Rabbi Marc D. Rudolph

Two friends, Reuven and Shimon, were traveling together in the desert. At one point, they began to argue. Then Reuven slapped Shimon. Shimon did nothing, but instead wrote in the sand, “Today my best friend slapped me.”

Days passed and the friends continued their journey. They came to an oasis and decided to bathe in the spring.  Shimon began to drown, but Reuven threw himself in the water and rescued him. A grateful Shimon took his knife and carved into a stone, “Today my best friend saved my life.”

Intrigued, Reuven asked Shimon, “Why did you write in the sand when I slapped you, but now when I rescued you, you carved it into stone?”

Shimon answered with a smile, “When someone offends me, I try to write it in sand, where the marks are easily erased by the winds. When someone does something good for me, I prefer to leave it in stone so that I never forget the kindness and remember to be grateful.”

G-d gives us the capacity for forgiveness as an antidote to the hatred and anger that can poison our lives. This Rosh Hashanah may the winds of forgiveness gracefully wipe away the insults and injuries we have suffered in the past year. May we remember, with gratitude, even the smallest of kindnesses we have enjoyed.

Have a good and sweet New Year!