I hope everyone who observed had awesome Days Of Awe. I did, including giving the dvar (sermon) at Congregation Am Tikva’s Kol Nidre service. As for many years, CAT had a joint Healing Service with our home Temple Sinai on Yom Kippur, and TS’ Rabbi Andy Vogel gave a mini dvar based on a Jewish teaching. This year’s, which I had encountered a few times before, but without the punchline:
“Every person should have in his/her two pockets pieces of paper with these written on them:
In one pocket: ‘For my sake was the world created’ (Mishnah, Sanhedrin 4:4).
In the other pocket: ‘I am dust and ashes’ (Genesis 18:27).
At certain times and places, you should pull out the appropriate piece of paper.
But know that most people make this mistake: They take out the wrong piece of paper at the wrong time!”
Rabbi Simcha Bunem of Przysucha (1765 - 1827)
Itturei Torah, volume 1, page 145
