BackThe Power of Our Thoughts
By: Rabbi Dr. Abraham Unger
The High Holy Day season about to be upon us is all about our inner lives. It is a time carved out on the calendar for us to reflect on the state of our souls. Though synagogue services may be recited aloud, much of the preparation is done silently. In this week’s parsha, the power of silence is recognized.
We are told by the Torah this Shabbat that vows made regarding our relationship with G-d are binding, even if not spoken to another human being. For example, if we articulate a charitable promise only to ourselves, we must keep it, even if no one else knows. After all, G-d knows, and the pledge is binding.
Actions may speak louder than words, but nothing speaks louder than our hearts. Over the next several weeks, our overriding mandate is to look inward and speak internally to our own lives, seeking deepened meaning and a more distilled vision of our paths in the world.
Jewish tradition holds that there is meaning in the spaces between the written words of a Torah scroll. It is the same with our lives. There is value in the silences between the words we say to each other. Quiet moments of solitude help construct the resolutions that we then offer to our families and community as we emerge from the Days of Awe, renewed and ready for another year.