Dear Elan,
You have always been inspired by the words that open the final parsha of the month of Elul:
אתם ניצבים היום כולכם לפני ה’ אלקיכם
You are standing this day, all of you, before the Lord your God
Spoken just before Rosh HaShana, these words powerfully prepare you for the Days of Awe. “Standing” has nothing to do with your position relative to the ground. To “stand” here means to be positioned relative to purpose. It implies being held to account, and it evokes that timeless answer to God’s call spoken by Jewish prophets throughout the ages: הנני – Here am I.
That the Almighty cares enough to judge your acts and demand of you an accounting is more empowering than terrifying. It means that each of us is valuable and powerful. It demands that we treasure our gifts and never take ourselves for granted. And it obligates us to apply our talents for the betterment of our community, our country, and our world.
Remember that is the real purpose of the High Holidays. You examine your imperfections over the last year not as an end in itself, but as a means toward an empowered aspiration to reach higher and to be better.
For this approaching year 5780, may we all feel God’s love and be inspired to love ourselves and our fellows, may we be filled with gratitude for our blessings, and may we succeed in vanquishing evil and making our world an even better place.
Yours truly,
Elan
Elan Carr is a Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, US State Department.
