Community Magazine September 2003

18 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE How To Get Those Pretrial Jitters s xc We naturally sympathize with this fellow; as anyone who has been through an audit can attest, it is a harrowing experience. But the exasperation seems at least a bit exaggerated. The IRS can’t kill him. They can’t take away his health or his children. Nevertheless, throughout the audit process the man will do what- ever it takes to insure a favorable ruling—often neglecting all else. This phenomenon is played out similarly by those facing a court case—even for something as small as a speeding ticket. It is not unusual to hear of a person retaining the services of a lawyer, rehearsing their testimony over and over again and calling in a favor from a friend with influence or connections, just to try to avoid a few points on their driver’s license. This conduct seems normal since we recognize that each of these situations may have consequences to endure. But when considered in that context, a glaring inconsistency in our behavior emerges. The same man who loses sleep over an IRS audit or spends weeks preparing for a trial in traffic court, can be found laying on the beach in the days before his judgment for life or death! IT’S NOT A FEDERAL CASE…IT’S WORSE Rosh Hashanah, the culmination of Hashem’s judgment of his people, is not a two day event—it is a 32 day proceeding that requires preparation, commitment, and effort. It is on these days that our health, our livelihood and our very lives are on the line. And just because things were fine this past year, we should not delude ourselves into believing that the status quo will be main- tained automatically. You don’t need to check your mailbox for the notice about the upcoming trial before Hashem. It comes every year in the form of Rosh Hodesh Elul, exactly 30 days before Rosh Hashanah. Unfortunately, this is an inopportune time for most of us to begin an important trial as we contently try to enjoy the last weeks of the Summer. Our chief concerns at this time include moving back to Brooklyn from our Summer retreat, purchasing clothes for the fall season, and buying school supplies for our kids. With all this on our minds, who has time to think about judgment? RABB I EL I MANSOUR H is hands tremble as he grasps the envelope. His face turns flush as he frantically tears it open. Dreading the contents, his mind races: “Is it a routine correspondence—or am I in real trouble?” Anxiously, he skims through the cover letter and begins to feel faint as he discovers that much to his despair, his worst fears are confirmed—the IRS is auditing his tax returns! His panic lasts for weeks. He is unable to sleep, his appetite is all but gone and he finds it difficult to concentrate on anything else. Beads of perspiration start to gather on his brow each time he thinks about the moment of truth, when the IRS makes their determination on his liability for back taxes. DEDICATED IN MEMORY OF JACK A”H & MARCELLE A”H SHASHO BY ELLIOT SHASHO