As the New Year approaches: Joy or dread?
I remember, as a boy, standing beside my father in shul during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, listening to him as he recited Avinu Malkeinu. Two words in Hebrew, four in English: Our Father, Our King.And I remember asking him once, which one is it, Tatty? Is God a king, sitting in judgment on high, weighing every deed on His scales? Or is He a loving father?My dad smiled the way dads do when a question is bigger than the child asking it.He told the story of a Jew back in Eastern Europe who made his living as an innkeeper on a crossroads where there was no Jewish community and no school to send his children to. So he became his kids’ teacher. It was home-schooling long before that idea became popular.But in the place in their home designated as a classroom, he played the role of teacher quite firmly.…
As Rosh Hashanah approaches, the article explores the dual nature of God as both a King in judgment and a loving Father, a concept encapsulated in the prayer "Avinu Malkeinu." The author recounts a childhood conversation with his father explaining this balance. Drawing on Chassidic teachings, particularly Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi's parable of the "King in the Field," the article emphasizes that during the month of Elul, God, like a king who leaves his palace to meet his subjects, is uniquely accessible and embraces individuals as they are. While acknowledging the necessity of "Awe of Heaven," the piece argues that love, not dread or guilt, should be the primary motivator for repentance. It concludes by encouraging believers to approach the New Year with hope and confidence in God's loving embrace, rather than fear.
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