A Hug to Help Us Move On.

בראשית ט:כ-כא
וַיָּ֥חֶל נֹ֖חַ אִ֣ישׁ הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה וַיִּטַּ֖ע כָּֽרֶם׃ וַיֵּ֥שְׁתְּ מִן־הַיַּ֖יִן וַיִּשְׁכָּ֑ר וַיִּתְגַּ֖ל בְּת֥וֹךְ אׇהֳלֹֽה:

“Noach, the man of the earth, debased himself and planted a vineyard.  He drank of the wine and became drunk and he uncovered himself within his tent”

Rashi, citing the Medrash, says that Noach made himself profane by choosing a vineyard as the first thing he planted.  He should have involved himself with some other crop which did not have the potential to cause so much harm.  This mistake brought about his humiliating degradation, as the Torah relates. 

The Medrash goes on to point out a strange fact about this episode. “On the day Noach planted the vineyard he squeezed the grapes and drank the wine and became drunk.  All on the same day.”

The Dubno Maggid notes that this was obviously an astonishing miracle. How are we to understand Hashem’s choice to have the grapes and wine be produced so incredibly quickly? What was the point, and what does it tell us?

The Maggid explains that Hashem’s kindness makes it that every incident of trauma is followed by warmth. After the tremendous destruction of the Mabul there was a spirit of consolation that passed before Hashem which brought along with it an outpouring of chessed and rachamim, as well as Siyata Dishimaya to rebuild the world anew very quickly.  Whatever Noach would have involved himself with would have been blessed with tremendous success.  Noach could have seized the moment and chosen something of great significance and importance to world development.  Instead he squandered the opportunity and is therefore referred to as אִ֣ישׁ הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה, a “man of the earth”.  

Rav Pam zt”l quotes the Dubno Maggid as articulating that this is Hashem’s practice for all time.  Every application of Middas Hadin is followed by a shower of HAshem’s abundant mercy which has the potential to bring tremendous beracha and hatzlocha.  This is alluded to, as well, in this week’s haftarah (Yeshaya 54:7):

 בְּרֶ֥גַע קָטֹ֖ן עֲזַבְתִּ֑יךְ וּבְרַחֲמִ֥ים גְּדֹלִ֖ים אֲקַבְּצֵֽךְ

 “For a brief moment have I forsaken and with abundant mercy shall I gather you in.”

A contemporary example of this, says Rav Pam, is the post-Holocaust period.  After a tragedy which was in certain ways  unparalleled in our turbulent history, Klal Yisroel, through the rachmei HaShem, has been rebuilt  in a manner which is certainly unparalleled. The Jewish People, our Torah and our communities, flourish miraculously around the world, a mere 75 years later.  

Rav Pam concludes that it is not only our nation that Hashem treats this way. Hashem, in His love for His people, always follows an expression of din with an outpouring  of affection, much as a parent might do for a child.  In other words, every individual has access to this phenomenon.  When one goes through a period of challenge and perhaps personally feels the sting of the Middas Hadin he can take some comfort in the fact that he will certainly soon feel the warmth of  a “hug” from our loving Father. Furthermore, one should take care to harness these opportunities to accomplish great things for himself and Klal Yisroel.

From Finish to Start!

by Rabbi YD Merling

We have just experienced the great blessing of the Yomim Tovim. As we restart anew, this Shabbos is called Shabbos Bereishis, not only because we read Parshas Bereishis in shul, but because it is a ‘Reishis’, a beginning of our new year in service of Hashem.

The custom in Europe was to say a pilpul connecting the end of the Torah to the beginning. Referring to the uniqueness of the great acts of Moshe Rabbeinu, the Torah Hakedoshah concludes with the words: 

וּלְכֹל֙ הַיָּ֣ד הַחֲזָקָ֔ה וּלְכֹ֖ל הַמּוֹרָ֣א הַגָּד֑וֹל אֲשֶׁר֙ עָשָׂ֣ה מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְעֵינֵ֖י כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

And for all the great might and awesome power that Moshe displayed before the eyes of all Israel.

Rashi explains that this pasuk is referring specifically to Moshe having broken the Luchos in front of the eyes of the Jewish People. Hashem agreed with Moshe’s decision, and gave him a Yasher Koach.

