What's Rosh HaShannah Really About?

As I get ready to go to work, I have had to force myself out of the cooking/cleaning mode of Rosh HaShannah, the Jewish New Year and begin to remind myself that feasting and entertaining aren't the most important aspects of the Holiday.

It doesn't really matter if you're serving a three, four or five course meal and have lots new clothes to wear.  It doesn't even matter if your house is totally spic 'n span or not.

We are supposed to get to shul to hear the blasts of the shofar resound, but for women, it's a technicality that we may miss if it just is impossible logistically and there's nobody who can come to blow shofar for you at home.

No doubt that I'm not the only one who finds myself losing track of the true purpose of this season.  It's not the material, nor the culinary.

It's internal, no, not physical, not at all.

We're supposed to be doing our inventory on our lives, behavior to others and to G-d.   It's not the honey we eat that makes us sweet, it's the way we speak to and treat other people.  And if we're nasty and obsessive about keeping mitzvot G-d's commandments then they don't register with G-d the way we had intended.

May we learn how to focus and act the way we are supposed to.  We needn't just ask G-d to show us mercy.  We must show mercy to others.

May we all be blessed with success in all that is truly important, good health and wise judgement.

May we all have a true Shannah Tova u'Metukah!