Building Guardrails for the New Me

In this week’s parsha, Ki Seitzei, the Torah tells us: “When you build a new house, you shall make a guardrail for your roof” (Devarim 22:8)

On the surface, it’s a simple law of safety. In those days, people spent time on their flat rooftops, and a guardrail prevented accidents. But like so many mitzvos, the Torah is also speaking to us on a deeper, personal level.

As we move through the month of Elul, preparing for the Jewish New Year, many of us are thinking of building a “new house” — a new version of ourselves. We’re making resolutions: to grow, to be more present with our families, to learn more, to live more healthily, to be more thoughtful in our actions.

But resolutions on their own are fragile. Good intentions without structure can easily collapse. That’s where the mitzvah of the guardrail comes in. The Torah is teaching: don’t just build something new — protect it.

Guardrails in personal growth are the systems, habits, and boundaries that keep us from falling.

• If you want to learn more Torah, set a fixed time with a study partner.

• If you want to be more present with your family, make “phone-free dinner” a non-negotiable.

• If you want to exercise, put your gym sessions in the calendar before the week begins.

The guardrail is not the goal itself, but it protects the goal from being derailed. Without it, one slip can undo all the effort. With it, your “new house” stands strong.

Elul is the time for building. Rosh Hashanah is just weeks away, the day we step into the next chapter of our lives.

The question is not just: Who do I want to be this year? but also: What guardrails am I putting in place so that I stay true to that vision?

This week, take one resolution you’ve been thinking about for the New Year. Then ask yourself:

• What’s the guardrail I can build around it?

• How can I make it harder to fail, and easier to succeed?

Because sometimes we forget: building the “new me” is wonderful. But it’s the fences we build around that “new me” that will keep it standing strong when life inevitably tests us.

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About the author:

Elimelech Levy is a Rabbi and Coach in Sydney Australia where he runs Chabad Youth NSW, A youth organisation that's focused on providing Jewish enrichment that's educational, fun, social ​& affordable. Elimelech received his MBA from Macquarie University in 2021 then chose to use his studies and experience to become a Results Coach and member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF)  helping people take control of their lives through establishing goals and working towards them. In 2023, Elimelech established the Knei Lecha Chover program focused on matching pairs of Rabbis around the world and providing foundational tools for them to coach each other regularly, helping them to avoid significant fees needed for professional coaching sessions.

Elimelech can be reached via his website elilevy.com.au