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

The Alter of Kelm notes that in our heads, we have certain ways of looking at things, certain preconceived notions that are rooted in our minds. And even if we receive a sudden epiphany in the opposite direction, a short time later we naturally revert to our previous state.

Yosef and the Brothers

The Alter of Kelm uses the example of the shevatim to prove his point. The Midrash (Tanchuma, Vayigash 5) tells us that when Yosef revealed himself to his brothers and said, “I am Yosef” (Beresheet 45:3), the shevatim were so scared that their souls left them (they basically had heart attacks), and Hashem performed a miracle and their souls were returned to them.

We would think that afterward all would be good and well.

But that’s not what happened.

The Midrash continues with the story. In order to convince them that he was truly their brother, Yosef showed the shevatim his brit milah. Yet instead of being thrilled that he was now king, the Midrash tells us that Yosef’s brothers wanted to kill him. A malach came and spread them out, separating them by sending them to the four corners of the palace, in order to protect Yosef.

Why did the shevatim want to kill Yosef at this time?

Because, explains the Alter, years ago, they had concluded that Yosef was chayav mitah, deserving the death penalty, and even after twenty-two years, nothing changed in their minds. Although they initially had a sudden shockwave when he introduced himself, they naturally reverted to their original belief, their preconceived notion that he was guilty. The Alter calls this hashrashah harishonah, the first implantation.

If the shivtei Kah operated that way, how much more difficult is it for us to uproot old ideas from our psyche and plant new ones in their place!

UprootingOur Preconceived Notions

In Yosef Ometz (Perek HaBitachon), Rav Yosef Yuzpa Hahn-Noirlingenof Frankfurt echoes this idea. People may think that we don’t see the same miracles today as we did many years ago. In truth, Rav Yosef Yuzpa opines, this is a mistake. There’s no difference today. In fact, he advises, if the yetzer hara tells us that today we don’t see miracles, we must not listen to him. True, we may not see open miracles, they may be hidden, but there are miracles nonetheless.

We must make sure not to revert back to our preconceived notions, to the way we always believed, that all is in the natural realm.

This is not just about bitachon. This is true anytime we want to change anything. Why is it so hard for people to keep their new commitments, whether it’s Jewish people keeping their Rosh Hashanah kabbalot or people dropping their New Year’s resolutions in the secular world? Yes, everyone signs up for the gym in January, but stops going in February. Or we commit to being the best (fill in the blank: spouse/ child/ parent/ sibling/ friend) on Sunday morning, but by the end of the week, the resolution is out the window. What happened?

Our preconceived notions hardwire us one way, and to change them takes a lot of effort. We must constantly and consistently work on ourselves to incorporate our commitments into our very being, until they are part of us. Otherwise, we will continue doing the same things, making the same commitments, year after year, without any lasting change.

This applies not only to mindsets – as in the case of Yosef and the brothers, or in today’s day and age, of looking at the world through the lens of random events rather than through the lens of Gd’s supervision – but also to habits. People are chronically late, people are argumentative, people have an aggressive streak. All of these tendencies occur because those pathways in our brain have been enforced and reinforced so many times that they become automatic.

Changing Ourselves

But we can change…

Rav Yerucham Levovitz compares this to somebody who’s writing with a light pencil (i.e., lighter than the number 2 pencils we used to write with in school). He goes back and forth with the pencil, again and again and again, until that vague imprint eventually becomes darker and darker, even though initially, it was too light to read.

When we’re trying to change, going down that new pathway, we’re not going to see such a strong imprint on the paper. But as we keep on going over that imprint, it becomes deeper and deeper, and darker and darker. If we stick to the task, eventually we’ll create new pathways, and we will actually be able to change the way we think and the way we act.

Sam J. Sutton

We’ve reached the home stretch of the 2025 M&S Softball season, and every pitch, every swing, and every bounce of the ball is feels heavier. The scoreboard isn’t just telling you the score, it’s telling you your season’s fate.

It’s a 12-game campaign, and the math is brutally simple: finish in the top five and you’re in, with seeds four and five battling in a one-game Wild Card showdown for the right to join the big boys. Finish sixth or seventh, and you’re packing up the bats until next summer.

Up top, there’s an extra twist. The first, second, and third seeds get the same bye into the semifinals, but the number one seed gets to choose their opponent, a decision that can swing an entire postseason. The Wild Card winner often rides their momentum straight to a championship. In M&S lore, that one-game scrap is less of a formality and more of a launchpad.

