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February 13, 2012
Binyamin Rose: Back to the Bunker: How a life-risking act by a Christian family during the Holocaust saved a family and built a thriving community a world away
Menachem Wecker: Business Schools Teach Real Estate Despite Troubled Housing Market
February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
Beginnings: Why Rosh Hashana can affect the entire year
By
Rabbi Dr. Akiva Tatz
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
"Everything goes after the beginning." This
statement of our Sages contains hidden
depth. The moment of conception of
anything which comes into existence
must contain all the elements of the future of that thing.
Just as all the genes of a human being are laid down at
conception and thereafter all the physical features which
manifest in the child as it develops are results of those
genes, so too all phenomena in the world are a reflection
of the elements contained, infinitely compressed, in their
beginnings.
The moment of transition from non-existence to
existence is the most potent, containing all. Thereafter, as
the child develops, a critical phase follows, but not as
critical as the first instant, and so on, each phase a
revelation of the coding of the previous. The closer to the
beginning, the more critical. Small effects at the genetic
level will be much more far-reaching than larger effects
during embryonic development, and effects at embryonic
level more far-reaching than effects at the adult level.
Therefore, the moment which demands greatest care,
greatest intensity, greatest purity, is the very first.
Time is also a creation. The Jewish year is an organic
entity. Its conception takes place on Rosh Hashana and
Yom Kippur. For this reason we are so extremely careful
about trying to live correctly on Rosh Hashana and the
subsequent days. The way one begins the year will
determine how the rest of the year reveals itself. If one
can form the genes of the year correctly, the fetus will
develop correctly and the child and adult will be
wholesome.
Mistakes in this phase will be very hard to correct later.
Efforts made in the first ten days may prevent major
"surgery" being necessary later. Each moment of Rosh
Hashana should be utilized with exquisite care, only
positive personality traits should be manifest, great
control over anger and other negative traits should be
exercised. Many have the custom not to sleep during the
day of Rosh Hashana, at least not until midday — they
want to lay down the genes of the year in consciousness
and spiritual effort, not oblivion.
What should be the major focus of the day? Can one
really correct all one's personality faults in one day, or
even ten? The answer lies in a description of our Sages of
the human being.
There is a description of a righteous
person as a tree planted in good soil whose branches
overhang bad soil. The meaning is that the root is good,
the person is essentially good, but no-one is perfect and
the branches overhanging bad ground represent the
person's shortcomings. However, some pruning will
reveal roots entirely good. The pruning may take the
form of suffering in this world — in the next world, the
dimension of truth, the person will be revealed as wholly
positive.
A negative individual is described as a tree planted in
bad soil where branches overhang good ground. The root
and essence are bad, but even the worst individual has
positive actions and qualities. However, some pruning
will reveal the essence as bad. The pruning may take the
form of great happiness and reward in this world, leaving
a clarified existence of negativity in the next.
This idea helps one to understand a difficult section authored by Maimonides. His teaching states that on Rosh Hashana
the righteous are sealed for life immediately, the evil are
sealed for the opposite immediately, and those who are
intermediate, neither righteous nor evil, hang in the
balance until Yom Kippur. Maimonides says that these
are people whose mitzvos -- fulfilling the precepts of their faith and good deeds -- exactly equal their transgressions. (Not necessarily in number, quality counts.)
The strange part of this discussion is that the Maimonides
goes on to say that most people are in this third category,
that is exactly balanced between good and bad. Is it really
possible that most people are exactly balanced in terms
of their positive and negative actions?
The explanation, however, is that what is meant here
is not an exact technical balancing of actions, what is meant is that most people are trees planted midway between good and bad soil — available for good and
positive actions when the opportunity arises, when
inspiration occurs, but unfortunately, available for
selfishness and negativity when tempted.
Most people have never made a conscious policy decision about what
they are here for. Where is your tree planted? Its default
position straddles the line. What is required at the
moment of conception of consciousness, at the moment
of conception of time, is a decision about who I am in
essence, not about which technical actions need work —
that will come later.
Rosh Hashana is a time for moving the core, making
sure the tree is moved entirely into positive territory, the
pruning is the second stage. Consciously choosing a
positive direction, setting a spiritual goal and beginning
movement in its direction is what Rosh Hashana must
teach.
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Comment by here.Rabbi Akiva Tatz lectures internationally at Ohr Somayach and is currently the senior lecturer the JLE (Jewish Learning Exchange) / Ohr Somayach branch in London.
© 2010, Ohr Somayach
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