An ignoramus came to shul on Rosh Hashanah morning, having heard that it's the right thing to do, but he did not understand anything that was going on.

After a little while, he noticed that most of the people were crying and he wondered why; there was no quarrel. He analyzed the situation and came to the conclusion that everyone was hungry, as he was, and the davening was taking much too long. When would they finally get home and eat the delicious meats they had prepared for the holy day? Just thinking about it, made him cry too, along with everybody else.

But when the congregation finished reciting the Shemonah Esreh, they stopped crying and listened intently to the chazan. The hungry ignoramus couldn't understand why everyone else had ceased to be hungry. Finally he concluded that everyone must have decided that it pays to delay the meal because the piece of kishkah stewing in the brew tastes better the longer it cooks. So he stopped crying too.

A little later, though, when they began to blow the shofar, everyone started crying again. By now, the fellow was totally confused. Finally he decided that although the kishkah tastes better the longer it cooks, nevertheless, everyone was hungry and had no strength to wait, and wanted to eat now; as soon as possible. So he cried together with them once again.

The Rabbi finished telling his tale and the students understood that it was a reference to the long Exile of the Jewish Nation. Although the longer it takes, the better the Redemption will be, nevertheless we haven't the strength to wait that long. The suffering is unbearable, especially in these unstable times, and we must all pray for the immediate Redemption, by the hands of Moshiach, this very year, amen.

Kesivah veChasimah Tovah.

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