Below is teaching of Chaplain (Rabbi to be) Adam Ruditsky in conjunction with the book Preparing for the High Holidays
.
רפואה מן התורה
And he
dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to
heaven; and behold the angels of God were ascending and descending on it (Gen.
28:12)
This dream of Jacob’s
happened as he journeyed upon the road and had an encounter with God that helped to fulfill his own sense of purpose. Elul is about an encounter upon the road
leading up to Rosh Hashanah and the rest of the Holidays that follow. The ladders that ascend and descend can also be a metaphor for people who encounter a sense of “other” on their own path and the wisdom
that perhaps will come from that very same encounter. We learn that physically the ladders are community, prayer, S’lichot and hearing the shofar daily. We also learn, that for Jacob his dream
was his dream, it came as he journeyed and sought direction along his path. There were no bells and whistles, just his
spirit engaging with God along the way.
Each one of us is in charge of our own paths and the ladders upon
it. The Torah is like a ladder, we seek
higher ways through its teachings and we receive in return the benefit of its
wisdom. Perhaps we should pay more
attention to our dreams, even our daydreaming when we are fully awake, because
who knows what they may want to teach us.
Through Torah, God will
help us to ourselves
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