This year the High Holidays have been so different, yet they have been so meaningful. When we are faced with the unexpected, we tend to look deeper inside ourselves, and in those experiences, we tend to find little life messages.
Year after year, we come to synagogue and go through the motions; some years we are more inspired than others. This year though, to be inspired while sitting in a tent at the Chabad Center, requires much more effort. One really needs to pay attention to the words being read, to the theme of the Torah portion being chanted, and to the songs being sung, to really get in the mood.
If you pay attention to the Torah reading, you will notice that the first day’s portion is about Abraham and Sara. On the surface, we read this section of the Torah since they had difficulty having children and they were blessed with a child on Rosh Hashana.
On the second day we read about the binding of Isaac and how he was saved by a ram. We read this because of the message to be ready to give up one’s life for G-d, as well as because the Shofar comes from a ram.
However, upon deeper reflection, one can say that the first day is about Abraham and the second day is about Isaac. What is the difference between these two men?
Abraham taught us to recognize G-d as the creator of the universe. Once we recognize G-d as creator, we want G-d to become our king. Abraham traveled all over the land and beyond to spread this message, letting every person know that there is a G-d in the world that needs to be reckoned with.
Isaac takes this message one step further. He internalizes it and makes it personal. G-d is not only the king of the world, G-d is “my king;” what does G-d want from me? Isaac busies himself uncovering the wells of knowledge, fulfilling G-d’s wishes, but he never goes far from home. He stays in the Holy Land of Israel, not venturing away from the source of G-d’s wisdom and blessings. He never shakes off the yoke of heaven.
We can say that this is the essence of Rosh Hashana, recognizing G-d as our creator and trying to come closer to Him. To become one with G-d.
What then is the meaning of Yom Kippur?
Well, let us see what Jacob, the third of our patriarchs, can teach us. How can one connect to someone else? By doing what the other wants. How can someone connect to someone else’s essence? Learn how they think. G-d gave us the Torah, G-d’s wisdom, G-d’s essence. When we learn Torah, we are connecting to G-d’s essence. Jacob was known for being a “man of the tent” because he spent years studying Torah in a tent. Is it a coincidence that we are spending this year’s High Holidays in a tent? What better way to connect to Jacob this Yom Kippur? Now more than ever before, you can join a Torah class – virtually – at any time live on Zoom, or a pre-recorded class on our website. The choices are endless.
Now that we are spending more time at home, let’s take advantage of our time, and make the connection with G-d the way Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did.
G’mar Chatima Tova!