There is something beautiful about Rosh Hashana that can sometimes get lost in the seriousness of the day. Yes, it is the Day of Judgment. Our lives, our families, and the year ahead are all in Hashem’s hands. That is a big deal. But we also have this incredible opportunity to come close to Him. Our sages teach that during these days, Hashem is especially close to us, inviting us to turn to Him. We get to stand before the King, sing His praises, and tell Him how much He means to us. An opportunity to serenade the King. When we open our prayer books, let us take a moment to appreciate that. Wherever we are in our Jewish journey, Hashem wants to hear from us. Of course, we all come with things to ask for. A sweet year. Health, happiness, peace, a comfortable living, nachas from our children. We should ask for all of it! But in asking for everything we want in life, we can overlook the gift of life itself. Last week we spoke about the importance of being mindful in choosing to live a meaningful life. But in order to choose life, we need to appreciate that the gift of life is indeed a gift. “Zachreinu l’chaim.” Remember us for life. A teaching attributed to Rabbi Yisroel Salanter, the great 19th-century Torah sage, reminds us to appreciate the weight of that request. We are asking for another year of life. Another year to hug our children, spend time with the people we love, learn something, help someone, and grow closer to Hashem. There is so much wrapped up in that one word, chaim. This year, Rosh Hashana begins on the evening of September 11, twenty-five years after the attacks. We remember the people whose lives were taken, the families who still carry that loss, and the extraordinary courage of those who risked their lives to save others. People went to work that morning expecting to come home. That is something we should never forget. As we enter Rosh Hashana, perhaps we can carry a little more appreciation for the ordinary moments we so easily take for granted. Sitting around the table together. Calling a parent. Saying goodnight to a child. Before asking Hashem for another year, we can thank Him for the life we have today. And even with the seriousness of what we are asking, we come into Rosh Hashana with confidence. We wear our Yom Tov clothing, prepare beautiful meals, and wish each other a sweet year. Our tradition connects that to our trust in Hashem’s kindness. We take nothing for granted, and at the same time, we have every reason to pray with hope for a wonderful year. The King before whom we stand is also our loving Father. This year, the first day of Rosh Hashana falls on Shabbos, so we will wait until Sunday to blow the shofar. Our sages suspended shofar blowing on Shabbos out of concern that someone might carry it through a public domain in violation of Shabbos. Think about what that means. The shofar is such a precious mitzvah, especially on the day we are asking for life. Yet we set it aside to protect the sanctity of Shabbos. A beautiful teaching from Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel explains that the merit of honoring Shabbos can bring us the spiritual benefits we would otherwise receive through blowing the shofar. Our willingness to follow Hashem’s will is itself a powerful merit. Even without the sound of the shofar, we are expressing our devotion to the King. My hope for our JOIN family is that we enter this Rosh Hashana feeling how fortunate we are to have this day, to have each other, and to have a relationship with Hashem that we can keep building. May Hashem remember us all for life, and bless us with a sweet, happy, healthy year filled with peace, meaningful moments, and good news. Shana tova!