Kaboom! (6-2)
What a Week 6 for Uri Adler’s squad. Kaboom walked into their showdown with the Texas Longhorns tied in the loss column, and walked out with a clean sweep and the best record in the league. Their mix of power hitting, steady defense, and timely pitching has them looking like the team to beat. When you’ve got the talent Kaboom has, plus the confidence of knowing you’ve already taken down the other top contender, it’s a dangerous combination.

Texas Longhorns (7-3)
The Longhorns aren’t panicking. They got stung by Kaboom, but they’ve been one of the most consistent teams all season. Max Yedid’s club has an explosive lineup – 75 runs scored is tops in the league – and they know how to win in bunches. The key for them is bouncing back, reclaiming their swagger, and ensuring they’re peaking when the playoffs hit.

King Salomon Part Deux (5-3)
Michael “Sabon” Salomon’s crew has been riding a roller coaster, but the recent stretch has been on the upswing. Their offense can erupt at any time, and the defense has started to gel. They’ve got the tools to make noise in October, and they know it. With their veteran leadership, this is the kind of team that can quietly put together a run.

Stayin’ Alive (4-4)
After a brutal start, Stayin’ Alive clawed their way back to .500. They’ve found their rhythm, and they’re exactly the kind of fourth or fifth seed no one wants to see in a one-game Wild Card. They have that “dangerous if you let them hang around” vibe, and their resilience matches their name.

Vandelay Industries (5-7)
Sammy Seruya’s squad has officially wrapped up their regular season slate and now enters the most stressful part of the year: scoreboard watching. They’re hoping their five wins are enough to hold off the chasers, but without games left to play, they’re at the mercy of the standings. If they sneak in, they could be a Wild Card landmine – the kind of opponent that’s been battle-tested with nothing to lose.

Sephardic Bananas (1-5)
Don’t let the record fool you – this is a team with opportunity. They’ve played fewer games than anyone, meaning they’ve got a heavy schedule ahead and a chance to climb fast. It’s going to take a strong push, but with talent on the roster and plenty of games left, the Bananas can still write a sweet ending to their season.

Thundering Hooves (2-6)
It’s been a frustrating run for the Hooves. On paper, they’ve got the roster to compete with anyone. On the field, they keep leaving runners on base, which cost them in the win column. If they can start cashing in their scoring chances, they could be a dangerous spoiler down the stretch.

The Road Ahead
Every team knows what’s at stake now. For the top three, it’s about securing seeding and avoiding the Wild Card minefield. For the middle of the pack, it’s about fighting for that 4-5 spot and surviving the do-or-die opener. Buckle up! The playoff push is here, the drama is high, and the next few weeks will decide who gets a shot at immortality – and whose season ends with a quiet walk back to the parking lot at M&S Park.

Pnina Souid 

A special Shabbat food program for needy Holocaust survivors was in danger of shutting down due to lack of funding. However, one Mitzvah Man volunteer, doing one small act of hesed, lead the way to others getting involved. “Mitzvah goreret mitzvah,” one mitzvah brings about another. One small act and the forging of a connection can snowball. And, how it did! Below is a letter of thanks from a dedicated social worker at the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island. What a beautiful expression of hakarat hatov for the Mitzvah Man Organization, whose volunteers step up to the plate to help those in need, all with compassion and joy in doing hesed.

Dear Mitzvah Man and Lillie,

Please forgive me for not writing sooner. My colleague at JCCGCI, Sarala Lieberman, and I wanted to thank you. I know that you do a lot of things, both big and small. You have provided the Holocaust survivors in my program major household appliances and other big-ticket items. However, as you have said in your Erev Shabbat audio messages, it’s the small things that lay a foundation for something bigger. And you never know what Hashem will bring unless you make an effort to do your part.

At the start of Covid in 2020, many of the Holocaust survivors and senior clients whom we service needed tasty, better food, especially for Shabbat. We still had funding from the Leader Family Fund and the IAC (Israeli American Council) also sponsored Shabbat food for quite some time in Brooklyn.

During that time, a Holocaust survivor, Mrs. Dora Marcus, isolated due to the pandemic, requested food. She asked me if the Mitzvah Man was still in business. I emailed the Mitzvah Man and in under a minute he recruited  the nicest volunteer, Judy Bassali, who cooked food for Mrs. Marcus and visited with her, giving her the company she had longed for.

