Mon, 23 September 2019 = 23rd of Elul, 5779 ??? ????????? ????? Parashat Nitzavim (in Diaspora)

A Very Good Morning To You All!!

We are less than a week before the Jewish New Year today. Rosh Hashanah begins on the eve of September 29, 2019. The new month Tishrei is the first month of the year 5780.

On the Jews

"If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one quarter of one percent of the human race. It suggests a nebulous puff of star dust lost in the blaze of the Milky Way. Properly, the Jew ought hardly to be heard of, but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk.

His contributions to the world’s list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine and abstruse learning are also very out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers. He has made a marvelous fight in this world in all ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him. He could be vain of himself and be excused for it. The Egyptians, the Babylonians and the Persians rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greeks and Romans followed and made a vast noise, and they were gone; other people have sprung up and held their torch high for a time but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, and have vanished.

The Jew saw them all, survived them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmaties, of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert but aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jews; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality? "

- Mark Twain, September 1897 (Quoted in

The National Jewish Post & Observer, June 6, 1984

The secret of Jewish survival is the capstone, essence, and backbone of the Jewish religion, ethos, experience, culture, people, and nation: JOY! A beautiful verse chanted in abundant joy on the Jewish Shabbat (Heb, Sabbath) is the following:

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Trans.

Purify our hearts to serve you (God) in truth.

If only Mark Twain had understood that for Jews, G-d is to be loved with all one's heart, soul, and might. Life, accordingly, is a gift to be lived with all one's might in fuflilling one's purpose in this world according to the dictates of the One G-d in trust, truth, and utter giving of one's person in joy!

Finally,

As a kohen, may I extend grateful and loving greetings for a year of radical amazement, health, happiness,, joy, compassion, kindness, caring, success, empathy, wonder, love, and fulfillment to Klal Yisrael, that is, the Jewish people the world over, and extend G-d's blessings through the priestly blessing:

The text to be used for the blessing is specified in Numbers 6:24–26:

[May] Adonai bless you, and guard you –

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(Yevhārēkh-khā Adhōnāy veyishmerēkhā ...)

[May] Adonai make His face shine unto you, and be gracious to you –

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("Yā?ēr Adhōnāy pānāw ēlekhā vi?unnékkā ...)

[May] Adonai lift up His face unto you, and give to you peace –

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("Yissā Adhōnāy pānāw ēlekhā viyāshēm lekhā shālōm.")

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B'ezrat Hashem (Heb. with G-d's help), I will return to Linkedin on Monday, November 4, 2019.