Rosh Hashana Prayers and Greetings

There will be no posting to Magdeburgerjoe.com from tonight, Monday night through Wednesday night due to Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, the 5769th year of creation.

Rosh HaShanah is a day when the entire world is judged from the smallest forms of life to the fortunes of the most mighty nations. It is a time when we are reminded of the Hidden Hand and the Seeing Eye that are hidden yet omnipresent.

In the frenzy of daily existence, we focus on the use of our own strength and calculations to achieve our goals and desires. So much is out of our hands. The very strength with which we make our efforts comes from G-d.

Recent events on Wall Street have underscored the fragility of a prosperity we have taken for granted. All of our calculations and all of our efforts bring us to prayer for a good outcome in these times of turbulence.

There is a Jewish saying that the heart of a ruler is in the hands of G-d. In a very real sense, we are ruled by voters and by shareholders. May G-d guide their hearts to the right decisions, and may those decisions bear good fruit.

There is a Yiddish blessing in which you wish a person "GeFeN'. The word gefen translates as "gesund, parnosso and nachas", which means "health, wealth and joy from one's children".

I wish this to all of my readers in America, the Holy Land and the entire world as it says in the "alenu" prayer "

על כן נקוה לך ה' אלקינו, לראות מהרה בתפארת עזך,	Eternal our God, we therefore hope soon to see Your majestic glory;
להעביר גלולים מן הארץ והאלילים כרות יכרתון.	To remove idols from the earth, so that the false gods will be destroyed;
לתקן עולם במלכות שדי, וכל בני בשר יקראו בשמך.	To perfect the world under the Almighty's kingdom, so that all will call on Your name;
להפנות אליך כל רשעי ארץ. יכירו וידעו כל יושבי תבל,	To turn all the wicked of the earth toward You so that all the inhabitants of the world will realize and know
כי לך תכרע כל ברך תשבע כל לשון.	That to You every knee must bow down, every tongue swear allegiance.
לפניך ה' אלקינו יכרעו ויפלו. ולכבוד שמך יקר יתנו.	Eternal our God, before You they will bow down and fall, and honor Your glorious name.
ויקבלו כלם את עול מלכותך, ותמלך עליהם מהרה לעולם ועד.	And they will all accept the yoke of Your kingdom, that You might rule over them soon and forever,
כי המלכות שלך היא, ולעולמי עד תמלוך בכבוד.	For the kingdom is Yours, and to the ends of eternity You will rule in glory.
ככתוב בתורתך: ה' ימלך לעולם ועד.	As it is written in Your Torah, "The Eternal will rule forever." (Exodus 15:18)
ונאמר: והיה ה' למלך על כל הארץ, ביום ההוא יהיה ה' אחד, ושמו אחד.	And it has been said, "The Eternal will become King over the entire earth. On that day, the Eternal shall be One and His Name shall be One." (Zechariah 14:9) A blessed and sweet year to all.