Holiness dwells in this day
and our souls are overwhelmed.
As a mirror reflects our image,
this day reflects our Being.
In Truth,
we open ourselves to judgment:
to the All Knowing,
the Witness,
Remembering the knowledge, lost.
With honesty,
we stand before the open Book of Remembrance
Which proclaims itself with arrogance,
And the seal of each person is there.
Mugshots of Divine Sparks,
Thumbprints on sacred scrolls.
The great shofarA ram's horn that is blown on the High Holidays to "wake us up" and call Jews to repentance. It is also said that its blast will herald the coming of the messiah. is sounded,
A still, small voice is heard.
The angels of our better nature are dismayed,
Seized by fear and trembling, crying,
As they proclaim:
BEHOLD!
BEHOLD!
BEHOLD!
The Day of our JUDGMENT!
And in our hearts we dust off the ever forgotten poem,
And we wonder if it is true.
That on Rosh HashanahThe Jewish New Year, also considered the Day of Judgment. The period of the High Holidays is a time of introspection and atonement. The holiday is celebrated with the sounding of the shofar, lengthy prayers in synagogue, the eating of apples and honey, and round challah for a sweet and whole year. Tashlikh, casting bread on the water to symbolize the washing away of sins, also takes place on Rosh Hashana. it is inscribed,
And on Yom KippurThe holiest day of the Jewish year and the culmination of a season of self-reflection. Jews fast, abstain from other worldly pleasures, and gather in prayers that last throughout the day. Following Ne'ilah, the final prayers, during which Jews envision the Gates of Repentance closing, the shofar is sounded in one long blast to conclude the holy day. It is customary to begin building one's sukkah as soon as the day ends. it is sealed:
Who shall live and who shall die,
Who shall perish by waterÂ
and who by fire,
Who by swordÂ
and who by beast,
Who by famineÂ
and who by thirst,
Who by earthquakeÂ
and who by plague,
Who by strangulationÂ
and who by stoning,
Who shall have restÂ
and who shall wander,
Who shall be at restÂ
and who shall be tormented,
Who shall be exaltedÂ
and who shall be brought low…
low… low.
Who shall be richÂ
and who shall be poor.Â
And if repentance,Â
prayer,Â
and righteousnessÂ
will avert the severe decree.
The origin of humankind is DUST!
And dust is our end!
We earn our bread by exertion!
We are like a broken shard,
Like dry grass: a withered flower.
Like a passing shadow,
And a vanishing cloud,
Like a breeze that blows away,
And dust that scatters,
Like a dream that flies away.
But in our tears we remember:
The heart lives for ETERNITY!
That surely there is no limit to our years,
No end to the length of our days,
No measure to the abundance of our glory.
Glory.
Glory.
When we call out to God’s Name
We acknowledge our lack of understanding.
And yet we pray:
Act for the sake ofÂ
Your Name!
And sanctifyÂ
Your Name!
Through those who sanctityÂ
Your Name!
And by what name, I am?
We called You El.
We called You Roi.
We called You Shaddai.
We called You Yahweh.
We called You Difficult to Anger
And Easy to Appease.
Was that for us?
Was that for You?
We called you Teshuvah,
Return,
For You desire us to return from our path
And live.
And live. And live. And live.
And live. And live. And live.
And live.
And as You wait
for us.
So shall we,
So shall we,
So shall we
return to You.
