As Rosh HaShana is literally a day away there are many thoughts that go through one’s mind. 

 

It has been a year in which the world experienced earthquakes and hurricanes. We have seen governments overthrown and others in danger of the same fate. Currently, the Arab World is trying to rally their forces in their perennial quest to overcome Israel. We have seen Torah giants in three different continents leave this world in a very short time. We have heard of the terrible murder of a young and innocent boy in Boro Park and the stabbing of a great tzadik and kabbalist. It gives us much to think about and contemplate and it behooves us to do so.

 

Rosh HaShana is an awesome day on which all of mankind passes one by one before their Creator and King, Malkeinu, to be judged without anywhere to hide. All of the above mentioned events, were decided upon one year ago, on Rosh HaShana! On the other hand, HaShem is also Avinu, our father, the One who looks at His son with love and admiration amidst His deliberate judgment. Rosh HaShana is the day where we look at our Father, and dedicate ourselves to His precepts in the hope to relate to Him, to learn from His ways, to cling to Him, and to be His beloved son! It is with this renewal of our allegiance to Him that we hope he will have mercy upon us like a Father to a son, k’racheim av al bonim.” It is this very commitment that gives hope for the future, as it is this loyalty that allows the Malkeinu, the King of judgment, to be our Avinu, and show us His never ending and infinite mercy. 

 

May we all merit finding the way into the favor of our Father and King, so that not only individually, but collectively as a nation we can be written in the Sefer HaChaim for a Ksiva V’Chasima Tova. May the year 5772 be a year of peace and happiness for our family, and all of Klal Yisroel, and we should merit the great event which we all await, the coming of Moshiach, b’mihaira b’yomeinu.

 

Have a wonderful and meaningful YomTov,

Rabbi Katzenstein

 

 

As Rosh HaShana is literally a day away there are many thoughts that go through one’s mind. 

 

It has been a year in which the world experienced earthquakes and hurricanes. We have seen governments overthrown and others in danger of the same fate. Currently, the Arab World is trying to rally their forces in their perennial quest to overcome Israel. We have seen Torah giants in three different continents leave this world in a very short time. We have heard of the terrible murder of a young and innocent boy in Boro Park and the stabbing of a great tzadik and kabbalist. It gives us much to think about and contemplate and it behooves us to do so.

 

Rosh HaShana is an awesome day on which all of mankind passes one by one before their Creator and King, Malkeinu, to be judged without anywhere to hide. All of the above mentioned events, were decided upon one year ago, on Rosh HaShana! On the other hand, HaShem is also Avinu, our father, the One who looks at His son with love and admiration amidst His deliberate judgment. Rosh HaShana is the day where we look at our Father, and dedicate ourselves to His precepts in the hope to relate to Him, to learn from His ways, to cling to Him, and to be His beloved son! It is with this renewal of our allegiance to Him that we hope he will have mercy upon us like a Father to a son, k’racheim av al bonim.” It is this very commitment that gives hope for the future, as it is this loyalty that allows the Malkeinu, the King of judgment, to be our Avinu, and show us His never ending and infinite mercy. 

 

May we all merit finding the way into the favor of our Father and King, so that not only individually, but collectively as a nation we can be written in the Sefer HaChaim for a Ksiva V’Chasima Tova. May the year 5772 be a year of peace and happiness for our family, and all of Klal Yisroel, and we should merit the great event which we all await, the coming of Moshiach, b’mihaira b’yomeinu.

 

Have a wonderful and meaningful YomTov,

Rabbi Katzenstein