Sandra phoned me sounding very concerned. “Rabbi, I need your help. Isaac’s hearing has declined. His hearing specialist recommends that he wears hearing aids. But he refuses to wear them! He is making our lives unnecessarily complicated! And do you know why he refuses? Because Isaac has blown the shofar for our community on Rosh Hashana for over 30 years, and he’s concerned that if he starts wearing hearing aids, he will be unable to continue doing so. Rabbi, is that true?” 

We will answer Sandra’s question in three steps. Firstly, someone who is totally deaf is exempt from the mitzva to “hear the sound of the shofar,” and one who is personally exempt from the mitzva cannot blow the shofar on behalf of others (O.C., 589:2; Hazon Ovadia, Yamim Noraim, p. 125). The Beit Yosef explains (ibid) that deaf people are excluded because the mitzva is to hear the shofar, not to blow it. That is why the beracha recited prior to performing this mitzva is “to hear the sound of the shofar.” Kaf HaChaim (ibid, #6) adds that according to this reasoning, someone who is blind is obligated to listen to the shofar since he can hear, and consequently he can also blow the shofar for others.  

The second issue is how to relate to someone like Isaac, who is hard of hearing but is not totally deaf. Here, the halacha states that they are obligated to fulfil the mitzva as long as they can hear the sound of the shofar. Kaf HaChaim (ibid, #13, quoting Halachot Ketanot) goes so far as to say that this even obligates someone who can only hear with the aid of a mechanical listening device. Hacham Ovadia, zt”l,  (Yabia Omer, O.C., 7:18:2) explains that this is no different to seeing with the aid of a pair of glasses, which is halachically recognized as vision. Hence, only someone who is severely deaf and cannot hear even when the shofar is blown very loudly is exempt from the mitzva. Moreover, even somebody who can only hear when aided by a mechanical listening device is obligated to fulfil the mitzva of shofar, and consequently he can also blow the shofar for others. 

The third issue is whether electronic hearing aids are equivalent to the mechanical listening device discussed by the Kaf HaChaim. The Mishna in Rosh Hashana (27b) teaches that to fulfil the mitzva, one must hear the actual and original sound of the shofar, not its echo. By the same token, Hacham Ovadia (Yabia Omer, OC 1:19:18) rules that one does not fulfil the mitzva when hearing the shofar via a PA system, as one is not hearing the actual sound of the shofar. He writes that following a discussion with Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, they both concluded that a PA system projects an amplified electronic sound and not the original sound of the shofar, which means that one does not fulfil the mitzva by hearing the shofar over a PA system. 

Does the same concern apply to electronic hearing aids? Hacham Benzion Abba Shaul (Ohr Lezion, 4:5:16), Rabbi Auerbach (Minchat Shlomo, 9:1), and many other poskim rule that they, too, produce an echo or an electronic sound that is not the actual shofar sound. However, Hacham Ovadia (O.C., 7:18:2) rules that electronic hearing aids are equivalent to mechanical hearing devices and one may fulfil the mitzva of shofar while wearing hearing aids. The Rishon LeZion, Hacham Yitzhak Yosef, (Yalkut Yosef, Rosh Hashana, p. 397) quotes the aforementioned Minchat Shlomo, adding that Rabbi Auerbach heard from the Hazon Ish that there may be room to differentiate between hearing aids and a PA system, and to consider hearing aids a form of direct hearing.  

In conclusion, one does not fulfil the mitzvah of shofar when hearing it via a PA system. There is a difference of opinion regarding electronic hearing aids. However, since Isaac is only hard of hearing and not totally deaf, he is obligated to hear the shofar according to all opinions. I therefore advised that he remove his hearing aids while blowing the shofar for others, in order to fulfil the mitzva according to all poskim. The same applies to anyone else who is not totally deaf and wears electronic hearing aids. The hearing aids should ideally be removed when the shofar is sounded and one should stand near to the baal toke’ah if necessary. If one cannot hear the shofar without them, one should wear them and fulfil the mitzva according to Hacham Ovadia. 

