Glazer's Gleanings

Yom Kippur Sermon '11

2011-10-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

Yom Kippur Sermon
October 8, 2011
Rabbi Steven Glazer

A number of years ago, on a deserted side street in New York City late at night, a menacing character approached me and said that his car, parked several blocks away, was disabled, and that he desperately needed my help to drive him to it. The story didn’t make sense and I was quite scared, so I said the first thing that came into my head. I told him that my car was company-owned and that it was against company policy to pick up strangers. That confused him long enough for me to get into my car and quickly drive away. Did I tell the truth? No! Am I here today to talk about it? Yes!

Today I want to discuss with you the question: “should we always tell the truth”? If you think that this is a simple question and that the answer is “of course,” then please think again. For there are times when telling the truth may in fact not be the best, nor even the right, thing to do. Let me cite several examples for you.

In his book, “Winning Life’s Toughest Battles,” the late Dr. Julius Segal describes the following moral dilemma: His father had died on a Shabbat and the funeral was scheduled for Sunday on Long Island. At that time, his brother, Jack, was rapidly losing his battle with cancer and was in the last months of his life. In Detroit, on that very Sunday night, the congregation that Jack had served as rabbi for 35 years would be celebrating his life and career with a testimonial dinner, a final tribute from the community that his brother loved and served so passionately. If Julius told Jack of their father’s death, he would surely insist on attending the funeral, aborting the gala celebration. If he kept the sad news from Jack, would his brother ever forgive him and understand that the skirting of the truth was done for his benefit as well as for his congregation’s? After a conversation with his sister-in-law, Dr. Segal decided to delay telling the truth. Immediately after the funeral, he flew to Detroit, took his place at the head table, regaled the audience of over 800 with vignette’s of Jack’s life, and, looking into Jack’s eyes told the crowd of his undying love for his dying brother. Then, afterwards, in the quiet of Jack’s study, Julius told his brother of their father’s death and funeral, and they cried together. Did Julius do the wrong thing? Should we always tell the truth?

My second example is a personal one. Families sometimes ask me to help them talk through the ethical dilemmas facing them when a loved one is diagnosed with a terminal illness. In one particular case, it was concluded that the truth would be too difficult for the patient to handle. She was told she needed treatment to prevent her problem from getting worse. Much to everyone’s surprise, she began to respond to the treatment. She then paid a visit to her family physician of many years, who was not involved in her cancer treatment. The doctor, who believed in telling what he felt was the absolute truth, told the woman that her case was hopeless. No longer believing that there was any hope that she would get well, the woman gave up and died very shortly thereafter. In this case, the “absolute” truth was not the real truth, because it lacked both compassion and good sense.

I don’t know how many of you have ever considered the fact that truth and falsehood are uniquely human character traits. There is a charming story about a man walking by a horse-drawn wagon. He hears the horse softly calling out, “Mister, could you spare some change so I can buy myself a cup of coffee”? The man stops in his tracks. “Wow, a talking horse!” And the horse continues: “Listen mister, I don’t want you to think I’m just a panhandler. I used to run at Belmont and Aqueduct. Now I’ve been reduced to doing this.” The man is simply flabbergasted, and, turning to the driver, says: “Sir, do you know that you have a remarkable horse!” To which the driver replies: “Has he been telling you those bubba meises about running at Belmont and Aqueduct? Don’t believe him, he’s such a liar”! Of course, animals don’t lie, only people do. Professor Arnold Goldberg, writing in the New York Times, commented that “the ability to lie is a human achievement, one of those abilities that tends to set them apart from all other species.” Animals can deceive and mislead by camouflaging themselves, but only we humans can deliberately lie.

Judaism has a great deal to say about truth, as we might expect. But here, too, contrary to what you might think, not everything is simply either “all white” or “all black.” In the Talmud, the question is asked: “How do we sing the praises of a bride?” The schools of Hillel and Shammai disagree. Bet Shammai held that one must tell the absolute truth, no matter what the consequences; while Bet Hillel held that one must always say “The bride is beautiful and pleasing.” The followers of Shammai argued that one must adhere to the torah verse admonishing us to “keep far away from falsehood” by speaking truthfully. But, Bet Hillel, though not insisting on literal truth, was more correct in their understanding that every bride is beautiful, certainly to her groom. Hearing the words of Bet Hillel, even a plain-looking bride begins to feel and actually look more beautiful. A truth that gratuitously hurts or wounds another human being is not really the truth. In a similar vein, it is interesting to note that according to the Hafetz Hayyim, the concept of “lashon hara,” the sin of slander or malicious gossip, includes saying anything negative about another person, even if the information is true.

