Sep 7, 2026 · 6 min · 6 segments
"Remember us for Life," is what we beseech Hashem--not only on Rosh Hashanah itself but on ALL of the 10 days of teshuva (return) culminating in Yom Kippur. Now is the time to really start to think…
Yosef EdelsteinHost
You know, there are about four or five words that appear over and over in the Rosh Hashanah prayers.
And by the way, I wanted to say that the best way to prepare for Rosh Hashanah, or one of the best ways, besides cooking the brisket, if you do that, and apples and honey, get those, important.
Our great sages tell us we should do, but if we take the holidays seriously and really want to use them to grow and reflect, then it would be amazing if you and I, I'm talking to myself as well, took some time beforehand as part of the preparation to open the Makhzor, the Rosh Hashanah prayer book.
In other words, there are great articles out there, Jewish websites, of course, that get us into the themes and the big ideas of Rosh Hashanah, and we should look into those too.
But just taking out the Makhzor, the prayer book, and familiarizing ourselves with the prayers.
These prayers were not just, you know, dashed off by some folks in a cafe somewhere.
But anyway, so a great way to prepare, in other words, for Rosh Hashanah, get out the prayer book.
And when you see the Rosh Hashanah prayer book, there are four or five words that appear over and over and over again, and they sum up the themes of the holiday.
And there are certain seasonal additions in the Shemona Esrei for Rosh Hashanah.
And I'm going to read one of the most famous seasonal additions in the Shemona Esrei.
And this is something that we say not just on Rosh Hashanah, which we do, but throughout all the 10 days of Teshuvah, of return, culminating in Yom Kippur.
in these two lines that I'm going to read for you that come right from the Rosh Hashanah prayer book, these key words that sum up the essence of Rosh Hashanah, and thinking about them is a great way to prepare for Rosh Hashanah.
who desires life, and write us in the book of life, for your sake, O living God.
Well, in that phrase, of course, life, chayim, that might be the word that is the most important word, perhaps, on Rosh Hashanah, and it should be in our minds, life, and we're asking God to remember us for life.
Now, God never forgets, but remembrance remembers another key word, top four or five of Rosh Hashanah, because it's called Yom Hazikaron by our sages, a day of remembrance, a day when God brings to life the front of his holy throne, as it were, us, his creation, every one of us, heart, soul, mind, he sees it all.
You know, there are about four or five words that appear over and over in the Rosh Hashanah prayers.
And by the way, I wanted to say that the best way to prepare for Rosh Hashanah, or one of the best ways, besides cooking the brisket, if you do that, and apples and honey, get those, important.
Our great sages tell us we should do, but if we take the holidays seriously and really want to use them to grow and reflect, then it would be amazing if you and I, I'm talking to myself as well, took some time beforehand as part of the preparation to open the Makhzor, the Rosh Hashanah prayer book.
In other words, there are great articles out there, Jewish websites, of course, that get us into the themes and the big ideas of Rosh Hashanah, and we should look into those too.
But just taking out the Makhzor, the prayer book, and familiarizing ourselves with the prayers.
These prayers were not just, you know, dashed off by some folks in a cafe somewhere.
But anyway, so a great way to prepare, in other words, for Rosh Hashanah, get out the prayer book.
And when you see the Rosh Hashanah prayer book, there are four or five words that appear over and over and over again, and they sum up the themes of the holiday.
And there are certain seasonal additions in the Shemona Esrei for Rosh Hashanah.
And I'm going to read one of the most famous seasonal additions in the Shemona Esrei.
And this is something that we say not just on Rosh Hashanah, which we do, but throughout all the 10 days of Teshuvah, of return, culminating in Yom Kippur.
in these two lines that I'm going to read for you that come right from the Rosh Hashanah prayer book, these key words that sum up the essence of Rosh Hashanah, and thinking about them is a great way to prepare for Rosh Hashanah.
who desires life, and write us in the book of life, for your sake, O living God.
Well, in that phrase, of course, life, chayim, that might be the word that is the most important word, perhaps, on Rosh Hashanah, and it should be in our minds, life, and we're asking God to remember us for life.
Now, God never forgets, but remembrance remembers another key word, top four or five of Rosh Hashanah, because it's called Yom Hazikaron by our sages, a day of remembrance, a day when God brings to life the front of his holy throne, as it were, us, his creation, every one of us, heart, soul, mind, he sees it all.
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