This was the worst Rosh Hashana of my life

Yom Kippur/Simchas Torah Honours

Question of the Week: This was my worst Rosh Hashana ever. I come to shul to pray for a good year, and I take it very seriously. I truly believe that if Rosh Hashona goes well, the year will go well too. But someone ruined it for me this year. Everything was going fine, the chazan was singing beautifully, your sermons were right on the mark, but the seat I was given spoiled everything. The person sitting next to me didn't give me a moment of peace. He couldn't sit still. He was fidgeting and moving around all the time. He had to go out every five minutes and each time I had to stand up to let him pass by. His kids kept coming up to him and asking for snacks and making a mess. He had the sniffles and was blowing his nose loudly to the point that I am not sure if I was hearing the Shofar or him. But the final straw was when he fell asleep on my shoulder and started snoring. That's when I lost it. I pushed him away and told him that he should find somewhere else to take a nap. What type of a year am I going to have if I couldn't pray in peace? Answer: Oh no! Oy oy oy! I think you may have missed your moment! There is a certain point over Rosh Hashana that each one of us has our moment of truth. It is the moment when we stand before G-d to be judged. As we say in the prayers, "And every creature passes before you one by one as a flock of sheep." We each get our turn, when the light shines on us and we are judged. And we have no idea when our turn is up. It could be during the prayers, or it could be during the festive meal. It may be when we are at home or it may be on the street as we are walking to services. But there is a hint for us to know when that moment comes. Wherever and whenever that moment comes, we ourselves are being tested. In that moment, we are presented with a situation where we must pass judgment on another person, and the way we judge, whether harshly or kindly, is the way we ourselves are judged. I think you know when your moment was. It was when your neighbour in shul fell asleep on your shoulder. Rather than judge him favourably ("who knows what's going on in his life? who knows what may have kept him up last night? who knows what struggles he is facing at home?") you just got annoyed. No one can blame you for getting frustrated. You are human. But it is in the annoying moments like those that our character is really tested. If you take Rosh Hashana seriously then you need to be very alert not just to the prayers but to every interaction with every person. We never know when our moment will arrive. It's not too late. G-d in His kindness gave us an extension, from Rosh Hashana until Yom Kippur, to fix those little misjudgments and clear the air. So make sure you sit next to that same guy on Yom Kippur. Apologise for your outburst. Give him a bit of slack, and a shoulder to lean on. Then G-d can do the same for you. Good Shabbos and Good Yomtov, may we all be sealed for a blessed year! Rabbi Moss    To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au       YOM KIPPUR AND SIMCHAS TORAH HONOURS  click here The perfect gift to honour someone dear to you, there are several honours and sponsorships on Yom Kippur and Simchas Torah that can be yours.      Still available: Opening ark for Neilah Breaking Fast after Yom Kippur Chosson Bereishis Chosson Kol Hanearim (aliyah with all the kids)  Simchas Torah night Kiddush        A FEW SEATS IN SHUL LEFT FOR YOM KIPPUR - CLICK HERE TO BOOK   NEFESH YOM KIPPUR TIMES (FLOOD ST AND ROSE BAY ARE THE SAME) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kol Nidrei & Yom Kippur Tuesday 18 September, 2018 Mincha (at Flood St only).................................3:00pm Candlelighting and Fast Begins..........................5:30pm Evening Service: ........................................... 6:00pm - 8:00pm Children's Program ........................................ 6:00pm   Yom Kippur Day   Wednesday 19 September, 2018 Morning Service: ............................................. 9:30am Children's Program, ages 0-12 yrs: ................... 10:30am Yizkor: .......................................................... 12:15pm Mincha: .......................................................... 4:30pm Neilah: ........................................................... 5:30pm Final Shofar:.................................................... 6:26pm Fast ends and Maariv........................................ 6:26pm Followed by Havdalah

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ALL SHABBOS SERVICES AT NEFESH    1 FRANCIS ST BONDI BEACH   (OFF CAMPBELL PDE, BEHIND NOAH'S BACKPACKERS)   SHABBOS TIMES & COMMUNITY INFO: VAYELECH ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Friday, 14 September 2018 | 5 Tishrei 5779 Candle Lighting.................................... 5:28pm Mincha................................................ 5:40pm Shabbos Service................................... 6:00-6:50pm Kids Program....................................... 6:00pm Kiddush sponsored by Tom Moss, Ron Moss and Kathy Penn in honour of the yortzheit for their late father, Leslie Moss (Mordechai ben Aron Halevi) on 9 Tishrei/ 18 September; and by Libby Moss and Peter Irving in honour of the yorztheit for their late great-grandmother  Leah Bernhardt on 6 Tishrei/ Saturday 15 September - Long Life.      Shabbos Day, 15 September 2018 | 6 Tishrei 5779 In depth parsha class ........................... 9:00am Shabbos Service.................... 10:00am-12:20pm Kids Program ..................................... 10:30am Followed by Kiddush   Mincha and Seudah Shlishis ........................ 5:25pm Gematria and Story by Rev Amzalak............. 5:45pm Shiur with Rabbi Moss................................. 6:05pm Shabbos ends............................................ 6:23pm Followed by Havdalah   WEEKDAY SERVICES Sunday..................................................... 8:00am Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri................................ 7:00am Latest Shema this week.............................. 8:52am   MAZEL TOV Liz and Ezri Lerba on the birth of a baby boy!   HAPPY BIRTHDAY William Feuermann... 7 Tishrei/ Sunday 16 September Rabbi Moss.............. 7 Tishrei/ Sunday 16 September Luke Lipovic............. 7 Tishrei/ Sunday 16 September Nicola Rosenberg.............. 9 Tishrei/ Tuesday 18 September Yvonne Coburn....... 11 Tishrei/ Thursday 20 September Amielle Hedges....... 11 Tishrei/ Thursday 20 September   LONG LIFE Libby Moss and Peter Irving for their late great-grandmother Leah Bernhardt ....... 6 Tishrei/ Saturday 15 September Ron Moss, Tom Moss and Kathy Penn for their late father Leslie Moss Mordechai ben Aron...... 9 Tishrei/ Tuesday 18 September

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