Rosh Hashanah night 1

1. Food: 1.1. Food integral part of every Yom Tov. In fact, essential all year round. (dont look at me). Joke: Woman to her husband: "The food here is terrible...and such small portions!" Rosh Hashanah especially. Many symbolic foods. 1.2. 1) Apple in honey 2) Challah in honey 3) Pomegranate 3) Head of fish, or for the more daring head of sheep (how appetizing). Each item symbolic. 1.3. Food doesnt grow on trees (well some do) requires preparation. Idea of preparation is theme of Elul = month of purification, preparation. Just as meal requires preparation RH YK requires cleansing process. 1.4. For a Jewish home doesnt only begin with ingredients even vessels need preparation. 1.5. Want to focus on the Koshering of vessels. View it as metaphor for our personal Kashering process. Semicha focus on these laws. Every law understood 2 dimensions: body and soul. Want to explore three ideas fundamental in navigating our own lives. 2. Two laws: 2.1. 1st issue: In matters of Kashrut, more than meets the eye. Torah definition of non- kosher beyond observable. Vessel used for trief even if trief no longer there absorbs residue. Transfers to kosher food, rendering it unfit. There even if unobservable. Must be dealt with. 2.2. What to do? To quote telegram Chaim sent friend Yankel Begin worrying. Details to follow. 2.3. 1st thing to remember: all is not lost, there are ways to rectify. 2.4. Koshering process. 1 underlying principle of Koshering process Kbolo Kach Polto Manner absorbed, manner expelled. Goes out the way came in. 2.5. Cold items = cold water, Trief cooked = boiling water, directly over fire BBQ = libun blowtorch till white. 2.6. Dont try this at home consult rabbinic authority. 3. Three Lessons: 3.1. Summarize 3 lessons: 1) inside counts 2) if can absorb, can emit 3) process extraction similar to absorption. Beauty of inner teachings of Torah come into play. 4. Inside and out: 4.1. As humans, superficial, judgmental. Not by fault of own, part of human nature. We can only see the external, especially regarding human behavior. Child, friend, self do something good we congratulate acknowledge, without going deeper motives heart soul. 4.2. Look on outside with regard to self as well. Instead of dealing with inner issues greed, anger, insensitivity, - repress it, ignore it. After all as long as Im doing what I have to, its ok. You cannot fool God; ultimately, you cannot fool others either. The only one you can fool is yourself. And to fool a fool is no great achievement 4.3. Modern psychology began recognizing power of unconscious. Torah law of Kosher illustrates importance of dealing with insides as well as outsides. Without soul the body will disintegrate. Deal with motives, character traits, emotions. 4.4. 1st rule of Teshuva: recognize importance of inside, dont discount action but dont suffice with it. Inside counts regarding Kashrut and ourselves. 5. Breaking and fixing:

5.1. Chassid came to R. Nachman: Rebbe!, life doomed, Ive destroyed, sabotaged life! My son, Im Ata maamin, if break can fix!. Elementary idea yet often ignored. View self as victim of circumstance. Nothing I can do. All is lost. Doomed. Lift hands helplessly. 5.2. But why? Why have faith in ability to destroy yet not believe that we can fix? True, may be more difficult, but power of transformation 2-way street. 5.3. Ruzin & Rimanov shidduch. Ruzhiner: Yichus important Great-Grandfather = Magid, Grandfather = R.Avraham the Malach. And you? Rimanover: I was orphaned, raised by tailor taught two lessons guiding my life: 1)Mend the old 2) care not to ruin new Ah!, now that is yichus Recognition in our ability to mend the old. 6. Getting it out: 6.1. How do we go about removing the problematic substances? KBolo Kach Polto. 6.2. Modern Psychology has many suggestions how to remove harmful character traits. 1) Psychoanalysis. 2) Behavioral therapy, 3) cognitive therapy. Neurotic builds castles in air, psychotic lives in them, psychoanalyst collects rent from both. 6.3. Rambam 1000 years ago presents revolutionary idea. Situation that allowed you to absorb negative trait can be the very situation allowing rectification. 6.4. Rambam Teshuva: Same situation same circumstances, but abstain resist, that is perfect Teshuva. Thief, not stealing from bank truck. 6.5. Nothing as powerful as being in the same moment with all it entails, and stoping. Kbolo Kach Polto. Hashem presents us with these repeat scenarios to help us remove these traits. Opportunity to remove them. Orchestrated as aide to Teshuva. Confront same situation and force self to respond differently. 7. Conclusion & Story: 7.1. As we begin 10 days repentance, important to reflect on what needs change, & how to achieve change. 7.2.