Rabbi Yehuda Finchas is a worldwide expert, lecturer, and author on Medical Halacha. He heads the Torat Habayit Medical Halacha Institute. His latest book is “Brain Death in Halacha and the Tower of Babel Syndrome.” To contact Rabbi Finchas, email rabbi@torathabayit.com. 

Sam J. Sutton 

As the 2024 M&S Softball regular season enters its final stretch, the stakes have never been higher. The race for the top seed, the jockeying for playoff positioning, and the looming wild card showdown all make for a thrilling conclusion to the season. 

The Front Runners 

Sitting atop the standings with an impressive 8-2 record, Gabe Abady’s Sarah’s Kibbes are on the verge of locking down the #1 seed. Their consistent performance throughout the season has put them in the driver’s seat, and with only two games left, they are focused on finishing strong. Securing the top seed would not only be a testament to their dominance but would also grant them the advantage of facing the winner of the wild card game in the semifinals. 

Sarah’s Kibbes have been a model of consistency, with strong contributions from key players in both their offense and defense. The team’s chemistry and ability to perform under pressure have been evident all season, making them a formidable opponent for any team they might face in the playoffs. 

A Late-Season Surge? 

Currently holding the #2 seed with a 6-2 record, Edmund Beyda’s IDF team is in a unique position. With four games remaining on their schedule, they have the potential to challenge for the top seed. If IDF can capitalize on their remaining games and Sarah’s Kibbes falter, a shift at the top of the standings is not out of the question. 

IDF has shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season, and their roster depth allows them to compete at a high level even during challenging matchups. The upcoming games will be a true test of their resilience and ability to perform in high-pressure situations. A strong finish could catapult them into the #1 seed, altering the playoff landscape. 

Battle for Position 

Sabon’s Predators currently occupy the #3 seed with a 6-4 record, and they are keenly aware of the importance of finishing the season on a high note. With the potential to move up in the standings or solidify their current position, the Predators are focused on maintaining their momentum. Their blend of veteran leadership and emerging talent has been a recipe for success, and they will need to lean on these strengths as they navigate the final games of the season. 

SJG’s Resilience squad sits at the #4 seed with a .500 record of 5-5, a position that comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities. The Resilience team knows that their playoff fate could hinge on the outcome of their remaining games. Securing the #4 seed would mean hosting the wild card game, giving them the home-field advantage. However, a slip-up could see them dropping in the standings and potentially facing a more challenging path to the championship. 

Wild Card Chaos 

The playoff format in M&S adds an extra layer of drama, with the #4 and #5 seeds facing off in a one-game wild card matchup for a right to advance to the semifinals. Currently, the Bleacher Creatures, captained by Sammy Esses, occupy the #5 seed with a 3-6 record. However, their position is anything but secure. With three games remaining, the Bleacher Creatures can clinch a playoff berth with two wins. But should they stumble, a tiebreaker scenario could unfold, adding to the chaos in the standings. 

The Final Battle, captained by Teddy Ishak, stands at 3-8, with only one game left on their schedule. Interestingly, that game is against the Bleacher Creatures. A win for the Final Battle would not only give them a shot at tying for the #5 seed but could also create a three-way tie, depending on other results. Such a scenario would undoubtedly lead to a tense and dramatic finish to the regular season, with tiebreakers coming into play to determine the final playoff spots. 

The Road Ahead 

As the regular season winds down, the excitement and tension are palpable. Each team is locked in, knowing that every game could be the difference between a playoff run and an early exit. Fans and players alike are on the edge of their seats, anticipating how the standings will shake out and who will emerge victorious in the wild card game. 

Stay tuned to all the latest updates and analysis on our popular YouTube channel and our website, www.MandSBaseball.com, as we head down the stretch and into the playoffs. 

Rabbi David Sutton and Dr. David Katzenstein, LCSW-R 

How do we separate ourselves from our desires? How do we show ourselves that we are not our desires? It sounds easy to say: Just let your desires float, just let them be. 

But how do we carry that out? 

