Rosh Hashana Lessons

I left work sad and upset.

With everything else going on in my life, the last thing I need now is problems at my job. Just one month ago, my position was invincible, my salary was excellent, I felt so confident about my job. It's hard to believe how quickly things have deteriorated. In a relatively short time, the company ran into problems, my salary was cut, and my supervisor, possibly as a result of stress, has been treating those of us working under her....pretty badly.

So I sit here, thinking of my uncertain future, thinking of how awful it is to be searching for a job, thinking of how quickly those fanciful castles I've built in the air have crashed forcefully to the ground.

How could I have speculated on salary? How could I have ever dreamed that I knew what lay ahead, and that things were settled?

And then, suddenly, I realized how incredibly lucky I am. When davening this Rosh Hashanah, I doubt anybody would say that I'm anything but painfully aware of the need to daven for parnassah. After all, lack of money for even the basics is beyond believable to me. It's my reality.

But-

With a very well paying job, where I was happy and treated well, would I have been as aware of the need to daven for my personal parnassah? Can a person who is slated to make a really nice salary in a great job really have kavanah when davening for a job, regardless of where their salary goes?

Imagine, if I had gone into Rosh Hashanah feeling as complacent about my job as I did so recently. Would I have begged Hashem for a good job where I will be happy, content and appreciated?

And then, I realized the incredible lesson that Hashem had taught me. One might have a good job today, but look how quickly it can deteriorate! One might have a lot of money in the bank, in stocks, in investments, but look how easily he can lose it all! One might have a successful business, but look how easily it can all turn to dust....

Now, with the close proximity to Rosh Hashanah, I am reminded, as strongly as a person can be, we must beg, plead, beseach Hakadosh Baruch Hu, ask Him to give us banei, chayei, umezonei. We remember that nothing is guaranteed. We might think it's all under wraps, but that was last year. This is a new year, a new judgement, a new page in the book of our lives.

Nothing is guaranteed. A person who had a good job last year needs to beg Hashem that He will have a good job this year. A person that had a lot of savings last year has to beg Hashem that he will have them again this year. A beautiful house? Beg Hashem! Trust me, it's easily lost. And it's not only money. You think you're healthy? Perhaps you have others in mind when saying "Avinu malkeinu, shlach refuah sheleima lecholei amecha." Do you realize, that could be you? Good health is an enormous bracha, one we have to daven for.

Think of the horrible tragedies that took place over the last year. All those people who lost their lives. Do you think that they expected to? Do you realize that life is the most basic thing we have, yet we have to daven for it this Rosh Hashanah?

All of the good in our lives, and even our lives themselves, are things that Hashem, in His infinite goodness and mercy, granted to us last Rosh Hashanah. And now, it's a new year, a new start, a new chance to daven....

In case anyone found the above discouraging, let me point out the flip side. A person can think that things are so bleak, so hopeless, and yet, here they are, presented with a totally fresh chance to daven for a turnaround. For example, a girl I know, quite a few years older than me, was single last year. I am sure that she shed a lot of tears on Rosh Hashana, asking Hashem to send her bashert. This year, I am sure she also has a lot to daven for, after all, she has her husband and her unborn child to think about.... Yet to think, that last year, it looked so bleak, and now, there has been such an astonishing reversal.

And so, to all of my readers, I wish a kesivah vechasima tovah, a gut gebentched yur, and Hashem should answer all of your teffilos for good. May the coming year bring yeshuos, nechamos, simcha, mazel, bracha, brius, parnassa, and geulah for klal yisroel.

Daven well my friends, daven well.