Rosh Hashanah – Day Two 2025 (09/24/25)

Where have all the prophets gone?

We just read from a very imaginative and stirring Haftorah.

Jeremiah, the prophet who foretold and witnessed the destruction of the First Temple, now comforts us with visions of return and renewal.

כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה מָצָ֥א חֵן֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר עַ֖ם שְׂרִ֣ידֵי חָ֑רֶב

Thus says God to those who escaped the Egyptian sword, who found my favor in the desert…

וְאַהֲבַ֤ת עוֹלָם֙ אֲהַבְתִּ֔יךְ

And I have loved you with an unending love

ע֤וֹד אֶבְנֵךְ֙ וְֽנִבְנֵ֔ית בְּתוּלַ֖ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל

O’ Daughter of Israel, I will rebuild you with strength once more.

You will again take up your tambourines and join the joyful rhythm of the dancers.

ע֚וֹד תִּטְּעִ֣י כְרָמִ֔ים בְּהָרֵ֖י שֹֽׁמְר֑וֹן

Again you shall once more plant vineyards

On the hills of Samaria, and enjoy its fruit.

כִּ֣י יֶשׁ־י֔וֹם קָרְא֥וּ נֹצְרִ֖ים בְּהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם

For the day is coming when the sentinels shall proclaim on Mount Ephraim: Come, let us go up to Zion, To the ETERNAL our God!

כִּי־כֹ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר ה’ רׇנּ֤וּ לְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ שִׂמְחָ֔ה

For thus said GOD: Jacob, cry out in Joy,

For I will bring them in from the northern lands,

Gather them from the ends of the earth—

The blind and the lame among them,

Those with child and those in labor—

In a vast throng they shall return here.

כִּֽי־הָיִ֤יתִי לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְאָ֔ב וְאֶפְרַ֖יִם בְּכֹ֥רִי הֽוּא׃

For I am a father to Israel and Ephraim is my first-born.

שִׁמְע֤וּ דְבַר־יְהֹוָה֙ גּוֹיִ֔ם

Hear the word of GOD, O nations,

And tell it in the isles afar.

The One who scattered Israel will gather them,

And will guard them as a shepherd guards his flock.

כִּֽי־פָדָ֥ה ה’ אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹ֑ב וּגְאָל֕וֹ מִיַּ֖ד חָזָ֥ק מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

For God will rescue Jacob and redeem him from those stronger than him.

These are such exquisite, uplifting words from an ancient Prophet.

They feel just as comforting today as they did when they were first mouthed 2600 years ago.

And it seems as if Jeremiah’s predictions came true, for we have returned from the four corners of the earth to live once again in our homeland.

It’s sweet to read such a moving message at the beginning of the year.

But wouldn’t it be better if we had a more recent communique?

What would be God’s message for us today?

Where have all the Prophets gone? Long time passing.

Just because the Bible was canonized 1900 years ago doesn’t mean that God stopped communicating with us.

If we examine the part of the Bible called Ketubim, or Writings, we find poems, songs, stories, and words of wisdom that were believed to be divinely inspired.

Books like Psalms, Esther, Song of Songs, Job, and Proverbs were felt to have an eternal message, and therefore, they were included in the canon of the Bible.

But just because the Bible became a completed book 1900 years ago, doesn’t mean that inspiration stopped then.

I believe great visionaries, authors, and composers continue to lead and guide us. Many of you remember Martin Luther King Jr and JFK. If they lived 2500 years ago, perhaps they would have been viewed as prophets, as well.

If we open our hearts, maybe we’d see our modern messages and messengers as Heaven-sent.

A hundred and thirty years ago, a dreamer took the reins of the Jewish people.

Theodore Herzl is referred to as the Chozeh, the Seer, by Israelis.

He wrote in his diary after the First Zionist Congress in 1897:

“Were I to sum up the Basel Congress in a word, it would be this:

At Basel, I founded the Jewish State.

