Jewish Heritage Connection, 601 Jefferson Avenue, Scranton, PA (2026)

10/08/2026

Dvar Torah: Torah Portion: Beraishis
Rabbi Dovid Saks
One of the benefits of living in northeastern Pennsylvania is the opportunity of viewing the overwhelming sight of the leaves on the trees turning into the most stunning array of colors during the fall season. Whether it's on routes 80, 81, 84, 380 or any country road, it's breathtaking. To me, these are G-d’s magnificent billboards adorning the roads.
We just concluded the Holiday of Succos when we took the four species, the Lulav, the Esrog, Hadassim and Aravos, and after reciting the blessing, we waved them in all six directions. We also waved them while we recited the Hallel prayer.
The Medrash quotes a familiar verse from Chronicles that we recite each day in our prayers, "Then the trees of the forest shall sing for joy before Hashem," and tells us that this is a reference to when we wave the four species.
Our sages teach us that the waving of the species help stave off harsh and powerful winds. Included in winds is anything that is potentially destructive to us.
As we begin the reading of the Torah from Beraishis, the Torah outlines the order of G-d’s creation of the world.
G-d is perfect, He does not need us. Our Sages tell us the reason G-d created the world is because G-d wished to give to Israel, the Jewish people, the Torah.
G-d created a massive and colossal world with all its potential in order that we may choose to use it for good or for evil. When we choose to serve G-d doing right and refrain from doing wrong, it supports G-d’s intent for creating the world.
The Medrash quotes what King Solomon said in the Book of Proverbs, "G-d has made everything for His purpose.” During the six days of Creation G-d created everything for His glory and to execute His will through them.
On day one, G-d created the heavens and earth. In the Psalms it states, "The heavens declare the glory of God"
On day two G-d created the firmament, to which the angels (which were created on day two) praise G-d with the verse from Psalms. "Praise Him in His mighty firmament"
On day three, G-d created vegetation and trees. The vegetation declares a verse from Psalms, "They shout for joy, they even sing,” and the trees proclaim, "Then the trees of the forest shall sing for joy before G-d.” The vast bodies of water which were positioned into their places to expose the land, proclaim the verse from Psalms, "Above the voices of many waters, the mighty breakers of the sea"
On day four the luminaries, the sun, moon stars and galaxies were created for G-d’s glory and they proclaim a verse from the Psalms, "Praise Him, sun and moon."
On the fifth day, G-d created birds for His glory for the purposes of sacrifices as the Torah states, "If his offering is a burnt offering from the birds"
On the sixth day, G-d created animals for His glory, and commanded us to offer sacrifices from them, as the Torah states: "When a man brings an offering to G-d, from the livestock,”
Mankind was created for His glory, as it states in Psalm 148.
Thus, "G-d has made everything for His purpose."
It is interesting that at the end of each of the six days of creation, the Torah states, “And it was evening and there was morning…”
I was thinking…this vast stunning world goes dark each evening. During the night, the gorgeous foliage of the trees are not visible. Even when the moon is full, it does not do justice to expose the full-blown stunning world the magnificent sun exposes.
Night symbolizes when things are dark and one may lack a sense of clarity. It is therefore fitting that during the night prayers, right after we recite the Shema, we state, “And faithful is all this, and it is firmly established for us that He is Hashem our G-d and there is nothing but Him and we are Israel His nation.”
Daytime, when the sun is out, gives clarity to the vast and beautiful world and symbolizes our lucidity. Our morning prayers reflect on this. After we recite the Shema, we change our tone to the certainty and clarity, “And certain, established and enduring, fair, faithful, beloved and cherished, delightful, and pleasant, awesome and powerful correct and accepted, good and beautiful is this affirmation to us forever and ever, True – the G-d of the universe is our King; the Rock of Jacob is the shield of our salvation.”
Today is the day after October Seventh. Three years ago, the unthinkable massacre the Gazan barbarians perpetrated on Simchas Torah, turned it into a very dark day. The darkness of that day continues, with family and friends living with the loss of thousands of loved ones. The trauma, pain and suffering of the wounded and those who witnessed the carnage and brutality, whether on a physical, mental or spiritual level, is astounding.
Since then, the central call center for mental health received just a tad under 1 million calls for help! It's dark… but then day breaks – the sun comes out.
The thwarted hijacking of the Flydubai plane is nothing less than an open miracle which saved 174 of our brothers and sisters. That was the gleam of day. It is clear that our prayers when we turned to and exalted G-d throughout this time to release the hostages and put an end to the conflict, works.
My wife pointed out to me that the miracle on the plane happened over Succos when the Jewish people were waving their four species which protect us from danger.
On the Seventh day of creation, G-d ceased from creative activities. What He did create was an environment of Menucha – rest. Our Sages tell us that when all Jews embrace the directives of the Holy day of Shabbos our Redemption/Moshiach will come!
May Hashem protect us and bring Shalom to us and the world with the arrival of the Moshiach and a full uncontested return to Zion and Jerusalem!