Judy’s hesed was so appreciated. I called her to thank her, as the Mitzvah Man always stresses “to treat each volunteer with love and respect.”

About two weeks later, Judy told me, “I have a friend, Jazzie Einalhori, who owns a restaurant called Sage Kitchen. Jazzie would like to give a few Holocaust survivors meals, as she has wanted to help this population for a long time. Jazzie cooked for three Holocaust survivors that week. She was assisted by her partner Rachel Fuchs. The next week Jazzie offered to cook for ten survivors and even had her partners drive to Brooklyn to make deliveries.

Steven Galapo, another Mitzvah Man volunteer, then offered to match ten for ten.

At the same time, our other Shabbat food funding was running out. I spoke to Jazzie about this. She took it upon herself to fundraise and advertise awareness for our Holocaust survivors’ Shabbat Food program. She cooked and fundraised for many months.

Adi Heyman and Esther Soleimani, activists with a grassroots group in Manhattan called “Me for We” stepped in and met with Jazzie, and the staff at the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island (JCCGCI)/Holocaust Survivor Support Services (HSSS).

Baruch Hashem, Me for We stepped in and saved the project. Until today, Me for We and JCCGCI/HSSS collaborate to serve seventy plus needy Holocaust survivors who either cannot afford to pay for food or cannot cook for themselves. We provide food and ongoing visits. Many friendly relationships have resulted from this initial hesed.

Other donors provided food as well, such as  Alenbi restaurant. “The Well” (in memory of the Sassoon children) stored food and served as a pickup site. Many others were motivated to donate, including the Leader and Cayton Family funds.

Currently, our caterer is Tov u’Mativ, who kindly offer us  a discount. The food is delicious and the volunteers who pick up for delivery are greeted with warm smiles.

So many donors and volunteers got involved, following in Judy Bassali’s footsteps, and have gained from their volunteering experience both emotionally and spiritually. It is truly amazing!

I believe the program would have disappeared after the first year when funding ran out if the Mitzvah Man had not responded so swiftly. What got the ball rolling was one small act performed by one volunteer, Judy Bassali, to reach out to one survivor, Dora Marcus. If that hadn’t happened, all the other connections would never have materialized!

Tizku l’mitzvot!

Elisheva Lock MPA, LCSW

Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island (JCCGCI) Holocaust Survivor Support Services (HSSS)

The holiday of Rosh Hashanah is unique in several respects.  One of its unique properties is a feature which we here in the Diaspora may not notice – namely, the length of this Yom Tov.

Here in the United States, we are accustomed to two-day holidays: the first and last days of Pesach, Shavuot, and Shemini Atzeret/Simhat Torah.  These are all two-day observances – but only here, outside the Land of Israel.  Our brothers and sisters in Israel celebrate only one day of Yom Tov at the beginning of Pesach, at the end of Pesach, on Shavuot, on the first day of Sukkot, and after Sukkot (Simhat Torah).  The reason for this discrepancy between Israel and Diaspora communities relates to the method of determining the calendar in ancient times.  Space does not allow for a full explanation, but suffice it to say that Diaspora Jews, who lived far from Israel, often did not find out before the holiday which day had been declared Rosh Hodesh (the first of the month) – as Jewish months could span either 29 or 30 days.  They were therefore compelled to observe two days of Yom Tov to cover both possibilities.  To this day, Diaspora Jewry commemorates this ancient practice by observing two days of Yom Tov.

Rosh Hashanah is unique in that even Jews in Israel observe this holiday for two days.  Technically, this is due to the simple fact that the date of Rosh Hashanah is, of course, the first of the month (Tishreh), such that even the Jews in Israel could not find out which day was declared the first of the month and should thus be celebrated as Rosh Hashanah.

However, the great sages throughout the generations uncovered for us the deeper significance of the two days of Rosh Hashanah, and why this special occasion of judgment, introspection and repentance requires two days.  We present a particularly profound approach advanced by the Rebbe of Bobov, in Imreh Kodesh.

Double Blowing

The Rebbe introduced his answer by addressing a well-known yet mysterious Talmudic passage relevant to the sounding of the shofar in the synagogue on Rosh Hashanah.

