I am accustomed to beginning the new year with a story and will do so with two short stories for this year 5786. This is a story by perhaps the most famous storyteller in all of Judaism, the Dubno Maggid. Rabbi Yaakov Kranz lived in Dubno (Western Ukraine) in the late 18^th century. He is famous for conveying complex ideas in a simple way.            

Once upon a time, I was walking in the forest and I saw all these trees in a row with a target drawn on them, and an arrow right in the center. At the end of the row I saw a little boy with a bow in his hand I had to ask him, “Are you the one who shot all those arrows?!” “Of course!” he replied. “How did you hit all the targets right in the center?” I asked. “Simple”, said the boy, “first I shoot the arrow, and then I draw the target.”

Often on the High Holy Days we think of committing sins. The most common word use, on which we beat our breasts, is חאט, missing the mark. If one adopts the approach of the Dubno Maggid, however, they never miss the mark. I bring this not to suggest that we’re perfect but rather that perhaps we should think this year about those things where we feel we erred, especially the missed opportunities. Perhaps instead of missing the mark they were directing us towards a different target than we anticipated. Where we often think we should be is not where we need to be. As was made clear by The Rolling Stones, “you can’t always get what you want but if you try sometimes you just might find you get what you need.”

Another story by the Dubno Maggid teaches us to check our worries, our “what ifs” and our “should haves” at the door as we enter High Holy Days 5786.

A pauper once trudged along a country road, carrying a bundle of his worldly belongings on his back. As the beggar began to tire, a speck of dust appeared in the distance. To his delight, he was soon overtaken by a rich carriage that belonged to a local squire.

“Hop on board,” called the nobleman generously, “and rest your feet until we get to town.”

A few minutes later, the nobleman turned around and saw the beggar sitting with his bundle balanced precariously on his sagging shoulders.

“My dear man,” he asked with a hint of concern, “why don’t you put down your sack and rest up? There is plenty of space . . .”

“Oh kind sir,” came the reply, “it is generous enough of you to give me a ride. I would not trouble your horses, who are surely overtaxed, to carry my poor belongings as well.”

“Silly man,” said the magnate, “don’t you realize that even if you put the pack on your shoulders, it is still being carried by my carriage?”

At times we are like the pauper, foolishly carrying our worries and cares on our own shoulders.

If we take a moment to recognize that G‑d constantly “carries” the entire world, including our cares and concerns, we can relax our shoulders, confident and secure in our faith.

Let us take a deep breath and relax into the moment of New Year 5786, recognizing all the times that we have hit the mark in the previous year and looking forward to those in which we will do so in the year ahead.