10/01/2026

Simchas Torah!
Rabbi Dovid Saks
I was in conversation with a very bright surgeon when he shared with me that from his vantage point, being raised as a non-religious Jew, for one to live an observant life would be very difficult.
I shared with him the following story that I had read.
On Simchas Torah, while the festive dancing with the Torah was being conducted in Shul, an elderly man was honored with holding the Sefer Torah/Torah Scroll for a Hakafa ¬- a circular circuit procession, followed by festive dancing with the Sefer Torah.
The elderly man took hold of the Torah and began following the slow procession around the Bimah when select prayers are said by the leader followed by the congregation repeating those prayers. Then the festive dancing began.
After a few minutes of the dancing, the Gabbai – the one in charge of giving out the honors ¬- went to the elderly man to take the Torah from him to relieve him of the strain of carrying the Torah. He told the man that he would take the Torah from him since it was probably getting too heavy for him to carry.
The elderly man shook his head saying “No”. He leaned over to the Gabbai and said, “You know, before I held and embraced the Sefer Torah I thought, just like you, that it was going to be very heavy and I’ll have to give it up. But to my surprise, once I held the Torah and brought it close to me and began dancing with it - it became lighter and lighter, and does not feel heavy anymore!
Before I was able to tie my thoughts together, the surgeon broke out with a smile and I realized that he understood what I was about to explain.
Just as this elderly man’s initial impression was that the Torah looked heavy when he looked at it from a distance, however, once he held it close to himself and danced with it, it felt lighter, so too, when looking at the observances of the Torah from a distance, they may look restrictive, difficult and even insurmountable. However, when one agrees to try and embrace our Torah and its observances, the positive energy, purpose, structure, inspiration and added meaning to life, will stir his heart and Neshama/soul so that he feels that it is attainable, manageable and achievable!
The Talmud tells us something astounding. The golden Holy Ark that was housed in the Temple’s Holy of Holies contained both sets of the sapphire tablets of the Ten Commandments, both the shattered pieces of the first set of Tablets and the second whole set of Tablets along with the Torah Scroll that Moshe scribed. Thus, including the weight of the gold, the Ark weighed several tons. Yet, when the Ark was moved it took only four Kohanim to carry it by its poles on their shoulders.
How was that possible? The Talmud tells us that a miracle occurred, “The Ark actually carried its carriers.”
Commentators point out that the phenomenon of the “Ark carrying its carriers” does not only apply to the ones who physically carried the Ark. This marvel happens to anyone who accepts to embrace and ‘carry’ the Torah with him in his daily life. It may seem that one is being saddled with a weighty burden, however, once one makes the move to lift it and possess it, it magically uplifts the person and clears his perception to recognize that the Torah is not a burden at all! Rather it is the vehicle through which it supports, carries and transports the person!
This Sunday is Simchas Torah. It is the day when we read the Portion of Vesos Habracha thus completing the yearly cycle of reading the 54 portions of the Torah. This is the cause for the festivities of dancing with the Torah.
In Judaism we mark our accomplishments with a festive ceremony called a Siyum. This is done at the completion of the communal yearly Torah cycle, or if one personally completes a tractate of the Talmud or a tract of the Mishna.
Besides marking the accomplishment with a celebration, it also calls our attention to catch on to the energy and to join to begin a new cycle of weekly Torah study of the portion of the week.
In fact, after the Torah is completed with the final Aliyah called Chatan HaTorah, a second Torah is opened and we immediately begin with Beraishis. This Aliyah is called Chatan Beraishis.
Commentators point out that the final letter of the Torah is a “Lamaid”, and the first letter of the Torah is a “Bais.” When joining the two letters they form the word Laiv/heart.
To truly appreciate the Torah, one needs to put his heart into it!

09/24/2026

Succos!
Rabbi Dovid Saks

The Talmud tells us that in the future it will become abundantly clear how beneficial Mitzvos are for our welfare while living our lives in this world, and the awesome reward we will receive in the eternal World to Come. At that point the nations of the world will protest and complain to G-d that they weren’t given the Torah, and will plead to G-d to give them an opportunity to perform a Mitzvah.
The Talmud goes on and tells us that G-d will give the nations of the world an easy and inexpensive Mitzvah, the Mitzvah of dwelling in a Succah/hut. They will enthusiastically build Succos on their rooftops, and they will enter and sit in them. G-d will then cause the sun to shine strongly, and it will become hot and uncomfortable in their Succos and they will leave their Succos. On the way out, they will kick the wall of the Succah.
The Talmud asks, what did they do wrong by exiting the Succah? After all, the law indicates that we are allowed to leave a Succah if remaining there causes us serious discomfort. Answers the Talmud, yes, leaving the Succah will not be the problem, but kicking the Succah as they leave indicates their innate aversion, disgust and disinterest in G-d’s Mitzvos. Thus the nations will be unable to claim that they were left out from fulfilling Mitzvos.
A couple of questions can be raised. Firstly, why did G-d specifically choose the Mitzvah of Succah to test the nations of the world? Secondly, why would they build their Succahs specifically on their rooftops?
They were given the Mitzvah of Succah because the idea behind it is that G-d commands us to leave our plush homes and dwell in a simple hut with a roof made of detached earthly grown materials such as tree branches. This is in order to impress upon us to put things into perspective, that we focus on what is important in our mission in life.
We ask ourselves, is the reason for life to pursue fame, wealth, luxuries and personal interests? And, if one has not ‘made it’ does he consider himself as a failure?
Or, is our mission and goal through our sojourn in this transient world to focus on our spiritual objective, recognizing that our true and everlasting acquisitions are the Mitzvos and deeds that we do and that the ultimate source of our protection comes directly from the Almighty.
Just as G-d protected and enveloped the Jews from all the elements with Clouds of Glory when they were freed from Egypt and traveled in the desert, so too, we in 5787/2026 display our reliance on G-d’s protection and benevolence by sitting in the Succah – during a time of year when most people are moving their patio furniture indoors.
The timing that the Torah gives us for the Holiday of Succos is on the heels of the High Holy days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, when we achieved a spiritual boost and atonement through our prayers, repentance and good deeds. This affects us personally. With atonement comes a sense of contentment and inner happiness. It is thus most appropriate to capitalize on this spiritual uplift. Therefore the Torah commands us the Holiday of Succos and calls it the most joyful of our holidays – over an eight/nine-day period of time!
So why when the nations of the world build their Succahs, will they build them specifically on their high rooftops?
There are two answers that I came across: The Brisker Rav is quoted as saying that we build Succahs generally on ground level that are accessible from the outside, which shows our interest in having others join us in our Succah and to share in the Mitzvah. However, the nations of the world would specifically build their Succahs on their roofs. Roofs are only accessed by those who dwell in the home. This means they focus on fulfilling the Mitzvah themselves and not extending it to others.
My uncle Rabbi Moshe Saks o.b.m. explains that the reason the nations of the world will build their Succah on the highest part of their roofs is because they feel they can gain the greatest closeness to G-d in the highest physical point that they perform a Mitzvah for it is closest to the Heavens.
However, we know that being in a physically higher spot is far away from our concept of gaining connectivity to G-d. It is not the superficial and outward displays through which we connect to G-d, rather, it is what is in our hearts. It is our sincerity and humility which deeply connects us to G-d. King David in the Psalms expresses, “Mimamakim – from the depths, I call out to You O G-d.”
Our closeness to G-d is when we believe there is no one else we can turn to!
In Kabalistic terms, the shade of our Succahs is referred to as, Tzila De’Hemenusah – the Shade of the Exalted One. Our simply roofed Succahs are on a very high spiritual level; they are akin to a Synagogue. The Succah achieves such an uplifted status, because we perform what G-d has commanded us to, and we do it with joy, sincerity and with love!

09/17/2026

Yom Kippur 5787
Rabbi Dovid Saks
During Yom Kippur we express Al Chait confessions over our sins at the conclusion of all the Amidah prayers, and we recite them again each time the Chazan repeats the Amidah.
Each one of the confessions begin with Al Chait Shechatanu – on this sin that we committed… and when we say the word Chatanu – we sinned – we take our clenched right hand and tap on the area of our heart, to indicate that the desires of our heart led us astray.
The forty-four Al Chaits are broken down into three segments. After each segment there is a chorus line where the congregation chants, “For all these, O G-d of forgiveness; forgive us, pardon us, atone for us.”
We ask forgiveness on the three ways sins are committed, forgive us on careless or unwitting sins, pardon us on intentional sins, and atone us on sinning rebelliously.
A fundamental difference between angels and men, is that angels are created without freedom of choice; whatever they are told to do, they obey and never stray. An angel has no ups and downs. He is called an Omaid – he eternally stands in the same spiritual position that he was created. A human being is created with freedom of choice. He has ups and downs. A human being is called a Mehalech – he is on the move; through the choices he makes, he either has spiritual ups or downs. G-d created us this way so that we weigh the price for sinning and the reward for following His way.
On the first day that Adam was created, he and his wife Chava sinned by eating from the tree of knowledge that they were forbidden to eat by G-d.
They were spared because they repented. They took ownership of their misdeed and asked G-d for forgiveness and G-d forgave them!
With all the daily ups and downs and challenges we face, G-d mercifully gave us Teshuva – repentance – which is the antidote for sin.
G-d empowered man with the ability to repent for his sins. Therefore, even after he commits a sin and t himself to a lower spiritual level, he has the ability to elevate himself once again through sincere repentance.
This is on an ordinary day. However, Yom Kippur is an exceptional day. We are like angels, we don’t eat or drink or have marital relations. It is like Shabbos and we don’t engage in the forbidden creative activities; we don’t wear leather footwear and many wear white clothing. On Yom Kippur we are in a totally different realm. Our prayers and repentance are potent and warmly received, and just by merely entering and living through the day of Yom Kippur in an upright fashion, it affords us atonement.
Yom Kippur is a gift to us from G-d. It’s the day we take stock of our spiritual inventory and can clean out the buildup and residue of sin and begin again spiritually refreshed.
Our repenting during the days that lead up to Yom Kippur and Yom Kippur itself have a positive impact on how G-d seals our fate for the coming year.
What repentance accomplishes is really amazing. How can my verbal admittance and regret about an act that I have committed against G-d’s will, wipe it away?
This is the gift of the Mitzvah of Teshuva/repentance that G-d gave us. Teshuva gives us the ability to pick ourselves up from the dumps and aspire to attain higher levels of attachment to G-d by following His Torah. Teshuva helps us as human beings move along and aspire for spiritual growth, as opposed to angels who remain stagnant staying at the level they were at when they were created.
The Talmud expounds on the verse in Song of Songs, “I am blackened and beautiful,” to mean, “I am blackened from sin during the year, yet I am beautiful on Yom Kippur.” This is possible because the discoloration due to sin does not pe*****te within the essence of a Jew, it is only an outer coating that can be cleansed, and on Yom Kippur it is power washed.
Rabbi Avrohom Schorr offers a relatable example. When one cleans a garment, the cleaning agents and method of cleaning depend on the material of the garment. Something that is made of synthetic blends, can be cleaned in a washing machine. A suit or dress requires additional care, such as dry cleaning. A silk garment requires more delicate cleaning. The finer the fabric, the more skilled and refined attention is needed for its cleaning.
A Jew is invested with a pure Neshama – soul, which is the most precious commodity. How is it cleansed from the residue of sin? The Talmud tells us, “Rabbi Akiva said: Fortunate are you, Israel! Before whom do you purify yourselves, and who cleanses you? Your Father in Heaven. As it is written in Jeremiah: "The Mikveh of Israel is God". Just as a Mikveh / ritual bath purifies the unclean, so too does the Holy One, Blessed be He, purify Israel.
This means that because of the preciousness of every Jew, G-d personally cleanses us from the stains of our sins and purifies us. This is because He seeks that we have a relationship with Him, specifically in the ten days between the onset of Rosh Hashana until Yom Kippur.
All we have to do is make a move!