Acting Against Our Will 

As a young man, Rav Yerucham Levovitz described his struggles and his subsequent kabbalah before Yom Kippur (cited in Alei Shur, Vol. II, p. 248). “I see that I’m not controlling myself. I’m in someone else’s hands. And that someone else is the materialistic forces inside of me that are controlling me. And not only that, they are also bribing my intellect – to fool it into doing improper things just to get me away from goodness. And therefore, I accept upon myself to make my daat, my awareness, the one in control. Hashem should help me. I have accepted upon myself, bli neder, to do things against my will five times a day.” 

How do we do something against our will? If we have an urge for a coffee, for a caffeine fix, we can tell ourselves, “No, not now. I don’t need that coffee. I will manage for another hour without it.” That’s going against our will, breaking our ratzon. Or, let’s say we go to our car and then realize we forgot to bring an item we planned to return to the store. At first, we may say to ourselves, “The return can wait until tomorrow. I don’t need to go back into the house.” But if we think about it, we are just being lazy. If we force ourselves to schlep back to get that item, we are breaking our ratzon, just like the great baalei mussar. 

To enable us to overcome certain desires, we use a technique called “thought diffusion.”  This refers to the process in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) where individuals learn to disengage from their thoughts and see them as mental events, rather than absolute truth. The goal is to help people become less attached to their thoughts and more focused on the present moment, leading to greater psychological flexibility. In the example with the coffee, it would be to amend the thought of I need this coffee, to I’m having a thought that I need this coffee. 

Rav Yisrael Salanter, the father of the Mussar Movement, once woke up in middle of the night because he was thirsty. In those days, before indoor plumbing, if you were thirsty, you’d have to go to the well. His first reaction was, “Maybe this isn’t genuine thirst; maybe it’s just unnecessary taavah, desire.” (Of course, this is beyond our level.) He decided it was unnecessary, because he didn’t need it. But then he said to himself, “Hold on, maybe it’s laziness stopping me from going to the well.” 

So what did Rav Yisrael do? He got out of bed, walked to the well, drew the water from the well, came back home, and spilled it out. 

That way, it was clearly not desire and clearly not laziness. That’s a very high level. 

Forces That Control Us 

In his personal notes cited above, Rav Yerucham mentioned that he felt materialistic forces inside of him gaining control over him, with avot, fathers, and toldot, children. Rav Wolbe asks: What are these forces? 

As discussed earlier, after Adam HaRishon sinned, the forces of evil entered us. These are the fathers, and they create children, what Rav Wolbe calls “ribuy retzonot she’b’lev,” an abundance of desires in the heart. But these desires are not us; they’re foreigners. Yet it can be difficult to recognize that these constant urges, wills, or desires, which are constantly popping up in our hearts, are all outsiders. 

We think desire is our self. And we think that spirituality and intellect and knowledge are something strange. Desire for delicacies, for honor, and for money seem natural to us, while spiritual concepts seem unnatural, something we have to force ourselves to delve into.

TAKEAWAY

Step one is to start separating our selves from our desires. And the only way to do that is by not feeding our desire, not giving into it. When we control our desire, we can see that we are not our desire. 

If you accepted upon yourself to refrain from X, Y, or Z, and then a day or two later you suddenly feel a strong urge to do X, Y, or Z, remind yourself, “I certainly don’t need to do this. I am just having a thought that I need to.” 

Victor Cohen 

Yeshivat Moreshet Yerushalayim is a unique community-friendly post-high school yeshiva in Israel, headed by Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Harold Sutton. Its mission is to shape future leaders that are bnei Torah, who will carry their experience at the yeshiva throughout their lives. Moreshet offers its students top-notch rabbis, trips to explore the land, and connections to their rabbis and fellow students that will last for the rest of their lives. 

The yeshiva opened with a class of only eight students. The incoming class is fifty strong.   

The Alumni Event 

Once a year, Moreshet  invites all alumni to a reunion so they can gather together to celebrate the yeshiva’s accomplishments and to learn about its vision for the future. 

