I was getting ready to write something profound and preachy. After all, tonight is Rosh Hashanah. But then something happened and I decided to go whimsical and heartwarming.
Yesterday I got a phone call that seemed like a little gift from heaven. Let me give you some background. Many of you remember Saul Hakim, who passed away last winter. One of his many hobbies was beekeeping. Each Rosh Hashanah he would lovingly provide honey to the community. Within the year before his passing, he moved to New Jersey to live with his son and family. Before he left, he gave his hives to a beekeeper, and he told him that his gift was conditioned on the beekeeper giving honey to the community before Rosh Hashanah. He put the beekeeper in touch with Rabbi Mendy Schechter to ensure that the process would be Kosher.
Yesterday I got the call from Rabbi Schechter that Saul’s hives had produced honey, and it is being made available to the community. Dozens of families will enjoy this gift from heaven and know that even from the next world Saul Hakim loves his people and his community.
As we prepare for Rosh Hashanah tonight, a time that we stand in judgement before Hashem, we would be well served to take a page from Saul’s playbook and demonstrate a love and caring for our brothers and sisters – our fellow Jews. There is no greater pleasure for Hashem our Father, than seeing His children caring for one another.
I hope that everyone has a meaningful Rosh Hashanah. Please make sure to participate in a Shofar blowing service on Sunday. Chabad offerings will be listed below.
Wishing you all a Shana Tova, a good and sweet year, a year of health, prosperity, nachas, and meaningful spiritual growth. A year of peace and tranquility in Israel and around the world. Most of all, may this be the year that we finally merit the complete and final redemption through the coming of Mashiach!
Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin