Every Motzoi Yom Kippur since I can remember, after we have broken the fast my wife and I phone up a few special friends. We want see how they are and wish them a good year. This year was no different and I started by calling an old Chaver from Gateshead days. He is a dentist and often sees people at home. One of his sons answered the phone and I asked to speak to Mr…. I suspect he thought I was someone who had broken a crown and he promptly said hello. I was feeling in a very good mood. The tension of the past few hours was replaced with a feeling of Simcha. I spoke in a voice different to my own, " Good evening Mr … This is Computer Teshuva Analysis PLC, we are able to give you instant data on how well your Yom Kippur went. We’re sure you’ll be thrilled to learn you achieved, ninety three percent!" By then he had realised it was me and we both laughed at the joke. Then my friend turned pensive and said "Suppose you could find out instantaneously how well you did?" The thought caused us to pause and think for a few seconds. Chazal remind us that Succos follows Yom Kippur in part to demonstrate Klal Yisroel’s confidence that we have triumphed in the Beis Din Shel Maloh. Like someone leaving a courtroom and waving his sword triumphantly, we wave our Lulovim: we won the case! Computer Teshuva Analysis should have been able to assure my friend that he achieved one hundred per cent!

A few years ago A Talmid of Reb Shlomo Wolbe Shlita, showed me a copy of a Schmooze the Mashgiach had said on a Motzoi Yom Kippur. He spoke of the amazing human achievement of actually putting beings from this world into space. Incredible science, technology and effort were utilised in blasting people into orbit. "It’s important to remember," he said " just as much science, technology and effort were expended in getting the Astronauts safely back down again. After the heights we achieved through Ellul and Tishrei, now as we "return to earth" it’s essential to make sure that we land safely with all the things we took with us, safely brought back too.

Reb Chaim Friendlander Zt’l warns that even if we hear the most inspiring and moving Shiur of our lives, unless we take the inspiration and act on it, the memory and the inspiration will soon fade and be lost. We will remain the same as we were before we heard the inspiration.

A few years ago my very close friend Rabbi Dr Dovid Gottlieb of Yerushalayim told me a clever insight from the Bostoner Rebbe Shlita. Rabbi Gottlieb had asked his Rebbe if he thought the practice of the Balei Mussar to spend a few minutes reviewing their day to see what could have been improved, was a something he should adopt? The Bostoner thought a few seconds and then replied that yes he thought it was a good idea, " As long as you concentrate on your achievements first!"

Reb Yerucham Zt’l makes a similar point. He wonders what it was about Yehudah that made him Roye L’Malchus? The Medrash answers because of his Koiach of Hoidoh. When Tomor challenged him, he was Moide about his responsibility. Reb Yerucham questions the Medrash. Surely then, this essential quality for kingship was an inheritance from Leah Imainu. She realised that instead of the twelve Shevotim being distributed equally amongst Yakov’s four wives and each being the mother of three, she was having a fourth son. Leah was moide that the Chesed came from HaShem Yisborach. In recognition of this she called her son Yehudah, a name which conveys Hoidoh. If so, Yehudah did nothing of his own to merit being King. Some inherit musical ability from parents other mathematical gifts. Yehudah simply inherited a Koiach of Hoidoh.

Reb Yerucham makes a wonderful claim. Yehudah’s own right to royalty was because he took his natural gifts, guarded them and made them the basis of his whole Avodah’s HaShem. Another Medrash states that someone who is particular to secure a fixed place for davening will be said to be a Tzadik and an Onov and a Talmid of Avrohom Avinu. That’s quite an accolade for seemingly such a small thing. But if someone loves davening (as demonstrated by his securing a Mokom Kvuah) and he subsequently hears that the Tefilos of a Baal Gaivoh are not even listened to, then his natural love of davening will lead him to work on other areas which do not come easily to him. It will spur him to become an Onov.

A few years ago my wife told me that my blazer was looking tatty. I have worn the exact same style of M&S blazer for twenty-eight years. Off I went to purchase a replacement and I came into the kitchen to ask my wife what she thought. She smiled and shrugged and said "The same as you always wear" which indeed it was. I moved into the hall and regarded it in the mirror. She was quite right, just the same as normal. But then I noticed my slacks. They were perfectly fine before, but now next to the blazer they looked terrible. I sneaked back to town and bought a pair of trousers. Now I more or less had a new suit…Oy! but look at that shirt. A replacement was now urgent and essential. In that way I ended up with new shoes and a tie too. My wife has stopped pointing out when my blazer is past it’s best.

So now the real indicator of how we did on Yom Kippur has arrived, Succos. We reached the greatest heights. It’s essential now to secure a safe landing back into the year. Take the new Livush we’ve purchased at this time and contrast that with the patched and threadbare one of before. Allow that to compel us to put all the promises and decisions we made on Yom Kippur into action straight away… before they start to slip away.