“Blessed are You Hashem, the King who forgives and pardons our sins and the sins of His people.” (Amidah of Yom Kippur)

How can we say this berachah with conviction? Can we be sure that Hashem will definitely forgive us? Rabbi D. Staum quotes the Dubner Maggid with a great parable. It’s about a young boy who could not convince his father to give him a cookie. The clever youth climbed onto the counter next to the cookie jar and loudly recited the berachah...Boreh mineh mezonot.” The father did not want his son to have recited a berachah in vain, so he quickly gave a cookie to his jubilant son.

So it is with us. We may not be deserving of forgiveness, but we know Hashem loves us like a father and we are confident that He will not want us to have recited the blessing in vain.

May I take this opportunity to bless, from the bottom of my heart, every member of our shul with a beautiful year of life, health, happiness, and good livelihood. And may all of our children who are eligible find their partner in marriage this year, Amen. Tizku Leshanim Rabot. Rabbi Reuven Semah

Although Yom Kippur atones for a good portion of our sins, those transgressions between man and his fellow man are not forgiven unless we ask our friend to forgive us first. This should be a priority on everyone's list as we come to Yom Kippur, because we want to achieve the best atonement possible and we need to be forgiven by those we may have wronged. It is a proper custom to ask all of our friends' forgiveness before the holiday and to say we forgive them when asked by them.. It is especially important to kiss our parents' hands on Ereb Kippur and ask their forgiveness and, if they are not near us, to do it on the telephone. In addition, many synagogues have instituted that before Kal Nidre it is announced that everyone should forgive each other and everyone should say that they have forgiven. This creates a tremendous force of atonement in Heaven and will affect a Divine Pardon by Hashem to all His people. Tizku Leshanim Rabot. Rabbi Shmuel Choueka

A quick tip to boost the power of your prayer. Hazal tell us (Masechet Baba Kama Daf 92A) that Hashem loves the tefilot of one Jew for another so much that anyone who prays on behalf of a fellow Jew with similar needs will have his prayer answered first. A special service has now begun to provide people with names of others who find themselves in a similar predicament. You can call with complete anonymity and get the name of someone to pray for and give the name of someone that needs our prayers. The name of the service is Kol Hamitpalel. Categories include: Marriage; Income; Health; To have children etc.

Call to 646-279-8712 or email kol18@attglobal.net (Privacy of email limited by the email address)

Please pass this message along. Tizku L'misvot.

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