The High Holidays
As many of you know, this coming Wednesday night will mark the beginning of a 10-day period that starts with Rosh Hashanah, which literally means the head of the year, so it is the Jewish New Year. This very spiritual and important time of reflection ends with Yom Kippur, which means Day of Atonement.
Consider the story about a young Jewish child, Aaron, in the 17th century who grew up on a farm, in a rural village in Eastern Europe. Aaron’s parents were of meager means and could not afford to educate him in the formal way. So the father would spend any free time he had to educate him.
When the child turned six, the father took his son to the High Holiday services at the synagogue of the saintly Rabbi Yisroel Baal Shem Tov. As Rosh Hashana marks the beginning of the New Year, it seemed like a perfect time to introduce his son to the power of prayer.
The room was filled, people flocked from all directions, each one with a personal “list” of wishes and wants for the coming year. Joseph the baker was there to pour his heart out for the health of his wife and partner of thirty years. Jacob the water-carrier was hoping for a breakthrough in his career, the spirit of a new beginning, could be vividly felt in the air of the humble synagogue.
As the sound of fervent prayer swept the room, young Aaron was left feeling like an outsider. After all, everyone else seemed to be joined in a cohesive expression of the heart, they all seemed to know what page they were on, but Aaron, what did he know?
The pain of not knowing how to pray became so overwhelming that Aaron used the only heartfelt expression known to him: He shouted at the top of his lungs, “Cocka doodle doo!”
A sudden silence rested in the synagogue, as all looked to see who was responsible for the apparent prank.
Aaron, completely oblivious, continued:
“Cocka doodle doo! Cocka doodle doo! Cocka doodle doo!”
As some of the congregants proceeded to silence young Aaron, the Holy Baal Shemtov stopped them.
If only we could evoke the heartfelt purity of Aaron, he explained, our prayers would surely be answered.
As we enter into the season of change and prayer, we are reminded that true prayer engages the deepest part of the heart, where formal knowledge is not as important as the authentic expression of truth.
And when we reach deep within to express ourselves, a power that transcends our limitations assure us of a new beginning…or a brighter tomorrow.
I welcome you to join me and our Chabad community for the sounding of the Shofar at our “no tickets/no charge” High Holiday services. We just want to know that you will be there. Please just let me know you’re coming by reserving at www.jewishmalibu.com