Usually,  reunions are hosted in an alum’s backyard. However, due to bad  weather the event needed to be moved indoors.  Thankfully, Congregation Magen David of West Deal graciously offered to host the event. 

In past years only former students have been invited. This year the incoming students were invited as well. Newcomers and old-timers got to chat together, with 250 attendees altogether. An added plus was the presence of some of the yeshiva’s rabbis, flown in for the event,  including Rabbi Yehoshua Shani and Rabbi Tanchum Gold.   

The  reunion’s theme was “The Shuk,” and an abundance of shuk-style food was featured, including shawarma, candies, spices, and a variety of nuts. According to Daniel Braha, the chief architect of the event, they wanted to create a warm, familiar environment for alumni, and a welcoming environment for incoming students. 

The alumni network of Moreshet is like a family. As Jacob Kassin, who was very involved with  fundraising for Moreshet, said, “The importance of the event is to bring all the alumni together and to create a sense of family and unity. It’s also to show the parents and the community as a whole what we have built and will continue to build.” 

A Night to Remember 

Sammy Saka opened the evening. He spoke about the day Rabbi Sutton pitched Moreshet to Hillel Yeshiva’s board. He noted that Hillel was proud to have such a large percentage of students attending the yeshiva’s first year. Rabbi Saul Kassin expressed gratitude towards the Moreshet leadership for nurturing it into the success it has become. Rabbi Sutton thanked the many people involved in creating and sustaining Moreshet. He marveled at how what started off as only eight has become 250. 

Hacham Shimon Alouf detailed the importance that we should place on our tradition and the specific values our community teaches us. He pointed to the depraved, corrupted values of the outside world and cautioned Moreshet’s alumni to adhere to proper values. 

Rabbi Gold, a dayan in Israel, led the learning for the night. He described a recent case on which he ruled, then he split the room into groups, and had each group work together to find solutions for the dispute, utilizing sources from the Gemara, the Rishonim, and the Shulchan Aruch. 

The evening closed with an emotional presentation by Rabbi Shani, who lost his son Uri, H’yd, on October 7th. A short video that Uri had recorded was shown. Even though Rabbi Shani and his family were struck by a devastating tragedy, the rabbi seemed strong and resolute. He served as an inspiration for everyone in the room. 

This reunion was a beautiful and meaningful event. It was appropriately representative of the yeshiva, a place dedicated to teaching skills to produce graduates dedicated to Torah learning, under the tradition of Aram Soba, and dedicated to Sephardic values. 

As the new school year approaches, students and parents alike are gearing up with the latest hi-tech gadgets to enhance learning and productivity. The 2024 back-to-school season is brimming with technology designed to make education more engaging and efficient. Whether you’re a tech-savvy student or a parent looking to equip your child with the best tools for success, this year’s lineup of gadgets promises to transform the academic experience.  Here are eight must-have tech gadgets for the coming school year. 

Logitech MX Vertical Wireless Mouse 

Hand and wrist pain, often a result of marathon computer sessions, can really put a damper on your work. The Logitech MX Vertical’s tilted, upright positioning can help prevent those long days doing research at the library from coming back to haunt you. 

Glocusent Book Light 

Late-night cram sessions can be a huge strain on your eyes. Glocusent’s new and improved Book Light is a subtle, low-light alternative that’s more versatile than a clip-on book light. 

Lapgear Home Office Lapdesk 

Sometimes sitting at a desk just isn’t the vibe. Lapgear’s lapdesk can make it much easier and more comfortable to work from your bed or couch by giving you a sturdy surface on which to plop your laptop, notebook, textbook, and other materials. The soft padding on the underside is designed to keep your lap cool even after hours of work, and there’s a built-in mousepad on the top for you to use with your favorite accessory.  

Kobo Libra Colour 

Rather than lug around too many heavy textbooks in your too-small backpack, get an e-reader like the Kobo Libra Colour to make your life easier. One of the newest models from Kobo, the Libra Colour, has a 7-inch E Ink Kaleido panel, page-turn buttons, an upgraded process, and stylus support! 

