When our ancestors brought their first fruits, they stood before God and said, “You shall rejoice in all the good that the LORD your God has given you” (Deut. 26:11). It wasn’t just about gratitude for the harvest — it was about letting go. They placed their offering down and acknowledged: the land, the rain, the growth, none of it was fully in their control. We spend so much of our lives worrying about what we can’t command — outcomes at work, our children’s choices, the state of the world. The mitzvah of bikkurim teaches us that joy begins when we release the illusion of total control. By giving the first fruits to God, the farmer could say: I’ve done my part, and the rest is in God’s hands. That act transforms anxiety into trust, and worry into joy. Sometimes the most freeing spiritual move we can make is to hand over to God what was never ours to hold. ​​​​​ Special Elul Workshop: So You Think You Know the Story of Noah Noah is the perfect prelude to the High Holidays—his story holds up a mirror to our moral choices, our failures and potential, and God’s infinite capacity for renewal. Teaching about him in Elul sets the stage for deep spiritual reflection and inspires us to climb aboard our own teivot and prepare for the journey of transformation ahead. Join me for 4 Wednesday evenings leading up to Rosh HaShannah on zoom. Click here ​​​​​​​  to join at 8:00pm September 10 and 17th.Â
Greenburgh Hebrew Center              rabbistein@ghcny.org 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522    914-693-4260    office@ghcny.org    www.ghcny.org
