In this week's Parsha, we read the verse stating that Hashem’s eyes are on Eretz Yisrael "from the beginning of THE year to year's end" [mayrayshis HAshana vi'ad acharis shana'].

Rav Shimon Schwab asks, why, when the Pasuk refers to the beginning of the year, does it refer to it with the "hay," HAshana [THE year], whereas when referring to the end of the year, the pasuk simply writes shana [year] without the hay?

Rav Schwab answers our question based upon the following Gemara in Rosh Hashana [16b]: The Gemara learns from our Pasuk that "any year that begins as a 'poor' year will end with riches and blessings." What does the Gemara mean that a year 'begins as being poor?' Rashi explains that Klal Yisroel 'make themselves poor' by davening a lot. [How does our davening a lot make us poor? Rav Hopfer explained to me that one of the main Yesodos [fundamental concepts] in davening is to realize and acknowledge that everything we have is from Hashem. All of our wealth, cars, and houses, etc. are gifts from Hashem. If we recognize this idea during davening, we are 'making ourselves poor', and will then 'ironically' have a prosperous year].

Based upon the above Gemara and Rashi, Rav Schwab explains that when referring to the beginning of the year, the Pasuk uses the "hay," since when Klal Yisroel are davening a lot and are on an elevated spiritual level, it is THE year i.e. a great year. But once the blessings have already been bestowed on Klal Yisrael, our human-nature-tendencies cause us to slip back into our old habits, and the year ends as just another regular year. Therefore, there is no "hay" to connote to this unfortunate phenomenon.

I think many of us experience this phenomenon at some point in life. We start a project or goal and work very hard on it, be it Daf Yomi, other learning sessions, or breaking a bad habit, but then the inspiration leaves us and we slip back into our old ways

What is the remedy to this? How do we combat this phenomenon to make our whole year a "HAshana" year? Two pieces of advice: 1. To try to develop a love and joy in whatever it is that we are working on. When a person does something with joy, [s]he connects to it, and becomes attached to it , and will continue doing it. 2. Davening. One place in davening where we can have kavana to plead with Hashem to help us combat this frustrating habit is in Shemoneh Esrei at the beginning of Baruch Aleinu. We say, 'Bareich aleinu Hashem Elokaynu es HASHANA hazos.' We can intend in that bracha to ask that Hashem bless us with the stamina and fortitude to make the whole year into a "HAshana" year!

As the year is drawing to a close, may we all merit to complete it on the high note on which we began on Rosh Hashana, and thus make the whole year a "HAshana" super productive year. 

{Editor's note: Something to ponder... I would love to hear what you have to say...
It is with mixed emotions that I write this. Yesterday I had a very emotional high and low experience that I would like to share with you in the hope that maybe you will be able to help me understand it.

Last night, my wife and daughter and I were zoche to do something that even Moshe Rabbeinu wasn’t able to do. We went to the Kosel. To think that in the year 2018, I had an opportunity to do something that even Moshe Rabbeinu and so many other great Rabbis throughout history were only able to dream about doing is quite awe-inspiring. To read about in last week’s Parsha that Moshe davened over 500 times to be allowed to enter Eretz Yisroel but wasn't zocheh, but I have had that zechus- wow!

After I tore my shirt (as is the custom for someone who has not seen the Kosel in 30 days) and then davened Maariv at the Kosel, I turned to my wife and remarked, “Don’t you feel like you have come home?” (This must be what the Jews who came up from the Diaspora felt like when they came up for the Yomim Tovim. We are back where we are supposed to be by the Beis Hamikdash- our Holy Temple!) To daven with so many other people from all different backgrounds was so heartwarming to see and feel. To have a chassideshe man say Shema next to someone who looked like he just put on a Kippa for the very first time in his life was very inspiring. (To be next to the Kosel and be davening for Yerushaliyim and Moshiach, and then hear someone shout out that he is Moshiach Ben David was also an experience that I will treasure!)

All in all, a beautiful and wonderful experience to see so many Yidden from all backgrounds gathering together to daven to Hashem and to beseech Hashem each in their own way was something that I will never forget! WOW! Wow! And Wow! Who is like the Jewish People!

And then…

As we were leaving the Kosel, we were waiting by the bus stop, and then the bus came. There was an enormous amount of pushing and shoving to get on the bus. Men and women who would normally walk on different sides of the street to avoid accidently touching each other were pushing each other to get on to the bus. (In no way, shape or form am I criticizing these people who wanted to get home. They had to put their kids to sleep etc. But,) Is this the right way; Yes, I may be a Baltimorean (and let me add a proud Baltimorean!) who is not used to all this pushing and shoving, but is this the correct way of life? To push your way through, five or ten minutes after you were just beseeching Hashem for all of your needs you were just davening for. Is that what Hashem wants!?

And then it hit me. We all do this, we implore and intreat Hashem to please give us whatever we are asking for (whether it be Parnassa, Shalom, Simcha, shidduchim or health) and then we totally forget that we want Hashem to answer us and we act in a way that doesn’t make Hashem proud of us. Is this how we are going to be answered for all of our prayers?!

May we take this lesson to heart and as the year is coming to an end, let us look back and amend our wrong actions, and in that zechus may we be zoche to have all of our Tefillos answered for good with the coming of Moshiach and a Beis Hamikdash being rebuilt speedily in our days.