, and peace.

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2 Responses

  1. lacosta says:

    emunah and bitachon must be much easier living in Israel , where it is now obvious that it is only thru miracles that the zionist entity continues to survive there , in any way shape or form. Iran could rain down mass casualties at their will , at any moment , and living there and not leaving there inherently means one must be a baal emuna …..

    • WILLIAM GEWIRTZ says:

      Emunah and bitchon are also challenged in the State of Israel by October 7th and the numerous acts of violence perpetrated against residents during terrorist (suicide) bombing and attacks. IMHO, Emunah and bitachon are deeper than just the result of what is experienced.

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