Jewish Thailand

25/09/2026

I am excited, elated, buoyant and JOYOUS.

Sukkot is about to begin.

זמן שמחתינו

The festival of our joy!

Sukkot in the Bet Hamkidash was celebrated with music, song, dance and unbridled simcha-joy.

Today, just like then, Sukkot is a time for singing and dancing.

Who doesn’t like to sing? Who doesn’t like to be happy?

It’s fun. It’s natural. It’s easy.

As Jews it is rooted far deeper and resonates much more powerfully and eternally than merely rejoicing when times are good.

The Torah’s instruction about Sukkot is one that is aimed at every single Jew in whatever circumstance they may find themselves.

ושמחת בחגיך

BE HAPPY ON YOUR HOLIDAYS

Jews have been given the innate and inherent ability to sing. Even when it seems impossible.

Professor John (Yosef) Loike shared the following story that he heard from his late father Chaim ben Yosef Loike:

One of my father’s stories recounts an extraordinary event that my mother witnessed during the Holocaust. In 1942, my mother was appointed head of her barrack in a N**i labor camp. The thirty women were crowded into a wooden cabin, labored relentlessly from dawn until nightfall. Their only respite came for approximately one hour on Thursday afternoons. During that precious hour, my mother tried to create a fragment of normal human existence. Each week she invited one of the women to lecture, sing, tell a story, or do something, anything, that reminded them that they had once lived ordinary lives. Everyone participated, except for one silent woman who never spoke and always sat alone. No one knew very much about her.

Then came one of the dreaded selections that the N**is conducted every few months. Scores of women were lined up while a Gestapo officer counted them off by tens. Every tenth woman was ordered to step forward and was shot. During one such terror selection, the officer counted and the tenth woman was the silent woman from my mother's barrack. As she moved toward the officer, she suddenly stopped. Nervously, she ran her hands across her shaven head, as though remembering the hair she once possessed. “Keep marching!” the officer shouted. In a trembling yet unexpectedly strong voice, she responded: “Every person condemned to death has the right to a last wish.” The officer asked: “And what do you want?” Her answer was astonishing: “I want to sing a song before I die.” “Sing!” came the unexpected reply. And she began. Her voice was mesmerizing and melodious. The women prisoners stood motionless. The forest itself seemed silent. The birds ceased their songs and listened.

When she finished singing, the officer said: “Sing another song.” Her perfectly pitched voice trembled as she began again. This time she sang a Yiddish song expressing the enduring hope and faith of the Jewish people, even amid unimaginable suffering. Then something extraordinary happened. The stone-like face of the Gestapo officer softened. And he declared, “No one will die today.” No one. Through her song, she had reclaimed something the N**is could never destroy: her humanity and her Jewish soul. They could strip away her possessions, her dignity, and even her freedom, but they could not extinguish the sound of hope. For one brief moment, the N**i’s machinery of death came to a halt

When the Jews left Egypt and they were saved by the splitting of the sea the Torah tells us that they sang a song of thanksgiving. The language is somewhat puzzling as the words translate literally as future tense. ‘Then Moshe and the children of Israel will sing…’ instead of what seems to be the intended meaning of the verse ‘then Moshe and the children of Israel sang’. The Torah uses future tense rather than past tense.

One way of understanding this is what our Sages say, that this is an indication in the Torah that those who have died will come back to life – Techiyat Hameitim. The Jews indeed sang; they will sing as well. Those same Jews, headed by Moshe will sing in the future as well after the resurrection of the dead.

Another interpretation (by the Ohr Hachaim) has a very contemporary message.

One may think that a song to G-d can only be sung when G-d makes a miracle like the splitting of the sea, and only by people that are filled by the spirit of holiness that enters them like it was for the Jews at the reed-sea.

These future-tense words ‘then the children of Israel will sing’ means that each one of us has the Divine permission and power to sing to G-d.

At all times.

Especially on Sukkot.

On Sukkot it doesn't matter if we feel like it or not. We are all instructed, thus empowered, to be joyous, to sing, to dance and to enjoy.

The month of Tishrei is thirty days and clearly divided into two parts.

The first part contains Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. They are very intense and require lots of hard inner work. They are days of awe, introspection and refining of character. Days in which we focus on climbing higher and closer to Hashem by examining our deeds, praying lengthy prayers with kavana and ultimately by divesting ourselves of physical engagement on Yom Kippur.

The second part of the month is very different.

