Take My Hand

Looking down at the sea of Taleisim from the women's section of Marina Roscha's shul, I suddenly realized that it's the last chance for my 6 year old daughter to make it down in time for birkas kohanim. 

I told her to quickly run downstairs so she can stand under Tatty's talis, but she said that she was too scared to try to find him by herself.

"But look, you see Tatty and the boys right there, so you know just where to find him!" 

"Yes," she answered, "From up here I can see exactly where Tatty is, but when I go downstairs, I can't see him anymore!"

"Ok," I said, "So tomorrow we'll go down earlier so Tatty can meet you by the door."

She stayed near me, but her words kept ringing in my head.

Isn't that the story of our lives? 

From above, everything is so crystal clear! 

But when we are actually down IN the situation, we get lost in the heat of the moment, and suddenly nothing seems clear anymore.

We try to remember the great perspective we had from before, but it's hard to apply it in real time..

And of course, right after we're done, we don't need any "wise" friends to tell us what we could have and should have done better! 

Hindsight is 20/20 as well... and we just wonder why we couldn't see it in the present.

So on these high holy days, we turn to Hashem and beg that He understand us and forgive us for all those million times that we lost focus throughout the year!

Sure, before our neshama came down into this world, we could clearly see our mission and exactly how to fulfill it. 

We were fully charged and ready to overcome all obstacles, to find and reveal the goodness and Gdliness in every thing and in every situation! 

And the same thing happens each new year and even each new morning... 

We set out our wonderful intentions and silently vow that it will be completely different and more beautiful than yesterday! 

But in the present moment, it's so easy to get lost in the sea of the day to day challenges and to-do lists...

So we ask Hashem to please have compassion on us, and understand our struggle to find Him in this big confusing world.

We ask him to come meet us by the door, take us by the hand, and lead us out of this dark Golus, to the place of revealed blessings and holiness, with the coming of Moshiach now! 

לע״נ ר׳ מנחם מאיר בן ר׳ חיים משה יהודה הכהן בלוי