Shabbat Shalom and Happy New Year!
I am so fortunate to be able to be the first Shabbat Shalom message to go out as everyone celebrates the new year. I feel like every time "New Years" comes around, we take the time to reflect on the past and think about what we hope to achieve in the future. I always appreciate that we have two opportunities to do this, both at Rosh HaShanah and the secular New Year.
This week's Torah portion, Va-y'chi, is very appropriate for today, as it is the last portion in the book of Genesis. It also can give us some perspective into how we might think on this New Years Day. Jacob knows his life is coming to a close, and rather than focusing on what he wishes he had done differently, he chooses to bless his children and grandchildren. He looks toward the future—naming hope, acknowledging complexity, and trusting that the story will continue even when he is no longer at the center of it.
Va-y'chi reminds us that life is not about perfect chapters, but how we push forward and take lessons from our challenges. That shows up in so many ways —through our relationships, our values, and the blessings we offer one another, especially in moments of transition.
As we enter a new year, I've been thinking about this a lot in my own home and how lucky I am to see life through a 3-year-old's mind. Watching Henry grow reminds Brittany and me how quickly seasons change, and I find myself trying to capture the small memories in my mind; the ones that won't show up in the millions of photos that I keep on my iphone…..the bedtime conversations, moments of laughter, and so so much more. It is much easier to try to worry less about the future, when we have so much joy to experience in our present.
As we welcome this new year, may Shabbat offer us a moment to breathe, to reflect, and to name what we hope to carry forward—into our families, our community, and ourselves. May we enter the year ahead surrounded by gratitude and openness to growth, and know that even endings can be the beginning of something meaningful.
Shabbat Shalom and Happy New Year!
-Matt Rissien