Save the World this Rosh HaShanah
The RaMBa"M teaches each action that an individual takes can be sufficient to turn that person's judgment on Rosh HaShanah to a positive one. Not only that, the RaMBa"M continues that a person's actions can lead to a city's merits to outweight it's demerits and spare it of destruction, this being the case for a country, and even for the entire world. (Hilchos Teshuvah: 3; 4)
In addition to saving the world through our efforts to make our merits outweigh our demerits, we could literally save the world by saving a Jewish life. In fact, there is an organization in Israel dedicated to saving Jewish babies from abortion called E.F.R.A.T. (http://www.friendsofefrat.org) This organization saves Jewish babies lives for the mere cost of $1,200. Imagine saving a life for such a small price. In addition, this organization has been strongly recommended by a number of the Jewish leaders of this generation.
Each person is unique and irreplaceable - literally a world unto themselves. (Mishna “Sanhedrin”: 4; 5) We learn in the above Mishna and in maseches “Sanhedrin” (37a) that all of those who save one Jewish life, The Torah considers it as if they have saved the entire world. Furthermore, the Mishna states that it is because each individual is completely unique from all other people that they are obligated to say - “The world was Created for my sake", it being fitting to have Created the world for each individual of B'nei Yisrael.
On this Day of Judgment, not only do we have the opportunity to be judged - G-d Willing for a year of life and blessing, but we have the opportunity to play a vital role in saving a Jewish life - saving a world.
In any case, wishing you all a shanah tovah and k'siva v'chasimah tovah!
In addition to saving the world through our efforts to make our merits outweigh our demerits, we could literally save the world by saving a Jewish life. In fact, there is an organization in Israel dedicated to saving Jewish babies from abortion called E.F.R.A.T. (http://www.friendsofefrat.org) This organization saves Jewish babies lives for the mere cost of $1,200. Imagine saving a life for such a small price. In addition, this organization has been strongly recommended by a number of the Jewish leaders of this generation.
Each person is unique and irreplaceable - literally a world unto themselves. (Mishna “Sanhedrin”: 4; 5) We learn in the above Mishna and in maseches “Sanhedrin” (37a) that all of those who save one Jewish life, The Torah considers it as if they have saved the entire world. Furthermore, the Mishna states that it is because each individual is completely unique from all other people that they are obligated to say - “The world was Created for my sake", it being fitting to have Created the world for each individual of B'nei Yisrael.
On this Day of Judgment, not only do we have the opportunity to be judged - G-d Willing for a year of life and blessing, but we have the opportunity to play a vital role in saving a Jewish life - saving a world.
In any case, wishing you all a shanah tovah and k'siva v'chasimah tovah!
posted by YRE at 12:30 AM
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