Rosh Hashanah Eve - 2006   Questions for a New Year   God asks four questions in the early chapters of the book of Genesis:   Where are you?   (3:9) Where is Abel your brother?   (4:9) Where are you coming from?   (16:8) Where are you going?   (16:8)   Judaism is more about knowing the right questions to ask, than about knowing the right answers to give.  There are many who view Rosh Hashanah as an answer.  We come to pray for life, for health, for love, for contentment, for success.  But we might benefit more, if we were to view Rosh Hashanah as a time to ask a series of questions.  What is the meaning of life?  Why is there suffering?  What is the measure of success?  What is our relationship with God? Why do we really come to the synagogue on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?   On Rosh Hashanah eve, as a New Year is about to begin, I prepare questions, both old and new and modified, as tools for reflection.  Each question could be a starting point for teshuvah, for making the kind of change that this season encourages.   What was your greatest achievement in this past year?   What was your greatest disappointment in this past year?   What in this last year brought you the most joy?   What in this last year brought you the most regret?   How much time did you waste last year?   How much non productive time did you spend on a computer last year?   How much time did you waste on a cell phone talking or text messaging last year?   Is it really important to be "phone available"  24-7?   Can you live without your "Blackberry"? What project or goal, if left undone, will you most regret next Rosh Hashanah?   The kind deed: did you perform it or postpone it?   The unnecessary criticism or insult: did you say it or hold it back?   Are you content with where you are "at" today?   Where would you like to be "at" five years from now?   What do you fear now that you did not fear before September 11,  2001?   Should we withdraw from Iraq immediately?   Should we use our military power to stop the genocide in the Sudan?   Should we use our military power in Iran or Korea?   Will any of us ever feel safe again?   How do the victims of AIDS in Africa compare to the victims of natural disasters or genocides?   How do the poor and homeless of the Lehigh Valley compare to last year's victims of last year's hurricanes?   Do you think that there is still racism in the United States?   Do you believe in Global warming?   What are you willing to sacrifice to improve Global warming?   Should we outlaw SUVs and other vehicles that use large amounts of gasoline?   How will you react to a gas shortage or an oil shortage?   What would you be willing to sacrifice to help preserve limited natural resources?   Is it worse to pay $3 for a gallon of gasoline or for a cup of coffee?   Are there any ideals or causes for which you would be willing to die?   Are you as patriotic tonight as you were on September 12, 2001?   If so, what does this patriotism mean?   Do you vote?   If you are unhappy with the politicians in office, would you run in their place? Why do so many worry more about themselves than about the community?   What is the purpose of your job? If you had all the money you needed, would you still work at your present job?   What is the purpose of retirement?   Do you do anything for others during retirement?   If you could live life over, would you change anything?   What is the purpose of your studies? If you didn't need to work or study, what would you do with your time?   If you weren't in college, where would you be?   If someone does not go to college, does it matter?   Does it make any difference which college one attends?   When you graduate college, will you seek the job with the most satisfaction or the most money?  Why do so many college students engage in binge drinking?   Are too many college students engaged in online gambling?   Why do so many intelligent people start habits and addictions that will do them substantial, physical harm?   If you knew you couldn't fail, what would you undertake to accomplish in life?   What is the smallest amount of money you could live on for one year?   How much have your feelings about the Palestinians and Arabs, Hamas and Hizbollah changed this year? How did you feel this summer when Israel was under attack? How do you feel a year later about the disengagement from Gaza? Did you know that hundreds of rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel since the disengagement? How would you feel if a friend or loved one died in a terrorist attack in Israel?   Would it feel any different if a friend or loved one died in a terrorist attack in the United States?   During the war with Hizbollah, did you feel that Israel's existence was  threatened?  Does Iran threaten Israel's existence?   What would your life be like if, God forbid, there were no Israel?   Is there a difference between anti-Israel-ism and anti-Semitism?   How do you feel about the increase in anti-Semitism around the  world?   What is Jewish continuity?   Why should we even care if the Jewish community continues?   Do you believe that "the best things in life are free?"   Why is it so important that life be happy, rather than meaningful? What was the last new thing you learned?  What do you want to learn next?  What would you like to teach? Did you learn more about Judaism before or after your Bar or Bat Mitzvah?   What new mitzvah did you perform last year? Do you ever think about performing an additional mitzvah for the coming year? Does the opening of a new Mikvah in the Lehigh Valley mean anything to you? What would you be willing to give up to attain spiritual enlightenment? Did we really give to tzedakah as much as we could have easily afforded?   Have you contributed to the Israel Crisis Fund?   Do you believe that Israel has a financial crisis?   Do you really need to shop or make appointments on Shabbat?   Do you ever rest on Shabbat? Is your seder just a big meal with matzah?  If so, how does it differ from those who eat matzah at big meals all year? How would you feel if all your grandchildren were not Jewish?   Did you connect with your grandchildren this year?   Did you connect with your grandparents this year? If you could give your children only three pieces of advice, what would they be? If you could give your parents only three pieces of advice, what would they be?   Whom do you admire the most and why? How many of your friends are from a different culture or race than you? Whom do you consider to be your enemy?  If you were stuck in an elevator together with him or her, what would your conversation be like?   How do you react to friends who are in pain?   Is it really in your heart to forgive, or do you merely say the words?  With whom did you fight this past year?   With whom do you wish to reconcile in this New Year? Those who mean the most to you -- have you ever told them how you feel?  Do you ever say to them – I love you?   Do you ever participate in fun, Jewish rituals? If the survival of the Jewish people depended on you, would we survive?   Why are you here tonight?   Why are you not here on so many other occasions?   What new goals have you set for yourself for the coming year?   Why is changing so hard?   The High Holidays provide us with an opportunity to think, to reflect, to ask questions and, ultimately, to seek answers, from yourself and from Judaism.  Let us use our time wisely, and perform teshuvah thoughtfully and seriously.     << Back to Rabbi Juda's Sermons