I'd like to share a beautiful thought that Rabbi David Ozeri said over before the blowing of the shofar. Although we're past Rosh Hashana, we have Aseret Yeme Teshuva, just in case we didn't fix it all on Rosh Hashana.
In the last year of the life of Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, Rosh Yeshiva of the Mir Yeshiva in Yerushalayim, he got up to speak before the blowing of the the shofar on Rosh Hashana, and he said,
“Do you know what kavana/ intent you should have when the shofar is sounded?”
Most people think of all the different high and lofty things. But he said, “Think about the person next to you. Think about the person near you who's crying. Think about the challenges and struggles of your neighbors and friends and pray for them.”
That's an unbelievable thought. Everyone has what they call their bag of problems, their troubles, their difficulties.
We know what everybody has, and we're thinking about ourselves. But he said No. Think about the other person.
As we’ve said in the past, there is a principle that “Whoever has mercy on others, they ( in Shamayim) have mercy on him.”
The Tiferet Shlomo said that the reason Rosh Hashana is called Yom Hazikaron/ the Day of Remembrance is that it’s a day when each and every one of us should remember our fellow Jew and pray for their wellbeing and safety. This is a wonderful means of creating unity, and enjoying Hashem’s much needed mercy and bringing Beracha upon all of us.
Rosh Hashana has passed, but we still have Aseret Yeme Teshuva.
As we've said in the past, the Pele Yoetz wrote a prayer specifically designed to be said during Aseret Yeme Teshuva, because it's a time when we have extra power to pray (see below). It's a time when even the individual has the power of the sibbur/ the power of a group of 10 people. Therefore, we are elevated to the level of a Kohen Gadol of sorts, where the Kohen Gadol is held responsible if something happens in his proximity, because he should have prayed that it shouldn't have happened.
We, too, have a responsibility to pray at this time of the year. You can't say, “Who am I to pray?”
You're elevated. It’s Aseret Yeme Teshuva. You have extra power and extra abilities.
This is what we should have done on Rosh Hashana, and that's what we can still do, during Aseret Yeme Teshuva, because what arouses God's mercy is when He sees that we care for others.
Sometimes the way you show your concern is not by doing. You may see a person who has a problem, and there's really nothing you can do, but there is something to do. You can pray for that person.
Let's try to do that for the next few days. Let us see who's in need, and let's pray for that person.
Have a wonderful day.
Link for Pele Yoetz prayer:
https://www.learntorah.com/contentlibrary/guides/Peleh%20Yoetz%20for%20aseret%20yemeh%20teshuva.pdf