Closing Message - Rav Ezra
Happy New Year?
There is often a tension around how we experience the "New (secular) Year." On the one hand, it is an opportunity to take stock of the past year, turn over a new leaf, take on new commitments, a la Rosh Hashana. Especially on a calendar year that has been so frought, the opportunity for definitive change feels appealing.
On the other hand -- I often find myself thinking -- but it's not *our new year* -- we just had Rosh Hashana a few months ago! Why should I care about an arbitrary day that has no Jewish significance? In fact -- the Mishna in Rosh Hashana (1:1) describes four Jewish New Years -- (1 Tishrei, 15 Shevat, 1 Nissan, and 1 Elul) serving various purpouses in the Jewish calendar - and just to be clear, January 1st isn't one of them.
What then? January 1st marks the secular beginning of the solar calendar, which recalls the line in Kohelet, אין חדש תחת השמש - There is nothing new under the sun - and this is the Kavvanah I am taking with me, today, tonight and tomorrow morning, into 2021:
On this planet, as the sun rises, there is nothing new -- we continue to live in a world full of suffering, conflict, pain, and harship. They may manifest for different folks in different modes on any given day, though they are never new.
And yet - if the negative experiences in life are not truly innovative, then neither are the timeless ways we combat the evils and ills of our world. Alas, kindness, protest (whether to government or God!), building community, seeking justice, and caring for those around us who are suffering -continue to be available to us.
On this last day of 2020, we have the same opportunities to make a difference in this world, as we will tomorrow. There is nothing new under the sun, and tomorrow will not be much different than today. So let us stay in our lanes, the grooves in which we know how to help, look for the vulnerable, and continue —whether through caring for our families, in our professional careers, or through volunteering of our resources — our community's incredible giving to the people on this earth.
Reminder to all to take good care of ourselves and each other. Try to do something specific today that strengthens you, and something else that strengthens someone else.
