Last month, Time Magazine’s headline was “The Decade from Hell” in which the article highlighted some of the awful events that occurred over the past ten years: First, was the Y2K concern when the clocks ushered in 2000, that the computers would misfire and major problems would ensue. Then a year later was 9/11 and the traumas that emanated from this attack on our country and the elaborate new security safeguards now commonly accepted as routine. Other issues occurred during the decade, including the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the collapse of Enron and the conviction of some of its chief officers, the fraud led by Bernie Madoff, and the greed of the banks and hedge fund managers, which led to the financial collapse of 2008.
During the last High Holidays, I spoke about the difficult year 2009 was for me; and I know that for many of you, it was a stressful year as well. For some, it was a year of great joy experienced by a personal or family simcha. For nearly all of us, the last year was stressful because of the precipitous drop in the value of our personal real estate and inherent loss in the stock market.
As we look back on Jewish history, I think many of our forefathers experienced long periods of time when life was stressful and exceedingly difficult for them.
How would our ancestors have evaluated the decade when the Israelites were ending their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and were just gaining a stronghold in the Promised Land under Joshua? For a time, they were just nomads following G-d’s commands, but once they moved into the Promised Land, life changed for them; and they had to adapt to enemies surrounding them and the physical difficulties of the land. They were probably happy to finally settle in their new homeland, but life was forever different.
How did our ancestors adjust when they were living quite well in Spain during the thirteen to fifteen centuries and then in 1492, when they were expelled? Probably our people felt the same way when they were living in France and in England and then were told to leave.
Momentous changes have occurred over these ten years in our daily life. We will never return to our previous lifestyle. So now, we begin a new secular year as well as a new decade. For all of you, I pray this new year and decade will be a time of joy, health and happiness for you and your family.
Dr. Jonathan V. Plaut
Rabbi
