It is said that 3 books are opened in heaven on Rosh Hashanah , one for the completely wicked, one for the completely righteous and one for those in between. And since the extremes of complete righteousness and complete wickedness are few and far between, Rosh Hashanah functions, for the majority of people, as the opening of a trial that extends until Yom Kippur. Aseret Yemei Teshuva (days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) are an important component in the process of repentance & change.
Unetanah tokef (the famous pious poem) discusses the fact that between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur there is an opportunity “to avert the severe decree” through three actions: teshuvah (repentance/to return), tefillah (prayer), and tzedakah (charity).
The requirements for repentance include a change of mind, a feeling of regret, and a determination to change, along with an effort to repair the effects of one’s misdeed.
Raize highlights many practical and meaningful ideas as to how we can understand, rein-act & return to our one and only source Hashem.
Our learning today is dedicated to our beloved Chaya Rivka bas Miriam in celebration of her birthday. May she continue to be an inspiration to us all!