Although I have just cited several sources which show that we are not always mandated to tell the absolute truth, Judaism without a doubt extols “truth.” According to Jewish law, deviation from the truth is never permitted in the business world or the market place. The Talmud teaches that when each of us stands in judgment, the first question asked will be “Were you honest in all of your business dealings?” Furthermore, the rabbis teach that truth is one of the 13 attributes of God.

The Hebrew word “emet,” which we translate “truth,” is most interesting. It is spelled ‘aleph,’ ‘mem,’ ‘tav,’ the first, middle and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The rabbis say that this teaches that truth should be the beginning, middle and end of everything we do in life. The last word of the third paragraph of the Shema is joined together, without pause, to the first word of the prayer following it. We say “Adonai Elohechem emet”; there is no interruption between ‘Elohechem’ and ‘emet’ to teach that God and truth cannot be separated. Truth is one of the names for God, and is also his seal.

The rabbis of the Talmud apply the word ‘emet’ to the absolute character of God’s justice. But in the torah itself the word is frequently associated with the word ‘hesed,’ i.e., ‘lovingkindness,’ ‘compassion.’ In order to properly understand the Hebrew word ‘emet,’ we need to distinguish between the two English words, ‘fact’ and ‘truth.’ Sometimes, to be ethical and compassionate, truth, ‘emet,’ has to deviate from objective fact. The word ‘emet’ is also related to the word ‘amen,’ which means to be loyal to something that sustains you. Without ‘emet,’ truth coupled with compassion and good sense, much of life would be uncomfortable, if not unpleasant. This is why the sage, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, chose ‘emet’ as one of the core aspects of human existence when he taught in Pirke Avot, the Ethics of the Fathers, that truth – not ‘absolute’ truth, but rather ‘emet,’ “compassionate truth” – along with justice and peace, are the three principles on which the very existence of the universe depends. May our truths always be coupled with compassion and common sense!!

Kol Nidre Sermon '11

2011-10-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

Kol Nidre Sermon
October 7, 2011
Rabbi Steven Glazer

During this past summer, I read the obituary of a man who was the kind of Jew you don't find anymore! This man was a Bundist, a Yiddishist/socialist. He loved the Jewish people, Jewish culture, Jewish ethics, with a passion; but he had no use at all for the Jewish religion. He refused to enter a synagogue for any reason; and he ignored all the practices and ceremonies connected with Judaism, with one exception. He would fast!!!! But not on Yom Kippur!!! On Yom Kippur he would eat!!! Yet he would fast on Tisha B’av!! When an acquaintance of his questioned him about this, his answer was as follows: "Tisha B’av is about Jewish suffering. That means a lot to me! I care about Jewish suffering! But Yom Kippur, what is that all about??? It's about sin, about repentance, about confessing our sins to God. What do I care about things like that?

Many of us here tonight can identify with the Bundist's feelings. Things like sin, repentance, and confession are not ongoing concerns in our lives! And yet, as I thought about his statement, I realized that Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur are not really about sin and apologizing to God. What this day is really about is one word which ought to be important to us, and which we don't stop and think about often enough, which is exactly why we need a holiday dedicated to it. The word is forgiveness!

From the opening lines of Kol Nidre, which we recited only moments ago, to the story of Jonah which we shall read late tomorrow afternoon, this entire day is about forgiving and being forgiven! If Yom Kippur is at all important to us, then the idea of' forgiveness ought to be more relevant to us tonight than it usually is.

Many of us have permitted our lives to become restricted by disagreements and grudges, decisions we made months, or even years, ago that we weren't going to speak to someone anymore, things we've kept more faithfully than most other promises we make to ourselves.

