The Torah describes Eretz Yisrael as:

אֶ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־ה’ אֱלֹקיךָ דֹּרֵ֣שׁ אֹתָ֑הּ תָּמִ֗יד עֵינֵ֨י ה’ אֱלֹקיךָ֙ בָּ֔הּ מֵֽרֵשִׁית֙ הַשָּׁנָ֔ה וְעַ֖ד אַחֲרִ֥ית שָׁנָֽה׃
“A land that Hashem your G-d seeks out; His eyes are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.”

Look closely. The beginning is called “HaShana” (the year, with a “hey”) defined, clear, full of promise. The end is just “Shana”. Missing the “hey,” missing the clarity and spark. Why the change? The Samar Rav explains: The start of anything — a year, a project, a mitzvah, a relationship — is full of excitement. But as time passes, routine sets in. The fire cools. We lose the “Ha” — the clarity and inspiration we began with.

Every meaningful journey has three stages: inspiration, hard work, and earned clarity. At first, it’s the honeymoon phase — natural light, easy joy. Then comes the grind, when the inspiration fades and darkness sets in. As Chazal describe, Geula comes like the dawn, breaking through after the night.

David HaMelech says: “Emunatcha ba’leilot” — it’s at night, in the unclear and difficult moments, that our emunah is tested most. If we hold on, the light that returns isn’t the same as before — it’s deeper, richer, and earned.

So how do we stay strong in the middle, when we’re tired, burnt out, or just going through the motions? The Torah gives the answer: Anchor the inspiration deep in your heart.

Again and again in Sefer Devarim, Hashem speaks to the heart:

Why the heart? Because when the mind is tired, the heart remembers why. And when we remember the “why,” even repetitive mitzvot come alive. Reading words from a siddur can feel mechanical but when we speak them to Hashem they pulse with life.

How do we get it into the heart? Daily work. Reflection. Repetition. And remembering Who we’re serving. Hashem doesn’t just want action — He wants it “b’chol levavcha u’vchol nafshecha.” The Derashot HaRan explains: It’s easy to know we should fear Hashem; it’s harder to feel it. The highest level is yirat haromemut — awe and reverence, and that lives in the heart.

In Musaf Kedusha we say Hashem will redeem us, “Acharit k’reishit” — the end will be like the beginning. A Chassidish Rebbe explains this means that the Geula will come when the end of the year will again be “HaShana”. Alive with the clarity, passion, and purpose we had at the start. We’re just over a month from Rosh Hashana. Now is the time to finish the year as “HaShana,” holding on to our inspiration, our drive, and our “why.” If we carry that love and awe to the very end, the final light will be greater than the first. Not a gift we began with, but a treasure we earned, lived, and made our own. Let’s fill our hearts with love for Hashem, serve Him with passion, finish this year as “HaShana”, and together, bring the Geula.