During Parashat Eikev, Moses continues with his farewell reminding the things that have happened up to that point and anticipates what is to come. He does a public assessment of the good and the bad. We call this “Cheshbon” in Hebrew; a reckoning or accounting of the events that most matter.

As I read the lines of this story once more, I feel a big admiration for Moses’ profound ability to recount events with honesty and fairness, presenting facts without distortion or bias. He does not give his point of view, his opinion wasn’t asked. Well, the things we do have repercussions. We may share different points of view and ways of experiencing an event that happened, but the fact is done.

And it serves as a powerful example for us as we approach the end of the Jewish year. It is a call to engage in “Cheshbon hanefesh,” the soul-searching, or personal assessment, so needed nowadays in times of multitaskingness and the savage non-stop culture.

Do we perhaps think that by receiving a “Shanah Tovah,” our year will magically become good and everything will turn out wonderfully? That’s indeed naïve. We cannot predict or control most things (it would be very dangerous to defy the mystery of life), but each one of us has a super power: we can delve within ourselves and clean up what needs to be cleaned up. True change requires introspection, courage, and action. It demands that we confront the “dust under the rug,” those unresolved matters we often avoid. Yes, it’s challenging, but only by going through this process can we create space for the blessings of the future.

And the good news is that if I do my part and you do yours, we’re all cleaning up the entire world little by little, step by step. Every year a new thing to put on the correct shelf.

May this upcoming year bring us the strength to acknowledge our mistakes, the humility to seek forgiveness, and the compassion to forgive ourselves.

The prophet Micah beautifully interprets one of the most well-known verses of this Parasha. I would like to leave this verse as inspiration for the coming weeks.

What does God require of you? Only to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk modestly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

Let us strive together for a year filled with love, unity, and harmony as a community.

May we walk modestly with our God, going forward with hope and purpose toward a brighter Shaaray.

Shabbat Shalom.