My Light and my Salvation

My Light and my Salvation

The Halacha instructs us through the month of Elul until the end of Sukkos, morning and evening, to recite Tehillim #27,"L'Dovid, Hashem Ori v'Yishi". The reason for this comes from the medresh that states that Hashem is Ori, my Light, on Rosh Hashana, and Yishi, my salvation, on Yom Kippur. How may we understand that Hashem is my light on Rosh Hashana? Light is that which allows us to see and make progress through our lives. One of the main elements to success is clarity. The opening sentence of the Mesilas Yesharim tells us that the foundation of goodness and perfect service is to define clearly and endorse our life-duty, and towards what goal which need to strive throughout our lives. Clarity is what helps us focus on our goals and free us from time- and energy-robbing distractions. With Clarity, we may reach true achievement in a clean, powerful way. This CLARITY, Rosh Hashana gives us, and we must value it for bringing us “the Light" that leads us to every victory.

To this clarity, Yom Kippur adds an element that is still more important to us. Because while we see our goals and dreams, we know that we cannot reach them without heavenly help. Thus on Yom Kippur, Hashem is our Saviour, who brings us to our greatest desires. IF we will want it enough, and if we will pray for it enough, we can have it all! Through knowing that Hashem will save us, we can put our major effort and exertion into our prayers, which is of course, the main activity of these high holy days.

Still, we need something more. While Yom Kippur can grant us every happiness, health, prosperity and spiritual growth, evil forces work to strip us of all this. The main such force is the Eyn Horo, the Evil Eye that snatches away all our gains. Interestingly, the Eyn Horo is not imposed on us solely by the jealousy and resentment of others, but our sages teach, that we even inflict an Eyn Horo on ourselves by surveying with pride and smugness of all that "is ours". As such, we need a shelter to protect us from its destruction. This "Hashem Ori v'Yishi" goes on to request in its words, "For He will hide me in His sukka on a day of evil" (verse 5). Thus with Sukkos, we may learn to take shelter in the greatest Insurance of All, Hashem Yisboruch.

These lessons that we learn from the holidays approaching us, are so vital and necessary that they play a part in our thrice-daily Amida. At the end of the first brocha, Magen Avraham, we declare that Hashem is our King (Rosh Hashana), our Helper (during the 10 days of teshuva), our Saviour (Yom Kippur) and our shield (Sukkos). May we merit all, to internalize and thus acquire these marvelous ideas for our every day and our ultimate success!