Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 2 Tishri, 5785
Rosh Hashana 5785

Good morning!  I hope you had an amazing first day of Rosh Hashanah.  Apples and Honey for a sweet new year, The Shofar blasts to resonate our energy to call attention to the coming of a king. Who are we? Who is sovereign in our lives?

The choice seems to come down to the balance and harmony between who “we” are. Are we a body or a soul? We are called to be in our bodies and live in these vessels – these clothes we’ve chosen. AND? We are called to remember who we truly are – a soul.

We are here for a purpose. Are we living this purpose out? Or are we sailing like a rudderless ship? That is the question to ask ourselves today.  After today, we turn our attention to Yom Kippur – the day of repentance. When we ask for forgiveness for the areas we’ve missed the mark on this year. How can we prepare ourselves?

These are my thoughts today. How about yours?

From my commentary the last two years:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 2 Tishri, 5784

Wow! What a great start to 5784!  I had an amazing first day of this year! So much learning and time connecting with friends and my kids!

Yesterday, we started the portion with “God remembered.”  Today, we start with “God tested Abraham.”

As we discussed yesterday, Kingship connects to our relationships – with food, with money, our kids, etc.

And – once we decide who is King? Today’s portion teaches us – we will be tested.

Why does Hashem test us?

Not because He is grading us.  But because by testing us? It reveals to us who is King in our lives.  It’s for OUR benefit.

It exposes to us places we have NOT allowed Hashem to be King.

And I think as we listen to the Shofar being blown today (since we didn’t hear it yesterday because of Shabbat) this is what we need to pay attention to.

What are your thoughts?

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for Tishri 2, 5783

L’Shana Tova! It’s day 2 of Rosh Hashanah.

The coronation is almost over; who is the King of our lives? Today is the final day to set the intention for the rest of the year! Tonight starts a time of introspection; now that we have coronated the King of our souls, what does that mean upon reflecting over the past year? Where do we need to adapt and change? Where do we need to ask for forgiveness? How can we forgive ourselves? How can we forgive others? That will take us to Yom Kippur; which is one of the Holiest days of the year. The work we do over the next week can make Yom Kippur one of the happiest and joyous days for us; or we can drag our feet and see Yom Kippur as rough and sad. The choice is ours; again, freedom and liberation is set before us.

Today is day 2 of Rosh Hashanah, we read Genesis 22:1-24 and review again Numbers 29:1-6.

Let’s dig in!

Yesterday, Rosh Hashanah began with “God remembered.” Today starts a little differently.

“What happened was, after the words (of the Satan, who accused Abraham of not offering a sacrifice to God at his celebratory feast), God tested Abraham.”

So. We’ve finished day 1 of the head of the year. We’ve come to day 2. The question then becomes, what have we chosen? How will we know?

Why did God test Abraham? Was it because God wasn’t sure which way Abraham was going to go? I don’t think that is the likely reason. Hashem exists outside of time. Hashem knows what will happen. To me, Hashem tests Abraham to strengthen ABRAHAM’S faith. It was so Abraham knew who was king over his own heart.

Why? Because we have doubts. We don’t necessarily doubt Hashem. We doubt ourselves. Testing us; seeing what we are made of is the stuff that reminds us of who we truly are. The story of Abraham and the sacrifice of Isaac (which is what today’s portion is all about) isn’t about a cruel God asking Abraham to sacrifice for Hashem’s ego. No. It’s the story about Hashem showing Abraham just how deep his (Abraham’s) love goes.

Nachmanides writes this:

“When God tests a person, it is for the benefit of the one being tested. Every person has the potential to do great things, to fulfil God’s will or do good deeds. In order to actualize this potential, God tests the person by providing him with a challenge, hoping that through the power of free choice to accomplish the deed, the person’s potential will be realized.

God tests the righteous in order to bestow blessings on them as a reward for passing His test. However, God does not usually test errant individuals that do not obey Him, and they remain unable to actualize their potential.”

If we are facing tests; it is because Hashem trusts us to pass. He doesn’t set us up for failure.

Rabbi Shalom Dov Baer Schneerson expands on this using additional writings:

What was the point of God’s testing Abraham, if God already knew that Abraham would pass the test?’It was certainly not a demonstration of Abraham’s faith to others, since not even the two lads who accompanied Abraham were present at the time. Rather, the purpose of the test was to inspire later generations of Jewish people who would follow in Abraham’s footsteps (Rabbi David Kimhi).

