Rosh HaShana 2024: Is the Glass Half-Full or Half-Empty?

(The following  brief message was delivered (by this writer) on the first day of Rosh HaShana 2024, to the Grandview of Emerald Hills Minyan, Hollywood FL)

On behalf of my entire family, I would like to wish all of you and your families a Shana Tova Umetuda – a sweet, healthy, prosperous and peaceful New Year.

As we celebrate this beautiful chag of Rosh HaShana, we look back at this past year with tremendous sadness, frustration, and at times helplessness and hopelessness.  From the tragic events of October 7th to the explosive rise and proliferation of global antisemitism. It was indeed  a year which we will never ever forget; and one which reshapes the trajectory Jewish history.

In several days, we will be commemorating the first anniversary of the October 7th massacre – an inconceivable and an unimaginable tragedy which changes our Jewish world for generations. To be sure, who would have thought or imagined that a year ago today, on this very day of  Rosh HaShana,  HaShem  decreed that we would experience  a tragedy of such magnitude on  Shemini Aseret/Simchat Torah of that year.

But, my friends, as painful and as incomprehensible this event was, Chazal teaches us that throughout our history, although we have been confronted with tremendous pain, adversity and hopelessness, we eventually emerge as an achienu bnai yisrael with strength, resolve, resilience and promise.

This impressive resilience is only possible b’yad HaShem  – through the powerful hand of GD. And, it is embedded and deeply anchored in our DNA as an Ish Echad B’lev Echad – As One People (One Nation) with One Heart.

As a people, we have survived tragedies for millenia. Whether we experienced expulsion, anti-semitic persecution, displacement or unfortunate death, we  grew and even thrived as a people and as a nation – always bolstered and supported by our bitachon, emunah and achdut.

I can recall as a child how Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur were one of the most difficult and challenging periods of time in my life.

As a Rabbi’s son, I grew up in a household which viewed Yomim Naraim as the most time consuming, and stressful times of the year. My father z”l was preoccupied by putting the finishing touches on his drashas (sermons), ensuring that all congregants had a proper seat in shul, and  accompanying congregants and their families to cemeteries in order to visit the graves of loved ones. My mother spent her time preparing for Yom Tov and ensuring that anyone in the community in need had a place to eat during Yom Tov and was ensured a gracious invitation for all Rosh HaShana meals

All of this frenetic activity was happening with  bright beautiful smiles on their faces and with the most eloquent and positive demeanor one can ever imagine.

The one attribute (one of many) my parents possessed  which I will always remember, was their amazing positivity. Always minimizing sadness and tragedy and  emphasizing the positive aspects of life. In fact, they made a point to encourage me and my brothers to always think about the positive aspects of our lives; always focused on the glass being half full as opposed to half empty – irrespective of the circumstance.

These attributes were also evident through the words and  language they used and the continued emphasis on speaking softly and kindly. Never raising their voices and always speaking in a welcoming and positive tone and at times even in a whisper. A middah which I always respected and tried desperately to emulate.

As I grew older, I began to more fully appreciate my parent’s inspiring approaches to life. It also added meaning to a beautiful  quote attributed to the Lubavitcher Rebbe – If you Think Positive, It Will Be Positive.

Friends, in light of the daunting  realities we are currently confronting – including  increased global anti semitism and the aftermath of the October 7th tragedy; the war in Gaza or the Hezbollah attacks in the north, is it truly possible to view life through positive lenses? Can we truly and sincerely view life’s circumstances through half-full glasses. 

Is it really possible??

Is it possible to be optimistic when we experience  the untold losses of precious human life on October 7th, the loss of  IDF chayalim and chayalot in their heroic and tireless defense of our country and the relentless terror and torture of all those captive by Hamas as hostages.

There are those who feel that these events are just way too much to bare and that optimism is   physically, psychologically and emotionally impossible. And then, there are those who sincerely believe that a half-full glass is truly possible and achievable.

How many of our beautiful Holocaust survivors survived the war with a positive demeanor for hope, promise and an outlook for brighter futures. Was it easy? Absolutely not. But these precious souls had a level of bitachon and emunah in HaShem that they and countless generations that followed will have a more positive and brighter future.

Just look at the amazing nissim (miracles) we are now hearing about which took place during October 7th, or the  nissim experienced by our IDF brothers and sisters on the front or those living in southern and northern Israeli border towns.

These are amazing stories. Not only stories of courage and resolve…but stories of deep and profound  trust in HaShem and in his wonders.

The great Kotzker Rebbe is quoted as saying that optimism and positivity are the result of  a mindset rooted in bitachon and emunah in HaShem. Feelings of anger, frustration, and sadness are counterproductive and not sustainable. In fact, they may even exacerbate our negative  feelings, making it all the more difficult to attain a positive mindset.

Acheinu Bnai Yisrael have experienced way too many tragedies throughout history only to result in positive outcomes. Here too, we must create conditions for positive thinking. We must look at all the goodness Hashem offers; and we must look at our glasses as being half full as opposed to half empty.

This disposition also includes our ability and capacity to support and celebrate the concept of ben adam l’chavero – the manner in which we treat our fellow Jews, whether they are religious or secular. Here to, we are positioned to view our roles and dispositions as positive as opposed to negative or critical of others.

The great Chofetz Chaim is quoted as saying that even the manner in which we speak or address our neighbors has a profound impact not only on that neighbor but also on our character, mood and demeanor.

On Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, we are looking for HaShem to show racmanut (mercy) and good favor to us in judgment. This judgement is based in part on our ability to transcend our everyday habits and inclinations and to conduct ourselves bzelem elokim, in the true image of GD and to serve as a mamlechet kohanim and as an ohr laGoyim.

On this Rosh HaShana, let us all remember the words of the Navi Yeshayahu:

Mah Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov, Mishknotecha Yisrael. –  How lovely are your tents (people of) Yaakov; your sanctuaries (people of) Israel.

May HaShem bless us on this Rosh HaShana with the continued ability, will, strength and fortitude to view this world through positivity, hope and promise; and, may we all have a healthy, safe and positive Shana Tova.

Shana Tova U’metukah