It’s a lot of feasting, singing, dancing and rejoicing.

It may look to an outsider as being granted a furlough. Like a big voice from heaven saying "guys, you have worked hard, now it’s time to have a period of relaxing ‘down-time’.

That could not be further from the truth.

The truth is that the second part of the month of Tishrei is just as mission oriented and serving-Hashem focused. It’s not time off’ at all. It is mitzvah laden. In a way it’s even more strenuous than the days of awe. The mission – the ‘order of the day’ is simply a different one. It moves to the mitzva of being joyous.

Celebrating requires energy!

For sure the flavor of the mitzvahs is different. The mood and energy stand in stark contrast to the journey of the first part of the month.

The Rosh Hashana Yom Kippur part of the month begins with the Jews’ climb and ascent to the highest peaks of spirituality culminating in fasting and getting as close to angelic as humanly possible.

The Sukkot part of the month takes us on a U-turn. It is all about tugging down the great spiritual energies, bringing that high level of holiness into the earthliness.

The Sukka is a booth constructed from physical materials. Sitting in the sukkah, more importantly, eating in the sukkah, is considered a mitzvah. This constitutes the epitome of earthly behavior. It may not feel ‘holy’ to be enjoying a sumptuous feast but on Sukkot (and every Shabbat) it is a holy mitzvah.

On Sukkot we go even more ‘earthly’ than any other time. We take the lulav and etrog and its accompanying species, four species of earthly plants and say a blessing and wave them in all directions. This becomes a holy mitzvah.

The sukkot observances show us how the material ingredients of life are imbued with holiness. Every aspect of human life can be and should be done with holy purpose and imbued with meaning.

And not just simple and frugal material subsistence can be made holy. On sukkot we are instructed to be joyous. To eat the kind of upgraded enjoyable food that brings joy, to drink intoxicating w**e and to host meals with largesse inviting guests, those who are less fortunate or anyone for that matter, who would enjoy being hosted.

We even break out in dance. With our feet.

If Rosh Hashana is about engaging with G-d with our heads and hearts, Sukkot takes it to the feet as well.

No fasting. Feasting. No intense day-long praying, rather more basic classic praying interspersed with large swathes of rejoicing.

My friends, I hope your life is dandy and perfect.

If that is the case, it’s a no-brainer. Of course you want to rejoice. It should come easy and naturally.

However, realistically, you may have some challenges. Hey, most people have some form of challenge. I pray that they be easy and manageable, but maybe they are annoying enough that you don’t feel like dancing.

I have good and liberational news for you.

You have an invitation by G-d to the most gloriously uplifting, and transformational week.

Today, and for the next seven days, Hashem is gifting you the mitzvah of being joyous.

Take up your free admission ticket to SIMCHA – JOY.

Everything changes when you allow joy to enter your domain and define your life.

Try it!

It will bring you closer to G-d and push away the obstacles in your path.

Shabbat Shalom,

Chag Sameach!

Rabbi Yosef Kantor

06/09/2026

https://youtu.be/vRWp5Gbfwbc?si=1NR0NfXcJLw_H4Fo

Torah wisdom from Rabbi Yosef Kantor of Bangkok, Thailand to uplift...

06/09/2026

This past Shabbat was the final Shabbat – the culmination of the year.

Next Shabbat will be the first Shabbat – the beginning of the new year – the first day of Rosh Hashana.

Whoa, already the end of the year? Where did the time fly?

There are so many good things that happened this year and I don’t want them to stop.

On the other hand, there are some challenging things going on that I am quite happy to finish.

I anticipate that a new year will bring new and fresh energy that will leave no trace of last year's negativity.

There is a saying in English ‘you can’t have your cake and eat it’. If you eat it, you no longer have it.’

I don’t agree. I pray to not just have my cake and eat it, I want to embellish on it: ‘I want to eat my cake, and to still have it, and not to get the aftereffects of increased bodyweight show up on the scale’.

Impossible you say.

True.

But only if you are limited to a reality that is bound by nature.

We are miraculous people. If it was up to nature there would be no Jews to talk of.

Yitschak, the continuation of the Jewish people, was born to a ninety-year-old Sara. And a one-hundred-year-old Avraham.

Nations have come and gone. The Jewish people is miraculously still here. G-d makes miracles for us. Quite obviously and openly. They are still ongoing.

So let us pray to Hashem for the kind of year that He can provide. Without bothering to think about the confines of nature.

