One of the greatest values we cherish in Judaism is Teshuvah. This Hebrew word, which literally means “return” and is also translated as “repentance,” refers to the belief that we are all endowed with the ability to change what is wrong within each of us, rather than resign ourselves to constant failure.

If today I fail to honor my parents, neglect the needs of the less fortunate, do not show proper gratitude to God for all that is good in my life, etc., then I always have the chance to become a better person tomorrow, and if not tomorrow, then the day after tomorrow, etc.

Isn’t this an amazing gift — the ability to recognize our own flaws and yet live with the hope for self improvement. Can you really think of a better gift than the never ending chance to move ourselves in a positive direction?

There is a strong Jewish belief in 2nd chances. That’s not of course true in all cases. For example, if you don’t fast on Yom Kippur (the 10th of Tishre) you don’t get to make up for that error by fasting on the 11th of Tishre. Similarly, the mitzvah of Sukkah only applies beginning on the 15th of Tishre and continuing for seven days. If you fail to observe Shabbat, you can’t “get credit” by moving the rituals and prohibitions to a different day of the week.

However, there are numerous cases where a mistake can be rectified. One such example is the dropping of a Torah.

You will likely recall that back in October, on the day of Simchat Torah, a Torah scroll fell to the ground, to the shock and sadness of all of us present. At that time, I wrote to the congregation to explain that dropping or even witnessing the falling of a Sefer Torah is a transgression for which there is atonement available.

To help us learn a lesson, and prevent such an event from recurring in the future, we are taking the following steps:

• We have received a Torah stand in the Cantor Klein Chapel.

• We have purchased a new mantle (cover) for the Torah which fell, to demonstrate our love and respect.

• We will gather together to study the halakhic details involved in the creation of a Torah scroll, so that we will further appreciate its value.

Another lesson about second chances — we had set a date in February on which to hold our study session and dedicate the new Torah mantle. And then came my emergency surgery, and our plans changed.

So, we now have a new schedule, a perfect time actually, on which to help us all recover and move forward from the falling of the Torah scroll of last October. As the Torah fell on Simchat Torah, how fitting that we will dedicate the new Torah mantle, and study the laws of the Torah scroll on the holiday of Shavuot, the time on which we celebrate God’s gift of Torah to us.