There is an American (read: secular) folk expression that
goes, "If all of our troubles were strung on a line, you
would take yours and I would take mine."
Clearly, even people who are not priviliged to have a Torah
mindset can appreciate the fact that all of the tests and
challenges that we face in life are tailor-made for us. And
why is each of us singled out for our individual
peckele? To provide opportunities for personal
growth.
My current challenge is living in a neighborhood served by a
bus route that has experienced many terror attacks. A few
years ago, I used to take the bus into the city center a few
afternoons a week, glance at my wristwatch, and wonder if the
bakery was going to have its daily delivery of our favorite
rolls by four o'clock, the time that I would have to take the
bus back.
Now I still take the bus into Geula from time to time, but I
no longer think about bread shipments. I am too busy saying
my Tehillim and asking Hashem that all of the members of
Klall Yisroel, from north to south including Jerusalem, will
be safe today.
I find that material entities of all kinds — food,
clothing and `things' in general — matter less to me
than they did a few years ago.
Every moment of life is so precious. When I return to my
neighborhood and alight from the bus, I am so, so thankful
that I have merited reaching home safely.
I know my apartment needs painting and there are some small
repairs that should be attended to. But when I walk through
my front door, I am so happy to be home — just to be
there - - that one would think I had just stepped across the
threshold of a palace.
When people in the business world are trying to obtain a
better job or secure funding for a new project, they write up
a proposal. In the proposal, they state their qualifications
and experience. Then they go on to tell what they will do if
they are selected to fill the position or how they intend to
spend the funding they hope to receive for the project.
Basically, they are marketing something: they are selling
their own strengths and attributes.
We are right before the Ten Days of Teshuvah. We are all
happy to have made it to this new year. We are about to cross
the threshold. But it is very good to be here and we want to
stay. We want to be granted another year of life.
Now we should give some thought to projecting this into our
praying. Let's all write up mental proposals. Let's tell
Hashem what we will do with this year if we are fortunate
enough to be sealed with a judgment that will enable us to
stay here in this world to experience it.
How would our proposal look? What are our qualifications? Our
goals? Our past record?
Years ago, progressive school systems in the U.S. decided
that the traditional letter grades of A,B,C,D and F were not
descriptive enough. The new reportcard featured `E' for
Excellent, `S' for Satisfactory. The average student received
`I' for Improvement Shown. What used to be `D' and `F' were
lumped together in the lowest category `N' for Needs
Improvement.
Let's grade our mitzvah performance. Did we jump at a
chance to do mitzvos and serve Hashem with joy? That
would rate an `E.' However, more often than not, we did only
those that landed in our lap and only in a humdrum, routine
way. Most of us would honestly rank ourselves in the `S' or
`I' league.
Did we go out of our way to show honor, respect and love to
our fellow Jews and thereby earn an `E' for interpersonal
relationships? Were we meticulously honest in all of our
business dealings? Did we return all of the things we
borrowed on time and in good shape? Did we ask forgiveness
from everyone we may have hurt or wronged?
We are applying for a job as servants in the employ of Hashem
for another year, and we want to be on the receiving end of a
grant for life, good health, livelihood, peace and other
precious gifts.
Most of us are neither tzaddikim nor reshoim
but people in the middle whose fate is still up in the air.
When we storm the gates of mercy and beg for another year, we
cannot arrive unprepared. Each of us has to have a good
proposal in hand.
People are getting up every morning to say slichos.
That's something good for the resume part of the proposal.
Let's also add that we are praying slowly and carefully and
paying attention to the words we are saying.
How about greeting everyone we meet with a pleasant
countenance? Okay, so you don't know her from Eve and she
gave you a strange look the day before yesterday when you
said, `Shalom.' Remember, yesterday, when you greeted her
again, she looked up pleasantly. Today, she will probably
answer your greeting and by tomorrow, you will be mutual
friends, and later, able to help one another in some way
beyond a friendly smile!
Having lots of friends is definitely a big plus for our
resume. Didn't our Sages teach us that a person is not judged
just on his own merits? The judgment takes into consideration
what will happen to the people all around him if he is or is
not here. It could tip things in favor of the woman who
regularly greets the window who lives next door, or the
avreich who carries out the trash for the elderly
couple on the floor below his.
Now let's get on to the proposal itself. "Hashem, if You
grant me another year, a year of good health, safety, good
livelihood, nachas from my children, a year in which
to see peace and good tidings for the Jewish people, I will .
. . "
It is your turn to take over the writing. Here are some
hints: the Master of the Universe created this world in order
to bestow goodness upon mankind. He wants us to be here to
receive His bounty. Figure out what He wants you to be doing,
and how to do it better.
Figure out in what way you have missed the mark in previous
years, and what caused your `Needs Improvement' areas. Aim to
go straight up, through `Improvement Shown' and on past
`Satisfactory', climbing steadily until you reach
`Excellent'!
Gemar chasimoh tovoh. May we all be sealed for a good
year!
