All You Need is Hashem - Rabbi Ori Strum

So, there I was just the other day stuck in traffic >> [music] >> and I noticed a fellow in front of me, a motorcyclist, and he's wearing a shirt. On the back of his shirt, there's a picture of a dog and [music] a Jeep and in large letters it says, "All I need is my dog and my Jeep Wrangler." And I thought to myself, "Wow, all you need is your dog and your Jeep? Really? [music] If life was only that simple." And then it hit me. Life is actually a lot more [music] simpler. All of the external things that we think we need are often the very things [music] that tend to hold us back. You see, there's really only one thing that we actually need and that is Hashem. Now, there's a hit song from Sruly Green called Bekesha and in the chorus he says, "I don't need your Bekesha. I don't need your Bekesha. The only [music] thing I need is you." That's Hashem talking to us saying, "I don't need all of your external [music] stuff, okay? Just give me you. I want a real, authentic relationship. The only thing I need is you." The blowing of the shofar is actually us communicating [music] that to Hashem. You see, Hashem, there's so many things in my life, all the dogs and the Jeep Wranglers that I think that I need. But really, the only thing I need is you. We blow the shofar to be mamlech Hashem, to coronate God as king. He's [music] the king of all kings, the only one that I really need. This is what it means, Ani Ledodi, I am for my beloved. You see, there's nothing else really that's needed. No Jeeps, no Wranglers or fill-in-the-blank on whatever. [music] The only thing I need, Hashem, is you. So, the next time you hear that shofar blast, think about all the things in life [music] that you think you need and then remember, really, the only thing you need is you, Hashem. [music] And when you have Him, you have everything you could possibly need.