Recently, I was asked to speak on the topic of “Things I’ve Learned Since Last Rosh HaShanah.” I chose to talk about the ability that each of us has to do great things. My example was Dan Schoeffler, and his wonderful idea called Contact Loved Ones. Each of us, when we decide that we want to do good, to build, can do great things. And when we work together, as happened when Dan assembled an outstanding team of volunteers, the results can defy our imagination.

In just a few days, we will approach the King of Kings, and will commit ourselves to doing a better job of following His ways in the year to come. The story is told that when R’ Levi of Berditchev, an early Chassidic Rebbe, heard the chazzan sing “HaMelech” [The King] in a loud voice on the morning of Rosh HaShanah — he fainted. When he woke up, he explained that he imagined HaShem asking: where were you until now?

Of course, R’ Levi is right. We should constantly be thinking of G-d as we do (or should!) or Rosh HaShanah. Nonetheless, we now find ourselves in a special and opportune time — if, indeed, we were “away” until now, it’s time to come back. The month preceding Rosh HaShanah is called Elul, which is an acronym for “Ani L’Dodi V’Dodi Li,” I am for my Beloved, and my Beloved is for me, which is a reference to the relationship between man and G-d found in the Song of Songs. This is a time when G-d comes close, and asks us to do the same.