Let us elevate for a moment and see things from the perspective of the infinity of G-d and ask for the full version of blessing.

Here is what I am referring to.

The Torah portion last week of Ki Tavo was full of blessings. The incredibly uplifting and powerful blessings that are showered upon the heads of those who hearken to the words of Hashem.

The Torah also shares what the result of not listening to Hashem would look like. Very unpleasant consequences to say the least.

The timing is not coincidental. The reading these verses just before Rosh Hashana is planned by Ezra the Scribe, some two and a half thousand years ago.

The Sages say that Ezra instructed us to read the harsh words of what happens ‘if you don’t listen to the commandments of Hashem...’ two weeks before Rosh Hashana, so that we can ‘finish the year and its curses and begin the new year with its blessings’.

תכלה שנה וקללותיה – תחל שנה וברכותיה

Simply read it would mean, let the year with its curses end, may the new year with its blessings begin.

I would like to take license to fine-tune the concept to mean as follows.

May only the negative things of this year finish.

The good things, may they continue and be ‘imported’ into this new year as well...

As the ‘bad’ things, may they end with the year end and not enter into the new year.

In today’s computer/smartphone language it would be like importing all the good files and content while weeding out the viruses and corrupted files.

Seems impossible? Not for G-d who is unlimited and omnipotent.

But we need to do our part and invite G-ds blessings into our life.

Our mission is to tailor our behavior here in this world below, in the same way that we wish to elicit G-d’s reciprocal treatment of us.

Here is how I think it translates to our actions.

Let us take stock – cheshbon hanefesh – of what things we want to import to the new year, and what things we want to discontinue at year end.

With regards to our good habits, let us strengthen them. And make new, even better resolutions.

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to make new resolutions about strengthening the relationship with Almighty G-d.

The negative things we may be engaging in?

Drop them. Cold turkey.

The end of the year is a perfect opportunity to discontinue any inappropriate behaviors that we may have picked up during the year that do not behoove us.

And may G-d reciprocate by continuing the good things and terminating the not-good things.

My dear friend,

Above all let us practice gratitude.

Give thanks to Hashem for His kindness throughout the year.

Wish your friends (and be wished back), all the blessing for a good and sweet new year.

It is a custom on Rosh Hashana to dip an apple in honey and during the entire High Holiday period we customarily dip our Challah into honey and eat ‘lekach’ honey cake.

Allow yourself to reflect on the message of the honey.

First, before you open your next jar of honey recognize how much effort has gone into producing that honey.

This following meditation came to me a few days ago when someone shared the stats about honey production. I found it of benefit to me, and I thought it could be helpful to others as well. As a catalyst that leads to good results.

Honey bees will tap about two million flowers and fly 50,000 miles (80,000 km) to make one pound (454 g) of honey.

This point is a very important lesson – especially for social-media-boomers who expect results in a split second.

A young person recently complained to me that they opened a takeaway food business by preorder but they are thinking of closing the business because of low sales volume. I asked them how long ago they opened the business. They said one week ago.

It took me a moment to get it. The person that complained is in their twenties. They are used to instantaneous results.

Drawing on my ‘adult’ perspective of pre-internet age, I advised that perhaps they keep it open for a few weeks before they decide whether or not the business has a chance for success.

Real results can take time.

Learn it from the bees.

The honey contains a poignant lesson about encouraging people not to give up when doing good things. Rather, one should expend more effort and in most cases one will eventually succeed.

The ‘real’ and traditional reason taught by our sages why we use honey as a central New Year them is transformative. It is because of the great incongruity of the bee whose sting is painful and which we therefore seek to avoid, producing one of the sweetest substances.

Click here for more about apples and honey on Rosh Hashana.

This honey-like transformation of bitter to sweet is what we seek in our lives. As Rosh Hashana arrives, we pray that the things that seem to be hurtful, negative, stinging and even sinful, be transformed to sweet, meritorious, blessed and fruitful realities.

And it truly is our reality as G-d loves us.

But G-d, your G-d, did not want to listen to Balaam, so G-d, your G-d, transformed the curse into a blessing for you, because G-d, your G-d, loves you. (Devarim 23:6)

To be a Jew is to be one of G-d’s beloved people.

Tragically, the classic antisemitism that we thought had been thrown to the annals of history has had a rebirth in recent years all across the globe.

Well, that simply reminds us that we are Jews.

AM YISRAEL CHAI – we are alive because G-d is alive and we are attached to Him.