One might assume that the breaking of the Luchos is meant to display Moshe’s unique ability to understand and apply Torah principles. It is certainly a testament to Moshe’s wisdom that he could correctly make such a drastic decision in a moment. However, it seems from the language of Rashi, and that of the pasuk itself, that the display of Moshe’s greatness was not simply in his lightning-fast halachic ruling, but even more that it was done “before the eyes of all Israel.” What is the particular significance of who was watching? 

I would venture that even if breaking the Luchos was the right choice, it would have been easy to rationalize that breaking them in front of the entire nation was too extreme. After all, they had been waiting for so long for the Torah! Perhaps it could be seen as a Chilul Hashem to break Hashem’s Luchos publicly. But Moshe’s clarity of vision, his awareness of being in Hashem’s presence allowed him to realize that these thoughts were not correct; such ideas would have been fueled by a fear of the people; a fear of losing their love and admiration. His ability to see past that and to fearlessly break the Luchos in front of everyone, in order to shock them into doing Teshuva, is the truest statement of Moshe’s unique greatness.

The Torah begins with Bereishis. Rashi explains that grammatically the word Bereishis doesn’t actually mean “In the beginning,” but “For the beginning,” referring to both the Jewish People and the Torah. One might reason that if the whole world is for us, we could choose any way of life which we think works for us. However, the next two pesukim hint otherwise:

 וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹקים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם׃ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹקים יְהִ֣י א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־אֽוֹר׃ 

The earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and the spirit of G-d hovering over the water. G-d said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

When the spirit of Hashem was only hovering, there was confusion. Maybe there is some other way than Hashem’s way? The next pasuk answers: when Hashem says “Let there be light,” only then is there light. Only Hashem’s Torah can light our way. All those who thought they could compromise or find an alternate way to life were not successful. We should learn from here that only the way of Hashem’s Torah is true. There is no one to fear except Hashem, and no harm will come when we trust him and do what’s right.

Have a great Shabbos and a successful year!

Be Healed!

By Rabbi Hillel Brody
Executive Director

Each year as I go through Elul, usually without conscious choice, I find myself focusing on a particular theme with which I then approach the Yamim Noraim. Ultimately my goal is the same as any thinking Jew: I want to come out of Yom Kippur having taken a step which will lead to permanent improvement. I’m not often obviously successful at that goal, but every little bit, no matter how subtle, adds up over time, and thus is absolutely a tremendous and worthwhile accomplishment.

This year I learned the beginning of Shaarei Teshuva, the classic work on Teshuva by Rabbeinu Yonah, one of the most important medieval Talmudists and thinkers. Rabbeinu Yonah starts the sefer by pointing out what a great kindness Hashem has done for us by giving us the gift of Teshuva, through which we can literally rewrite history. With Teshuva, we are given the power not merely to erase our wrongdoings, but, like the mythical alchemist, to turn those leaden spiritual weights into the gold of merits which can lift us to the highest heights of the Divine.

It is noteworthy that R’ Mattisyahu Solomon, Shlit”a, contends that developing the awareness that Teshuva is not a burden, but a gift, is itself  a crucial element of Teshuva. Although there are parts of Teshuva which are by necessity painful, we must approach them like a critically ill patient who has been given a life-saving but excruciating regimen of surgery and therapy. That is, we must try to be joyful while swallowing the often bitter pill of reflection and self-improvement. If we don’t appreciate the value of what we are doing, we won’t be able to do it to its fullest.

Rabbeinu Yonah goes on say:

ואם הרבו לפשוע ולמרוד ובגד בוגדים בגדו לא סגר בעדם דלתי תשובה שנאמר (ישעיהו ל״א:ו׳) שובו לאשר העמיקו סרה. ונאמר (ירמיהו ג׳:כ״ב) שובו בנים שובבים ארפא משובותיכם.

 [Even] if they greatly sin and rebel and act like treacherous betrayers - He does not close the doors of repentance to them, as it is stated (Isaiah 31:6), "Return to Him, those who have been so shamefully false." It is [also] stated (Jeremiah 3:22), "Turn back, O rebellious children, I will heal your waywardness." 

Even on the most superficial level, this statement must give us hope. Hashem does not close the door to us, no matter how far we’ve strayed. Repeat that to yourself a few times, tell me you don’t feel a little better.

