Towards Rosh Hashanah - Are you ready to be free to make choices?

Dear Friends,

How are you all doing? It's getting closer to Elul, the last month of the year, and the traditional month for doing your best to take notice of Hashem's love for you and to let it inspire your drawing close to Him.

In other words, think about your High Holiday plans soon. Think about where you want to spend the days of Awe, and speak to the Rabbi or Rebbitzen who you want to help you make arrangements.

I can hear some of you thinking "I'll be fine", which is probably true. The question is, is 'being fine" all you want. Some of you may have heard about the more disturbing events tht have taken place here. A man who was imprisoned ten years ago for stabbing several people at the Gay Pride event was released just a short while (if I'm not mistaken 3 months) before this years event. Guess what? He attended the parade and stabbed 6 more people. The reason that I am telling you this (since some of you live in caves and don't hear the news), is that it is so reflective of the way denial is so much part of human nature. The parole authorities didn't want to see reality. They didn't even put restrictions on his movements. One of my sons, (Chaim ) is involved with the kind of people that most of us avoid. He knew the criminal and was not at all surprised at what had happened. I thought that he would tell me that the man was obsessed with homophobia. Instead he told me something that I will share with you.

"He consciously or subconsciously wanted to be back in prison. He has no responsibilities there, no disappointments. His physical needs are met, and he even has some companionship. He would do anything to avoid freedom."

Are you really willing to be free, to make real choices?

This is the best time to think this over,

all the best,
Tziporah