Torah law requires sounding a single series of shofar blasts on Rosh Hashanah.  However, as we know, we sound several series of shofar blasts – primarily, the set of blasts after the Torah reading, before Musaf,and then another series of blasts during the Musaf service.  Why, the Gemara asks, do we add a second set of blasts?  If the Torah obligates just a single series of shofar blowing, why do we blow two sets?

The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 16a-b) famously – yet enigmatically – answers, “Kedeh le’arbev et ha’Satan” – “In order to confound the Satan.”

Somehow, the additional set of shofar blasts has the effect of “discombobulating” the Satan, compromising his ability to prosecute against us before the Heavenly Tribunal as we stand trial.

How does this work?  What is it about the second set of shofar blasts that disempowers the Satan?

To explain the Gemara’s remark, the Rebbe sends us to a different – no less famous – passage in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 105b): “A person should always involve himself in Torah and mitzvot even not for its sake, for through [his involvement] not for its sake, he’ll arrive at [involvement] for its sake.”

The Gemara here urges us to learn Torah and perform mitzvot even if our motives are less than sincere.  Even when we do not feel truly driven and inspired, there is nevertheless great value in fulfilling mitzvot for ulterior motives – because just getting started puts us on the right path, which will eventually lead us to sincere, authentic service of Gd.

The message itself is quite clear – and of course critically important – but there is one word in this passage that strikes us strange.  It urges us “le’olam” – to always – involve ourselves in Torah and mitzvot even for ulterior motives.  Why this emphasis on “always”?  Are we “always” going to perform mitzvot for the wrong reasons?  Isn’t the whole point that we will eventually grow and become sincere?  Why should we “always” be involved in Torah and mitzvot even shelo lishmah (not for Torah’s sake)?

Rav Saadia Gaon & the Innkeeper

It is told that Rav Saadia Gaon (10^th century) once came to an inn and asked for a room, but the innkeeper informed him that there was no vacancy.  Later, the innkeeper discovered that this man who had asked for lodging was none other than the greatest rabbi of the generation.  The innkeeper immediately ran outside to Rav Saadia and profusely apologized.  He brought him inside and found him accommodations.  He then apologized again, and then again, and again.

Rav Saadia asked the innkeeper why he kept apologizing.  He apologized once, and this sufficed.

The innkeeper explained that upon realizing that he mistreated the great sage, a man of such distinction and piety, he felt overwhelming pangs of regret.

Rav Saadia would later teach a lesson from this story.  If we truly understood the greatness of Hashem, we would be overcome by remorse for our wrongdoing.  The more we grasp Gd’s kindness and compassion, and all He does for us, the more pained we are by our religious failings.

In other words, repentance leads to more repentance.  When a person begins doing teshuvah (repentance), he recognizes with even greater clarity what it means to defy Gd, and so he is driven to repent with even greater fervor.

The Rebbe of Bobov explained that sin creates a barrier of sorts between a person and his Creator.  And when the person begins to repent, that barrier comes down – and he can now perceive Gd’s greatness more keenly.  At that point, he experiences even greater shame for his misdeeds.  Thus, once a person repents, he then realizes that he must repent again, because he now more fully understands what it means to betray the Almighty.

We might say that the initial repentance is the “icebreaker,” the first step, whereby the person recognizes the need to improve.  At that point, the real teshuvah begins.

On this basis, the Rebbe explained why the Gemara instructs us to “always” involve ourselves in Torah and mitzvot even insincerely.  Sincerity is not “all or nothing”; there are different levels of authentic service of Hashem.  If we are always growing, we will realize that yesterday’s “lishmah” was really “shelo lishmah.”  If we thought last year that we were sincere in our commitment, we realize now that our sincerity then was deficient.  And, hopefully, next year we will look back upon our present selves and see our current deficiencies.  Once we grow, we feel uneasy about who we used to be. 

A Commitment to Lifelong Change

It is this commitment to continued growth that silences the Satan and pulls the rug out from underneath him.

The Hebrew word shofar is derived from the root sh.p.r., which means “enhance.”  Indeed, in modern Hebrew, shipur means “improvement,” and “leshaper” means “to improve.”  The purpose – or a purpose – of the shofar is to inspire growth.  The Rambam (Hilchot Teshuvah3:4) famously explains that the shofar blowing represents an “alarm” that “wakes” us from our spiritual “slumber,” calling upon us to repent.

If so, then the additional set of shofar blasts alludes to the repentance that follows the repentance.  It shows that once we’ve begun repenting – we realize that we’ve only gotten started, that we have so much more to do.  It shows that ourteshuvah isn’t just a momentary experience, but a commitment to lifelong change and growth.

