If you’re a religious man returning from the high of Tishrei, you might be asking yourself: Now what?

You did the work. You showed up. Davened hard. Fasted. Farbrenged. Made real commitments. But then comes this quiet Shabbos with no shofar, no hakafos, no Neilah. Just Bereishis.

And yet, the Rebbeim taught:
“The way a person positions himself on Shabbos Bereishis determines how his entire year will go.”

This isn’t poetic hyperbole. It’s a soul-level truth. Because if you want to live a different year — you have to begin it differently.

The Real First Shabbos

Tishrei is full of light. It’s inspiring. It’s holy. But it’s also temporary.
Shabbos Bereishis is the moment the year actually starts.
Not in shul. In life.

  • When the dishes pile up again.
  • When your inbox floods again.
  • When your kids are screaming again.
  • When your yetzer hara returns with a vengeance.

It’s no longer about who you were during Tishrei. It’s about who you’re going to be inside the year.

And here’s the kicker:

The World Doesn’t Get in the Way — It Is the Way

We’re tempted to think: “I was spiritual when I had time. Now I have to go back to the ‘real world.’” But the first words of the Torah scream a different truth:

“Bereishis bara Elokim.”
Creation didn’t begin with us — it began with Him.

The world isn’t a distraction from your avodah. It is your avodah.

According to the Alter Rebbe, every blade of grass, every phone call, every carpool line exists only because G-d is speaking it into existence right now.

Which means: Your office is as holy as your shtender — if you bring Him into it.

This Is Your Moment to Anchor the Light

The inspiration of Tishrei was a gift.
Shabbos Bereishis is a test.
Can you carry that light into the grind?

Because the way you walk into this Shabbos — will shape the way you walk into every other one.

3 Ways to Step into Shabbos Bereishis Like It Matters

1. Choose One Thing to Keep from Tishrei

A kabbalah. A mindset. A niggun. Don’t let it fade. Anchor it in your week.

2. Speak to Your Wife Like It’s Still Erev Yom Kippur

Not rushed. Not reactive. Like her soul is still glowing — because it is.

3. Remember That Every Moment Is Divinely Charged

The world isn’t “back to normal.” There is no normal. Only G-d recreating it, breath by breath.

The Soul Message

You’re not just starting the parshiyos over. You’re starting you over.

This isn’t about lofty goals or massive change. It’s about one internal shift:
Living the year like the world is holy — because it is.

Off To A Great Start

You made promises on Yom Kippur. You danced on Simchas Torah.
Now it’s time to plant it in the ground and let it grow.

Not in fantasy. In reality.
Not in perfection. In presence.

Let this Shabbos be the one that sets the tone for all the rest.
Because how you begin… is how you become.