12 Sep WE ARE CHANA

On the first day of Rosh HaShana, the haftara
is the story of Chana, from the Book of
Shmuel. It is the story of a woman who longed
for a child, a woman who never gave up on
her dream of being an aym b’Yisroel, a mother
within the Jewish nation. It is the story of the
power of prayer, and the woman who taught
us how to daven.
In honor of the Sholosh Regalim, Chana
would travel together with her husband Elkana
to the mishkon in Shiloh. Elkana was known
to take the “long” route, going out of his way,
in order to convince others to join him. On
each trip, Elkana would travel a different
route, giving him the opportunity to reach
others.
Imagine Chana’s pain, as year after year she
would see wagonfuls of families making their
way to Shiloh, while she remained childless.
Learning from our matriarchs Sara and
Rochel, after ten years, Chana told Elkana to
take a second wife, Penina. Their home
became filled with the sound of children, and
Chana’s desire for a child of her own
intensified.

Elkana and his growing family continued
making their annual treks to Shiloh, where
Chana would pour out her heart to HaShem.
Nineteen years passed. Nineteen years of
Chana’s longing for a child.
It was Rosh HaShana, and Chana was once
again in Shiloh, begging and pleading with
HaShem to answer her prayers.
“Va’tivkeh, v’lo socheil, She cried and would
not eat.” (Shmuel 1:7)
“And she was feeling bitter (brokenhearted),
and prayed to HaShem, weeping continuously
(Ibid. 1:10).
“Shaarei dima-os lo ninalu, The gates of tears
are never locked. (Talmud Berachos 32a). It
was on Rosh HaShana that Chana made the
tefilla that pierced the Heavenly gates,
pleading that her dream come true. Rosh
HaShana, Yom HaZikaron, the day that
HaShem remembers. “Vayizkarehah HaShem,
and HaShem remembered her.” (Ibid. 1:19) A
year later, Chana was blessed with a child. A

son whom she named Shmuel, “Ki mei-
HaShem sho-altiv, Because I asked him from

HaShem.” (Ibid. 1:20)
On Rosh HaShana we are all Chana. Chana’s
story is not just about a woman who longed

for a child, but it is our story.
Each of us has a prayer in our
heart. We all have reasons to
turn to HaShem. For some, like
Chana, it is a prayer for a child.
For others, it is for gezunt,
good health… for ourselves,
for family members. So many
prayers. It may be for
shidduchim, shalom bayis,
success in raising children,
help with parnassa, the ability
to live without financial
struggles.
We are living in galus, waiting for Moshiach.
Hoping for a world of peace and tranquility.
Who doesn’t have a pain in their heart. On
Rosh HaShana we humbly turn to HaShem
with our bakoshos, our requests.
Chana understood what it meant to really
daven, and to feel the awesomeness of the day.
On Yom HaZikaron, just like Chana, we too
pray that HaShem will remember us, and
respond favorably to our requests.
Avinu Malkeinu – Our Father, our King!
While Rosh HaShana is the day we call out
HaMelech – The King, the day on which we
coronate HaShem as our King, it is also the
day we turn to HaShem as Avinu – our
Father. A Father we can unload to. A Father
to whom no request is too trivial, and no
request is too large. Ask for a miracle –
nothing is beyond HaShem’s reach.
On that Rosh HaShana, Chana experienced
the healing power of prayer. Rabbi Yosef
Albo, a fifteenth century Jewish philosopher,
teaches that tefilla doesn’t change HaShem,
but it changes those who daven. Tefilla
brings us closer to HaShem.
When we have meaningful conversations
with people, we become closer to them. Just
think of the “silent treatment” as opposed to
“DMC”. Chana teaches us that one can
open their heart and connect to HaShem
spiritually.
Unfortunately, all too often, when we
daven, we just say words by rote, as if we
are on auto-pilot. All of a sudden, we are
finished, and we can’t even remember how
we got there. We live in a fast-paced world.
Our mind wanders, and is filled with so
many distractions. Our lips are moving but
our head and heart are elsewhere.
Chana teaches us to really daven.
“Medaberes al libah, She spoke from her
heart.” (Ibid. 1:13) Radak explains that this
refers to Chana’s kavanna, deep
concentration, and teaches us how vital it is
for a person to focus on their prayers.
Avinu – we speak to HaShem like a child to
a loving parent. Chana proclaims,
“Vo’eshpoch nafshi lifnei HaShem, I have

poured out my soul before HaShem.” (Ibid.
1:15)
“Rak sefosehah na-os, v’kolah lo yi’shomeiah,
Only her lips were moving, but her voice was
not heard.” (Ibid. 1:13) From Chana we learn
how to daven the Amidah. Not just to read the
words, but to enunciate them. One should be
able to hear their words in a soft whisper – not
a loud voice.
Chana returned to Shiloh with a prayer of
gratitude, reciting Shiras Chana, the Song of
Chana. One of the reasons we read this
haftarah on Rosh HaShana, is because many
of the words remind us of the chilling tefilla in
Musaf following Unesaneh Tokef. “Mi
yichyeh, mi yomus, Who will live, who will
die… who will be impoverished and who will
be enriched…” Chana proclaims “HaShem
meimiss U’michayeh, HaShem brings death
and gives life. HaShem impoverishes and
makes rich, He humbles and He elevates.”
My father zt”l would relate a chassidic tale of
two men, Yankel and Dovid, who went to their
rebbe for a bracha. While waiting for their
private audience with the rebbe, the two
became acquainted and shared their stories.
Each came for the same bracha – the blessing
of a baby.
A year later, the two were back. This time,
however, it was different. Yankel returned
with his baby, wanting to give the rebbe
nachas. Dovid returned to receive yet another
bracha. When Dovid met the rebbe, he gave a
kvetch, why was Yankel blessed and not he.
Ah, said the rebbe, when Yankel got the
bracha, he returned home, and immediately
purchased a cradle, fixed up a baby room, and
even bought some schnapps for a simcha. He
truly believed that the blessing would come
true.
On Rosh HaShana, we all turn to HaShem for
brachos. Our job is to daven likes our lives
depend on it – because it really does, and to
truly believe that we will merit to see the
realization of HaShem’s brachos.
Wishing all my readers a
K’siva V’Chasima Tova!
Chaya Sora