As I mentioned last week, we are blessed with the presence of our family as we celebrate the Sukkot holiday. 

But it’s all going by too fast. 

Amidst the chaos of cooking and cooking and cooking, I am catching glimpses of these special souls and my heart catches in my throat. 

Each is so precious to me. 

I don’t want them to leave. 

As we see the closing of the High Holiday cycle which will culminate on Monday and Tuesday, the relationship we have created with the Almighty has become hopefully more connected and just like family wants to hold onto the children for just one more day, Gd wants to hold on to us just for one more day, to keep the relationship going. 

As we move forward we hope that the growth process we began in the month of Elul will not be a fleeting memory. 

In the process of Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, the last days of the holiday, which will segue into the first Parsha of Breishit, we learn a model of how to hold on to our good intentions. 

The Torah begins in Breishit with a good deed in that Gd clothed Adam and Chava pursuant to the sin. 

The Torah also concludes with Chessed, or loving kindness, as it records Gd burying Moses. 

As we go through life, there are always opportunities to do kindness for others. 

In some instances it may be easier, returning a favor to a beloved friend, or caring for someone who we feel “deserves” our ministrations. 

That is how Gd ends the Torah, in burying the loyal servant Moses. 

But just as we thought we’ve got this, we can do good for others, we get thrown right back into the mix of daily life. 

The story of Adam and Chava is another story all together. 

Imagine helping someone out, really extending yourself on their behalf, and then they get themselves into trouble. 

Is it not the knee jerk reaction to not want to help anymore? 

To throw up one’s hands and tell the one in need to get yourself out of your own mess?

Rabbi Frand teaches us that Gd was saying to Adam and Chava, no matter what you have done, you are still precious to me. 

“Hashem teaches us that even when a person throws your kindness back in your face, he still needs to be treated with kindness”. 

As we close this powerful time of year, we don’t want to let go. Not of each other, not of any spiritual elevation we have achieved. 

We can emulate Hashem as we go forward by doing all types of acts of loving kindness, and that will help us to continue on our trajectory of spiritual growth. 

So as we move forward let us hold the proverbial hands of those in our circle, our friends, family and community. 

And as we dance in celebration of the Torah, let’s continue to hold on tight. When the celebration of Simchat Torah is over let’s hold on to the elevated feeling of connection. 

Just don’t let go. 

And then we will carry each other forward, hand in hand, in the year ahead. 

Chag Sameach

Happy Holidays 

Shabbat Shalom and so much love.