Dear Friends, 

These aren’t quiet days…

The few, immediate days after Rosh Hashanah, prior to Yom Kippur, are filled with more special commemorations and moments, including: 

• The Fast of Gedaliah, which falls on the day after Rosh Hashanah, commemorates the tragic death of the first governor of ancient Judea in 582 BCE, who was assassinated, ostensibly for cooperating with the Babylonians towards rebuilding the Jewish settlement in Judea.  Today, this minor fast is only observed by the most observant Jews. 
• Shabbat Shuvah, the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, was historically one of the two most important Shabbats in the calendar, as on it, the Rabbi would remind the community of the rules and rituals for Yom Kippur.  Today, it is still a vital day, as it offers a spiritual fulcrum, a tipping point, from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, building the urgency of our self-awareness.  In the Synagogue, Shabbat Shuvah is filled with High Holy Day prayers and music, and is one of the most spiritual Sabbaths of the year. 
• Kever Avot – the tradition of visiting the cemetery on the Sunday between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, to invoke the righteousness of our ancestors: that if God does not recognize our own atonement and goodness towards meriting reinscription in the Book of Life, God might seal us on account of the deeds of our forebears. 
• Giving charitably is a hallmark of this season.  As each day passes and we draw nearer to Yom Kippur, the urgency to do for others should grow. 
• Lastly, we are to approach those whom we may have wronged inadvertently in the past year, and seek their forgiving kindness.  Making amends requires reaching out and connecting with one another.

Thus, we do not have quiet days off now that Rosh Hashanah has come, and the shofar has been sounded.   Instead, Rosh Hashanah and the shofar are best considered launch pads into the real work of living our lives in worthy and meaningful manners.  They are, in so many ways, the beginning of the year. 

I invite you to explore the moments and the richness and deeper meanings of this season. They guide us towards righteous and profound purpose in our lives.

Shabbat Shalom and Shanah Tovah Tikateimu – May you be inscribed in the Book of Life for a Good New Year!
Rabbi Doug Kohn