Analyzing the High Holiday Prayers
A very special d'var Torah from our executive learning alumni, Paul Hamburger, sharing beautiful ideas about Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur prayers. Presentation on Unetaneh Tokef t o Chabad Shul of Potomac. September 21 , 2020, 3 Tishrei 5781 I would like to share some thoughts on the Unetaneh Tokef prayer, the highlight of our Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services . Who among us is not moved when reading the sacred words and hearing the stirring melodies? On Rosh Hashanah it is written and on Yom Kippur it is sealed. The great shofar is sounded and a “still small voice” is heard. On these days it is decreed who will live and who will die . After all is said and done , our origin is dust and our end is dust. At the same time, r epentance, p rayer, and c harity can avert the severity of the decree. The prayer reminds us of how fragile our existence is . Its message is reminiscent of a story I read about Dr. Michael DeBakey, one of the world’s first he