Rosh Hashanah message

Learning to love Rosh Hashanah services

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Do you like Rosh Hashanah services?
If you do not really enjoy sitting in the same place many hours, love old style of Chazanut, or just love long speeches, I would assume the answer will be … No!
And if you actually looked into the meaning of the prayer. Oy vey! This can be really frightening: Rosh Hashanah is a day of judgment, God is the judge and He has our sins written down in a book like a bookkeeper, “and on that day I will be judged on them.”
So how can we enjoy the Rosh Hashanah services? The main part of this holiday.
Let’s explore the deeper meaning of Rosh Hashanah services.

This is a story of a Jewish farmer who had hired a schoolteacher to live in his house and live off his farm in return for teaching his children. But the schoolteacher would not stay for the Jewish Holiday seasons. And so, for over a month, the father replaced the teacher.
At first, keeping order in the classroom was challenging. Teacher was teacher, but Dad was a softy. You could always get out of class to go to the outhouse — and not necessarily return. If the work was too tough, you could complain, or just attempt to engage Dad in a conversation about the state of the chickens today.
Within a week, the classroom was in total disarray. That’s when Dad set down the law. One morning, he walked in with a stern face and announced, “From now on, no more ‘Daddy this,’ ‘Daddy that!’ From now on, in this classroom, I am not Daddy. I am Teacher!”
And as Teacher, boy was Daddy tough. There were punishments and penalties for the slightest infractions. No one could leave the room without an airtight excuse. The atmosphere of the classroom became stifling, as a playground became a dungeon.
Finally, one small child broke down in tears. Father may have played a good part as stern teacher, but he was still father at heart. He couldn’t bear to look at one of his smallest children crying. Looking down at the table to conceal his chagrin, he brusquely called the child over.
“Why are you crying?” he asked. Between his sobs, the child answered, “I want to ask my daddy...”
“Yes?” “I mean my teacher ...” “Yes?” “...so I can ask my daddy...” “Right.” “...that my daddy should ask the teacher...”
“So what is it?” “...that my teacher shouldn’t be so hard with us any more!”
This Is Rosh Hashanah services. We plead “our Father, our King.” We know who You are, behind that stern mask, feigning objective judgment upon your throne. You are also our Father, and a compassionate loving Father at that. Come here with us, hold our hands, see everything from our view down here. Feel our troubles and the pangs of our hearts as only a father can do.
Let’s do it together, and who knows, maybe you will love the Rosh Hashanah services.

Rabbi Nochem Tenenboim
Chabad of Hewlett