However, let’s look a little deeper. In the second pasuk, Hashem, Himself. says to people He refers to as rebellious, “I will heal you.” An anonymous student of Rabbeinu Yonah wrote that a rebellious sinner is one who has gotten themself into a place where they are essentially ill. They have sinned so often and so deeply that it has become second nature. They literally no longer have the ability to extract themselves from the pit of their own mistakes. To those people, Hashem cries out like a loving Father, “I know you can’t go the whole way on your own. Don’t worry, if you take just a step towards me, I will heal your self-afflicted illness.”

In this generation, so, so many of us have known the pain of a child who strays far from us, who has dug themselves a very deep hole. As a parent, the pain is… indescribable. In the depths of that agony, any parent would surely, desperately, say to their child, “I know you are impossibly far gone. But if you just take a step towards us, we will make everything better!” Alas, we are only human beings. Too often don’t have the power to perform that healing. But Hashem! When He says it, He means it with the fullest sense of absolute Divine truth! Even though you did this to yourself, even though you’ve gotten yourself into real trouble, I love you so much that if you just take a step, I can, and I will do the rest!

I have found this idea to be not only soothing but empowering. Year in and year out, we try to change but often we do not see the results we wish for. I don’t think I am alone when I say that I have often felt hopeless. My faults are too deeply ingrained to be removed. Like a tumor which has wrapped itself around a vital organ, I just don’t see a way to excise my most deep seated flaws. But Hashem is talking to me. He is saying, “You are indeed very sick. Your illness is indeed inoperable if you are left to your own abilities. But you are not left to your own abilities! The Doctor of all doctors can, and will, heal our deepest spiritual and emotional flaws just as He can heal the most deadly cancer. As Dovid Hamelech said in Tehillim, לא אירא רע כי אתה עמדי. I will fear no evil, for You are with me.

Our job is to remember that, to be joyfully motivated to keep doing the hard work and to never stop trying to be a little better today than I was yesterday. For every step we take, Hashem can lift us ever closer to who we truly want to be. May all of our hard work stand up for us to be granted a גמר חתימה טובה.

Turn Your Gold Into Silver

by Rabbi Moshe Peretz Gilden
Chaver Kollel

The Magen Avraham (OC 581: 9) records the Shelah Hakadosh revealing to us a powerful way to prepare for a blessed year. The Chazan for Rosh Hashanah and the Ba’al Toke’ah (Shofar blower) are enjoined to intensify their abstinence from all forms of defilement beginning three days before Rosh Hashanah. The Chasam Sofer explains the significance of abstaining for specifically three days. Our sages teach us that when a seed is planted, it can germinate in as little as three days. We are presented with the opportunity to plant the seeds of Teshuva and Ma’asim Tovim for three days, in anticipation of the sprouting of one’s salvation on Rosh Hashanah. 

It seems elementary to me that this opportunity is not only reserved for the Chazan and Ba’al Toke’ah. Rather, as indicated by the Chasam Sofer, anyone who wishes can take advantage of planting seeds which will bear fruits of a gut yohr.

For better or for worse, we can get used to anything. Listen carefully how the Torah, in this week’s Parshas Nitzavim (Devarim 29:16), describes the abominations of Mitzrayim to which the Jewish people were exposed. 

וַתִּרְאוּ֙ אֶת־שִׁקּ֣וּצֵיהֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת גִּלֻּלֵיהֶ֑ם עֵ֣ץ וָאֶ֔בֶן כֶּ֥סֶף וְזָהָ֖ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר עִמָּהֶֽם׃

“And you saw their [idols abominable as] insects, and their [idols detestable as] dung, their idols of wood and stone, silver and gold that are with them” (based on Rashi’s commentary)

Horav Shraga Kallus (a popular teacher and Posek in Eretz Yisroel) exposes a message found here, hidden just beneath the surface of the simple meaning. When our nation first came to Mitzrayim, they saw abominable activities which were as interesting to them as lowly insects.  Our ancestors found no benefit in these acts, and they dismissed them with a wave of the hand. However, persistence prevails, and the Egyptian practices became something significant. Although metaphorically foul smelling and disgusting, our nation gained appreciation for them. They recognized the practical functions of idols, just as dung is detestable yet a necessary byproduct.

