By: Chaya Sora Jungreis-Gertzulin

On both Rosh Ha Shana and Yom Kippur, we recite Unesaneh Tokef, one of the most stirring and heartrending tefillos. We live in a time where every line feels not like prophecy — but like the daily news. “Who will live and who will die; who by water and who by fire; who by sword and who by beast; who by famine and who by thirst; who by storm and who by plague; who by strangulation and who by stoning; who will enjoy tranquility and who will suffer; who will be impoverished and who will be enriched…”

Who doesn’t tremble as these words are recited. Today, we are living through not one, but all of these happenings. Storms, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, flash flooding, wildfires, hunger, drought, murders, assassinations and financial upheaval. And, sorrowfully, the ongoing war in Gaza where so many have perished or suffered serious injury.

I’m often asked, “What would your mother say about today’s challenging times?” I, too, ask myself: What would my mother have said?

I believe my mother would tell us to follow the “Three T’s” formula found immediately after Unesaneh Tokef: Teshuva, Tefilla, Tzedaka.

TESHUVA – TO RETURN.

Ha Shem created each and every one of us with a pure soul. As we say in Shacharis, “Elokai, neshama sheh’no’sato be, tehora he, Ha Shem, the soul that You have given me is pure.” That pure soul never leaves us. It’s our path back to our Creator. The ability to return – no matter how far one may be, is a gift from Ha Shem.

My eleven year-old grandson had a pre-Rosh Ha Shana writing assignment. The topic was “What three things in your life need improvement, and what will you do about them?” Wow! That’s some assignment. It requires soul-searching, honesty and transparency. A hard task for an adult, let alone an eleven year-old.

An essential part of teshuva is “hakaras hacheit – an acknowledgement of wrongdoing”. A time for introspection, and accepting responsibility for our actions. A time to stop playing the blame game, and own up to our mistakes. To stop blaming our spouse, the kids, the teacher, the boss, the neighbor. Time to say “It’s my life, and I am accountable for my actions.”

Rosh Ha Shana is our opportunity to follow in the ways of Dovid Ha Melech, who accepted responsibility for his actions. It was Dovid Ha Melech who said “Chotosi l’Ha Shem, I have sinned to Ha Shem”. (Shmuel II, 12:13) His moment of introspection.

Sometimes our messages come from unexpected places – like an eleven year-old’s homework project.

TEFILLA – PRAYER

The Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, China, is one the largest import-export trade shows in the world. It attracts over 250,000 buyers from over 200 countries. One of my husband’s friends who would attend the fair shared the following story.

As there are many observant Jewish attendees at the fair, come Mincha time, they would gather together to make a minyan. Finding a quiet spot to daven was a challenge. They would inevitably end up having the minyan in a far-off corner or stairwell.

One day, while searching for a spot to daven, some of the group opened a door to what they hoped would be an empty room. To their surprise, the room was far from empty. Instead, they found it overflowing with Muslims prostrating themselves on prayer rugs.

The scene got them thinking – why don’t we ask for a room for Mincha? A delegation went the office of the fair management with their request. They were informed that available space was hard to come by, but that they should fill out an application with all of the details.

It was all so official. They had to plead their case before a tribunal, as if in a courtroom. Not wanting to ask for too much, they requested a room for just fifteen minutes per day.

The tribunal members consulted amongst themselves in rapid Chinese, in what seemed to take forever. The religious group didn’t understand a word. And then came the verdict.

“China is a big country. A lot of land. A lot of people. If you want to pray, you must pray for us too – and how can you pray for us and yourselves in just fifteen minutes. We will grant you a room but you must pray for 30 minutes – for you and for us.”

The group was stunned by the tribunal’s response, coming from a body of the Chinese government that is officially atheist and restricts religious freedom. But a deal was made, and the room was theirs.

Sometimes, our messages come from outside places… As distant as a tribunal in China. Don’t rush your davening and have others in mind.

There is a beautiful story about Rabbi Nosson Zvi Finkel zt”l, the Rosh Yeshiva of Mir in Eretz Yisroel. Shortly before the last Rosh Ha Shana of his life, he was asked what one’s thoughts should be while davening. The rabbi’s answer was two simple words, “Someone else.” Think of someone else. Daven for someone else, and Ha Shem will answer your personal tefillos.

TZEDAKA – CHARITY

My oven was on the blink, and then one day, it just wouldn’t turn on. Time for a new oven.

Together with my husband, we set off to Drimmer’s, a well-known local appliance dealership. While there, my husband noticed one of the salesmen inserting a neatly folded dollar bill into a pushka on the far corner of his desk.

When my husband commented how nice it was to give tzedaka, the salesman told us that his boss – the owner of Drimmer’s – adds on a dollar to every paycheck, for every employee. Week after week, month after month, year after year. A dollar for tzedaka.

To give a little tzedaka. It doesn’t matter how much – just be a giver. Give consistently. With every paycheck. It can be a dollar, ten dollars or a hundred dollars. What a beautiful lesson. What a special boss.

Sometimes, it takes a trip to an appliance store to teach us a valuable lesson.

Very often, I meet people who tell me “all the stories happen to you, but nothing happens to me – I have no stories in my life”. The truth is, we all have stories. We just have to keep our eyes open for the messages around us.

This Rosh Ha Shana, let’s remember that we have the power to change a decree – for ourselves, for our family, for the world. Let’s act on the “Three T’s” formula. Let us open our hearts — to return, to pray, and to give — and may we be inscribed for a year of life, good health, nachas, prosperity and only simchos.

Wishing all my readers a K’siva V’Chasima Tova.

Shabbat Shalom!

Chaya Sora

Chaya Sora can be reached at csgertzulin@gmail. com

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