A New Year

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To my right Michael and to my left Gabriel, in front of me Uriel and behind me Raphael, and over my head the Shekhinah. --Kriat Shma

This year Rosh Hashana came quickly. It snuck up on me and before I had time to prepare myself, it was here. There are things about Rosh Hashana that I enjoy. The seders. The friends. The food. The chance to start over. The sermons. The enormous turn out of Jews in synagague. Davening. Hearing the shofar. The color white. Round, raisin challah and honey. Sweet wine. Honey cake.

Rosh Hashana is a time for reflection. A time to remember. We have ten days to make ammends to G-d for those ways in which we have sinned against Him. We have ten days to make ammends for others for the ways in which we have sinned against them. Accountability. If I wrong you, I must go to you to make it right. I must ask your forgiveness.

Rosh Hashana is a time for acknowledging. Acknowleding G-d as father. As king. Avinu Malkenu. G-d as king can be a hard concept. For me at least. It is something I am always trying to envision in a realistic and meaningful way.

Rosh Hashana is also a time to be empty and to be filled. This I learned today. We are empty vessels. G-d's vessels. G-d made us vessels of being. We are not to do acts of compassion; we are to be compassion...walking, breathing compassion. We are not to do acts of goodness; we are to be goodness. And in this way we are a light. In this way we are filled with the Divine Light.

Although Rosh Hashana snuck up on me, having two days of davening (praying) at shul has helped to get me in the frame of mind needed as Yom Kippur approaches.

For Aliyah, this new year has been a rite of passage for her. She finally lost her first tooth today. With daddy's help. She is the last one from her first grade class to have lost a tooth. Needless to say, she was thrilled.


Aliyah with all of her teeth.

Yes, it is loose enough to pull!

And the tooth is gone!


Neviyah getting sleepy during the whole tooth ordeal.

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Comments

Mom said…
Way to go ALIYAH! Love the pictures!
Love, Grandma (I can't remember the Jewish word you like for Grandma)