Yom Kippur - 5780

Yom Kippur - 5780

Rabbi Hal Miller

A short thought to keep in mind during the service. In the "al cheit" confession

we read, "My God, before I was formed I was of no worth, and now that I have

been formed, it is as though I was not formed." Has anyone else ever wondered

what this could mean?

The Gemora in Berachos [17a] notes that Rava wrote this, but it is not clear

what he meant. Rav Kook explains for us.

Before I was born, I was of no worth. Nothing required my existence, there was

no mission for me to fulfill yet or I would have been born earlier.

Now that I have been formed. Since I have entered the world now, there must be

some particular mission I am to fulfill.

It is as though I was not formed. Since my actions are not in accordance with my

true goal, I am not accomplishing my mission. If I do not accomplish my mission,

it is as if I never entered the world.

Rava is teaching us that it is no accident that we are here, now. There is some

important mission each one of us is to accomplish, or we wouldn't be here. If

we do not work toward discovering and accomplishing our individual mission,

then we have failed our purpose, and it is as if we were never formed.