Dear Temple Beth Am members, I wanted to wish you a healthy and happy New Year and then I thought, that's not really the translation of the Hebrew "Shanah Tovah u'Metukah" - a good and a sweet year. However, the Hebrew is also problematic. Isn't it sufficient to simply wish someone a good year? Doesn't that incorporate everything else? The answer is No. Some things may be good for you, but not sweet. Remember the food you got as a kid which you "hated" the taste, but your mother said: "Eat it. It's good for you." She was probably correct, but I still didn't enjoy it. So some things that happen to us in life may be good for us, but leave a bitter taste. Thus we wish that it be good and sweet sweet. Having said all of this, let me now wish you, your family and all your loved ones, a good year, a healthy year, a year filled with prosperity and happiness... Not to mention a SWEET YEAR. Rabbi Brown and family |