This commitment immediately takes the Satan out of the picture.  Nothing the Satan can say will be effective in casting us in a negative light once we’ve shown our commitment to continuous growth.  Nothing about our past matters at all if we are genuinely committed to striving to improve.  At that point, the Satan quits.  He has nothing more to say.  If we show that we are in it for the long haul, that each step forward will propel us to the next step, we’ve won.  We’ve guaranteed a favorable judgment.

The Rebbe explained on this basis the reason for the two days of Rosh Hashanah.  The first day is for fixing, the second day is for soaring.  The first day is for us to realize that we need to change, and the second day is for us to realize even more how much we need to change, and to commit to a lifetime of religious growth.

Heads & Tails

Many have the custom on the night of Rosh Hashanah to eat the head of a fish (or a sheep), and to recite the prayer, “…sheniheyeh lerosh velo lezanav” – that we shall be the “head” and not the “tail.”

The implicit assumption of this prayer is that there is nothing in between the “head” and the “tail.”  If we are not pushing ourselves and striving to advance, to reach the top, to achieve greatness, then we will almost inevitably fall to the depths.  Just like there is physical gravity which keeps us on the ground, there is spiritual gravity which pulls us down.  Thus, just as an airplane needs a powerful engine to resist gravity and fly through the air, we need a powerful internal “engine” to propel us upwards, as otherwise we will fall to the ground.

Developing this analogy further – a plane does not fly directly upwards, but rather on a diagonal, gradually but steadily elevating.  Our growth, too, must be gradual.  If we try to grow too fast, our “engine” – our drive, our motivation, our desire to grow – will overheat and break down.  Rapid, drastic change is unsustainable.  Our commitment must be to grow slowly, a little at a time, moving step-by-step toward the “rosh,” toward greatness, consistently pushing upward.

If we make this commitment this Rosh Hashanah, we can rest assured that the Satan will not even bother to show up.  We can feel confident that once we make the decision to never fall into spiritual apathy, to always try, to always make an effort, to make one small change after another, Gd will look favorably upon us and our sincere desire to improve, and we will be worthy of a happy and blessed year for ourselves and for the entire Jewish Nation, amen.

To Our Beloved Community,

We, the undersigned rabbinic leaders of the Syrian Jewish community, write to you with a message of responsibility, urgency, and obligation. At this critical juncture in our city’s history, we declare without hesitation: every eligible member of our community must vote.

This is not about politics. It is about our sacred duty, to our families, to our schools, to our yeshivot, to our synagogues, and to our way of life. Voting is not merely a right. It is a halachic and moral responsibility. It is a declaration that we care, that we are engaged, and that we will not stand idly by while the future of our people is at stake.

The decisions being made in the coming elections, for mayor and other critical offices, will shape the future of our yeshivot, synagogues, schools, neighborhoods, and religious freedoms. We cannot afford silence. We cannot afford apathy. We dare not be passive when our way of life is on the line.

We are living in a time when the values that have allowed our community to flourish are under growing threat. The upcoming elections will have real and lasting impact on the safety of our neighborhoods, the strength of our institutions, and the ability of our children to grow up proudly and freely as Jews. To sit this out is to abdicate our communal responsibility.

This is not optional. It is a mitzvah. It is a communal obligation, like tefillah, like tzedakah, like educating our children. When we stay home and do not vote, we weaken the very foundations of the blessings we have built over generations.

Over forty years ago, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein zt”l expressed this obligation with clarity:

“The rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights have allowed us the freedom to practice our religion without interference… Therefore, it is incumbent upon each Jewish citizen to participate in the democratic system which guards the freedoms we enjoy. The most fundamental responsibility incumbent on each individual is to register and to vote.”

We are blessed to live in a country that has allowed Torah to thrive. But that blessing must not be taken for granted. It must be protected with commitment, with unity, and with action.

We therefore implore and expect every member of our community to do the following:

Community of NY and NJ regarding voter registration

Register to vote. Show up to vote. Ensure your children, your siblings, and your friends vote. Speak about it.

Take it seriously. Treat it as a mitzvah, because it is. Our strength has always come from our dedication to Torah, to family, and to each other. With pride in our past and responsibility for our future, let us stand together, firm in our values and united in action.

May Hashem bless our community with continued protection, unity, and strength.