| Dear Friends:
May you have a sweetened, happy and healthy new year and be sealed in the Book of Life! On September 18th, Jews around the world will celebrate the anniversary of the creation of the world. This year, the ten days of awe between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur presents challenges beyond imaginable. Our heavenly ledgers will soon be reviewed under God’s microscope and our spiritual alignments in motion. It’s time for us to acknowledge our shortcomings, calculate our merits and take significant account of our soul (Cheshbon Ha Nefesh). As a former bookkeeper, I consider the art of Cheshbon Ha Nefesh as the leading ledger of my life. All that being said, the Hebrew year 5780 (5+7+8+0=20) is coming to an end. With a few months left of 2020, and my favorite number being two, you’d think I’d fully embrace turning sixty-two last January. However it wasn’t until this past month that I realized I wasn’t. Here’s what happened. In late July I was reading the results of my semi-annual lab work. At the top of the page my age was listed as sixty-two. I tried to call the lab to set the record straight and was left on hold for too long. A few weeks later I was reading my virtual medical records and again saw my age listed as sixty-two. I decided to take into “account” that the medical world is clearly over stressed with Covid. Then one morning I was scratching my head and realized I wasn’t yet sixty three. The simple truth boils down to the fact that time is precious and we need to embrace it as it unfolds. Our spiritual alignments can’t be rushed nor can the complications of the moment be avoided. In moments like these, as the Hebrew month of Elul comes to an end, the book of 5780 is closing. The errors of this year are far from healed and it will take a sincere effort of foresight and hindsight to keep our ledgers “in good standing”. So I’m standing before you with my head of creation and my heart of attention and ask your forgiveness. If I have wronged you, rushed by you or made you feel hurt I am truly sorry. May our spiritual refinements attune to the kind of change that will truly restore the world in 5781 (5+7+8+1=21) and the balance of 2020-21. With love, Rabbi Melinda “Bracha” Bernstein (954) 901-1355 PS: Happy 31st birthday on September 18th to my son Justin, who lives in NYC. We have been illuminating the best of our mother/son bond this year!
|
Comment