This week, I had the privilege of learning a valuable lesson from an unexpected teacher – my four-year-old grandson Noach. At the Shabbat table, there was a discussion about why we eat round Challot on Rosh Hashanah. He suddenly piped up and said: “A circle is like a crown of a king.”  This was a reference to the idea that on Rosh Hashanah, we crown G-d as King of the universe once again and accept His sovereignty. (When he was asked where he heard that from, he said it was his teacher in pre-school at Kesser Torah College).

 

Apart from the sweetness of the moment and the reminder that we can learn from everyone regardless of age, I have been reflecting on the idea of ‘crowning’ G-d on Rosh Hashanah.  

 

Coronating G-d as our King each year on Rosh Hashana means surrendering to His will, acknowledging His omnipotence and omnipresence and that He is the source of all blessings.

 

Surrender is often seen as a weakness and a loss of self. In this case, however, it isn’t.  It is the biggest gift to us to connect to G-d and become part of His reality. It is an opportunity to acknowledge our finiteness, human ego and selfishness. It is a time to be thankful that we can break free from our own constraints, rising above our ego to become part of something infinitely greater. This surrender allows us to leave our selfishness and embrace selflessness. It transports us from the world of self-indulgence and leads us to a life of purpose and meaning. 

 

Coronating G-d on Rosh Hashanah also opens us up to His infinite blessings.  When He sees each of us trying our best to accept His sovereignty, He listens to all of our prayers and grants us a Shana Tova Umetuka.

 

Shana Tova and A Good Shabbos

Back Back