Selichos – Is That Honk Necessary?

By: Chaya Sora Jungreis-Gertzulin

It’s 2 AM. “Ani ye’sheinah, v’leebe eir, I am sleeping, but my heart is awake.” (Shir HaShirim 5:2)

I came home from Selichos a little while ago, physically tired, but spiritually awake.

This year, the words of Selichos take on extra meaning. Each tefilla penetrates our neshama. Each tefilla is heartfelt.

“Shema koleinu”, Hear our voices, and accept with compassion our prayers. We repeatedly cry out to HaShem, reciting the “Yud Gimmel Middos”, HaShem’s Thirteen Attributes of Mercy and Compassion. “Aneinu HaShem, Aneinu”, Answer us HaShem, answer us. “Shomer Yisroel”, Guardian of Am Yisroel, Protect the remnants of Yisroel, Don’t let Yisroel be destroyed. “V’havee’osim el har kodshee”, And I will bring them to My house, and I will gladden them in My house of prayer.

I came home feeling proud and fortunate to be part of Am Yisroel. A nation that even in times of darkness and difficulty, does not lose hope, but turns to HaShem with tefilla. We don’t know what lies ahead of us, but we have faith in Avinu sheh’bashomayim, our Father in Heaven.

We are approaching the one-year mark of October 7. (which last year fell on Shemini Atzeres) The images of thousands of Hamas terrorists invading the Nova music festival and the many kibbutzim and communities in the south are still seared into our hearts and minds. The bullet-riddled homes with bloodied floors and mattresses, the burned out abandoned cars piled up on the roads, the savagely mutilated bodies scattered about, and the look of pure fear on the faces of those being taken hostage are impossible to forget. It was a day that changed Israel, and left its mark on all civilized people throughout the world. A day that changed the course of history forever.

Over the course of the past year, I have been asked many times, what would your mother, the Rebbetzin a”h, say about October 7.

What would my mother say? I remember her receiving similar questions following 9-11. The nation was in pain. People needed chizuk, strength, they were looking for clarity. All wanted to know the Rebbetzin’s answer to 9/11.

My mother began a coast-to-coast speaking tour, addressing that very question. She visited scores of cities, delivering a message that was direct and passionate. A three-fold formula taken from the Musaf prayer of Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. Teshuva, repentance; tefilla, prayer; and tzedaka, giving of ourselves to others, and personal sacrifice for the sake of the Torah.

I am sure that the Rebbetzin would give us the same message after all that we have experienced over the past year.

TESHUVA – TO RETURN.

HaShem created each and every one of us with a pure soul. As we say in the morning prayers, “HaShem, the soul that You have given me is pure.” That pure soul is always with us, and enables us to return to our Creator. The ability to return is a gift from HaShem.

As I write these words, I received a phone call from a friend’s daughter. Knowing that I am always looking for stories that are life lessons, she wanted to share a personal experience.

The young mother had carpool for her daughter’s Sunday program. It was raining. There was a lineup of cars in front and behind her. She was trying to get into the entranceway to pick up the girls, but this one car was blocking the entrance. She tried to be patient, but after a while, it was wearing thin. After all, the girls were waiting, and she had errands to do. She gave it a few more minutes, and then, enough was enough. She started honking. Loud. Again and again. And then she saw a child wrapped in blankets as a protection from the rain, being taken out in a wheelchair. She felt sick to her stomach. What was she thinking? Did she really have to honk, and honk some more? Ouch! She then found out that the building housing the Sunday program recently leased a portion of the space to a program for special needs children.

The woman called to tell me that she learned a life lesson. A lesson to have patience, to give the benefit of the doubt, to realize that one ever fully knows what is happening. Don’t be quick to judge. Don’t be hasty in reaching conclusions.

She asked if I could please print her story. She called it her pre-Rosh HaShana lesson. For this young mother, it was her personal lesson of teshuva. She hoped that perhaps someone else will learn from it too.

What can we do for October 7? We ask HaShem to be kind, compassionate and patient with us. Let’s work on showing kindness, compassion and understanding to others.

TEFILLA–PRAYER.

Towards the conclusion of the Selichos, there is a beautiful tefilla, Mi Sheh’anah, He Who answered.

We turn to HaShem, saying, You answered so many in times of distress and personal need. You answered Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. Yosef, Moshe, and Aaron. You answered our prophets and our kings, and so many more.

As I was davening and concentrating on each line in this tefilla, I was thinking, HaShem, You answered so many, we need You to answer us today. And then, second thoughts came to mind. Who am I to come near these greats?

The answer is at the end of the tefilla. While we recognize that HaShem answered all these tzaddikim, we are not comparing ourselves to them at all. We beseech HaShem, that just as you answer the poor, the brokenhearted and the humble in spirit, please answer my prayers as well.

TZEDAKA–CHARITY.

But, it means so much more than donating money. Give charitably, but also give of yourself. There are so many people to whom we can give. We can give of our time, give of our talents. Give of our expertise and knowledge. Say a kind word. Cheer someone up. By helping others, we are helping ourselves.

TESHUVA, TEFILLA, TZEDAKA.

Take the time to look inward, connect to HaShem through prayer, and be there for others. We have the power to change a decree. The power to change the world.

Shabbat Shalom and L’Shanah Tovah!

Chaya Sora

This article was written L’zecher Nishmas/In Memory Of HaRav Meshulem ben HaRav Osher Anshil HaLevi, zt”l and Rebbetzin Esther bas HaRav Avraham HaLevi, zt”l