09/10/2026

Rosh Hashana 5787
Rabbi Dovid Saks
Influencers are a recent phenomenon in social media. There are various levels of influencers based on the number of followers: nano, micro, macro and celebrity status. An influencer’s platform may be there to shape opinions, drive trends or promote products.
Over Shabbos/Rosh Hashana, when we are restricted from engaging in the gadgets used for social media, we get a break from the world of digital imagination and intrigue, and are able to focus on our personal imagination and true and real-life relationships.
G-d regulates our breaks from the statuses and influencers during the Shabbos and holidays so that we can pause and focus on Him, the Torah, and the Mitzvos He gave us to uphold.
Let me borrow the term, ‘influencers’ and shift it to something that we can personally use as Jews in our relationship with G-d and with others, and through which we can gain inestimable followers… just on a different but most secure platform.
King David in the Psalms asks G-d, “A Lev/heart that is pure create for me O G-d, and a spirit that is steadfast renew within me.”
We know that a healthily beating heart of a human being is vital for good blood circulation which enlivens and invigorates every organ and nourishes the extremities of the body. A healthy heart is a sign of life, vitality and warmth, while a faint and weakened heart, if left ignored, results in fatigue, coldness, illness and even death.
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein o.b.m. introduces us to a beautiful phenomenon dependent on the way we perform a Mitzvah.
When a Jew performs a Mitzvah with Lev/heart and warmth, it of course enhances the actual performance of the Mitzvah itself. However, in addition, when a Mitzvah is performed with Lev, feeling and warmth, the Mitzvah itself becomes a living healthy entity and lives on and incubates and spreads further and further, forever.
In a sense, our warm approach towards Mitzvos affects the vitality and continuance of the Mitzvah. However, when a Mitzvah is performed coldly and unenthusiastically, it stymies its lifespan since it was done without heart.
Influencers base their successes on the interest of their followers due to the content that they post. Once it runs dry or it comes to a halt the followers disappear as quickly as they subscribed.
When we influence the Mitzvos that we do with heart, they follow us, incubate, reproduce and live on and on, beyond the limits of our comprehension.
However, when we influence our Mitzvos lethargically they weaken in strength and vitality, and they are soon to peter out.
Based on this, Reb Moshe turns to the nature of the sins that one has stumbled on.
How many sins can one say that he did with intent, enthusiasm and warmth of his heart? Generally, a sin is done out of ignorance of the law, in the spur of the moment or in exasperation. Seldom is it done with the same warmth of which a Mitzvah is done. Can you picture one reciting a fervent blessing over a big mac?
This means that the sins that one accumulates which were done with the lack of vitality and warmth were essentially done with a cold heart. Thus, a sin is done lacking the ingredients and factors that enable growth and stamina.
Sins thus can be categorized as a person’s stagnant, drained and fatigued followers. Thus, when we leave them and shut them down, they slowly die off and dissolve since they were never energized and injected with the warmth of one's Lev/heart.
Rosh Hashana is when G-d waits for us to be the greatest and most effective influencers; all we need to do is to follow Him with warmth of our heart!
In this venue, we won’t receive pop ups of creative heart emojis for our devotion. Rather, it will ensure that we will be written, signed and sealed in G-d’s Book of Life for the coming year!
With warm L’shana Tova wishes to all!

