Hi Everyone,
We always learn that on the Yamim Nora’im, “כָּל בָּאֵי הָעוֹלָם עוֹבְרִין לְפָנָיו כִּבְנֵי מָרוֹן” — all of humanity passes before Hashem like sheep before the shepherd. Each one is counted individually. Not as part of a crowd, but face to face, one by one. Hashem looks at you — your actions, your tefillos, your life — and He cares.
My friend (MK) spoke recently about how her family worked for weeks to complete a 1,000-piece puzzle, only to find one single piece missing. Some told her to throw the whole thing out.
“Why?” she asked. “Can’t you see the 999 pieces that are in place?”
“But that’s the center of the puzzle,” they all said. “It looks strange.”
And that was her teaching moment: the world is like that puzzle, and the missing piece is you. Hashem needs every Yid :-).
That struck me deeply. Because if you are missing, there is a gap in the puzzle. The world cannot be complete without your presence, your mitzvos, your light.
And I’ll be honest — I ask myself these same questions. Why am I needed? Why is EVERYWHEN needed? It’s so much work and there are so many other stores. Some days I wonder if it matters at all. But the answer is the same as the puzzle: if I am missing, the world is missing a piece. My davening, my avodah, my efforts — no one else can bring them in my place. And EVERYWHEN, with all its challenges, also fills a role that no one else can.
Without it, our community would be missing:
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A space where tzniyus and beauty come together naturally.
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The joy of choosing clothing that honors Shabbos and Yom Tov and dressing like a bas melech every day.
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Unique styles that help everyone feel confident and true to their values.
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A warm, familiar place where community feels like family.
Without that, the puzzle would not be whole.
As we enter the new year (and our racks are full of new pieces), may you feel the dignity of being counted by Hashem, the joy of knowing that everything you do matters, and the comfort of knowing that your piece makes the puzzle complete.
כתיבה וחתימה טובה,
Chaya & Co.
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