It was not the Bundist's remarks alone that caused me to think about "forgiveness" this summer, but two other things as well! One was a torah verse and the other was a phone call. First, the torah passage! The legal code of ancient Israel made a distinction between premeditated murder and manslaughter. If you deliberately killed someone, then you were executed. But, if you caused someone's death accidentally, your life was spared! You still had to suffer the lesser penalty of exile, so the victim's family wouldn't seek revenge, but you were not put to death!! That was the law!! Now, what if you claimed that it was an accident, but other people weren’t so sure? The torah says that if you had been on bad terms with the victim, if you were known to be enemies, then it would be hard to claim it was accidental! The precise language reads as follows:

"If he was not your enemy yesterday and the day before," then we accept your claim that it was an accident. Now what does the phrase "if he was not your enemy yesterday and the day before” mean? The Talmud takes the passage literally and says: this is the definition of an enemy - someone you haven't gotten along with for three days!!

Do you understand the implications of that comment?? What it says to me is this: if somebody hurts you, offends you, lets you down, you're entitled to be upset with him or her for a couple of days. These things happen between close friends, casual acquaintances, members of the same family! Somebody treats you badly - it's perfectly all right to be angry with her or him for a day or two, today and tomorrow. The torah says you can do that!! But, by the third day, you ought to be over your anger and friends with him or her again. And, if you persist in being angry into a third day and longer, it's because you're choosing to prolong the argument!!!

Why would anybody deliberately do that?? Why would anyone choose to prolong unpleasantness??? I think we know the answer, but it's one of those nasty little secrets we don't like to talk about. There is something perversely satisfying about being the injured party. It makes us feel righteous, in some way morally superior! We can look down with scorn at the individual who has hurt us! We feel nobler being the wounded one rather than the inflictor of the wound.

Simon Wiesenthal, the Nazi hunter, used to tell the following story: there was a man living near him in one of the D. P. Camps after the war who borrowed ten dollars from him and assured him that he had a package coming from a relative any day, and would positively pay him back as soon as it arrived. At week's end, the man had an excuse for not paying, and the next week he had an even better excuse. This went on for almost a year. Finally one day, the man came up to him with a ten dollar bill in his hand and said: "My visa has just come through, and I’m leaving for Canada tomorrow. Here's the ten dollars I owe you.” Wiesenthal waved him away and said: "No, no, you keep it. For ten dollars, it's not worth changing my opinion of you." Now Wiesenthal was wrong, of course. It's a bargain to give up a grudge for nothing. To get paid for doing so is a double bargain!!!

This brings me to the phone call! It was from a graduate student who was conducting a study of the dynamics of forgiveness as a social process. What happens when a person forgives someone? How does he or she arrive at the decision? And what is the effect on her or him afterwards? I don’t know what the graduate student gained from our conversation, but I learned a lot! She told me, for example, that among all the people she had interviewed, there was unanimous agreement on one point. When they forgave someone, when they let go of a grievance they had been carrying for a long time, there was, for every single one of them, a physical sense of relief, a feeling of having put down a burden. They didn't realize they were carrying this load of bitterness until it was taken away from them; and then, suddenly, they felt so much lighter and freer! They had all, at some level, been enjoying the bittersweet moral posture of being the aggrieved victim and hadn't wanted to give it up. And now, they discovered that it felt a whole lot better not to be a victim any more!

There is a story told of two Buddhist monks making a pilgrimage to a shrine somewhere in India. As they are traveling, they come to a large mud puddle, and they see an attractive young girl in a beautiful new dress standing at the edge of the puddle, afraid to cross for fear of ruining her dress. One of the monks impulsively picks her up and carries her across the puddle. The second monk is put off by what his friend did; and, for the rest of the day, it bothers him. He doesn't say much to his friend at all, answering him in only grunts. Finally, at day's end, when they stop to cook dinner, he says to his companion, "You know, it's not right for monks like us to get too close to women. They represent a temptation." And his friend turns to him and says, "Are you still carrying that girl?? I put her down six hours ago!"

We're all carrying burdens of bitter memories and resentments which serve no purpose except to weigh us down, to make us feel very noble for being so weighed down, and to create barriers between us and other people. And we can't imagine the sense of relief and freedom we will feel when we find the courage to finally put those burdens down!

The graduate student told me of another finding, which neither of us could totally understand. There is apparently a close connection between the power to punish and the power to forgive. Not actually punishing, but knowing that you could!! When you feel weak, helpless, sometimes resentment is the only weapon you have. But, when you know that you can get even with someone if you wanted to, then for some strange reason you can afford to be magnanimous.

