We just celebrated Rosh Hashanah; the birthday of the world and the day we crowned Hashem as King. On Rosh Hashana we opened ourselves up to a greater vision for our lives.
For me it was inspiring, uplifting, and a little overwhelming.
The real question is how do we take that inspiration and bring it into our everyday lives?
The answer is hinted in this week’s Torah portion, Vayelech, “and he walked”. Our spiritual journey is meant to be a walk, not a run or jump. Walking isn’t dramatic; it is steady, small steps forward. Every step pointed in the right direction moves us further from where we were and closer to where we are meant to be.
That’s the gift of this Teshuva season. Teshuva means “returning”—returning to our truest selves. It doesn’t demand instant perfection. It simply asks for direction. One small step for man can be a giant step for the soul. It might be lighting Shabbat candles, saying Shema before bed, dropping a coin in the tzedakah box each morning, speaking a little kinder, or putting on tefillin.
The challenge after Rosh Hashanah is not to let the inspiration fade, but to anchor it in action.
What’s your step? What’s the one mitzvah you can commit to this year to keep the momentum going?
Have a wonderful first Shabbos of the year,
Rabbi Kushi Schusterman
Alvarado’s wrote...
Enjoyed reading your drash and wishing you all L’Shana Tova! Yosi and Melissa Alvarado