Overtime, the Jewish people adapted further, seeing these customs as beneficial as wood, and then as stone and then even as valuable as silver. Finally, their attitude changed to the extent that they saw the Egyptian idols as precious as gold, worthy of being kept safely in their private homes. How far the Jewish People had fallen!

In every part of life, we have no choice but to engage with both the holy and the mundane. Whether we embrace the upcoming days of closeness to our Father our King with excitement over our privileged connection to him, or with awe and fear over our standing before Him, we must examine not only the content of our actions, but the state of our attitudes. The joy must not leave us free-spirited, and the awe must not cause us to despair. We are implored to measure carefully whether our perspectives are in line with those of the Torah. The challenge is that we become accustomed to who we are, and what we do. Our service to Hashem, which encompasses both our relationship with Him and our interactions with others, may not occupy the place of honor which it truly deserves. On the flip side, perhaps we esteem our necessary pursuit of worldly matters beyond what is appropriate. In these days preceding Rosh Hashanah, and throughout the Ten Days of Teshuva, we have an opportunity to plant the seeds of a clearer outlook. Let us take an accounting of what things we view as gold that in truth are silver and what things we treat as mere silver that are actually precious gold.

Ke’siva Va’chasima Tova.

A FEW THOUGHTS ON ELUL, AND A STORY

By Rabbi Yaakov Israel
Chaver Kollel

During Elul a few years ago, one of the respected members of our Kehilla told me, “You know, I look forward to this time of year.” He went on to explain how exhilarating it is to deal with the challenge of renewing ourselves and reassessing our priorities. I was impressed and at the same time ashamed that I honestly had not come to such a feeling.

Rav Meilich Biderman mentioned that Rav Avigdor Miller was once asked by someone, “What should I do to prepare for Rosh Hashana?”

Rav Miller responded, “You should smile!”

The man asked, “That’s a fine thing, but what does smiling have to do with Rosh Hashana?”

Rav Miller explained with a mashal. “There was someone who owned a large supermarket chain. At the end of every year there was an assessment of gains and losses and subsequent changes. Some workers are “extra” and have to be laid off ch”v, and others are moved to different stores. There was one worker who was deemed unnecessary. The owner was told if you lay him off then you might as well close the store! Why? Because he always greets every customer with a smile and a nice word; we need him. A similar reckoning takes place on Rosh Hashana. Who is needed in the world, and who, ch”v is not? Don’t you want to be considered indispensable?“

The following moving story can inspire us as we embark upon the first week of Selichos. [Excerpted from ”Yamim Noraim with the Maggid” by Rabbi Paysach Krohn, Mesorah Pub., pp. 33-37]. It was the summer of 1964 and a young Rabbi Krohn was a bachur visiting Eretz Yisroel. He writes:

“....Near the end of my trip my father wrote me that he once heard that someone was walking through the narrow streets of Yerushalayim very early in the morning, singing a beautiful tune to wake people for selichos. My father asked if I would record it for him.

“I inquired if the man still did it, where he did it, and at what hour he did it. Although no one knew anything definitive, I was told that, if anything, he would walk among the Bucharian houses near the Mandelbaum Gate, which at the time was the dividing line between Israel and Jordan.

“I realized from my father's letter how much this meant to him, so I resolved to find the man and record his tune. I convinced a friend to come with me. Thus, at 3:30 one morning, we started the trek....No one (!) was in the streets, the street lights were blinking on and off...

“As we made our way, we could see a short figure standing in the distance. He was facing the windows of a two-story home and was calling out something, although we could not discern what he was saying. As we approached, I could hear him call out in Yiddish, 'Shteit oif tzu Selichos, Shteit oif tzu Selichos, Get up For Selichos, get up for Selichos.'...”

After clarifying that this was indeed the man he was seeking (Rav Yidel Cohen), Rabbi Krohn pleaded with him to sing his tune onto the recorder so that he could play it back for his father. ”He nodded, cleared his throat, and then in the middle of the street, with the well-lit Jordanian Mount Scopus Hotel in the distance and the simple darkened Bucharian houses surrounding us, he began the most touching, stirring, beautiful melody I had ever heard.

'ישראל עם קדוש שטייט אויף לעבודת הבורא!

