It's Rosh Hashanah evening. I'm about 10, maybe 11. My entire family is getting ready for services—my father in his ritual charcoal gray pinstripe suit, my mother in a tasteful and elegant dress. We've all fought with my sister, who at 9 refuses to wear anything resembling "Temple attire", and finally agrees to wear a skirt, as long as she can wear her sneakers. Meanwhile, my father is downstairs, fiddling with something. About every five minutes I hear "Are you ready?" or some derivation thereof.

Exactly 15 minutes after we were supposed to leave, my father yells one last time "Even if you aren't ready, I'm leaving!" and we come running down the stairs, frantically jabbing earrings into our ears, and grabbing coats, and finally pile in the car to begin the New Year.

What a way to begin a New Year! The delicious meal we enjoyed together is long forgotten in the chaos of getting dressed and attempting to arrive at Temple on time. Somehow, though, this scenario is familiar—we've all experienced the yell from the other room by a partner, spouse, child, friend: "Are you ready?"

This phrase has become so common we don't really hear it. "Are you ready" is the signal to leave the house, prepare for a meeting, join together at the dinner table, begin doing homework. . it seems to be just a simple phrase that signals: "let's go!"

Yet, I believe that we must strive to hear this important question, and understand that it truly means something larger: it means: "to be prepared." In the book of Exodus, as the Israelites are about to receive the Torah, Moses instructs them: "V'hayu n'chonim layom ha'shlishi" "let them be prepared for the third day." Moses urges them to be ready for three days, for on the third day they are to be given the Torah, and experience God's presence at Sinai. Why are they admonished to be ready three days prior THE day? Benno Jacob, a contemporary Bible scholar, teaches that their inner preparation must begin immediately. They must avoid losing themselves in earthly concerns for this time period in order to in the proper spiritual condition to accept the Torah. Similarly, we can learn from this text that our readiness depends on days of inner preparation, so that we can eventually hear, and affirmatively answer, the question, "Are you ready?"

Prior to Confirmation each year, we hold a Confirmation Consecration. This is a small service in which we celebrate the students' commitment to their Jewish education. During this poignant ceremony, Rabbi Block asks each student if they are ready-- if they are prepared to accept the responsibility and role of being an adult Jew. When they answer affirmatively, he places the Torah briefly in their arms.

This question holds great significance for Confirmands. They have spent the entire year in study and service to the congregation, to themselves, to God. They have written exams, journal entries, and attended many services. It is the culmination of their formal Jewish education at Temple Beth-El. For this, their reward is further acceptance into the adult community of Jews. They have had a year to prepare. And now they eagerly anticipate answering the question "Are you ready?"

When I was ordained, Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman, in front of the open ark, my community, and my family, asked me if I was ready to accept the title "rabbi". A more powerful question, at a hugely spiritual moment in my life, could not have been asked. Did my studies prepare me? Was my faith strong enough? Could I truly serve God, and the Jewish people, in a way pleasing to God?

I was able to answer yes to Rabbi Zimmerman—good thing, or I wouldn't be here today.

A close friend is anticipating the birth of her first child. Every time I speak with her, I ask her, "So are you ready?" Her answer is: "I don't know what it means to feel ready. All I can do is try to prepare by reading, keeping healthy, praying, and thinking about the miracle growing inside my body." Her answer is so beautiful. .so thoughtful. . . she actually had listened to my question. It was clear to me that this sentence had true meaning for her. It is equally clear that she is truly contemplating what it means to prepare for the birth of her child.

These three examples offer insight into the real meaning of the question "Are you ready?" For Confirmation students culminating a year of study, for me to embrace a life long dream, and my friend to contemplate bringing life into the world, this question was-and is- very real.

This question, Are you ready? Is a very important question for the High Holy days. During this entire month before Rosh Hashanah, we are commanded to do the arduous work of preparing ourselves spiritually of getting ready. The Selichot Service tomorrow will jolt us into further awareness, if we have not started this process yet.

Getting ready for the High Holy Days is hard, internal work. We use emotional, spiritual and psychological muscles that have atrophied over the past year. As with any new exercise we introduce into our daily routines, the first time we endeavor to do it, we don't do it very well. However, with practice, the action becomes smoother and our muscles become stronger.

The same is true with our internal reflection. In order to be prepared for the High Holy Days, we must wake up these muscles. As we practice, we will be better able to pursue, successfully, the work of the High Holy Days.

While there are many ways to energize these muscles, I'd like to talk about the traditional one: teshuva. The word teshuva is used often during the High Holy Days. It comes from the word shuv, or return. By doing teshuva, we attempt to return- to return to God, and to our truest self.

As we reflect inward, the most important step towards achieving preparedness is to begin to admit our imperfections. The most common example of this requirement comes from the 12-step program, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, or Narcotics Anonymous. Their first step is an open and candid confession of addiction. While our misdeeds and imperfections may be different from those of addictive behavior, we, too, must be honest about our imperfections, and be ready to acknowledge them.

However, these confessions do not come easily to our lips. Our guard is up. Our defenses are active. It is hard work to admit our shortcomings—especially when we have wounded a loved one or a friend. This is work we would rather escape. It makes sense, then, that these "confession muscles" have gotten weak over the past year. It will take time, and practice, and courage, to reawaken and strengthen them.

Through honesty, we begin to stretch the muscles that have been so dormant over the year. The work of preparation cannot simply begin once we enter the doors next Friday night. The Israelites were commanded to prepare in advance. We, too, must embrace this timeless lesson. If we haven't done so already, the time to begin is now. Without this exercise of tough intropection, the words on the pages of our prayerbooks will be recited in futility, because we will be unable to truly understand what they mean for each of us, and how the words can enable us to greet 5761 with clean hands and pure hearts. Only when we have prepared properly, can we move to the final steps of the teshuvah process. The ultimate goal of the High Holy Days is to correct our behavior. It is to own up to the mistakes and misdeeds of the past year, which we, after much effort, have confessed. Then we can begin to create an improved "game plan" for the coming year.

On Rosh Hashanah, next Friday night, the Book of Life will be opened. I ask again: "Are you ready?"

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