By Rabbi Levi Greenberg

Last month, the El Paso community had the opportunity to hear the riveting story of Judith Raanan, a Chicago woman who was the first hostage to be released by Hamas after the attacks of Oct. 7, 2023. She was kidnapped alongside her teenage daughter, Natalie, while visiting family in Kibbutz Nahal Oz, in Israel, and endured 17 days in Hamas captivity before the two were released.

Rabbi Levi Greenberg

She spoke of the uncertainty and fear she faced during captivity, and the moments of faith that sustained her through unimaginable circumstances. During a television interview, she was asked why, despite the circumstances, she worked to remain positive; she replied, “I have no doubt in the order of the universe.” When asked what compelled her to share her story publicly, she answered, “I have hope in the human race.”

Hearing such a statement from one who experienced the worst humanity has to offer reminded me of an important lesson we can all learn from the structure of the upcoming Jewish New Year 5787, which begins on the festival of Rosh Hashanah (Sept. 11 at sundown to Sept. 13).

There are two systems with which to set up a calendar. The 29.5-day lunar cycle is the source for the time unit we call “month”; the 365.25-day solar cycle is the basis for the annual cycle of seasons referred to as “year.”

Most calendars are modeled on one cycle alone, but the Jewish calendar follows both. Dates follow the months of the lunar cycle, but the festivals must be in their respective season – Passover in the spring, Sukkot in the fall, etc. So, the lunar months must always align themselves with the seasons of the year, which are governed by the sun. Thus, the Jewish calendar is “Luni-Solar.”

The problem is that these two cycles are not compatible with each other. Twelve lunar months add up to 354 days, eleven days short of a solar year. Just a few years down the line, Passover can be celebrated during a fierce blizzard and the Chanukah candles lit in a heat wave.

To make up for lost time, every two to three years is known as a Jewish “leap year.” Unlike the Gregorian (and Julian) leap year, in which an extra day is added, the Jewish leap year has an entire extra month, which brings the lunar cycle up to date with the solar cycle, with some extra days for “credit.”

In other words, this coming “leap year” represents the opportunity to align two distinct realities into one cohesive unit. 

The central observance of the two-day festival marking the beginning of the year is the sounding of the shofar (ram’s horn), symbolic of our submission to G-d, our celebration of life up to the present, and our supplications for a good and sweet new year. (This year, due to Sabbath observance, we will only blow the shofar on Sunday, Sept. 13.)

Maimonides, the famous 12th-century Jewish leader, philosopher, physician, and scholar, explained that the sounding of the shofar is meant to be a wake-up call, stirring humanity out of the slumber of self-preservation and indulgence. It inspires us to view ourselves and the world as an equally balanced scale of good and bad. One single good deed, one positive spoken word, or even a good thought, can tip the scales for the entire world to usher in an era of eternal peace and tranquility.

With her steadfast belief in humanity, Judith Raanan implied that even while experiencing much negativity, we have the opportunity to see the world for what it truly is. 

As with the lunisolar year, although this idealistic perspective doesn’t always match up with our experienced reality in a fine, neat bundle, we can certainly repair it and even gain extra credit by intentionally seeking opportunities to introduce more goodness to our world, with one extra act of kindness at a time.

For more information about local High Holiday services and opportunities to hear the sounding of the shofar in person, please visit http://www.ChabadElPaso.com

Best wishes for a good and sweet new year.

Levi Greenberg is associate rabbi at Chabad Lubavitch in El Paso.