Of Open Books and Rave Reviews

I so enjoyed writing that book review last month and I appreciate the positive feedback I received from the people who read it. So, yeah, I'm working on another one, to Remember Jerusalem from an entirely different perspective. I'm not giving any more hints except to say that I'm almost done with the book and looking forward to writing and sharing my rave review.

Which makes me think about where we are on the calendar right now, as the Supreme Reviewer prepares to open some pretty important books. With that in mind, I present my updated Rosh Hashanah poem. (It's actually been four years since I posted the last version!) Note: I ran into an issue with the spacing so it doesn't really look like a poem but if you read it out loud, it will sound like one.

Rosh Hashanah 5784

We ponder again the year in review, what was accomplished, what's still left to do. Looking back, we can count all the ways we've been blessed and assess how we've scored on G-d's many tests. So many should’ves and could’ves but didn’t. Surely I would’ve if my heart had been in it. No more excuses! Or at least not as many. Gotta work hard to make hardly any.

What have I learned in the year that has passed? That no two people will take the same path. Be it highway or foot bridge, a road lies ahead. Walk yours with G-d, King Solomon said.

Our heartfelt prayers and beloved traditions see us through challenges and transitions. From day to day, from year to year, our faith and our trust calm every fear.

The years come and go in the circle game. Events ever-changing; the cycle, the same. Like wood being shaped by the artisan's lathe, we marvel at eych ha'galgal mistoveyv.

How do I even begin to say "thank You for all that You’ve sent our way"? For the obvious blessings; the hidden ones, too, gently prodding me to reach out to You.

We'll begin a new calendar, start a clean slate, fill it with good deeds and character traits; with memorable moments and meaningful days, months full of emulating G-d’s holy ways.

We'll look for the signs that come from Above, signs of Hashem's unconditional love. Signs of the times, signs of the seasons, time to make changes for all sorts of reasons.

Yomuledet Sameyach! Congratulations, dear Earth, on the 5,784th year since your birth. What shall we wish you on your special day? Global peace. Gentle weather. Prosperity. Each truly awesome piece of our planet is the work of His hands so that we can man it. Inspiring wonder and veneration, gifts to humanity, to every nation.

Soon the air will turn brisk; the foliage, bright. First, the table we'll set and the candles we'll light. The challahs are baked; the honey dish glistens. The shofar will blow; to its call we will listen.

Ripe pomegranates bursting with seeds remind G-d of our merits, not our misdeeds. The angels are ready to plead every case to the Almighty King Whose judgment we'll face. He will open His books, review them and rave, about every character, how each behaved. How we all tried our best to stick to the plot, about who we are and who we are not. 

May He grant us good health and joy that is true, contentment and nachas and simchas "by you". Let this be the year that He takes our hands and leads us back Home to our holy Land. 

May we all exercise our right to return, to our Source, to our Land, to the lessons we learn from our Torah, the treasure that keeps us alive as we wait for Mashiach, soon to arrive.

Now we are ready, the holiday's here. May it be the start of a wonderful year. As we don our finest, it is so nice to know that for Rosh HaShanah we're all Good to Go!

Warm Wishes for a Blessed New Year to You
And Rave Reviews for All That You Do!