Why Do We?

…Dip an Apple in Honey on Rosh Hashana?

Everyone knows we dip an apple in honey because we want a sweet year! Reb Yankel Galinsky z”tl asked, “Why do we dip anything? Why not just eat an apple… or just take spoonfuls of honey?” (sounds delicious to me!) “Because,” he explains, “we are showing that we are taking last year – the apple – and dipping it into honey – next year – and making last year sweet!”

“If that’s the case, though,” he asks, “why do we dip something sweet into honey? If we are asking Hashem to take last year – which was bitter and hard – and make it sweet, shouldn’t we dip something bitter into honey? Like… maror?” Obviously, he says, that’s not what is going on here. We dip a sweet apple into sweet honey because really, last year was sweet. And on Rosh Hashanah, we thank Hashem for the sweet year He gave us.” Look around you. Look how much you’ve grown, how much you’ve learned, how many gifts you’ve received this year! Sure there were some days that were hard – maybe very hard – but it was all from Hashem. We say to Hashem, “Thank you for this sweet year… and now let’s make it even sweeter!” When Hashem sees we appreciate what He gave us, He will, i”yH, give us an even better year!

When you dip your apple into honey, try to think of three things you are thankful for from this past year. It might just change your entire year to come. Thank You Hashem!

Free

On Rosh Hashana, we ask Hashem to do chesed for us, because we don’t have enough good deeds to earn what we really want. It is like someone walking into Walmart and asking if he can have his stuff for free! How can we ask Hashem for a good year… for free?

The answer lies in the way we address Hashem – as our Father and King. Hashem not only has the ability to give us everything, but He wants nothing more than to give it to us, even for free! Why? Because Hashem is our Father, who cares about us, more than anyone in the world, and our King who can do anything. May Hashem answer all our prayers and give us all a sweet year in every way!

You Fall Down, You Get Back Up

One Rosh Hashana the Yesod HaAvodah asked one of his talmidim (who had come from a different town), “How did you come here?” “By donkey.” “What would you do if you’d fallen off the donkey, on the way?” “I would get back on and continue traveling to the Rebbe.” “And if you fell down a second time, what would you do?” “I would mount the donkey again.” “And what would you do if you fell a third time?” “Rebbe,” the man said, “What should I do? Just sit on the ground and cry? There’s no choice. I would mount the donkey and try to get to the Rebbe again.”

The entire Beis Medrash was silent. Then the Rebbe said to everyone there, “No matter how many times you fall, just get up and try again. There is no choice. There is no other way.

For example, if a person is trying to refrain from speaking lashon hara, and he fails, he should try to be careful the next time. And if he is trying to overcome his anger, and he becomes angry, he should make another resolve to be calm and collected. Keep on trying, because trying is the purpose. That is called winning the battle against the yetzer hara. A tzaddik falls seven times… and gets back up!” (R’ Elimelech Biderman)