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September 3, 2010
Give voice to your unique being
There are myriad ways to harness the life force and spiritual energy that resides within us.
ESTHER TAUBY
The name Rosh Hashanah is usually translated as “New Year,” but the literal translation is “Head of the Year.” This is no coincidence – there is nothing arbitrary about a name given in the holy language. The very letters that constitute a name disclose the intrinsic nature of the entity named. This particular name is literally analogous to a physical head, which houses the brain, in which is concentrated the life force that emanates, drawn down to all limbs and organs of the body. The brain is also the seat of power of thought, the highest of human faculties.
Similarly, Rosh Hashanah holds the creative life force for every single day of the coming year, from which the energy then emanates to enliven every day, to ensure that the conduct of those days will be in accordance with what was prescribed on Rosh Hashanah.
So, too, there is a connection between Rosh Hashanah and Rosh Chodesh – the head of every new month of the year. The date of Rosh Hashanah is the first (or head) of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. The radiation of life force from Rosh Hashanah is channeled through the “head” of each new month, beginning with Tishrei and continuing on until the last month of the year, in Elul.
Chassidic philosophy explains that the new radiance of the G-dly life force that is generated on Rosh Hashanah is channeled through the Jewish people and through the holy land of Israel, from where it spreads out to enliven the whole world and all the nations of the world.
Just as we cannot see blood pumping through our veins to keep us alive, we are not aware of this spiritual life force. Yet, we can be sure that it is there. How can we harness the power of this spiritual force and use it to help us throughout the year?
We are made up of a body and soul, which need to work together. One cannot live without the other – they are interdependent. So, our bodies and souls need other; that’s a nice thought. But, we live and work in this physical world and are busy with activities such as working, going to school, raising a family, recreation etc., and barely have time to think about spirituality. How do we incorporate it into our physical lives?
It’s quite simple. Just as there are many different ways we can keep our physical bodies healthy so our blood that keeps us alive will continue to pump happily throughout our physical bodies, so too, in a spiritual way, there are many ways to harness the life force and spiritual energy that we may not be able to perceive all around us, into our lives every day.
Whether veteran or beginner, a good time to start is Rosh Hashanah. This is the best time, at the outset of a new year, when we are standing before the King of the universe, telling Him everything we’ve done during the past year, asking His forgiveness and promising to try harder during the coming year. Then, when we are given a “clean slate” to begin again, a new chance and a feeling of acceptance from our Father who knows us best but loves us nonetheless, we have nothing to fear as we take our first steps into His loving arms.
A good place to start or to continue building this bond is through learning Torah and observing mitzvot. G-d’s will is manifest in the Torah and its 613 mitzvot (so many to choose from!). By learning about and observing them, we connect our thoughts, words and actions with Him. Just like communicating with a human father, G-d enjoys hearing from us.
With modern technology, we can listen to a Torah class on our iPods while going for a walk or run, pop a Torah CD into our car during our daily commute, download a “how-to” guide onto our laptops or smart phones, read a book on an electronic book reader or participate in a videoconference half a world away. For those who prefer the low-tech way, our local Jewish library, our synagogues and Chabad houses and even the public library, have much to offer in the form of books, newspapers and cassette tapes for classes and inspiration.
Attending synagogue for Shabbat and holidays is another great way to keep that bond with G-d. Taking your children along is a wonderful way to spend some quality family time while teaching them about their connection too.
Prayer is another excellent way to check in and connect to G-d on a regular basis. A few lines a day, in any language, from a prayer book or from our hearts, is a simple way to make that connection. G-d will appreciate it and we feel so much better as well.
Passing on the traditions that we learned from our parents and grandparents is an honored privilege and can be very enjoyable. In fact, bringing the warmth of Judaism into our homes is another great way to keep our bond with G-d alive. One way to do this is by sitting around the Shabbat table with as many generations as possible, enjoying the warmth of the Shabbat candles, the atmosphere and the delicious food.
Yet another way of bringing more spirituality into our lives is by doing acts of kindness, such as visiting people in the hospital, giving of our time to a lonely senior or volunteering for an organization. There are so many ways we can each use our special life force to help others.
By getting to the core of our relationship to G-d, we give voice to the core of our own being, to the quintessential element that is most truly ourselves, as our souls are a part of G-d.
Let’s hope and pray that, as we begin this year, we have more awareness of G-d in our lives as we welcome Him into our homes, offices and even our cars. May this be the best Rosh Hashanah yet, as we pray for a year of health, happiness, prosperity and peace for Israel. Shanah tovah u’metukah – have a happy, sweet New Year.
Esther Tauby is a local educator, writer and counselor.
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