Today, a few days before Selichot, the first holiday of The High Holidays of The Jewish New Year, we take time to ask G-D and the people in our lives we have hurt for forgiveness. We in this way, erase a messy slate and start anew, with hopes of living lives that accentuate the good and not the bad. If our activities toward those we love turn into transgressions and we are sorry for our misdeeds, this time of the year is specifically designated on the Jewish lunar calendar to come out clean, to tell those who you have hurt that you are sorry, and most importantly to establish a covenant with them, like a contract, that the error will not happen again. That you both learned from your mistakes and will turn your attitudes around and help each other instead of hindering each other.
The happiness of this time of year, to connect with those you know as acquaintances or friends, to keep in contact with people you have known for many years, sending out greetings cards, and including someone in your prayers. Keeping the old friends as well as making new friends.
Like a Jewish Christmas, this time of the year is joyous and we rejoice on Rosh Hashanah, eating sweet foods like honey and apples, putting golden raisins into our home-baked breads of The Challah, and sweetening our dispositions this way.
Making new year "resolutions" like keeping up with an abstinence of drinking liquor like the Nazir of old times, we keep these Covenants or Oaths with G-D and we renew our commitment to them each year at this time. Again year after year, praying to G-D for the strength to continue a lifestyle that is for your own good and for the good of all those around you.
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