Dear Friends,
The High Holidays are fast approaching. In just over a week, we will embark on our process of cheshbon nefesh, an accounting of our souls. Together, we will experience powerful liturgy and stories that tell us that the gates of heaven are opening for just ten days, in which God is especially able to hear our prayers and grant forgiveness. We imagine that God writes our names down in the book of life or the book of death, and we plead that we and our loved ones will be written into the book of life in the coming year.
For some of us, entering the somber intensity of the high holidays can be jarring. One minute we are rushing around, trying to throw together breakfast for our families, battling our ever expanding list of things to do for work, trying to squeeze in a trip to the gym. Then, the next minute, we show up to synagogue, and are told that our lives depend on how well we pray and transform ourselves over the next ten days.
Whether or not you believe that our lives literally depend on these days, the High Holidays are a valuable invitation to step back, examine our lives, and try to be the best people we can be. So how can we make the most of this time, and what do we need to do to prepare ourselves to get what we need out of this experience?
First, start reflecting on your life and the past year BEFORE you show up at services. Here are some questions to ask yourself, which I received from my spiritual writing teacher, Merle Feld. Feel free to reflect on these, write about them in a journal, and/or discuss with others.
1. For whom are you grateful this year? How might you let them know?
2. Among those closest to you, is there anyone you have harmed, caused pain, or fallen short? How? Choose one person to focus on. How do you wish you had acted differently? What do you want your relationship to be like? How can you make amends and bring about change?
3. Has anyone sinned against you this year? What do you need from them to repair the relationship and achieve healing? If the other person isn’t ready/willing to act, what can you do to help yourself find inner peace and move on?
Second, simply set it as your intention to open your heart to let this High Holiday experience nourish and transform you in exactly the way you need. Perhaps try speaking the following prayer:
Please, help me to pray this year.
Please help me keep my heart and mind open to this experience.
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to You.
Looking forward to seeing you to welcome the New Year,
Rabbi Margie