A Special Opportunity

Dear Momentum Family–

The Shabbat between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is called Shabbat Teshuvah (or Shabbat Shuvah / the Shabbat of Return), and it comes with a special opportunity.

We are taught that observing this Shabbat in a greater way can make up for all the Shabbats of the year that perhaps weren’t as strong.

Doesn’t that seem hypocritical – to make this Shabbat greater even knowing that the next one may fall by the wayside? No, it’s not.

A hypocrite says something, doesn’t believe it, and then lives their lives accordingly. A human being says, “I believe in this value. I may not be there now, I may never get there, but that is what I am striving for.”

The Shofar was supposed to get our attention – wake up our souls to what is good and right. During these “10 Days of Awe,” we try and raise the bar, show The Almighty that this is how we really feel about Him, where we truly want to be as Jews. If we could be at this level always, we would do it, but alas we are not always there. But once a year we raise the bar and are at our best.

Even though we are bound to fall back to our weaker ways, perhaps raising the bar means the fall won’t bring us exactly back to square one.

Remember, the Jewish year is not a cycle; it’s a spiral. Yes, we are going around, but hopefully, from year to year, we are also going up. Sometimes it’s three steps up and two steps down, but at least you’re going up!

It’s not all or nothing; everything counts. So this Shabbat, raise the bar and enter Yom Kippur proudly knowing that you are indeed making progress.

And progress is progress!

Good Shabbos, Shabbat Shalom– have an easy and meaningful fast.