If this was said out loud today, it would be answered by universal laughter.

Perhaps in five years, certainly in fifty, everyone will know it.

If you will it, it is no dream; and if you do not will it, a dream it is and a dream it will stay.”

Indeed, fifty years later, in 1947, the UN voted to create a Jewish state.

Theodor Herzl. Imagine him as our Martin Luther King Jr or Thomas Jefferson.

He also said, “The Jews who will it, shall achieve their State. We shall live at last as free men on our own soil, and in our own homes, peacefully die. The world will be liberated by our freedom, enriched by our wealth, and magnified by our greatness. And whatever we attempt there for our own benefit will rebound mightily and beneficially to the good of all humankind.

Well, while dying peacefully in Israeli homes is something we still yearn for, the world has certainly been blessed and magnified by Israel’s contributions.

Could we say that any recent Jewish poems or songs were heaven-sent?

If we’re going to talk about impactful songwriters, we can’t ignore Dylan.

In 1983, Bob Dylan composed “The Neighborhood Bully.”

The song was composed over forty years ago, but many countries, news agencies, and people would consider the title to be perfectly fitting right now.

On the other hand, some might view the lyrics just as prophetic:

“Well, the neighborhood bully, he’s just one man

His enemies say he’s on their land

They got him outnumbered about a million to one

He got no place to escape to, no place to run

He’s the neighborhood bully.

The neighborhood bully, he just lives to survive

He’s criticized and condemned for being alive

He’s not supposed to fight back, he’s supposed to have thick skin

He’s supposed to lay down and die when his door is kicked in

He’s the neighborhood bully.

The neighborhood bully, been driven out of every land

He’s wandered the earth an exiled man

Seen his family scattered, his people hounded and torn

He’s always on trial for just being born

He’s the neighborhood bully.

It’s a long song, so please read the rest on your own.

But Dylan accurately portrays our unique challenges-how Israel and Jews worldwide are held to a double standard. I’m not saying that Israel has no culpability in Gaza, but you don’t see aggressors like Russia, China, or the Sudanese being scrutinized as we are.

Since Russia attacked Ukraine in 2022, 73,000 Ukrainians have died because of the war.

Since Sudan’s civil war in 2023, it is estimated that 400,000 people have died, over 12 million have been displaced, and nearly 25 million Sudanese face extreme hunger.

Since the Uyghur oppression in China started in 2018, 16,000 mosques have been destroyed, and over one million Uyghurs have been placed in counter extremism camps, and nearly half a million are in prison.

None of these atrocities draw the worldwide condemnation that Israel receives.

We were attacked, and our military moves are to ensure that we don’t get attacked again. And if you think Israel is into Arab genocide, then how come Israel has an Israeli Arab judge sitting on the Supreme Court, and nearly 50% of its pharmacists, 25% of its doctors, and 27% of its nurses and dentists are Israeli Arabs?

Yes, there is guilt and culpability in Gaza, and I will address more of that on Yom Kippur, but Dylan’s words ring true: we’re criticized and condemned for just being alive. Since October 7th, Israel has been vilified for just existing.

This song, no matter how accurate and seemingly current, is a bit depressing. Do we have some uplifting prophets?

In the 20th Century, Israel had a number of eloquent poets and composers.

After the Six-Day War, Naomi Shemer composed Jerusalem of Gold.

In the song, she talks about the desolation of Israel and its despair. Yet, just like Jeremiah, she closes with a turnaround: a vision of return and rebuilding.

Please scroll to the end of the song:

Chazarnu el borot hamayim

Lashuk velakikar,

Shofar korei behar habayit

ba’ir ha’atikah.

Uvame’arot asher baselah

Alfei shmashot zorchot,

Nashuv nered el yam hamelach

Bederech Yericho!

We have returned to the cisterns

To the market and to the town square

A ram’s horn calls out on the Temple Mount

In the Old City.

