Dear Friends,
Last week, on Rosh Hashanah, we looked back at our actions, deciding what to hold on to and what to release. This week, on Yom Kippur, we turn our eyes forward, asking what steps we will take next.
One of the most striking moments of Ne’ilah, the final prayer of Yom Kippur, is the plea: “Open the gates for us, at the time of the closing of the gates, for the day has waned.” Why ask for the gates to open precisely as they are closing? The prayer conveys urgency: as the day fades, we long for just one more chance to step inside.
The rabbis taught that since the destruction of the Temple, “the gates of prayer were locked,” but also that “the gates of tears were never locked.” Even when prayer feels uncertain, the gates of repentance and change remain open.
Kafka’s parable Before the Law adds another layer: a man waits his whole life at a gate meant only for him, never realizing it had always been open. Sometimes the gates are not closed at all, we simply fail to notice the invitation before us.
Perhaps that is the meaning of our Yom Kippur prayer. We ask not only for the gates to open, but for the awareness to see which gates are already waiting. Some will remain open always; others are closing, reminding us that time is precious and our choices matter.
As this season of reflection ends, I hold on to this image of the gates. Each of us carries the responsibility of finding the gate that is meant for us and the courage to walk through it. And as a community, we must also find the gates that lead toward healing, renewal, and hope.
My prayer this year: may we recognize the gates before us, step through them with openness, and be led toward new paths and a brighter future.
G’mar Chatimah Tovah, may we all be sealed for goodness.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Moriah SimonHazani
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