For nothing in the world would G-d exchange us, and for nothing in the world would we tear ourselves away from G-d.

G-d will change any curses to blessings due to His love for us.

G-d we love you!

Shabbat Shalom,

Shana Tova

Rabbi Yosef Kantor

14/08/2026

Happy Rosh Chodesh Elul – first day – head of the month of Elul.

What a special day it is.

A day of renewed closeness to Hashem, a ‘launch’ of the next forty days of heightened sensitivity in prayer, Torah and good deeds to evoke G-d’s bestowal of ‘compassion and forgiveness’ culminating in Yom Kippur.

Personally, I feel uplifted today as I look forward to the inner strength that this month and period provides.

Over the past few weeks there have been a flurry of articles and posts on social media portraying Israeli’s and Jews in a negative light. Our Chabad House in Phuket has received multiple visits by politicians and police brass. Ridiculous, fabricated statements have been attributed to ‘unidentified persons’ during those visits. The articles full of antisemitic tropes, spread like wildfire and evoke vilely hateful antisemitic comments.

As a Thai citizen I pray for the welfare of the Royal Thai Kingdom.

The Torah teaches (Jeremiah 29, 7) And seek the peace of the city where I have exiled you and pray for it to the Lord, for in its peace you shall have peace.

And precisely for that reason, I get aggravated when misguided malcontent people don’t see the disservice they are doing to their own country by maligning the Jewish people who live here.

Hashem promised Avraham (Genesis 12, 3) I will bless those who bless you…

One doesn’t have to be a professor in history to see that wherever the Jewish people have migrated, in whatever location the Jewish people have been welcomed, blessing and success have followed.

The sensible people in the world remember and acknowledge the lifesaving and critical contributions of Jewish sages, doctors and scientists for the benefit of society throughout history.

As the rabbi of the Jewish Community of Thailand for more than three decades I know that the average Thai person is tolerant, welcoming and very pleased to have Jewish people living and touring here.

It is a vocal miniscule minority who have taken the ugly ogres of xenophobia and sprayed them into the otherwise welcoming and amazing stratosphere of Thailand.

I pray that those winds pass and the familiar friendliness that Thailand is famous for prevails for the benefit of the country and its citizens.

Possibly I should not be looking at these negative articles whatsoever.

The Torah portions states quite unequivocally that we don’t need to be worried about the future, just try to do the next thing right now:

Rather than trying to obsessively divine the future, be wholehearted with God, your God: trust Him and accept His providence. You will therefore not fret about the future and thus not feel any need to foretell it. If you behave in this manner, God will keep you in His land…

But…. I did read some articles as I feel the need to stay somewhat informed to make appropriate leadership decisions.

Perhaps I read more than needed…. because earlier this week it got to me. I found myself pulled down into a mood that was not energetic or optimistic. And although I know that G-d’s presence requires positive and joyous energy, my heart was not feeling it.

In seeking to be released from my moody musings, I shared the challenge of the negative media with some friends.

I got three responses. Each helpful in their own way.

One friend sagely commented ‘this too will pass’. גם זה יעבור

Indeed, in Thailand as in the world in general, we see that the news moves on to the next item eventually. Hopefully we are starting to see the move in the right direction.

Another friend said with conviction (quoting the Torah verse about the enslavement in Egypt and the resulting proliferation of the Jewish people "But the more [the Egyptians] oppressed him [the Israelites], the more [they] increased and spread"

וכאשר יענו אותו כן ירבה וכן יפרוץ

You will see, this will lead to blessing of further expansion.

Indeed, we are currently involved in some exciting programs of expanded Jewish activity both for the local community as well as the traveling community. They are still in the development stages and not yet time to disclose publicly – the blessings are best developed in discreetness and modesty.

Another close friend said, ‘this too is for the good’. גם זו לטובה

The exposure and publicity about the Jewish presence in Thailand will be a conduit to having more Jewish engagement with Jews who may not have been aware of the prayer and mitzvah opportunities here.

True. Discreet is good sometimes. Publicity is critical when it comes to getting the word out.

I would like to find a way to harness this publicity to urge Jews to be more Jewishly active by doing mitzvahs and studying Torah.

And to invite local Jewish residents to come and join us for the High Holidays and Sukkot/Simchat Torah.

For Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur we have a wonderful Synagogue service and joyous communal festival meals at the Rembrandt Hotel on Soi 18. The atmosphere is inspiring and the food is delicious.

Email us for more information ([email protected]).

