Rosh Hashanah’s 4-Step Game Plan

For some Jews, the Rosh Hashanah liturgy can be a shock to the system. The primary theme is coronating God as King, and the prayers delve into describing a utopia where God’s presence is manifest and all is right the world.

It’s pretty cerebral stuff. What does it mean to make God King? What am I supposed to do with that?

Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, a great 20 century ethicist who wrote numerous books on Jewish philosophy and personal development, gave a very down-to-earth recipe that resonated with me. He defined the goal of Rosh Hashanah as committing to revealing God’s presence in the world through our actions.

How do you do that?

Rabbi Wolbe derives four primary avenues on which to focus, based on the Talmud (Sotah, Chapter 7) that teaches there are four groups of people who drive God out of the world: cynics, liars, flatterers and those who constantly speak lashon hara, derogatory speech. He infers from here that the four opposites are ways to bring to God into the world.

Let’s define these four and their opposite, and how they apply to Rosh Hashanah.

1. Cynics:

A cynic actively thwarts connection to meaning. He erects a barrier that prevents any inspiration from penetrating his heart.

Even if you’re still submerged in counter-productive behavior, God guarantees that your sincere longing to do better will open the door for spiritual advancement.

The opposite is one who yearns for meaning, growth and connection. The Talmud teaches, “One who comes to purify himself, they assist him” (Yoma, 38b) – “they” being God’s spiritual messengers. The first step is to fan your inner ember that desires growth. Even if you’re still submerged in counter-productive behavior, God guarantees that your sincere longing to do better will open the door for spiritual advancement. Connect to the part of you that truly wants to change, make a sincere commitment – even if it’s for just one small step, and God will expand that tiny foothold and help you.

2. Liars:

Once you have reconnected to your internal desire to grow, the next step is clarifying your destination. The goal is to reach for truth.

A liar spreads falsehood and has no interest in the truth. In Hebrew, the word for a lie is “sheker”. This three-letter Hebrew word -- שקר -- is comprised of letters that all stand on one foot, so to speak. Lies cannot last; they are intrinsically unstable and are destined to fall, revealed to be what they really are – empty delusions. Contrast this to the Hebrew word for truth -- emet,אמת -- whose three letters all stand firm and strong on two legs. Truth lasts.

The word emet has another unique facet: it’s comprised of the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the middle letter, and the last. Truth encompasses the whole picture. It requires the humility to recognize that you don’t know everything, that you’re missing pieces of the puzzle, and that throughout your life you need to be a constant truth seeker, amassing more and more pieces of the puzzle.

Falsehood brings darkness to the world. A commitment to lead a life based on truth, no matter how difficult it may be, is crucial as an overarching guide to living.

3. Flatterers:

A flatterer is driven by his constant need for acceptance and attention. He is enslaved to people’s validation and approval. This need for acceptance is a black hole that sucks one’s lifeforce, disconnecting him from his spiritual essence and leaving him feeling empty inside.

The opposite is freedom and independence; it is the courage to do the right thing, regardless what people may think. That confidence stems from genuine self-esteem, rooted in the recognition of one’s internal intrinsic worth as a Godly soul.

This independence enables you break free from the false expectations and limitations your society shackles you with, and to instead focus on fulfilling your unique mission in life.

So the first step is yearning for growth, the second is committing to truth, and the third is having the courage to live that truth.

4. Gossipmongers:

Everyone is a mixture of positive and negative traits. Someone who constantly focuses on the negative in others and tears people down masks a person’s inner Godliness. Instead of bringing the light of truth into the world, this insecure, small-minded person spreads darkness.

The opposite is actively seeking the good in others – and doing good for others, engaging in in acts of kindness. He sees the Godliness in others, and through giving becomes more like God.

God is infinite and has no needs, epitomizes the trait of giving. The most concrete way you can reveal God in the world is by revealing sparks on Godliness in others, and emulating God through acts of kindness.

In making mankind His partner in creation, each of us has the power through our actions to live a life built on truth and reveal some of God’s light in the world.

Shana tova, may you be blessed with a sweet new year filled with everything good.