Apples and Honey for a sweet New Year

On The First Day of Rosh Hashanah in the Haftarah we read about Chanah’s prayer for children,It teaches that God fulfills even the most improbable of requests.

Her life takes on greater dimensions when her son Shmuel is born and she dedicates him to the services of the prophet Eli. From her sorrow to her joy, Chanah’s story is really the story of the Jewish people.

I always find this Haftarah very special for it mentions both my name and my daughters name Hannah in the one Parsha. As my only child, she too is very special as was Shmuel to Channa. I can honestly say she too was a gift from G-d.

Fruits with meanings

By now your  have no doubt been slightly overexposed to all the references to apple and honey stories and the myriad of other simonim ( signs) with comparisons of fruit and other articles of food that we eat to symbolize our desire for a fruitful year.

So to also, the countless references to atonement, reflection and introspection.

But its the one time of the year that most of us get the opportunity to self reflect,and analyze all that has come to pass and sincerely hope for an improved future. whether we do that in a traditional way or find our own method and madness is not important.

For many of us our daily lives are spent concerned with making a living, looking after our families. The days can seem to blur, with the monotony of the daily grind.Even those of us who devout our time to the welfare of others as our mission in life can find that burn out is inevitable unless we take a break.

Judaism provides us with a set time for reflection and introspection. It’s important to understand ourselves and our place in the cosmos.Without that we are no more than a collection of atoms performing a task.

The belief that we have purpose and an important place in the scheme of things allows us to carry on and as just as Hannah in our Parsha, pray for the improbable and seek joy in all that we do.

Blowing Shofar

These days are known as the “days of Awe” . They are called that for good reason. Thru them we can reconnect with our humanity, and marvel at the way in which we are interwoven into  the beauty and wonder that makes up this universe.

May i wish you all a L’Shanah Tovah Tikatevu V Gemar Chatimah Tovah. (May you be inscribed (in the Book of Life) for a good year and May your final sealing (in the Book of Life) be good.)