By Cailin Acosta in San Diego
As Rosh Hashanah approaches, a recent High Holiday “Torah and Tea” class taught by Rebbetzin Chaya Andrusier at Chabad of East County, encouraged participants to look beyond the familiar traditions of the holiday and consider deeper questions of purpose, identity and connection to Hashem.
The class began with a story about an Israeli rabbi visiting a wealthy businessman to raise money for a yeshiva. Outside the businessman’s office was a sign reading, “The Boss.” The rabbi pointed out that there is only one true Boss, Hashem. The businessman changed the sign to “Manager.”
The story provided a fitting message for the High Holidays: We make choices and take responsibility for our lives, but ultimately, Hashem is in charge.
The class then turned to Elul, the Hebrew month preceding Tishrei and the High Holidays. Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the first Chabad Rebbe, described Elul with the metaphor of “the King is in the field.” Rather than being distant and inaccessible, the King comes out to meet His people where they are.
Rosh Hashanah itself was presented as a celebration of humanity. According to Jewish tradition, the holiday marks the creation of Adam and Eve, emphasizing the human capacity for free will and choice.
That makes Rosh Hashanah a natural time to ask, “Why am I here?”
The class stressed that every person has a unique purpose. A teaching from the Chabad tradition reminds us that one individual can change the world. Adam stood alone, yet the entire world was placed before him. Each person, therefore, has significance and a role to fulfill.
Participants were also encouraged to consider how they speak to themselves. While self-reflection and improvement are central to the High Holidays, excessive self-criticism can become counterproductive. The class emphasized the Jewish belief that every soul is connected to Hashem and that people possess inherent goodness.
One of the evening’s strongest themes was the idea of returning home. A homing pigeon instinctively finds its way back, and the neshama, or soul, similarly retains its connection to its source.
That idea was illustrated through a story attributed to the Baal Shem Tov about a king and his son. After wandering far from home, the prince returns, but the guards fail to recognize him. Unable to explain who he is, he cries out. The king recognizes the cry of his child and welcomes him home.
The shofar represents that cry of the soul. Its simple sound requires no elaborate words or melody. It is a call to awaken, return and reconnect with Hashem.
The class concluded with another question drawn from the Torah: When Hashem asks Adam, “Where are you?” the question can be understood not simply as a question of location, but as “Where are you in your life? Where are you on your journey?”
Rosh Hashanah offers an opportunity to pause; remove the masks we sometimes wear, and consider who we want to become.
As the new year begins, the shofar serves as a reminder that no matter how far we may wander, the path back to Hashem remains open.
Chabad of East County’s Jewish Women’s Circle “Torah and Tea” next session will be at noon, Thursday, October 15. Click here to rsvp.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of the San Diego Jewish World.