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Stories of
Change

Sivan Rahav Meir and Yedidya Meir

When Rabbi Lau heard the shofar This beautiful story teaches us a simple Breaking down the task
but powerful lesson: that one can move
abbi Yisrael Meir Lau once forward in life and bridge gaps. The he first 10 days of the year
recounted the first and most boy who did not understand a word of are called Aseret Yemei Teshu-
powerful time he heard the Hebrew and who did not know what a vah – 10 Days of Repentance.
Rsound of the shofar during shofar was until the age of eight later TRambam writes of these spe-
Selichot: “We, a group of Holocaust became the Chief Rabbi of Israel and cial days: “Although it is ever well to cry
orphaned children and adolescents, out and repent, during the space of the
immigrated to Israel at the beginning one of the most prominent Jewish 10 days’ time between Rosh Hashanah
speakers in the world.
of Av in 1945, shortly after the end of and Yom HaKippurim it is exceedingly
World War II. At the age of eight, I could better, and the supplication is pres-
not read or write one word in Hebrew, ently accepted, even as it is said: ‘Seek
and in any case, I did not know about How will next year look? Hashem while He may be found’ (Isaiah
Rosh Hashanah and the shofar. After 55:6).” Now the time has come.
a short stay in Atlit controlled by the ave you imagined your-
British and in a children’s institution in self on Rosh Hashanah How do you do teshuvah? How do you
Kfar Saba, I arrived at my uncle’s house, next year? Many explain begin such an internal and personal
Rabbi Mordechai Fogelman zt”l – the Hthat this is precisely what process? In the early days of the Hasidic
rabbi of Kiryat Motzkin, where I grew should be done on Rosh Hashanah. movement, Rabbi Zusha of Hanipol
up until I reached my Bar Mitzvah. At On Rosh Hashanah, our focus is not, heard a scholarly and profound expla-
the heart of the city, the main shul primarily, on looking backwards, but nation of what teshuvah is and then
stands, large and with a high dome. The mostly on looking forward to the year said that he could not reach such a
shul is full on Shabbat and Yom Tov but ahead. We must try to clarify what we high level, so he broke teshuvah down
relatively sparse during the week. want from ourselves, on all levels. for us into smaller parts, smaller tasks,
initial letters. Here is the division he
“I will never forget that morning when Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira, presented:
I accompanied my uncle. It was Rosh hy”d, the Grand Rabbi of Piaseczno
ֹ
Chodesh Ellul davening, with Hallel, who was murdered in the Holocaust, ךי ֶקל ֱא ‘ה ם ִע הֶי ְה ִּ ת םי ִמ ָּ ת ת
the reading of the Torah and the captured this sentiment with a prac- Thou shalt be whole-hearted
Mussaf prayer. I just stared at my siddur tical proposal: with Hashem your G-d.
because I could not yet read it. Suddenly
I jumped in panic at the unfamiliar “If you would like to worship G-d and די ִמ ָת י ִ ּ ד ְג ֶנ ְל ‘ה י ִתי ִּו ִ ׁש ש
sound of a mighty siren that resounded elevate yourself so that you will not be I have set Hashem always before
throughout the shul. Its sound echoes on your 70th birthday as you were on me; surely He is at my right
in my ears still to this day. In Polish, the day of your Bar Mitzvah, please do hand, I shall not be moved.
I asked my uncle what this vibrating the following: every year, set for your-
ָ
ָ
siren meant. I then received my first self a goal. If your name is Reuven, for ךֹומ ָּ כ ך ֲע ֵר ְל ָּ ת ְב ַה ָא ְו ו
lesson in the meaning of the shofar in example, imagine what kind of Reuven You shall love your neighbor
Jewish law and tradition. How already you will be next year, what will your as yourself.
in the month of Ellul we blow it every achievements, your service and your
ָ
ּ
morning to arouse the heart of the middot (character traits) be like one ּוה ֵע ָד ךי ֶכ ָר ְ ּ ד ל ָכ ְב ב
people to teshuvah. How the shofar not year from now. And that imaginary In all your ways
only shakes the heart and reminds us Reuven shall be for you as a measuring acknowledge Him.
of the binding of Yitzchak and Mount stick to assess yourself throughout the
ָ
ֹ
Sinai, but its letters are equal to the year – how much are you still lacking to ךי ֶקל ֱא ם ִע ת ֶכ ֶל ַע ֵנ ְצ ַה ה
word רּו ּ פ ִ ׁש – improvement – improve be that imaginary Reuven? Is your daily Walk humbly with your G-d.
your deeds. I heard all this for the first service and acts of self-improvement
time in my life that morning when I enough to reach the level of next year’s Innocence, devotion, love of Israel, love
was eight years old.” Reuven?” of G-d, modesty – Rabbi Zusha breaks

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