Standing as One

A New Year is upon us and in some fashion the Jewish People will stand together as one this Rosh Hashanah.

As we end a year we reflect on our world today.  So much goodness, so much kindness, so many opportunities.  And at the same time there is much brokenness and polarization.

The Torah’s words remain eternal and provide the antidote and understanding of how to make Oneness out of a seemingly fractured world.
By Divine design it is the opening of this last Torah portion of the year, always read the Shabbos before Rosh Hashanah that gives us the guidance.
The opening words, “You stand here today, all of you, before Hashem your G-d, your leaders, your tribal heads from the wood choppers to the water carriers”.

The word today is a reference to the day of Rosh Hashanah.  We stand here today because we are as one, from the heads to the wood choppers to the wood carriers.

Our Oneness has three dimensions to it;1. We are one because we all compliment each other.  Some are heads, some our water carriers.  We each do our part to make up a whole, one being called the Jewish People.2. We are one because we each directly contribute to the other.  The head guides the feet, the feet carry the head.3. We are one because all of us possess the same essence even if on the outside we have different roles.
Where are you in your thinking and your feeling = perspective?

Perhaps you can see the other with compassion and see how each of us have a role?Perhaps you can look deeper and see how and your wonderful qualities are complimented and perhaps incomplete without the other?Perhaps you can look very deep and see how there really isn’t an “other” just an extension of one whole, the One whole?
Identify with one of the above and move yourself a little closer to the oneness of our people standing together this Rosh Hashanah to receive Hashem’s blessing for you and yours and OURS.

Shana Tova and Shabbat Shalom!