Remember the story of Joseph and his brothers?? How they were jealous of him and got rid of him by selling him into slavery. For two decades Joseph lived in anticipation of getting even with them. He could see it in his mind's eye - how he would make them grovel and plead for their lives. And in his mind, he enjoyed every minute of it. And finally one day it happened. All his dreams of revenge came true. He had his brothers in his power. He played tricks on them. He threatened them with imprisonment. And then something very strange happened to Joseph. He discovered that he wasn’t enjoying it one bit! He, who had dreamed of revenge all those years, found out that now, as he tasted it, it had turned to dust in his mouth. He couldn’t enjoy what was happening. So Joseph breaks down and cries. He reveals his true identity to his brothers, hugs and embraces them, and reassures them that he no longer bears any anger toward them. Joseph discovers that he didn't really want to get even with his brothers, that he didn't really want to hurt them as they had hurt him. What he really wanted was the power to hurt them. Once he had the actual opportunity, he didn't have to use it. At that point he could be magnanimous! He could forgive them, and rid himself of the burden of hating them and wanting to hurt them which he had been carrying for twenty years.

The graduate student and I also talked about the religious basis of forgiveness, not just what happens, but why! If someone has hurt you, why should you forgive her or him?? She told me that she had asked this question to a number of clergy, and the general answer she had gotten went something like this: "None of us is perfect; we all do selfish, inconsiderate things. As we would like to be forgiven for the things we do, so should we forgive others. It's the noble, charitable thing to do. Forgive him or her; you'll be a better person for it."

Well, I told her that my answer was different. I don't urge people to be noble. I don't say to them that what someone may do to you is no worse than what you might do to him or her. It may very well be worse!!! I approach the matter differently. If someone hurts you, if she or he does a terrible thing to you, he or she doesn’t deserve the right to loom so large in your mind! She or he doesn't deserve the power to make you a bitter, resentful person, to change your personality for the worse. You want to get even with him or her?? You don't get even by continuing to hurt!!

You don't get even by becoming selfish, mistrustful, vindictive! You get even by letting go, so that she or he can no longer pull your emotional strings!! F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote: "Living well is the best revenge." I would paraphrase him and say: "Becoming whole, outgrowing bitterness and vindictiveness, living serenely is the best revenge."

I would like to see you end Yom Kippur this year significantly lighter than you began it - and not because you have gone a whole day without eating, but rather because you will have divested yourselves of the burdens of bearing grudges, resentments, and misunderstandings that happened years ago. Like everyone else who has given up a grudge, you'll be astonished by the sense that you are lighter, that a burden has been lifted from you!

All told, there are three things we must do tonight and tomorrow relating to the idea of forgiveness. First, as I’ve discussed at some length, we have to give up the anger or resentment we feel toward people who have hurt us or let us down. Not because they didn't do anything so wrong. What they did may have been monstrously wrong, cowardly, selfish, immoral! That's their problem!! Also, not because they deserve to be forgiven! Maybe they do, maybe they don’t?? I’m not even sure how you measure that!!! We have to give up the anger and the resentment because of what it does to us, because it burdens and distorts us, and it's just not worth it. Second, we have to forgive God for all the unfairness in the world, for the sickness and the accidents, and the fact that other people were born luckier and better looking and more talented than we were. It's not fair, and I suspect God knows that! But one of the major themes of these high holy days is the chutzpah we Jews historically possess. And it is this chutzpah which allows us to forgive God, to say to him: "You know, Lord, I have good reasons to be upset with you, but I’m not going to let that come between us because I need you. I need to be able to turn to you, to get strength and hope from you. And if I’m mad at you, it would just get in the way."

And finally, we have got to be able to walk out of here at sunset tomorrow feeling forgiven, ready to start the New Year. Have we done things in the past year which disappointed and offended God?? I'm sure we have. Last year and every year!! After all, we're only human!! Will God forgive us?? Every page of the Yom Kippur liturgy tells us that we're much harder on ourselves than God is on us. He has no vested interest in being angry at us. He wants to let bygones be bygones and start out fresh!

