Shana Tova

Erev Rosh Hashana, 5677


Just a quick note wishing you a healthy, happy, sweet new year. As we celebrate the birthday of the world, the beginning of God’s handiwork, there are two very important points to consider. Firstly, this is the day that man was created (male and female as one two-sided being) and not really the beginning of creation. And secondly, the Talmud and its major commentators explain that really the world was physically created in Nissan (the month of Passover), while having only been ‘thought of’, as it were, in Tishrei (this month). So why are our festivities so poorly timed? Certainly, the proponents of modern thought would cringe at the ego-centricity of our version of creation, right?


The action is always the result of the thought. We celebrate the day when the focus, the purpose of creation, was born – in thought. Thought always centers around the end goal first, and from there the blue-prints are drawn. Each of us, all of us, as creations of divine purpose and spiritual phenomena, we are all the central, critical focal point of creation – the very place where heaven meets earth, soul touches body, and life, as we know it, is born. This should by no means give rise to misplaced arrogance, but rather sublime humility in the face of our Creator and mission.

May we all be signed and sealed for a deeply enriching year of life.

Your friend,

Shmuel Lynn