09/03/2026

Dvar Torah: Torah Portions: Nitzavim / Vayailech
Rabbi Dovid Saks

Recently, two individuals whose heroic actions proved to be life saving for themselves and others, were in the news. Both sensational incidents were captured on video.
One was Ryder Williams, a 16-year-old lifeguard in California, who rescued a 10-year-old boy from violent waves and rip currents. The breathtaking rescue entailed holding on to a limp Nathaniel Rai while navigating the fierce currents and waves.
The other was Faith Tenkley, a young pilot, who performed a miraculous emergency landing in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Boca Raton when her plane’s engine failed.
She steered away from hitting buildings or swimmers and emerged unharmed!
Although both incidents entailed quick thinking, confidence, and skill, they were nothing short of miraculous!
It is thrilling to hear and see news of incidents that have a happy and good outcome, versus the inundation of tragic, sad, distressing and exploitative news.
The Halacha/Law is that when one is saved from danger, a special blessing called Hagomel is recited. The primary place to recite it is when the Torah is read in the Synagogue. This blessing is in lieu of an elaborate Thanksgiving offering (Todah) one would present in the Temple in Jerusalem when it was in existence.
The Talmud categorizes four situations that require this blessing: One who is released from prison; one who traveled over the seas or the desert; and one who recuperated from a severe illness. Included in these categories is when one emerged alive from a dangerous accident.
Many recite this blessing after flying overseas.
It is interesting to note that in our daily Amidah prayer that we recite three times a day, we mention during the blessing of thanksgiving our thanks to G-d for “The miracles You perform for us each day.”
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein o.b.m. wondered what we are referring to. Do we in fact witness miracles that happen to us each day?
Reb Moshe explains, what we are referring to are the miracles that we are totally unaware of that G-d does for us each day. For example, G-d often orchestrates that we pass dangerous areas just before or after a danger has occurred. Those are the miracles that He performs for us without us even knowing of it throughout the day. This is on a personal level. There are also miracles that are continually happening to us on a communal and a national level as well. No matter where a Jew may find himself around the world, he or she is part of this awesome miracle.
Then there is the awesome miracle of the mere existence and endurance of the Jewish nation. We survived, survive, and will always survive in the face of all the plans, wishes and atrocities that our haters wish to do and do to exterminate us. This is because G-d, in the Torah, guaranteed our endurance and continuance. Our presence and perseverance are through a continuum of miracles that G-d does for us. He continually protects us because we are His precious children.
What G-d wants most from us is that we follow His ways as He set forth in the Torah. Even when we are unworthy of His mercy, He still shines His compassion upon us. In fact, the Hagomel blessing, which is recited over being saved by a miracle or emerging intact from dangerous situations, spells this out.
“Blessed are You our G-d King of the universe who bestows upon the unworthy, good things, Who has bestowed upon me every goodness.” The congregation responds, ‘Amen, He who has bestowed upon you every goodness, may He continue to bestow upon you every goodness forever.’
Notice, the blessing indicates that the person feels unworthy for the miracle to have been performed for him, yet G-d in His kindness saved the person so that he contemplates the true meaning in life and strives to dedicate himself to serve G-d in the best way possible.
In Hebrew, the word for miracle is Nais. The word Nais also means a sign or banner. Our Sages explain that when a miracle occurs to a person, group or nation, it is an open sign to point out to us to express gratitude to the One who orchestrated it all.
This Shabbos night, as the Holidays will shortly approach, Jews around the world will begin reciting Selichos – penitential prayers.
A central feature of the Selichos is when the Ark is opened and the “Shema Kolainu – Listen to our voices” prayer is recited. This prayer is a selection of verses from our scriptures that are chanted by the Chazan and repeated by the congregation in unison.
One of the verses comes from Psalm 51. Although King David, writes, “Do not cast me away from Your Presence, and the spirit of Your Holiness do not take from me,” our Sages when composing this prayer instituted that we say, “The spirit of Your Holiness do not take from us.”
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein says our Sages changed this to let every Jew know, that not only was the revered King David, who was invested with the spirit of G-d’s Holiness asking that it not be taken from him, rather, every Jew is invested with a Holy spirit of G-d and we all plead to G-d that it remains with us.
This underscores the precious sanctity invested in every Jew. Knowing that we have this within us, reassures and boosts our confidence. All we have to do is blow on the everlasting flame of our Neshama/soul with the slightest prayers, Mitzvos and Torah, and it will invigorate the holy spirit of G-d within us!

