As many of you will know, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at sundown on Monday. May the new year, 5766, be a year of peace, of health, and prosperity for us all, and for all the world. May we all be inscribed in the book of life for a good and sweet year.
"Let the old year and its curses end; let the new year and its blessings begin!"
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From Maimonides Laws of Repentance 3:
[T]hroughout the entire year, one should always look at oneself as equally balanced between merit and sin, and the world as equally balanced between merit and sin. If one performs even one sin, one tips the balance and that of the entire world to the side of guilt and brings destruction upon oneself. [On the other hand,] if one performs even one mitzvah, one tips one's balance to the side of merit and brings deliverance and salvation to oneself and others. This is implied by [Proverbs 10:25]: "A righteous person is the foundation of the world"; that is, one who acted righteously tipped the balance of the entire world to merit and saved it.
From the faculty of CLAL - The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership:
What does it mean to live out your prayers with your life?
If your prayers are full of praise for the sun, moon, and stars, you would pay attention to the nighttme sky. You'd work to preserve the atmosphere, you'd study astronomy, celebrate the New Moon, and wear sunscreen.
If you are thankful for health, you would do your part to preserve or improve it. You would exercise, eat right, seek caregivers with the greatest wisdom. You would celebrate all the parts of your body that work well each day.
If your request is for peace, you would do your part to establish it in all the worlds you inhabit.
If your prayer is for forgiveness, you would resolve the lawn mower incident with your neighbor, you'd write a letter and forgive your senators for what they didn't do in the past year, and you would tell them what they must do now.