And in the caves in the mountain

Thousands of suns shine –

We will once again descend to the Dead Sea

By way of Jericho!

Yerushalayim shel zahav

Veshel nechoshet veshel or

Halo lechol shirayich ani kinor.

Jerusalem of gold

And of copper, and of light

Behold, I am a violin for all your songs.

While the song is not truly prophetic, Shemer captured the euphoria and dreams of a people in a way that was genuinely inspired.

In terms of favorites, I prefer BaShanah Haba’ah by Nurit Hirsch and Ehud Manor. Hirsch set Manor’s words to music. She’s the composer who crafted the “Oseh Shalom Bimromav” that has become the universal standard.

Every time I sing BaShanah HaBa’ah, it moves me.

Bashanah haba’ah – in the year to come

Nesheiv – We’ll sit

Al Hamirpeset – on the balcony

Venispor – and we’ll count

Tziporim – birds

Nodedot – migrating

We’ll be so carefree that we’ll be able to sit in peace and enjoy the birds.

Yeladim – children

Bechufshah – on vacation

Yesachaku – will play

Tofeset – catch, tag

Bein habayit – between the house

Levein hasadot – and the fields

Even the kids in the Gaza Envelope will play ball, not having to worry about where the nearest bomb shelter is.

Od – once more

Tir’eh – you’ll see

Kamah – How

Tov – good

Yih’yeh – it will be

BaShana, Bashana, HaBa’ah-In the year, in the year just ahead.

There’s a beautiful English component to this song as well:

Soon the day will arrive when we will be together,

And no longer will we live in fear.

And the children will smile, without wond’ring whether

On that day, dark new clouds will appear.

You will see, you will see, just how good it will be,

In the year, in the year just ahead.

It’s so beautiful, so hopeful; Manor encapsulates the highest hopes of Israelis and Jews worldwide. However, this song was composed in 1970, during those delightful years following the Six-Day War.

What is Israel singing now? Well, that’s actually easy to determine. Every year, Israel enters a song that represents the country in an international song festival called Eurovision.

In Israel, the process for selecting the entry involves two main stages: selecting the artist and then selecting the song. The artist is usually chosen through a reality TV competition, while a committee of music industry professionals selects the song.

This year’s Eurovision entry was called “New Day Will Rise,” written by Keren Peles and sung by Yuval Raphael.

I believe the beginning words refer to those who died on Oct. 7 and afterwards in the Gaza war.

“And even if you say goodbye

You’ll never go away

You are the rainbow in my sky

And even if you say goodbye

You’ll always be around

To lift me up and take me high

New day will rise, life will go on

Everyone cries, don’t cry alone

Darkness will fade, all the pain will go by

But you will stay, the love of my life

מים רבים לא יכבו את האהבה

ונהרות לא ישטפוה

A verse from Song of Songs: Great waves cannot extinguish this great love, nor can flooding rivers wipe it away. And with these words, the composer connects us to our biblical heritage.

New day will rise

Everyone cries, don’t cry alone

Darkness will fade, all the pain will go by

But we will stay

Even if you say goodbye

A new day will rise

New day will rise”

So we have come full circle. The new song of our day is just like Jeremiah’s-another song of hope.

“Hear the word of GOD, O nations,

And tell it in the isles afar.

The One who scattered Israel will gather them,

And will guard them as a shepherd guards his flock.

כִּֽי־פָדָ֥ה ה’ אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹ֑ב וּגְאָל֕וֹ מִיַּ֖ד חָזָ֥ק מִמֶּֽנּוּ

For God will redeem Jacob, rescuing him from those more powerful than him.”

Alternatively:

A New Day will Rise.

Prophecy or Divine inspiration has never ceased. We just need to realize that beings of flesh and blood —certain leaders, teachers, poets, and songwriters —are the conduits for God’s new messages.

Which, ultimately, may not be too different from the old messages.

So we can enter 5786 with hope. Our prophets have predicted that a New Day Will Arise.

Shana Tova