08/27/2026

Dvar Torah: Torah Portion: Ki Savo
Rabbi Dovid Saks
In this week’s portion, the Torah lists 98 condemnations if we do not uphold the precepts of the Torah. The Torah focuses on the root cause of our rejection, saying, “It is due to not having served G-d with joy and a good heart, due to the abundance of good.”
A question is asked. Are all the punishments the Torah warns us about only due to not serving G-d with joy?
Rabbi Avrohom Schorr explains that worry and fear cause one not to be in the frame of mind of joy. When one believes that G-d watches over us, is aware of and is in control of everything, it limits one’s worry, for he believes and trusts that all is due to G-d’s watchful Eye and as a result, a joyful spirit will prevail.
In life, those who are happiest are the ones whose every detail of their lives is taken care of by others. For example: Children are for the most part the happiest segment of society. Why is that? Because others worry for them leaving them with not much to worry about.
Similarly, one who trusts and believes in G-d, feels as secure as a child being cared for by a parent, which brings him to a happy state.
Once one is in a happy state, it is easier to observe and attach himself to Hashem and fulfill His mandate rather than reject it.
Many times, one’s unhappiness with religion is due to their misunderstanding of it. Our leader Moshe appealed to each of us to explore, seek, study and clarify the Torah and Mitzvos that G-d loving gave to His cherished nation. We unequivocally and voluntarily accepted them with an everlasting bond at Mount Sinai.
In the Torah, Moshe exhorts us to choose and live life to the fullest through the teachings of the Torah.
Recently, there was a video clip that went viral. The celebrated Rabbi Y. Y. Jacobson asked, what is the difference between children and adults?
He answered; “Adults hold grudges and kids don’t hold grudges.”
For example: If a child is unhappy and says, “I hate you Mommy”, three minutes later the mom gives her child some ice cream, and she says, “I love you Mom.” When kids are playing with each other and have a disagreement, all it takes is a slight distraction and they are back playing with each other.
However, when adults become slighted, whether it be a remark, disagreement or someone was cold to them, they will hold on to a grudge or resentment and might alienate each other for many years without attempting to iron things out. This tension and separation impacts couples, family members, friends and business associates.
The Tzemach Tzedek wonders about this phenomenon. We would expect the opposite. Since children are immature, you would think they are the ones who would hold grudges and adults who are mature, we would expect them to let go and reconcile. Yet, we see it is just the opposite. Why?
He explains because children choose being happy over being right, while adults choose being right over being happy!
This means that one would rather be miserable and estranged without communication with his brother, parent, in-law, partner or friends, in order to defend their position of being right.
My good friend Murray Glick gave all my children exceptional driving lessons. One of his instructions came in the form of a one liner, “You can be right - but dead right.”
This same quip can be aptly applied to many of our life’s choices.
The Torah encourages us to overcome our obstacles and seek to iron things out by overlooking and forgiving others for the sake of Shalom. Our Sages teach us there is no larger vessel than Shalom and it brings forth the greatest of blessings.
As Rosh Hashana approaches we seek merits to seal for ourselves and our family a good, happy and blessed year. When G-d sees that His children are striving to get along, He says, “This makes Me proud and gratified and I will lovingly provide for them what they request of Me.”

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