Echo Dot (4th Gen) Kids Edition 

The Echo Dot Kids Edition has all the same features you’ve come to know and love with the Echo Dot, but with more kid-friendly features and better parental controls. Kids can ask Alexa questions and even get help with their homework or ask Alexa to read them a story. Parents can set daily time limits, filter songs and content, and review activity in the Amazon Parent Dashboard. 

Bange Backpack 

If you are buying all of these amazing tech products, get an equally high-tech backpack that can protect all of them and more. Bange’s backpack is in a class of its own. This bag is functional, affordable, and comes with an in-bag charging port to boot! 

2-Pack Portable Charger Bundle 

School days mean long hours and longer screen times. Don’t let your phone die on you midday with this incredible 2-pack portable charger bundle. This charger gets rid of pesky wires, in addition to providing a state-of-the-art LED screen to indicate the remaining battery life. 

Crucial X9 Pro 

It’s a good idea to have all of your important documents for school saved in more than one spot. A portable SSD like the Crucial X9 Pro is a good solution, giving you another spot to save all of those papers, lab reports, syllabi, and the like that you can take with you anywhere and everywhere. Roughly the size of a credit card, it can easily be tossed into a bag or slipped into your back pocket before you rush out the door for the day. Its aluminum body is also IP55-rated, so it’ll survive contact with water and dust. 

ELLEN GELLER KAMARAS

Here are three important updates regarding the contentious and glitzy Coney Project. First, Thor Equities revealed updated renderings on May 21, 2024, for its $3 billion casino, hotel, and entertainment complex, in its quest for the coveted downstate gaming license. Thor’s consortium consists of three partners, Saratoga Casino Holdings, which operates a racino (combination racetrack and casino) in New York’s Saratoga County, the Chickasaw Nation, a Native American Tribe that owns more than 20 gambling establishments, and Legends Global Planning, the proposed entertainment partner. Joe Sitt, Thor Equity’s founder, envisions turning Coney Island into a year-round destination instead of a summertime hangout, primarily limited to the boardwalk.  

Second, on June 27, 2024, the NYS Gaming Commission and Gaming Facility Location Board (GFLB) amended (for a second time) its timeline for the RFA (Request for Applications) to develop and operate a gaming facility in NYS.  The GFLB review process, community comment period, study of the impact on the neighborhood, and determination of who is awarded the license, are scheduled for some time in 2025. 

Over two years ago, in April 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed off on awarding three downstate licenses for casinos in New York. This was part of the $220 billion approved one year state budget.  

Applicants had originally hoped that the licenses would be awarded by the end of 2023 or by early 2024. 

Third, On April 18, 2024, the City Council voted to approve the Gaming Facility Text Amendment, which would create a framework within the zoning text to allow for the possible creation of up to three casinos citywide. NY State’s constitution was amended in 2013 to allow up to seven commercial casinos statewide. 

Coney Island is one of three downstate gambling casino sites in the NYC area for which developers and gaming companies are bidding for licenses.  There are eleven known applicants in the bidding war for these three casino sites. 

The Coney’s supporters predict an ace in the hole with increased employment, visitors, and money.  

Opponents see minimal economic benefits, point to the disappointing outcomes in Atlantic City, and are wary of increased crime and traffic and limited security resources.  They also voice serious concerns about the harmful influence of a casino on our children and families. 

Although the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce is in favor of the Coney, Community Board (CB) 13 and most of its underlying four district neighborhood residents, remain opposed to Joseph Sitt’s application for The Coney Project.  Included in CB 13 is our own community and the Sephardic Community Federation . 

The Coney consortium continues to publicize that The Coney will bring an economic boom and will rejuvenate the iconic and aging summer playland.   

The May 2024 retooled drawings show “the gambling den” in the background of a luxurious 32-story 500-room hotel tower, expensive eateries, a 2,500-seat concert venue, 90,000 square feet of meeting and event space, retail and dining establishments, and a public green space. 

