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50 | Harav Avrohom Shulman Harav Shlomo Singer | 51

Yomim Noraim are merely an attempt to be better, but in reality, we are not Harav Shlomo Singer
on that level. The Alter of Kelm explained that the real you is the Holy Yid
from Yom Kippur, not the one who may falter at a later point! On Yom Kippur Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshiva Ner Boruch - PTI
our true essence is brought forth through Tefillah and a separation from the
material world.
Answering the Call: Getting Close to Hashem
This idea can be seen in the well known Rambam regarding the message of
the Shofar. The Rambam )ד”ה ,ג”פ( writes that the message of the Shofar is
”םכתנישמ םינישי ורוע ורוע“, exhorting all of us to wake up from our sleep. Rav
Wolbe explained that this describes our status during the year. Our neshama t’s Elul and we our neshama is feeling Rosh Hashana approaching. Court is
is enveloped by desire, middos raos, luxuries and is “asleep”. The Shofar is about to be in session. Our life is in the balance. We feel it. We’re nervous
reminding us to peel away those layers and allow our true essence to emerge. I about it. We can’t stop the clock.
With this vision in mind, we can strive to do sincere Teshuva and accomplish It makes sense to be nervous. In our own generation, I don’t think we’ve faced
genuine change. Our Avodas Hashem during this time of the year is not as great a test as we have in this Covid pandemic. Every Jew on earth—every
merely to establish a madreigah that we will be lucky to maintain, but rather human being on earth—has had to confront it. And it isn’t over yet.
to experience the lofty potential for kedusha there exists within each one of
us. This recognition will enable us to have the clarity to sustain the growth It’s sobering. But it can give us sign for optimism also, because Hashem doesn’t
that we have achieved during the Yomim Noraim, because truthfully that is manifest Himself so clearly when He is more removed. This wake-up call is a
who we really are. reminder to us that the Almighty wants us close, wants us connected. Let me
explain.

Let me preface that whatever insights I can share really come from the Rosh
Yeshiva, Rav Meir Stern shlita, who received his own Torah from the Brisker
Rav and others.

How do we interpret our current state of affairs, such as it’s been in the last 18
months to today? Is there one word that captures the challenge?
Separation. In our shuls, in our communities, and even in our families, there’s
been tremendous separation. Each is symbolic of a separation with Hashem
Himself.

Now, how do we connect this to the time we are in, to Rosh Hashana, to
Yom Kippur? The Mabit, in his sefer on tefillah, Bais Elokim, explains that we
have an opportunity now to stop this state of separation. We can re-connect.
It all happens with a word we all know-- teshuva. Return. But what are we
returning to?

A Agudah Achas
Agudah Achasgudah Achas