So as of Erev Rosh Hashanah 2024, the Mets will play at least one game in October.
This year (2024) all the Jewish Fall holidays are in October, you might consider them to be as the playoff season in some regard, these are really big games, each one counts a lot, they up the ante, the stakes are higher and we treat them differently. Same you might say with the Jewish High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur – this year both in October.
They got there (to the Wildcard slot!) by the skin of their teeth, coming back up to win in the ninth inning in a make it or break it game.
The resilience of this Mets team and hanging in to make the playoffs season recalls something really meaningful US Senator John Fetterman (known for his steadfast courageous support of Israel against terror) said to an interviewer about his own challenges with mental health (which Mr. Fetterman was hospitalized for). This is what Senator Fetterman said and repeated emphatically: “Stay in the Game!” No matter how you feel, no matter how things seem, just stay in the game – do whatever it takes to stay in the game.
As Jason F. would always say: “This game is the most important game” with lots of reasoning and emphatic emphasis, only to same the same for the next game!
Jewishly, it’s also critical that we stay in the game. We need Jewish resilience! In a way, that’s a Teshuva message, how to bounce back when you are down, how not to be discouraged, not to lose hope for a better self and a better tomorrow. John says: Stay in the Game! The Mets and their fans hope to do the same. As do we!
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Then on Rosh Hashanah itself, we hear the Mets won again, lost one, but won another to beat our the (as per Drew: better on paper) Brewers, and then faced up against their old rivals the Phillies. And won! But most or all of these wins were also remarkable comebacks from being behind, beating odds and expectations, they came through in the last innings, overcame a deficit, but didn’t let that deficit or lateness in the game get to them and keep them down. They bounced back, forged ahead, and won.
This is an important lesson in Teshuva, in repentance (or as Chassidus prefers: Return) how to bounce back from a negative space, from adversity, from challenge, and turn it all around – into a positive net win. Can also be likened to a later bloomer in Jewish life, who may have been behind (perhaps in Jewish knowledge, observance or involvement) for a bunch of innings, but musters up what it takes later in life to remarkably catch up, and even pull ahead.
Amazing for the Mets and for us in our personal journeys of Teshuvah.