Pray for a safe and peaceful new year
Rosh Hashana (Friday eve through Sunday) marks the creation of Adam and Eve, the beginning of the human story. The Zohar (1:221b) relates that upon being created, Adam said to the various creatures around him, “join me in accepting God as our king.” On this anniversary each year, we react to this bid for transcendence by rededicating ourselves to the principle that God created us in his image and tasked us with the noble mission of partnering with him to perfect his creation.
It is noteworthy that Rosh Hashana marks the birth of humankind rather than the beginning of Creation. It is true that “God saw all that He had made and behold it was very good” (Genesis 1:31), but nothing in existence could reach its ultimate potential without the crowning presence of the human being. The same applies, in a microcosmic sense, to our own lives. There are many different facets that make up the narratives of our lives — family, friends, career, hobbies and so forth — but Rosh Hashana reminds us that what’s truly worthy of celebration is the part of us that is uniquely human, namely, the drive to live a more meaningful and mission-oriented life. It is this that suffuses all the other elements of our existence with enduring value.
The opening chapters of Genesis famously describe how Adam and Eve were unsuccessful in adhering to the task given to them by God. The Midrash notes that they committed their transgression on the very first day of their existence. It states further that God extended forgiveness to them on that very same day. We tap into the unique possibilities of forgiveness that are embedded in this day by celebrating Rosh Hashana in a spirit of repentance and renewal.
This year we find ourselves in a unique situation due to coronavirus. Many of us will be observing the holiday at home rather than in the synagogue with the congregation. This being the case, you have the opportunity to make your home into a sanctuary, transforming your dining rooms into miniature synagogues. On Rosh Hashana, each of us can take our prayer book and say the prayers, alone, intimately between you and God. We will have the opportunity, as individuals, to once again crown God as king of the world, and to pray for a safe and peaceful new year.
Every Jewish holiday has its special mitzvah (commandment) deserving of attention. The primary mitzvah of Rosh Hashana is to hear the sound of the shofar (the ram’s horn). The reason for this is to coronate God as king of the world. The shofar’s trumpeting call heralds this exciting event. It also serves to awaken our slumbering souls that have grown complacent.
For those who can, be sure to include in your plan to hear the shofar in person on Sunday, the second day of Rosh Hashana. Chabad of Bakersfield will host a social-distanced shofar blowing at 2 p.m. Sunday in Westwold Park, 7906 Westwold Drive.
Shana Tova
May we be inscribed and sealed in the book life.