Yisrael, the Holy Nation! Get up to perform the service of the creator!

רץ כצבי וגבול כארי לעשות רצון אביך שבשמים!

Be swift as a deer and strong as a lion to accomplish the will of your Father in Heaven!

He stopped, took a breath, and asked, 'Okay?'.

“Up to that point of my life, it was probably the most “okay” thing that ever happened to me!

What a preparation it must have been for those saying Selichos, what a preface to Elul it was for me...

”...My father listened to that recording dozens of times. It was the greatest gift I could have ever given to him. My mother played it over the intercom in our house...”. [When Rav Shalom Schwadron heard the recording, tears rolled down his cheeks (as he remembered the melody from when he was young...].

May we all “Shteit oif”, be awakened during these precious days of Elul and Selichos.

Practical Tools for Self Awareness

Rabbi Shlomo Jarcaig
Chaver Kollel

As we progress through the month of Elul, and our focus on Teshuva intensifies, many people face a basic obstacle which impedes our success. In order to do Teshuva we first have to know exactly what we need to improve. We don't typically do or say something which we believe to be wrong. Most times, if we thought it was wrong, we wouldn’t have done it in the first place. Although we may be aware of some issues which certainly need to be addressed, how are we supposed to address the many other practices, habits or traits that are outside of our awareness? Perhaps we’re unintentionally acting insensitively toward others. Perhaps we’re think we're acting deliberately, but deep down it's really laziness which is hindering our actions. Conversely, perhaps we’re justifying what is truthfully our own impetuousness by attributing our actions to zeal. If we can't see the problem, how can we possibly fix it?

To this end, R’ Chaim Friedlander suggests 3 practical approaches which can tell us what particular areas of our Avodas Hashem need to be addressed:

• Ask Someone Else. Other people who observe our actions do not have the personal biases we possess which prevent us from understanding our true motivations. In general people do not appreciate criticism. If it’s not delivered with the appropriate sensitivity, it will be counterproductive. That said, if we seek input from a parent, spouse, or someone else who cares about us, it is a great opportunity for us to become aware of what is really going on, and begin the Teshuva process.

• Introspection. Although our natural inclination is to overlook our own biases, we have the ability to pause and take an honest look at ourselves. How have we interacted with others? Have our Mitzvos been performed with the appropriate joy and attention? Which of our Middos need to be refined, and how? The Chofetz Chaim notes that if we are searching within ourselves to find the problems, we don’t face the same natural aversion we experience when being criticized by others.

• You Are What You See. R’ Dessler (among others) observes that if we want to know what areas we need to improve upon, we should take clear note of the flaws we see in others. If we didn’t possess the exact same deficiencies in our own way, we would not be finding them in someone else. If we find ourselves being critical of another for, say, acting selfishly or allowing their anger to control them, it can be a sign that we too suffer from the same challenge, and we should look at ourselves more carefully.

By better understanding ourselves we will, with Hashem's help, be able to grow and get ever closer to maximizing our immense potential.

Parshas Shoftim- You Can Do It. He Can Help.

We are now a full week into the month of Elul, and we are all preparing ourselves for the upcoming Days of Judgment. Teshuva, repentance, is the main focus of this month, and everyone is certainly trying to improve and change to the best of their ability. Many of us, however, find the idea of change nearly impossible. Often, we feel that we are too entrenched in our bad habits to be able to effect any significant change. The result is that we may give up entirely, and not make any attempt at all to do Teshuva. 

Rabbeinu Yonah in his classic mussar work Shaarei Teshuvah addresses this valid concern. He cites a pasuk from Parshas Nitzavim (Devorim 30:6):

 …ומל ה' אלקיך את לבבך ואת לבב זרעך לאהבה את ה' אלקיך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך

“And Hashem will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your children, so that you will love Hashem with all your heart and all your soul...”

Rabbeinu Yonah explains that “circumcising your heart” means that Hashem helps those trying to do Teshuva.  Once we have put in the effort and accomplished as much as we can, Hashem awakens within us a spirit of purity which enables us to go even further and attain lofty spiritual heights beyond our natural capacity.

