Rabbis Rice: Gate of Tears

In his plea for forgiveness after the Golden Calf episode, Moses told God, "You created human beings as a flawed race who are bound to make mistakes. You must create a way for them to repair their mistakes. You must tell me that there is a way out, that there is hope." 

     In his response, God told Moses, "I created the world in accordance with the laws of cause and effect. For every action there is a reaction. And sometimes the reaction is such that it cannot be reserved. You are asking Me to change the natural laws that I Myself created."

     Moses argued, "I am not asking you to change the laws. I am asking you to crack open just one door." And God did. The door was called the "gate of tears." Tears are like the sprout on a kettle that allows internal pressure out. They have the power to pry open doors. Our sages say that "tears bathe the soul."

     Moshe Rabbeinu, Moses, our teacher, illustrates to us that there is nothing that breaks that cannot be mended. Have you ever made a mistake so big that there was no way to repair it? What is broken in your life? How many tears have you shed over it? How can you mend it? 

     Rosh Hashanah is 10 days away. The process of reconnecting, renewing and repenting begins this Saturday night...