To perform a new type of act which you have never done before, a spiritual “channel” needs to be opened, allowing the reserves of potential in your soul to spread through your body, In a more general sense this applies on a global scale. A person who commits a spiritually unprecedented act in the world becomes a pioneer, who actually makes it possible for others to follow in his footsteps. He opens a new “channel,” breaking down barriers not only for himself, but for his descendants and followers.

The binding of Isaac was not merely an inspiring historical event from which we can learn. It made an indelible mark on the Jewish personality, enabling Abraham’s outstanding subordination to God to be duplicated by any of us who will rise to the challenge.” (End quote)

I’m not sure about you; but the idea of being a spiritual “pioneer” excites me. That requires exploring spirituality in a way that has never been done before. The purpose of this isn’t ego; it’s opening doors for others to follow this new spiritual path. This also requires risk; it requires new ways of thinking. It requires new ideas and new connections. New channels.

What are we exploring that is spiritually “risky?” Anything? Or are we playing it safe with our spirituality and beliefs? Why? Why are we risking? Why are we playing it safe? Are we afraid of being pioneers? Or are we afraid of vengeance from God because we “did it wrong?”

The Torah story is one about trying new things. And when those things don’t work, we trust Hashem to discipline us and bring us back to center. Do we trust Him? So many stories in the Torah of Hashem speaking and correcting behavior- from Balaam’s donkey, to Abraham being told to trust his wife, to Sodom and Gamorah, etc. we can trust Hashem to correct us if we get off track.

Being “tested” feels often times like a “gotcha”- to remind us of what we don’t know. Because that is how it is used around us. But it isn’t a “gotcha” because it reveals what we DO KNOW. And that is important – the head of 5783 and the decisions we are making will be tested. Is Hashem the King? Is our Neshama King (Queen?). Do we see ourselves as divine? Are we a soul with a body enclothed around us? Are we a body with a soul inside? Is it either/or? Is it both/and? How does this play out? More questions!

We are familiar with the story of Abraham and Isaac. In the Jewish liturgy it’s a story we recount each and every day. The end of the story is a promise from an angel of God;

Genesis 22:15-18

An angel of God called to Abraham a second time from heaven. ” He said “I Myself have sworn,” says God, ‘that because you have done this thing and you did not withhold your son, your only one, I will bless you (and your son), and will multiply your descendants (and your son’s) like the stars of the heavens and like the sand that is on the seashore, and your descendants will inherit the cities of their enemies. All the nations of the world will be blessed through your children, because you listened to My voice’”

So; passing these tests brings us blessing. Multiplication and abundance, and an inheritance. Why? For the purpose of blessing OTHERS.

Rosh Hashana is a time for us to declare the King of our lives. We should not be surprised when that coronation will be tested. And we should not be surprised when we pass the test. And we should not be surprised when the blessing comes. And we should not be surprised when the opportunity to pass that blessing onto others appears.

This is freedom. This is liberation. This is the journey.

And. As almost a denouement to this portion, we close with Abraham being told by Hashem that Rebekah would be born. Rebekah is the mother of many of Jacob’s sons. So after the testing, comes the birth of abundance.

We can have abundance in 5783. The formula seems straight forward;

1. Choose who is King over our lives. If we decide we don’t want a king, then live out the year doing our own thing. However, if we decide we want Hashem as our King, and we want our Neshama to have power within, expect step 2:
2. Be ready for the tests that will come. Remember these tests aren’t to show what we CAN’T do, but to remind us of our power! Trust that Hashem will provide and take care of us. Pass the test. Then…
3. Receive the blessing! I wonder how many of us get to this point and reject the blessing that Hashem is giving us. I wonder if there were opportunities where we passed the test and the blessing came to us, but we didn’t like the color so we rejected it. Or it wasn’t the right size. Or. Or. Or. we are called to RECEIVE the blessing. We need to be in a receptive place; to not resist.
4. Be generous with the blessing. Bless others with the abundance given.
5. Be ready for more blessings to be “born.” Future blessings.

This seems like a logical conclusion to the head of the year.

What are your thoughts?