From the Rabbi - August 2025

Even though we are in the midst of summer, we are moving towards the month of Elul, the month leading us to the Yamim Noraim—the Days of Awe and Wonder (also known as the High Holydays). We are at one of the most important times of our year. During this time, as we look towards the new year, with all of its potential, we reflect on the past year: what we did and what we didn’t do.

All too often, we focus too much on the past—on the things we didn’t do or the things we didn’t do 100%.  When we do this, we often overlook the many good things we have done. Granted, all of us make mistakes; all of us miss the mark at one time or another. However, this doesn’t mean that we never do anything correct or that we are always making mistakes. All too often, we focus only on the negatives: what we didn’t do and the mistakes we’ve made.

One thing that the High Holydays teaches us is that we can change things for the better: we can repair. Rebbe Nachman of Breslov teaches: “If you think you can destroy, believe that you can repair.” Rebbe Nachman understood human nature better than most people. He realized that we all walk around feeling bad about ourselves. He suggests that we let go of those feelings and focus instead on the good that we can do. Yes, we can make mistakes—we can destroy; however, we can also repair and rebuild.

Rebbe Nachman suggests that while we can acknowledge the past, we need to be in the present. Our Tradition lays great emphasis on the past: we are commanded to remember many things—that we were slaves, what Amalek did to us. We hold ancient landmarks and texts in great esteem. We remember them, and we celebrate the fact that things have changed—for the better. The past is gone: we can’t change it. What we can do, however, is build upon it—for the better.

Moreover, ours is also a Tradition rooted in the present. While we look to the past for guidance, we live in the here and now. The month of Elul and the Yamim Noraim are times of endings and beginnings. We close one year and we welcome another. The coming weeks are times of great introspection and self-examination: we look back on the past year to see where we may have failed, where we missed the mark. But we are also looking forward: we look to the new year as a chance to begin again.

​We as a people are called “Am haSefer,” “People of the Book,” for our love of the Torah and our ancient traditions. However, we also say “Am Yisrael Chai,” “The People Israel lives.” We look to the past, but we go forward to the future.

For me, I learned that we can’t live by hoping to change the past. What’s done is done. However, we can make the future better; we can make it what we want it to be.

Have a pleasant rest of the summer. Remember, the High Holydays are only weeks away.