Sukkot and Simchat Torah is at our La Maison location. The joy and jubilance at those celebrations and legendary.

Please come and bring a friend or two with you.

This message of hope and optimism – that everything is for the good - is so appropriate to the time of the year we are in.

As we emerge from Tisha B’av, the days of the destruction of the Bet Hamikdash, we begin to focus on the rebuilding and rebirth.

We also totally reframe the destruction of the second temple as being a demolition to make way for the new building, the third and eternal Bet Hamikdash.

The joy that follows the sorrow is very powerful.

When I meditated and focused on this, it helped me reframe and regain my positive upbeat spirits!

Then, this morning I read an essay of the Rebbe about the next level positive energy that the month of Elul brings.

You see, the month of Menachem Av, is a month that contains mournful and sorrowful days. True, we emerge from those days to the high and powerful joyous day of 15th of Av, but it is still against a backdrop of prior suffering. There is a contrast that on one hand enhances the joy, but on the other hand still contains a starting point of pain.

The month of Elul is a month that is all about accessibility to G-d.

The ability to ‘meet the King’ without the usual requirements of intense preparation.

Hashem’s countenance shines during this month with an approachability and affability that is compared to a king going out into the field to allow his subjects easy access to establish a relationship with him.

Usually, one would need to enter the palace with intense preparation and multiple stages of scrutiny and worthiness.

During this month Hashem shines His presence in a way that all we need to do is want to receive him and we are allowed in.

This then allows us to build up our connection to Him and be worthy of entering His ‘Palace’ which allegorically refers to the Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur Days of Awe.

The sheer beauty and intensity of having this kind of revealed relationship with G-d leaves no room for any kind of pessimism or negative energy.

This buoys me and elevates me – and I hope by sharing it, you too are similarly inspired - to even greater levels of anticipation and excitement for the G-dly mission that we are to engage in. This mission requires our maximum efforts to add in light of Torah and Mitzvahs and drive away the darkness.

It’s a form of battle. To repel the forces of darkness and usher in the light. To bring Mashiach through acts of goodness and kindness.

The only way to success in battle is by marching forward with confidence, trust and faith in the Almighty.

This week’s Torah portion Shoftim sums it up.

Today you are approaching the battle against your enemies... You must not be afraid! You must not be alarmed! And you must not be terrified of them!

For you have the protection of God, your God; He is the one who accompanies you, to fight for you against your enemies, and to save you from them.’

To put it simply:

Have no fear.
Almighty G-d is with you.

My dear friend, let us strengthen Jewish togetherness.

We have enough detractors and enemies from the outside. We need to tighten our connection with each other from the inside.

Unity is the vessel for all the G-dly blessings that we pray for.

Helping others through giving Tzedakah is especially potent in ushering in the Geulah redemption from this exile. Go to jewishthailand.com/tzedakah to get a headstart on your New Year's Tzedakah.

It is a Jewish custom to begin to wish all one’s acquaintances blessings of Shana Tova that they be inscribed and sealed in the book of life and living.

Let me begin right here and now.

On behalf of my wife Nechama and myself

Shana Tova Umetukah – May you have a GOOD and SWEET Year.