The Sephardic Community Federation (SCF) has worked tirelessly to preserve the community’s values, protect against addiction risks and economic disruption, and ensure a prosperous and vibrant future for all residents of Southern Brooklyn.  They took a leading position in encouraging other community organizations to join their fight against the Coney by creating the No Coney Casino Petition and website (www.noconeycasino.com/#SignthePetition). 

What You Can Do

• Sign the Sephardic Community Federation’s “No Coney Casino” petition electronically, which takes about 30 seconds. Go to: www.noconeycasino.com/#SignthePetition. 

• Sign the “Say ‘NO’ to Coney Island Casino!” started by residents of Coney Island and surrounding Southern Brooklyn neighborhoods, who are adamantly against having a casino built on the Coney Island peninsula (https://www.change.org/p/say-no-to-coney-island-casino?signed=true). 

• Contact the officials listed below to find out who is representing them at the Community Advisory Committee meetings.  Communicate your questions and concerns to: 

NY State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, 718-727-9406.  

Assemblyman Michael Novakhov (District 45), 718-743-4078. 

Local City Council member Justin Brannan (District 47), 718-307-7151. 

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, 718-802–3700. 

Mayor Eric Adams, 311. 

Governor Kathy Hochul, 518-474-8390.

Some of us may feel apprehensive. As the weather turns cooler and summertime becomes a season past, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are weeks away. Another year is upon us, and the usual holiday preparations lead us to supermarkets, butchers, and clothing stores. Soon our minds become consumed as we think about how we will set our tables, what delicacies we will serve and what to wear when the holidays come.   

But we may – and should – also have a nagging feeling within, reminding us that the Day of Judgment will soon arrive, when our individual and national fates will be decided and everything hangs delicately in the balance. As the days rush by us at a dizzying speed, it becomes exceedingly difficult to pull away from the preparations that must be done in order to take a spiritual accounting of our lives.   

We may find that we’re so busy that we arrive at Rosh Hashanah without a game-plan for how to grow over the course of this critical season. Yet Hashem, in His infinite wisdom, has embedded within the Jewish calendar the Aseret Yeme Teshuvah – the Ten Days of Repentance, from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur, which  give us that extra chance to improve ourselves. They are days of growth, change and introspection which afford each Jew the opportunity to take a few steps back and contemplate his or her spiritual standing. This is the time to take stock and become more keenly aware of who we are in relation to who we can be.  

In order to help ensure the success of this lofty undertaking, we present here 10 steps that we can take during these 10 special days, climbing rung by rung, one day at a time, up the spiritual ladder towards greatness.  

Step 1: Think Long Term 

Too many people go through life without ever contemplating exactly what it is they want out of it. The truth is that life is relatively short, and it is therefore incumbent upon each of us to go through it with specific goals in mind. When we’re clear about what our life goals are, we can make sure that our daily actions are geared toward achieving them. On the other hand, if our idea of what we want out of life is hazy, it’s easy to get sidetracked.  

It may be difficult to think about, but it is important to ask yourself questions that will clarify what you want your life to look like. What do you want people to say about you after 120 years? Would you like to be remembered as a kind, patient, compassionate and thoughtful person? Or would you be happy to be remembered as the one who wore the latest styles, owned the newest gadgets and knew the top news every hour on the hour?  

Step 2: The Business Plan 

Once you know your long-term goals, you can think about how you’ll achieve those goals. If you want to stop gossiping, or aspire to be more patient, how do you plan on getting there?  

Imagine that you own a business and want the bank to grant you a loan. Before you approach the bank manager, you would do everything in your power to develop a clear business plan which demonstrates how you would use any resources you’re granted to ensure the continued growth and success of your business.  

 So too, we are coming to Hashem during this time of year and asking Him to grant us a long life filled with blessings. What’s our plan for using the resources He gives us to do His Will and make the world a better place?  

Step 3: One Small Step 

Rather than jumping into growth headfirst and improving everything all at once, it’s important to be realistic. Time and again, we fool ourselves into thinking we can become perfect overnight. It’s like going to the gym, lifting the 100-pound weight and collapsing. Obviously it’s not possible to gain muscle in an instant, and a person who takes on more than is reasonable will burn himself out. 