Have we hurt and offended other people during this past year? I suspect that almost all of us have, in one way or another. Will they forgive us?? I really don’t know?? They're a lot less reliable than God on that score!! But that's their problem more than ours. If they choose to go beyond the torah's two day statute of limitations on anger, if they choose to be resentful, then they're the ones who will have to carry the emotional baggage of grudge and grievance. If you feel that you have repented and cast out what you did that was wrong, then you should be able to feel cleansed, even if they are still angry at you!

May we who come here seeking forgiveness, seeking to be taught to forgive and be forgiven, be unburdened of all our lingering anger, our jealousies and resentments, our grudges and grievances. And may we all know the joy of feeling forgiven. Amen!

Rosh Hashanah Day 2 Sermon '11

2011-10-26T10:17:00.000-07:00

Rosh Hashanah Second Day Sermon
September 30, 2011
Rabbi Steven Glazer

How many of you recognize the name, Milton Steinberg? He was a prominent Conservative rabbi, whose brilliant career was cut short when he died in 1950 at age 46. Steinberg was an outstanding preacher, who served as rabbi of the Park Avenue Synagogue and authored several books including “Basic Judaism” and “The Making of the Modern Jew.” During his lifetime, he also published a novel; and, at his death, left a second, unfinished one, which was completed and published just last year under the title “The Prophet’s Wife.”

But, it is Milton Steinberg’s earlier novel, and several comments on it by Rabbi Harold Kushner, that serve as the springboard for my sermon this morning. That work, entitled “As a Driven Leaf,” is a true classic. It tells the story of one of the most brilliant, and unquestionably the most despised, of the rabbinic sages, Elisha ben Abuya. Elisha was a truly tragic figure, so despised that the rabbis do not even mention his name, but merely refer to him as “acher – that other one.” Exactly what was it that made Elisha ben Abuya such a tormented and tragic individual? And, even more importantly, why is he relevant to us today?

Elisha, who lived in the second century, was a man who tried to live in two worlds, the Jewish and the Greek, and lost them both. In “As a Driven Leaf,” we follow his life, from his boyhood of traditional Jewish studies through his loveless marriage and the beginnings of his search to his abandoning Judaism. Elisha’s story is one of human struggle, set against the panorama of two separate worlds, one religious, one secular. At the end of the book, Elisha, like many others throughout history, utters a deathbed statement which encapsulates his life: “I hope you will be whole-hearted, not torn in two.” Throughout much of his life, Elisha was torn - between Jewish tradition and Greek philosophy. His tragedy was that, to avoid the pain of a divided soul, he totally abandoned one, religious faith, in favor of the other, secular thought.

And, two thousand years later, this is the inescapable fate of liberal Jews in general, and Conservative Jews in particular. We do live in two worlds, the Jewish and the secular, often faced with choosing between them. There are contemporary Elishas, who reject Judaism as incompatible with modernity. But, this approach is not ours! We do not totally reject either Judaism or modernity.

All of you know that Conservative Judaism has been going through some tough times. Of the many problems that currently face our Movement is an often overlooked one, namely, the fact that there are actually two Conservative Movements, each competing for the right to use the name. Let’s call the first “the Conservative Judaism of the academy.” Historically centered on the Jewish Theological Seminary, its major premise is that Jewish law, Halacha, continues to be binding in our lives and contains interpretive mechanisms that are flexible enough to address contemporary issues. JTS has ordained the majority of rabbis serving Conservative congregations, and most of its graduates embrace this understanding of our Movement.
But, there is also a second Conservative Movement, one which we’ll call “the Conservative Movement of the pews,” created by the tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of immigrants, most of whom had never heard of JTS or any of its luminaries, but who sensed that America offered them something that eastern Europe never did. Their Judaism included full participation in American life coupled with a loyalty to Judaism, in full knowledge that this would involve dozens, even hundreds, of compromises every day. And they thought it was worth it, rather than give up either as Elisha ben Abuya had done. Today’s liberal Jews, in general, and Conservative Jews, in particular, are the current iteration of this approach. Rather than totally abandon either Judaism or contemporary ideas and practices, we attempt to incorporate attractive elements of each into our lives. So – we celebrate Pesach and Purim, and, with equal enthusiasm, watch the Super Bowl. We attend Shabbat services and Redskin games!

This duality leads to inevitable conflicts.

