A Rosh Hashanah Reflection: The Path Of Returning

Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the beginning of a new year in the Hebrew calendar, conveys a universal message. The  Talmud explains that since the world was created on Rosh Hashanah, God judges all creatures every year on that date. The  heavenly records are opened on this day, revealing both the good deeds and sins of individuals (b. Rosh Hashanah 16b).

Human beings may wonder how to mitigate the potential penalty for their offenses. In the Jerusalem Talmud (y. Makkot  2:6-31d), an answer is provided in a unique manner: "Wisdom was asked: what is the punishment for the transgressor? It  answered: (Proverbs 13:21): sins will pursue sinners. Prophecy was asked, and it answered (Ezekiel 18:4): the sinning soul  is the one who will die. God was asked and answered: let the sinner repent and it will be atoned for him. That is what is  written Ps. 25:8: “Therefore, [God] teaches the way to the sinners”, which is the way to repentance.

Beruria, the wife of Rabbi Meir, emphasized in a conversation with him that God desires not for the disappearance of  sinners, but for the disappearance of sins. This is supported by the verse from Psalms 104:35 which states, “The sins of the  earth will end, and the wicked will disappear.” The meaning is not that the wicked will perish, but rather that they will  cease to do evil and will no longer be considered as such (Midrash Tehillim 104).

The act of repenting for one's wrongdoings and undergoing a profound change in attitude towards life is known in Hebrew as Teshuvah. This word comes from the ShUV root, which means “to return.” The concept of returning to God and  choosing the path of justice over wrongdoing is frequently mentioned in the words of the prophets (Isaiah 44:22; Jeremiah  3:12-14; 4:1; Hosea 14:2; etc.) 
Teshuvah is expected by God, who renders divine judgment on all individuals, nations, and peoples, during the period  from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). However, the sages believe that every day of a person's life  should involve the practice of Teshuvah (Avot deRabbi Natan, Nuscha B, 29).

Our current reality calls for a return of humanity to sanity. The countless deaths resulting from violence across the globe  and the reckless manipulation of immense technological power urgently demand a collective commitment to life and the  preservation of God's creation. We are not the owners of the world.

In the Talmudic tractate on blessings (b. Berakhot 35a), the sages ponder the apparent contradiction between the verses  "The Earth is the Lord's and all that is in it" (Psalms 24:1) and "The heavens belong to God, but God has given the earth to  mankind" (Psalms 115:16). If all the fruits of the earth belong to the Lord, how can humans use them? And how did  humans come to possess the earth? Rabbi Levi explained that everything belongs to God, and it only becomes the  property of humans and permissible to consume after the fruit has been blessed. Only by acknowledging the Creator can  we make proper use of what has been created for us. 

The future of humanity depends on maintaining the balance between the authority given to humans by God and their consciousness of the Creator. The Book of Lamentations, traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, contains elegies  written after the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. In Lamentations 5:21, it says, "Turn us towards you, Lord, and  we will return to you; renew our days as of old." Today's humanity needs to accomplish such a return before future  destructions occur. We must change the paradigm that centers around power, possessions, and immediate pleasures  instead of focusing on returning to God.

The concept of return is also seen in Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), where the wayward son returns as  a changed person, similar to words found in Yalkut Shimoni, Tehillim 855, to Psalms 102:19.

The Bible presents humanity between two poles: the Garden of Eden and a peaceful world achievable through the actions of all people. This desired world can be reached by returning to God, through Teshuvah, which is the hope and longing  renewed by the Jewish people on Rosh Hashanah each year.

The above is an address given by Rabbi Abraham Skorka at Georgetown University, Washington DC.