As children, we are often given simple images to help us understand big ideas. A great example is G-d. We may be taught to imagine Him as a King in heaven, watching over the world and judging our actions. As we grow older, the hope is that we continue to learn and broaden the depth of our understanding of everything, including G-d.
The High Holiday season brings that relationship back into focus. We turn to G-d asking to be remembered favorably and inscribed in the Book of Life. Yet if our only understanding of G-d is as a King sitting in judgment, approaching Him can naturally evoke a certain measure of unnecessary anxiety.
Today, I want to introduce another, remarkably empowering way to understand this relationship.
We are partners.
How are we partners with G-d?
G-d created the world, a world that is far from perfect, yet filled with extraordinary potential for goodness, kindness and holiness. Then He entrusted it to us. He asks us to cultivate it, improve it and reveal the goodness and G-dliness hidden within it.
Think about the profound trust that represents. He could have created a world in which everything was already perfect. Instead, He created a world that needs our involvement and gave us the responsibility to help complete it.
We are, in a sense, managing partners in G-d's world.
And like any managing partner, we have responsibilities, but we also have a Partner who has committed to supporting us. G-d has entrusted us with His world and, so to speak, obligated Himself to provide what we need to carry out the responsibility He has given us.
We do our part to the utmost, and then we can turn to our Partner with confidence. Our prayers can be filled with the expectation that He will provide what we need to fulfill the mission He has entrusted to us.
As we approach Rosh Hashanah, we are not simply approaching a distant Judge and hoping He will look favorably upon us. We are approaching the One who entrusted us with a role in His creation.
We can say: “G-d, You have given me a mission and entrusted me with a part of Your world. I am doing everything I can to cultivate it. Please give me the health, strength, livelihood and peace I need to fulfill it. Help me succeed in the work You have entrusted to me.”
That is the spirit in which I invite you to join us at The Shul this High Holiday season. Together, we will pray, reflect and celebrate, entering the New Year with a renewed sense of our relationship with G-d and the mission He has entrusted to each of us. Come be part of it, and let’s begin the year connected, inspired and uplifted.