This week, Rabbi Woznica offers some thoughts about entering a new year.
New Beginnings
As we close the chapter on one year and enter the next, let’s consider what our tradition might teach us about new beginnings. With that in mind, contemplate the beginning—the beginning of the world.
The Torah opens with God creating the world and, following the creation of man and woman on the sixth day, the Torah notes: “The heavens and the earth were finished in all their array. On the seventh day God finished the work …” (Genesis 2:1-2). God then ceased from work and blessed the seventh day and made it holy.
Of all the days, only Shabbat is noted as “holy.” For six days, God worked to create the world and then stopped to reflect. In other words, before going forward, even God stops and looks back.
This can be a model for us. As this new year begins, let us take some time to look back on 2022, assessing our lives and the world in which we live. It may afford us a perspective on the past and better prepare us for the year ahead.
Tomorrow: Why I am a fan of New Year’s resolutions.
—Rabbi David Woznica