The only way to be able to lift the 100-pound weight is by beginning with the lightest weights and working our way up from there. The same is true with spiritual muscles. Oftentimes our evil inclination convinces us to do everything at once because he knows it will be impossible for us to keep it up. We must be realistic with ourselves and be careful not to bite off more than we can chew. The important thing to remember is that the idea is progress, not perfection. Choose one or two areas to improve in, and move towards your goal with baby steps. 

Step 4: The Wedding Photo 

Once you choose one or two areas in which to improve throughout the year, know that the Ten Days is a time to behave with extra stringency. During these days, dress more modestly than usual, adhere to a stricter standard of kashrut and say extra Tehillim. Do extra even if you know you won’t be able to keep it up throughout the year. 

“What’s the point?” you may ask yourself. “Who am I fooling?” Rabbi Dovid Orlofsky shared an amazing message through a powerful parable. Imagine it’s the dead of winter. You’ve been sitting in bed all day, until you finally pull yourself out of bed, and as you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, you notice that you look like a complete mess. You put on big fluffy slippers and shuffle to the living room. And then you see it – your wedding picture on the mantle. You begin to look closely at the picture, and notice that this is you at your best. With a little extra effort, this is who you can be. 

Similarly, we take upon ourselves additional measures of stringency during these Ten Days to give ourselves a picture of what we look like at our best. We let ourselves know just how great we can become to inspire us to inch closer toward that ideal.  

Step 5: Know Yourself 

We each come down to this world to fulfill a particular mission. One part of this mission is related to our individual strengths. During these days, reflect upon your talents and figure out how you can use them to better the world. Hashem gave you your particular set of gifts for a reason. Try to discover what that reason is.  

The other part of this mission relates to our weaknesses. Refusing to fall into the traps that our weaknesses create for us enables us to achieve greatness. If you struggle with anger, anxiety, laziness or any other negative character trait, every time you desist from negative behavior you ignite a powerful spark of holiness that helps illuminate the world.  

Step 6: Hold Onto Prayer 

In his article, “How to Get Your Prayers Answered,” Rabbi Noach Weinberg, zt”l, wrote: “To pray properly, you have to understand that not only Gd loves you, but His love for you is infinite… If we appreciate what Gd can do for us, it is crazy not to stay in touch.” The Ten Days, when we are asking Hashem to grant us life and blessing, is the most opportune time to harness the power of prayer. 

Recognize that Hashem is our Father in Heaven. He is infinitely powerful, infinitely knowing and infinitely loving. He has all the resources we need for a good year. Speak to Hashem in your own words. Thank Him for all that He has done for you, and continues to do for you. Ask Him to bless you with life and blessing, and know that He will give you all that you need.  

Step 7: Act Charitably 

Reach beyond yourself and give to others. Give charity and act charitably toward those around you. Tzedakah has the power to mitigate or even change a harsh decree, so now is the time to be especially kind and generous to others.  

Step 8: Study Torah 

The Torah is our guidebook for living a successful and productive life. Now’s the time to immerse ourselves in Torah to be reminded what Hashem expects from us and to receive the keys for a good life which He offers us. Suggested areas of study are the laws of Shabbat, laws of lashon hara (negative speech about other people), and works of mussar (general religious instruction). 

Step 9: Be Grateful 

Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in negativity and constantly think about what we don’t have. Practicing gratitude every day allows us to revel in all the blessings that Hashem constantly showers upon us. A Jew wakes up in the morning and immediately says, “Modeh Ani,” thanking Hashem for life. We have eyes, ears, health, hands, feet, food and clothing, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Take a little bit of time to make a list of all that you have to be grateful for, and review it constantly.  

Step 10: Trust 

Finally, have faith in Hashem. Trust in Hashem’s benevolence and kindness. Be optimistic, and know that Hashem is the ultimate Redeemer and will judge us favorably. All that is required of us is to be the best us we can be.  

May Hashem lovingly accept all of our good deeds and growth, and grant us a good and sweet new year, amen.