How do we say Shana Tova this year? First night Rosh Hashana Sermon

 

Shanah Tovah,

This Rosh Hashanah, it seems like the simple wish for a "good year," a shanah tovah, feels more complicated? I wonder if anyone else feels the same. At first, it was very hard for me to say it because I realized that when we said Shanah Tovah last year around this time, I don't think we could have imagined everything that would unfold in the year ahead.

Now, I know some of you are saying to yourselves, "Rabbi, you’re overthinking it. It’s just a greeting. It’s just words." And you are right. The main point of saying these things is to get a response back, a smile from a friend or a stranger, a nod from a neighbor, a human connection because we share a bond. It’s to offer your best wishes, a blessing that we say to each other because, while we cannot control what happens, it can't hurt to send someone good vibes and let them know you care. But I think taking extra notice of even these casual blessings, like little prayers we say to each other, reminds us of an important lesson, that when we come together to pray, we come to prayer together for ourselves but also for each other. It’s part of building a warm spiritual community.

Still, even as we share these greetings, it's impossible not to reflect on how much has happened since last Rosh Hashanah. When we said 'Shanah Tovah' last year, I don’t know if any of imagined

 

…that the Jewish people would endure the worst single attack since the Holocaust,

 

...that we would spend the entire year praying for the safe return of hundreds of hostages

 

... we would witness such largescale loss of innocent lives amidst widening fears for the region,

 

…or the sharp rise in antisemitic incidents and hate crimes

 

... or the deepening internal divisions over Israel in the Jewish community

 

… or the news of constant evacuations

 

… or the violence by extremists within our own ranks,

 

... all of that in addition to losses closer to home. That last year, the Hudson community still had Rabbi Fried, of blessed memory, whose leadership and presence we deeply miss today.

 As we look back at everything that has happened since last Rosh Hashanah, despite some positives, it's clear that this past year has given us many reasons to mourn. And our sages say that one shouldn’t say shalom in greeting to a mourner because it doesn’t fit their experiences in that moment. Yet, the tradition is to say Shanah Tovah to mourners, so how do we say shanah tovah this year?

There is no one size fits all answer to this question, but I think we can look to tradition to gain insight in the way people talk about good fortune and bad fortune.

The first story I want to share is from China originally and isn’t a Jewish one, although there are Jewish sources that have similar messages, but I think it beautifully captures one way that people across cultures have tried to make sense of life’s ups and downs.

There was once a farmer who lived in a small village, and one day, his horse ran away. The villagers came to offer their sympathy, saying, “What bad luck!” The old man simply replied, “We’ll see.”

A few days later, the horse returned, bringing with it several wild horses. The villagers were amazed and said, “What good fortune!” The old man again replied, “We’ll see.”

Soon after, the old man’s son tried to ride one of the wild horses, but he was thrown off and broke his leg. The villagers came to express their sorrow, saying, “What bad luck!” The old man calmly responded, “We’ll see.”

Not long after, the army came through the village to conscript all the able-bodied young men to fight in a war. The old man’s son was spared because of his injury. The villagers exclaimed, “What good fortune!” The old man, as always, simply said, “We’ll see.”

There’s definitely a lot of truth to this story—life is unpredictable and things change constantly. Sometimes we need patience and perspective when we label things as either good or bad.

But when I think about everything we’ve gone through this past year, this approach doesn’t feel satisfying. It’s simply not enough to just say, “We’ll see” in the face of severe tragedy.

Our tradition offers other approaches. For example, our sages taught that there was once a famous rabbi named Nachum Ish Gamzu. According to our sages, Nachum was called "Ish Gamzu," “a man of Gamzu,” because he would always say "Gam zu l'tovah" which means "This too is for the good."

The story goes that Nachum was once sent by the Jewish community to present a chest filled with precious jewels to the Roman emperor. Along the way, he stopped at an inn, and while he slept, the innkeeper secretly emptied the chest of its jewels and replaced them with ordinary dirt so it would weigh the same and he wouldn’t notice.

When Nachum arrived at the emperor's palace and presented the chest, the emperor opened it and became furious to find it full of dirt. His advisors said he should execute poor Nachum for insulting the emperor. But Nachum only responded, "Gam zu l’tovah"—“This too is for the good."

Now, the sages had a legend that Abraham was able to defeat four mighty kings and rescue his nephew Lot because he had this miracle dirt, that like a superpower, would turn into arrows when thrown. So, at that moment, the prophet Elijah appeared, (he doesn’t only go to seders and brisses) disguised as one of the emperor's advisors and suggested that maybe this is that same kind of dirt. The emperor decides to test this theory in a battle against. The dirt miraculously turned into arrows, leading the Romans to victory. The emperor, overjoyed, rewards Nachum with great riches and sends him back to his community in honor.

There’s also some truth in this story too. Hope is essential, and there’s power in staying positive, even in tough situations. Nachum’s belief that “this too is for the good” reminds us that sometimes, a positive outlook can lead to unexpected good. It doesn’t mean everything will always turn out miraculously well, but it does show the strength that can come from holding onto hope.

Still, this approach can similarly leave us wanting. How can we say everything is ultimately for the good, in the face of overwhelming tragedy? Not everything can be explained as part of God’s plab.

A better fit for us might be the words of Kohelet, in the Bible, who said that there is, “A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” (Ecclesiastes 3:4)

This verse from Kohelet argues that we should cry and mourn when bad things happen, and laugh and dance when good things happen. It’s a simple acknowledgment that life brings both joy and sorrow, and each response is natural and appropriate to its time. It reminds us that taking it one day at a time, crossing each bridge when we get to it, is sometimes exactly what we need and the only thing we can do.

But what then do we mean when wishing someone a shanah tovah? We can’t just hope that people will only have reasons to celebrate, not this year. Because, even if everything improves tomorrow and the best outcomes we can imagine occur here and around the world, the world has changed. We will still need time to cry, to mourn, and to reflect on the tragedies we are witnessing.

The three perspectives offered in each of these traditions, the lessons of the old farmer, of Nachum Ish Gamzu and Kohelet, are valuable at different moments of life. And, I said at the beginning there isn’t a one size fits all answer to our question. But I will offer as an example my own interpretation and you are welcome to take what works for you and leave behind what doesn’t.

When I wish you a shanah tova, whether I just say shanah tovah or I offer you the full phrase"—"May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year"— this is what it means to me.

L’shanah tovah - May you be inscribed and sealed for a year where you have no new reasons to mourn or cry and many new reasons to laugh and celebrate each and every day.

L’shana tovah - May you have the perspective and the patience ,when you need them, so that you can celebrate despite the circumstances this past year has left to us.

L’shana Tovah - May you have hope and faith when you need them to look at the world around you and see that there are still many reasons to celebrate, people to celebrate, and blessings that surround us.

L’shanah Tovah - May you find the healing, the comfort and the strength you need to enjoy everything good this upcoming year will give you.

May you be inscribed and sealed for the good things that you want and need, to live a good life each and every day of the year, both in your personal lives and in this sacred community here in Hudson.

Finally, may we all see the return of all hostages, and an end to the wars, the terror, and the destruction, the hate, the extremism and the violence that has plagued us and instead see a world of promise, a world of life, love and care. A good world. L’shana tovah tikatevu vitehatemu.

Rabbi Dave Almog

Congregation Anshe Emeth

Rosh Hashanah Oct. 2, 2024

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