Our critics on the right charge that we let ourselves be contaminated by non-Jewish values. Our critics on the left charge that we miss out on some of the most meaningful aspects of contemporary life because we cling to meaningless ancient and medieval practices.

Very often, my colleagues, given their understandable loyalty to “the Conservative Movement of the academy,” when preaching about such conflicts, come across as telling their congregants, “You are doing Judaism wrong, and I’m here to change you so you do it right.”

Personally, I have never been comfortable with that approach. Even though I was fully immersed in “the Conservative Judaism of the academy” in terms of my training, it was never totally comfortable to me. And, after more than forty years in the pulpit, I think it is accurate to say that “the Conservative Judaism of the academy” has been a failure. Chastising and cajoling have not resulted in a large cadre of committed Conservative Jews! I believe that the future of our Movement rests on “the Conservative Judaism of the pews.” Rather than view ourselves primarily as “marei d’atra – local halachic authorities,” my colleagues and I must, first and foremost, meet laypeople where you are, and adopt models of partnering with and of empowering you, rather than “preaching at you”! I consciously adopted what I call the “empowerment and partnering model” when I arrived at Beth Emeth over 16 years ago; and, I believe it has served us well!

I want to conclude by returning to Elisha ben Abuya’s deathbed statement: “I hope you will be whole-hearted, not torn in two.” I suggest we consider our “divided souls,” i. e., our living in two worlds not a curse, as Elisha did, but rather a blessing, one which we would not want to be without.

Let us, then, as Conservative Jews, resolve to live, imperfectly, as the heirs of two great traditions, Jewish and secular. And, let us be both hopeful and grateful that our lives and our souls are big enough to embrace both!!

Rosh Hashanah Day 1 Sermon '11

2011-10-26T10:02:00.000-07:00

Rosh Hashanah First Day Sermon
September 29, 2011
Rabbi Steven Glazer

If some of what I am about to say sounds vaguely familiar to a number of you, it is because this morning I am revisiting a topic I addressed on Yom Kippur in 2005! It will be clear in a just a few moments why I have chosen to do so. I want to speak with you today about “everyday heroes.” Not military heroes, or others who have performed deeds that we customarily define as “acts of heroism,” but rather the countless numbers of women and men, some of whom are sitting in this sanctuary right now, who everyday perform “acts of heroism” which we do not usually recognize as such.

These are the people who, day in and day out, week in and week out, month in and month out, carry out the enormously challenging, the enormously draining, and the enormously difficult task, of being caregivers to those who are afflicted with one of those diseases that ravage the bodies and consume the souls of the people with whom their lives are bound. Today I want to talk with you about what we should do and how we should cope when someone whom we love is stricken with a debilitating disease.

Many of you already know the reason I have chosen to revisit this important, but painful, subject. This past winter, thank God only for a brief time, I became a caregiver, as Andrea’s lymphoma became aggressive and she also developed something called Stevens-Johnson syndrome, which can be fatal. Having briefly experienced “caregiving” first-hand, and the physical and emotional exhaustion that accompanies it, I felt compelled to speak again about the topic. Please understand that I was only a very short-term caregiver, and in no way consider myself among the heroes we are discussing, but only someone who had a small taste of what they experience for months or even years.

As I look around the congregation, I know who in this sanctuary is wrestling with this situation in their lives right now. And I can tell who is worried that, if not this year, then maybe next year, this will be their fate. And I also think of all the people I know who suffer from such diseases and of their caretakers.

It’s terribly hard to be caregiver – whether to a parent, spouse or child! There is an old Yiddish proverb that says: “when parents feed children, they both laugh; when children feed parents, they both cry.” How true, how terribly true, that proverb is!!!

It is hard, terribly hard, almost unimaginably hard, to be a caregiver. For when you are a caregiver to someone whose mind and/or body have been greatly diminished by illness, so much of your life is consumed, and there is so little relief and so little respite, and sometimes so little appreciation from the one whom you are caring for.

When you are a caregiver, you must struggle against exhaustion, against self pity, and against resentment. You must struggle against anger and against a host of other emotions that no one who has not gone through what you are going through can ever even begin to understand. And eventually, your strength wanes and you become weary and worn out.

