Allowing Others to Exist

The main idea to focus on during Rosh HaShana is that we are crowning G-d/HaShem as our King. What does that actually mean? The mitzvah of hearing the shofar blown is recognizing the "coronation" of our King. But still, what does that mean?

During Creation of the world, G-d in a sense pulled Himself back to allow us and our physical world to exist. (For more information on this concept, click here). While we know that we are supposed to emulate G-d in character traits - for example: slow to anger, helping those in need - we can also follow HaShem's lead in how to deal with other people. 

Many times, especially in our social media age, we cannot allow others to exist - they have opinions we don't agree with, or we don't agree with their world view. We un-'friend' them. We pretend they do not exist, and in our social media world, with a click of a button, they don't exist. Even in the real world, friends and family have even been cut off - and their opinions and thoughts no longer need to 'offend' our sensibilities. Their existence no longer concerns us. 

During Creation, HaShem pulled Himself back to allow us to exist. That is a lesson to us all. It's a basis for our whole physical existence. We have to learn from G-d's example. We need to recognize that we are not the center of the universe, that our opinions and thoughts are not the last word. Perhaps it's okay to be challenged by others, to be someone who learns from everyone we meet, as Pirkei Avos says. We can pull our egos back and allow others to exist.

This Rosh HaShana, let's hear the blowing of the shofar and let that sound enter our hearts. Together we will coronate HaShem as our King instead of our egos.