As the time for Rosh HaShanah comes around again, many of us who have not been in shul all year may find ourselves attending services again. Or we may attend a dinner with family or friends to mark the start of another Jewish year. It's a special time for most, for some perhaps, an obligation, borne with a sense of patience and a tinge of guilt, and all-the-while looking forward to "getting it over with".
Even so, there will be things to think about - will the rabbi make a good sermon, or will it be tedious and long like last year? Will the choir sing anything new, and is the chazzan looking at the ladies again? Are the ladies dressed fashionably, with taste or without it? Has Reeva put on weight and has Herb gone gray? Will there be a good crowd and who will stay to the end? Is that a real tan? Are the Steins and the Grossmans still not talking? How many kids does the assistant rabbi have already? What are all these prayers about . . . and who cares about all this stuff anyway?
And later, at dinner - "look at all this FOOD! This is simply too much!"
With all these things to think about, there is at least one further question to consider: can one break through all these distractions and connect with something deeper? Well, it may just be possible. Possible, but still a long shot? Now, I hear some of you saying, "Yes, sir, a very, very long shot." But with a bit of luck, maybe not.
Getting into the zone for prayer and meditation more than likely takes some effort and preparation. Brain plasticity is all very well, but if you haven't been practicing this stuff, it's not going to materialize out of the blue, now is it?
Well, getting it going may not be all that difficult. Firstly, you're doing all that thinking, right? All those thoughts knocking about in your head? You're day-dreaming already, just give your mind some quiet, some space, to think about something. Who has "kept you and sustained you"? Now, or sometime in the past. You don't have to stretch the answer to include G-d from the get-go. But you should be able to fill in some names that begin to answer the question. Who are those who have done something for you, this last week? . . . this month, or this year or way further back? Think this over, and appreciate it. Breath deeply and begin to count your blessings. As you do this, you should begin to feel a little different - that's a start.
Now it is true that you don't have to go to shul to do this, but the Jewish way is to do this communally - it is not good for us to be alone. And don't just consider who has done something for you, but what have you done for someone else? Such reflections may be a way for you to begin to connect with the notions of meditation or prayer, and feelings of gratitude and peace.
Shanah Tovah
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Other sources:
The full blessing of Shehecheyanu : (which can be found in prayer books as part of Kiddush for festivals and Rosh HaShanah)
" . . . who has kept us and sustained us, and brought us to this time."
Turn, turn, turn - wikipedia
(play the song and slide show)
To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven
A time to build up,a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together
To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven
A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing
To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven
A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time for love, a time for hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late