The Rosh Hayeshiva of Ner Yisroel, Rav Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman ztvk”l, derived a deeper insight into this concept from this week’s Parshas Shoftim. Before a Jewish army would go to battle, a specially ordained Kohen, the משוח מלחמה, would exhort the soldiers not to be afraid. The Torah records his speech as follow (Devarim 20:3,4):

ואמר אלהם שמע ישראל אתם קרבים היום למלחמה על איביכם אל ירך לבבכם אל תיראו ואל תחפזו ואל תערצו מפניהם. כי ה' אלקיכם ההלך עמכם להלחם לכם עם איביכם להושיע אתכם

“He shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel! You are approaching battle with your enemy. Let not your heart be soft, do not be in fear, or in panic, or in dread of them. For it is your G-d Hashem who goes with you to do battle for you against your enemy, to save you.”

Rav Ruderman explained that these two verses are cause and effect, and not two separate and distinct ideas. Because the soldiers embrace trust in Hashem by their lack of fear of the enemy, Hashem responds to trust in Him by giving them what they need. Their bitachon is the reason that they merit the fulfillment of the Divine promise to protect them and give them victory.

In the same way, explained the Rosh Hayeshiva, we can understand what is happening to cause Hashem to give us supernatural spiritual growth. It is the power of our bitachon. When we trust in Hashem; when we recognize that He is the key to even our spiritual success, He responds in kind by giving us what we need: the gift of ever greater levels of closeness to Him. 

The aforementioned pasuk in Nitzavim contains the words, את לבבך ואת לבב. The first letters of those words spell אלול. This might be said to hint to us that this month is a particularly auspicious time to gain the divine assistance we need in order to achieve success in our service of Hashem. May we merit the fulfillment of this verse as we capitalize upon this special month.

Parshas Re’eh- Remember Who You Are

Rabbi Mendel Senderovic, Rosh Kollel

We are accustomed to being taught to recognize the preciousness of our fellow beings. The inherent value in each and every Jew obligates us to hold them in the high esteem that they deserve. However, the Lakewood Rosh Hayeshiva, Rav Aharon Kotler ztvk”l, points out that this week’s parsha presents us with an important key that helps us unlock the door to success in our service of Hashem. It is the recognition of the great value and significance that we ourselves possess, and that is inherent in each and every one of us.

Bonim atem L’ashem Elokeichem, lo sisgod’du v’lo sosimu korcho bein eineichem lomeis (D’vorim 14:1). “You are children to Hashem, your G-d, you shall not cut yourselves and you shall not make a bald spot between your eyes [in mourning] for a deceased person.” Rashi comments: “Because you are children of Hashem, you are fit to be handsome, not cut or made bald.”

The Torah is not engaging in hyperbole in describing us as Hashem’s children. Our relationship with our Creator is the same as that of a prince to his father, the king. Awareness of this fact should guide us in all our actions. If we are obligated to be “handsome” in our physical appearance, how much more so do we need to take care to keep our spiritual appearance in order. Every step we take must be befitting of the prominence and royalty within us. One who is oblivious to how precious he is, is no different than a wealthy man who is unaware of the riches he possesses. There is none poorer than he.

The Rosh Hayeshiva points out that our Sages teach us (Kiddushin 40b) that “one who eats in the street, is disqualified from testifying in court.” These words are echoed by the Rambam who writes (Eidus 11:5): “Those that are repulsive are disqualified from testifying.”  From here it is evident that someone lacking in self-worth cannot be trusted. The premise upon which testimony of witnesses is accepted in court, is the feeling “how can I do such a despicable act as testify falsely?!” If someone behaves in a manner that belies his great potential and inherent aristocratic nature, and he considers himself to be of the spiritual underclass of society, then there is nothing that can prevent him from veering from the truth.

Our sages in Pirkei Avos (2:18) exhort us: “Do not judge yourself to be a wicked person!” If a person should be so unfortunate as to give up on himself, and to feel undeserving of Divine assistance, he is surely doomed to fail.

As we embark on the path of t’shuvah this month of Elul, let us keep this perspective in the forefront of our thoughts - remembering who we are, and Whose children we are. Let all our actions be befitting of the royalty that each and every one of us possesses within us.  The most powerful and effective rebuke one can receive when confronted with a challenge is telling ourselves “Es passt nisht” – it is beneath us.

May we all merit a sweet year filled with the blessings of Hashem’s bounty, and much success in all our spiritual and material endeavors.