How seriously do you take the Yomim Nora’im?

Cheiny

Fri, Sep 07 2018, 6:23 pm

So what does Rosh Hashana mean to you? Is it just neither YOM Tov in which your focus is on cooking lots of meals, having to get to Shul for Shofar, making sure everyone has clothes, etc...? Or do you think into the spiritual aspect? Do Teshuva? Make resolutions to work on yourself?

Aylat

Sat, Sep 08 2018, 3:24 pm

The second I hope beH. It's definitely easier now that my kids are older and I can get to shul, but I always tried to focus on the weighty aspect of it. Take a little bit of time out to do cheshbon hanefesh, reflect on the year. I have old notebooks with things I wrote years ago - uplifting and humbling to see how I have changed in different areas.

Also, what's 'just another Yom Tov'? Every YT has its own different flavour. Succah and lulav is completely different from biur chametz and Seder night etc.

amother

Emerald

Sat, Sep 08 2018, 8:43 pm

The yomim noraim are hard for me because of my wrong impression of G-d due to my childhood. I know He is loving, kind, and wants the best for me, but not having role models for that in real life really messes with you. I try not to think about it as much as I can, but then about a day or two before the big day I get all emotional and write and think and hash things out with my husband about where I stand with my relationship with G-d and reassess my life goals and what needs to change. Then my husband encourages me and tells me I am amazing and I usually end up having a meaningful day, although it is still hard. Since I have little kids at home, there is a lot of distraction...but I am always happy when Sukkos arrives!

amother

Seafoam

Sat, Sep 08 2018, 9:00 pm

mommy3b2c wrote:

I take it seriously and it is very frightening for me. I try very hard to pray with as much feeling as possible. I want so badly to have a good year and be happy.

I would like to be where you are. My problem is that I don't see a logical connection between praying and having a good year. Therefore, I slack off and don't take it seriously.

amother

Mistyrose

Sat, Sep 08 2018, 9:00 pm

I do take it seriously. I have had heartbreakingly difficult past few years-- end of a long marriage, terrible financial difficulty, and then the last and biggest heartbreak, a child who is in a very bad matzav. I am so sad and sometimes feel like screaming "Hashem, why are you doing this". I do believe in Hashem, and I am afraid that I and my tefilos are just not enough.

lucky14

Sat, Sep 08 2018, 9:31 pm

amother wrote:

I would like to be where you are. My problem is that I don't see a logical connection between praying and having a good year. Therefore, I slack off and don't take it seriously.

Same.

SuperWify

Sat, Sep 08 2018, 10:42 pm

Shame

In my pre-marriage Days I used to write a chesbon hanefesh each night and found doing teshuva was so much easier!! I would just read over my sins, feel bad about them, ask the people I need to for forgiveness and resolve to be better... now I crash into bed- who can think of chesbon hanefesh? By the time the year ends I can barely remember what happened!

So I think of a few Kabalos I can do and write a list of things I need to daven for before RH so at least in that sense I’m prepared.

This year I’m being home with my LO and it’s the first time I won’t be in shul Sad

BUT it’s also the first time I get to cook fancy dishes and desserts and create a very royal tablescape for the King Himself.... As Im putting together my YT I try to remind myself that RH is about crowning Hashem king and our fancy food and table and new clothes is all for His honor. That the physical steps I’m doing is very very holy as well.

I hope He will accept my new Avodah instead of my old, more spiritual one as I enter and acclimate to this new stage in life. It’s funny to think that entertaining a hyper toddler and setting the table is an avodah but I’m trying to get used to the idea!

amother

Pearl

Sat, Sep 08 2018, 11:17 pm

Hi. I believe it's not the davening per se, it's your teshuva. Consciously returning to Hashem. Mostly it's recognizing Hashem as king and Ein od milvado.
I found a video on YouTube by Rivka Malka Perlman of how to prepare for Rosh Hashana Davening very helpful. Her gentle concept of how to do teshuva was really helpful for me.

The actual prayers are beautiful, but not relatable, for every prayer, every person or every year. You grow into appreciating them, and life ebbs and flows. Choose what speaks to you and put your heart in that piece.

Wishing you a good blessed year, with growing closeness and connection.

amother

Goldenrod

Sun, Sep 09 2018, 12:10 am

This year I'm actually excited to make HKBH King. I can't even do that without His help but I know He will help mw because it's what we both want. RH is the only YT that is actually described as a Yom Tov. A good day.

This year I am not making deals with Hashem. I am not asking for my needs, as if He forgot or something what I needed lol!. I am begging Him to help me be His eved.

Well that's what I am aiming for anyway. This is a very different perspectives for me. Making Hashem King is this year not so much about trepidation of "what will He do to me" but rather can I live up to my responsibility as a Bas Melech? Have I made Hashem known in this world? And how can I do that better next year?

1ofbillions

Sun, Sep 09 2018, 1:29 am

amother wrote:

Thank you so much for posting this! Just watched the video by Rivka Malka and came out of it feeling so much better.

DVOM

Sun, Sep 09 2018, 1:11 pm

amother wrote:

I love this perspective.

amother

Linen

Tue, Sep 11 2018, 2:01 pm

I take it seriously -- definitely more about teshuva than apples and honey for me. This year my goal is to let HaShem judge other people (especially the ones I am angry at) and trust him with the judgement and punishment of the wicked and work on being a good person myself.

That said I did not go to shul and daven every word with understanding and cavana. I have a short attention span and am not capable of doing that.