Rosh Hashanah message for 5773 by Leah Goldsmith
In reviewing the past year as we are about to enter a new one, I take a long hard look into myself gazing open mouthed at times at how I maneuvered from one scene to the next, and I am thankful for the nearness of renewal and a chance to take a turn for the better. Here, at the top of the mountain sitting literally on Hashem’s heart, the setting always does me a favor as spirituality wraps itself around me. Illuminated I see the path and know it. But the world is the world is the world and I walk its streets and breathe its air. It says of the days just prior to the final redemption that truth will be hidden. This can mean on many levels: world events, media gossip, academic incompetence, consumer non validity and even about ourselves. My prayer is to never live a lie in any realm.
The Torah tells us that singular events took place on Rosh Hashana, the day man was created. It was the day Yitzchak Avinu was conceived. It was also the day Yosef HaTzaddik came out of prison. The esoteric meaning behind those events bring to mind the intrinsic value of the day itself, the meaning of a new chance for each and every one of us. It is the day we sound the shofar, breaking down the walls of whatever constrained us from who we really are. Yosef, the concentrated form of self-actualization of the soul while implementing his ideas into a practical level of living in this world. He is the sublime example of emet-truth, in the sense of self-realization and self-fulfillment. He realized his dreams and made them come true through truth even when the whole world stood on the other side, much like his grandfather, Avraham Avinu. Even when his brothers threw him into the pit.
It takes a shofar blowing into our faces to stand us to attention on a personal and national level, to make us realize and recognize the truth about our lives, our potential and our mission to be a light unto the nations and live Hashem’s will right here in His home in the Land of Israel sanctifying His name. Even if the world stands on the other side and even when our brothers throw us into the pit . The events of the world today can make us better understand the tasks that lie ahead of us. But the shofar serves as a wakeup call to never suck it up “to the man” (and let the love enthusiasm and curiosity to be snuffed out). As much as we try to be a part of the world we can’t live or believe the lie of the world. The time allotted for riding our own ESP is arriving – the time our thoughts take our bodies to proclaim the knowledge of Hashem through potent EMET-truth settling upon us. There can be no greater time to say thank you to Hashem for all the chances for self-fulfillment for ourselves and Am Yisrael and the world.
I would like to bless all of our friends first of all with blessings of bounty both spiritual and material- for a new year full of opportunity and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your friendship and love and care. Shana tova Umetukah! Chatimah Tova!
Leah Goldsmith-Itamar
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