Community Torah Corner, September 30, 2022

The Talmud (Berachot 27b-28a) relates an episode of a dispute between Rabban Gamilel, the head of the Academy, and Rabbi Yehoshua regarding a certain point of law during which Rabban Gamliel publicly embarrassed Rabbi Yehoshua. The students decided to replace Rabban Gamliel. The task was to find an appropriate replacement. Several suggestions were put forth, but for various reasons the candidates were not accepted. Finally it was decided that Rabbi Ellazar ben Azariah was the best choice. However, Rabbi Elazar’s wife disagreed; her husband was only 18 years old and she was afraid that because of his youth he would not carry the respect an older person would. That night a miracle occurred and strands of gray appeared in Rabbi Elazar’s beard, giving him an older appearance. And so, Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah took his place at the helm of the Academy.

There is one aspect of this story that bothers me.  It is that Rabbi Elazar didn’t earn those gray hairs. When I look at myself in the mirror each morning, I know that I have earned my gray hair through living my life, being a parent, a teacher, a husband, earning a living, experiencing all the vicissitudes of life, all the ups and downs, illness and recovery, I am entitled to my gray. The gray is testimony to the glorious reality I am alive.

We are on the threshold of a new year as 5783 has now begun. We have heard the shofar on Rosh HaShanah. This Shabbos is known as Shabbos Shuva for at the beginning of the Haftarah, the prophet Hoshea exhorts the Jewish people with the opening words “Shuva Yisrael … “ to return to God. This Shabbos is devoted to the theme of the season: Teshuva.  It is a time to review the past year, and as the Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Maimonides 1138-1204) writes in his Laws of Teshuva, a time to think about the choices we have made, to acknowledge the mistakes we have made and honestly strive to improve. But we also need to think of the year ahead.  What experiences will I have this year?  Do I have the ability to make a difference?

The story is told of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter (1809-1883), the father of the Mussar Movement in Europe. One night he walked past a shoemaker working by candle light. Rabbi Salanter asked  the shoemaker how much more work he could really do since the candle was about to burn out.  The shoemaker replied, ”As long as the candle is burning, there is more to do.”

How poignant the shoemaker’s response!  Rosh HaShanah speaks about the Book of Life.  For each of us that book is still being written. The new year will present us with new opportunities, new experiences which will become the next chapter of our book. Our task is to ensure that our individual book is a best seller.

How many new gray hairs will appear in the mirror this year?

Wishing all a Gut Shabbos.