We are in the midst of a very special time between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. It is a time of reflection and repentance when our sages tell "us seek out G-d while He is close". It is a time when the gates of prayer are wide open and we can dictate how the coming year will be for us.

R'Elimelech Biderman related the following parable. Years ago doctors used to perform medical experiments on animals but they would only use limbs of live animals. One day the lion heard that the doctors were planning to do some experiments on him. He didn't know what to do so he went and asked the cunning fox for advice. The fox told the lion that the doctors will only do experiments on live animals so when they come into your cage pretend like you are dead and they will leave you alone. The doctors came into to look for the lion and following the advice of the fox, he played dead lying lifeless on the ground. The doctors walked out leaving the cage open and said that there was nothing to do with a dead lion. They thought it over again and decided that they could still do some work on the dead lion's ear. They re-entered the cage and saw the dead lion and cut off his ear. The lion, with all of his strength, held himself back, as he knew that he can still live without an ear. They then decided to cut off the other ear. Again the lion restrained himself. The doctors then left again with the dead lion on the ground and the cage open. After a few deliberations they decided they could also use the lion's teeth. They re-entered the cage and removed the lion's teeth. As they left, the lion heard them considering removing his liver as well. At this point the lion realized that if they remove his liver he would die, he got up and ran out of the open cage into the forest.

When he reached the forest and met with the other animals he started to cry. They asked him what happened? He told them, that they removed his teeth and cut off his ears and he will forever be maimed. He said the cage was open before they cut off my ear and I had the opportunity to escape but I played dead.

Through the past year am I sure we all had our shares of ups and downs. Hopefully more ups than downs but now we have the opportunity to escape. We have the opportunity to write our own future for the upcoming year. We can all take advantage of these phenomenal days to open our hearts and minds in prayer, repentance and good deeds. May we all be inscribed in the book of life!

Shabbat Shalom

Shana Tova and Gemar Chasima Tova!

Heath