Aseret Yemei Teshuva - Teshuva/Tefilla/Tzedak

The ten-day period beginning with Rosh HaShanah and climaxing on Yom Kippur is referred to as “The Ten Days of Teshuvah”.

We express the hope that on Rosh Hashanah G-d blessed us with a “good and sweet year” to come.

But there is no limit to goodness and blessing. Thus, during the Ten Days of Teshuvah we have the opportunity through our service, to cause G-d to grant us yet greater benefits from His “full and expansive hand.”

We say in our prayers, “Teshuva - repentance/ returning , Tefillah - prayer ,and Tzedaka -charity” avert evil and bring the good.

Teshuvah is a return to the self. While repentance involves dismissing the past and starting anew, teshuvah means going back to one’s roots in G-d and exposing them as one’s true character, making it the dominant influ­ence in our lives.

Tefillah - prayer - means, to attach oneself. In tefillah we seek to attach ourself to G-d. For while there may be those who do not lack anything and thus have nothing to request of G-d, there is no-one who does not need to attach himself to the source of all life.

Tzedakah means justice. The implication is that the donor gives because it is his duty. We have a duty to act towards others as we ask G-d to act towards us. And as we ask G-d for His blessings though He owes us nothing , so we are bound in justice to give to those who ask us, even though we owe them nothing.

These three;

Teshuva - Returning to one's innermost self.

Tefilla - attaching oneself to G-d.

Tzedaka - distributing one's possessions with justice

leads to a year “written and sealed” for good. A year of sweetness and plenty!