How we really try.<\/p>\n
So much money and effort is spent on self improvement. Books, courses, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy. But do we ever really change? Are we bound to the redundancy of our habits and set patterns\u2026stuck and unable to change?<\/p>\n
What does Judaism say about change? The Torah and its mitzvos, our rabbinical laws and customs afford us the opportunity to refresh and renew. It offers us a new slate \u2013 a fresh start \u2013 the opportunity to change.<\/p>\n
Kiddush l\u2019vanah \u2013 prayer to sanctify the moon<\/p>\n
The moon darkens and returns full and bright. Every month miraculously a fresh new moon. God demonstrates His glory in an ongoing renewal. After darkness comes light. We note this, we sanctify this, we are refreshed by this.<\/p>\n
Birchas Hachodesh: sh\u2019m\u2019chadesh alenu es ha chodesh ha zeh l\u2019tovah \u2013<\/p>\n
That renews for us this month for goodness. This beautiful prayer implores God to grant us new life, good life.<\/p>\n
Each month there is a new moon. We note it, we are blessed, and we are reminded of the opportunities to renew ourselves \u2013 a fresh start.<\/p>\n
When someone buys something new, we as Jews don\u2019t greet them with the usual \u201cwear it in good health.\u201d In fact, we make no mention of the item at all. We say \u201cTischadesh\u201d you should have a renewal.<\/p>\n
It was just as summer was ending. I was around 10 years old. My older sister and I set out to prepare for the new school year. We bought new pencils, a new pencil case, new notebooks, as well as a new briefcase. We then cleaned out and set up a study area in my bedroom. New, neat and ready for the new school year.<\/p>\n
I cannot describe how wonderful I felt with my new neat set up \u2013 I was rearing to go \u2013 to make a new attempt at being neat and organized.<\/p>\n
In the prayer we say each morning leading up to the shema we say:<\/p>\n
Hamechadesh b\u2019tuvo b\u2019chol yom tamid ma\u2019aseh bereshis. He renews with His goodness every day, regularly, the work of creation.<\/p>\n
It was not enough to say Hamichadesh b\u2019tuvo bechol yom \u2013 He renews with His goodness every day. It further emphasizes tamid \u2013 regularly. And then it goes even further with the profound concept of ma\u2019aseh bereshis \u2013 a new creation.<\/p>\n
That God renews with His goodness every day regularly gives us the opportunity to latch on for a fresh start. That it is ma\u2019aseh bereshis, makes it even better. This new creation means that the conditions that were present when we tried and didn\u2019t quite succeed last time, have changed \u2013 we have a fresh opportunity to succeed.<\/p>\n
And of course, let us not forget the mother of all renewals \u2013 Rosh Hashanah \u2013 the New Year. Unlike other cultures that celebrate the new year with parties, for us it is the ultimate opportunity for change. We use Rosh Hashanah as the big opportunity. The once a year New Year time for thought, prayer, rededication and renewal.<\/p>\n
Can people change? We know the answer. Clear and simple \u2013 that with seyatah d\u2019shmaya \u2013 with God\u2019s help \u2013 Yes\u2026we can.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
How we really try. So much money and effort is spent on self improvement. Books, courses, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy. But do we ever really change? Are we bound to the redundancy of our habits and set patterns\u2026stuck and unable to change? What does Judaism say about change? The Torah and its mitzvos, our rabbinical laws and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":133558,"featured_media":58574,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inspiration"],"yoast_head":"\n