Chodesh Tov,

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yosef Kantor

07/08/2026

Our Parsha is called ‘Re’eh’ which means ‘see’.
The Parsha begins ‘See, I am placing before you blessing…’. The ‘I’ in the verse is Hashem.
Do you feel blessed?
You may be surprised to hear this. Not everyone feels that they are blessed.
The words of the Torah ‘SEE I place before you blessing’ are an invitation and a ‘coaching’ instruction to open your eyes and make an effort to truly ‘see’ and appreciate the blessings that G-d has given you in your personal life.
So often, all it takes for us to feel happier and more contentment is to open our eyes and ‘see’ and appreciate the blessings of G-d.
In our family, my wife Nechama has started a tradition of going around the table during family meals and asking every participant to give thanks to Hashem for something specific.
I urge you to try it. What you will notice immediately is that it does not always come automatically. Some people struggle with trying to articulate what they thank Hashem for. Verbally articulating personal thanks to Hashem for something specific is a great way to upgrade your feelings of blessedness and gratitude to the Almighty.
When you know that you will be called upon to describe your appreciation to Hashem, you start paying more attention and ‘seeing’ the blessings.
Perhaps the meditation below can help.
A statistic I once read has stayed in my consciousness as it sounded quite frightening.
A survey taken in the USA showed that 59% of Americans are one paycheck away from being homeless.
Having a home is one of the primal needs of a person. Being displaced from one’s home and ‘out in the street’ is a real fear for those who cannot pay their rent.
I know this because people contact me for help from our community Tzedakah fund when they need urgent help. I sense fear in their voice when they describe their fear of being evicted by a landlord who has lost his patience with their inability to pay their rent on time. Being able to have a consistent roof over one’s head is uppermost in the list of human needs.
Come to think of it there is something much scarier which we don’t often think about which we don’t need a survey for. We all know it from observing life around us.
Health and life itself.
We have all heard of cases when someone who was young and healthy suddenly was not.
100% of humans are just one microbial infection, one blood clot, or one malignant cell away from dying. All it takes is for one thing to go wrong and G-d forbid….
That is a pretty scary thought that we don’t often like to think about.
So let us NOT think about it. Or rather let us now dwell on it.
To constantly focus on the things that do not go right is to ignore the myriad things that do go right.
Yes, it’s scary to contemplate homelessness and it’s tragic to those who suffer from it. We need to remain sensitive and compassionate and help those who need it. However, let us think about the fact that you and I are NOT homeless. How thankful we must be that we DO have a home. We ought to give thanks for the blessings that we have.
It’s the same thing with life and health.
The fact is that if you are reading this, you are alive.
This means that your body, with all of its myriad components, is working.
Let us praise Hashem for our physical health. For every breath. For the blood that flows through our veins unimpeded. For the trillions of healthy cells that do their job devotedly.
Let us praise the Master of the Universe for the symmetry in creation.
For all the blessings.
There is no reason to have ‘bad news’ dominate our psyche.
Good news abounds. It just doesn’t make good headlines like crises do.
So next time you are asked, ‘what would you like to thank Hashem for’, think of the trillions of things that are going right in your very own body.
Breath by breath.
Heartbeat by heartbeat.
Our internal digestive system is a huge miracle. There are 100 trillion microbial cells in our gut. Every time we go go the bathroom, we have to be thankful that they are all speaking to each other and cooperating.
The intricate design and cooperation required for opening our eyes in the morning is beyond miraculous.
Think of all the blessings that surround us all that we take for granted.
Make a good resolution to open your eyes and SEE the good that abounds from G-d.
I guarantee you that if you make an effort to notice and ‘count’ your blessings you will feel buoyant, uplifted and full of thanks to Hashem for His blessing.
This Shabbat is also called ‘Shabbat Mevarchim’ - ‘A Shabbat in which we bless’.
What do we bless?
The upcoming month. On Thursday and Friday will be Rosh Chodesh. The ‘head of the month’.
On the Shabbat before the Rosh Chodesh first day of the new month, we proclaim what day the new month will begin and pray and bless the month to be a month of ‘life and peace, jubilation and joy, salvation and comfort, AMEN’.
Shabbat Mevarchim comes before every month. Yet, when it comes to this month, there is a special ‘vibe’ and ‘energy’ that fills the air.
The month of Elul will begin.
This means we are one month away from Rosh Hashana.
Preparations for the new year begin during this upcoming month.
Elul is a month of accounting for the past year.
It’s a month of preparation for the coming year.
Preparing for the future responsibly requires honest appraisal of what transpired in the past.
In every successful business, the owner looks for ‘best practices’ and tries to strengthen them. As well as looking for things that have failed and discontinuing them.
One of the things that can be transformative in our lives and is a ‘best practice’, is being more mindful of the blessings in our lives.
The Alter Rebbe in describing the Divine energies that are beamed down to our world in preparation of Rosh Hashana, starting from Rosh Chodesh Elul, describes an analogy involving a king.
Before a king enters his city, its inhabitants go out to greet him and receive him in the field. At that time, anyone who so desires is granted permission [and can] approach him and greet him. He receives them all pleasantly, and shows a smiling countenance to all . . .
During the month of Elul, G-d is analogous to the king in the field. Hashem gives us the gift of being ‘approachable’ before the awesome High Holidays.
The Kabbalists taught that the month of Elul is a month of intense spiritual opportunity where G-d is radiantly accessible to each and every one of us. Just the way we are. Each of us can and should approach Him and put in our ‘pre-Rosh-Hashana’ requests for a Good and Sweet Year!
And may G-d bless you to have many more good things to SEE and to give gratitude for.

Shabbat Shalom
Chodesh Tov
Shana Tova
Rabbi Yosef Kantor