There is something quite extraordinary about the Hebrew year we are in. 5787 begins with Shabbat. Rosh Hashanah begins on Friday evening, and its first day is Shabbat. But here is the beautiful part: The year will also end on a Friday evening, just as another Shabbat begins. So, in a sense, the entire year of 5787 is wrapped in Shabbat. It begins with Shabbat. It travels through all the joys, challenges, surprises, decisions and opportunities of a full year. And then it returns us to Shabbat once again. And this is not an everyday calendar coincidence. 5787 is one of those rare Hebrew years that begins with Shabbat and, 385 days later, ends by leading directly into another Shabbat and another Rosh Hashanah. It happened last in 2002–2003, and after this year it will not happen again until 2053–2054. There is something beautifully symbolic about entering an entire year through the gates of Shabbat and emerging from it through those very same gates: from shalom toward shalem, from peace toward greater wholeness. Perhaps there could be no more appropriate blessing for the year ahead: Shabbat Shalom And Hag Samach Succot tomorrow |