Other people may tell you how wonderful you are. Other people may say that you are saintly. But in your own eyes, you are simply doing what you have to do. It is not the life that you would have chosen, but you cannot imagine doing anything else in the situation in which you find yourself.

But the truth is that what you are doing is heroic, for there is an alternative. You could quit, you could give up, and you could abandon the one whom you are caring for. Therefore, because you have an alternative, to muster up the physical and the emotional stamina that caregiving requires, day after day, week after week, month after month, sometimes year after year, to hold on so fiercely to love, even when the person whom you love has changed so profoundly that he or she is no longer the same person, and to care for someone for whom you may have had, not always love but sometimes ambivalent and complex feelings, this is heroism, heroism of the highest order.

Does Judaism have any wisdom and any guidance to offer to those of us who are caregivers today? Or to those of us who may face this challenge in the future?

It seems to me that the Jewish tradition has three lessons to teach us.

The first is that, according to Judaism, you have the moral right, and you have the halachic right, to follow the advice of Maimonides who specifically tells us that if the task of caring for a loved one becomes too difficult, then you have the right to turn over the task to one who is more competent, to one who is less emotionally involved, to one who will do it with you or instead of you. Maimonides is very clear. He says that there are limits to what a human being can do. And if you reach that limit, then you are allowed to hire help, and you are allowed to place your loved one in a facility that is set up to care for him or her, and you are allowed to share this difficult task. For if you don't, then you will collapse. And why should there be two who are ill instead of just one?

Maimonides says that the decision to turn over the responsibility for the care of a sick one does not absolve you from the duty to visit, and to care, by no means. But it does absolve you of the duty to be consumed with the task until you yourself become ill as a result. And so, this is my first word of guidance to you: there are limits to human strength, and there is no point to self destruction. Therefore, there is a time when it is permitted, and there is even a time when it is a mitzvah, to share the care of someone whom you love with others who can do it with you, and who can, perhaps, even do it better than you.

The second lesson that the Jewish tradition teaches is that, as the Talmud puts it: “haShechinah shruyah al mitato shel hacholeh, - that God's holy presence hovers over the bed of one who is sick.”

Now, what does that mean? I think it means that when you look upon the face of someone who is ill, frail and impaired by disease, it is a mitzvah to remember, to remember and to never forget that this person is nevertheless, even in his or her illness, even in his or her dementia, even in her or his dehumanized state, even when this person can no longer speak or think, even when this person can no longer recognize you, or can no longer even recognize herself or himself, that this person is still, nevertheless, made in the image of God. Nothing, nothing, whatsoever, not even the loss of the mind, can ever destroy the inherent dignity of a human being.

This means that no one is ever allowed to refer to someone as “the case in room 503.” It means that no one is ever allowed to treat this person roughly or disrespectfully. It means that no one is ever allowed to exploit or mistreat the person who is in their care. It means that no one is allowed to talk in their presence as if they were not there. And no one is ever allowed to treat them as if they were less than fully human. For “the Shechinah hovers over the bed of the one who is sick!” And we dare not ever forget that!

There is a wonderful Midrash that I would like to share with you today. I believe some of you already know it! When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai and saw the people dancing around the golden calf, he smashed the two tablets of stone, on which were written the Ten Commandments. And then, after God forgave the people for their sin, Moses went back up the mountain and brought back a second set of tablets. The Midrash asks: What did Moses do with the broken pieces of the first set of commandments? The answer: he put those broken pieces in the ark right next to the set that was complete. Why? In order to teach us that that which was once holy remains holy, even in its broken state. In order to teach us that broken people, senile people, people with Alzheimer’s, people with Parkinson’s, are still holy. People, who were once holy, remain holy, even in their broken state.

The last lesson that I would offer to those of you who are, or will one day be, caregivers, is this: know and understand that the task of the caregiver is not always to cure. Sometimes curing is simply not an option, not for the doctor and not for the caregiver. The task of the caregiver is not to cure, but to give to the person who is ill the most valuable gift that we can give them, the gift of reassurance. Every day you have the power and the ability to send a message to the one whom you care for, whether they have the power and the ability to receive it and comprehend it or not. You have the power to say to them, by your words or by your deeds that: “you matter to me and that in my eyes, you are still precious. You may not know who you are anymore, but I know who you are, and I care about you. Despite the damage that illness has done to your body and your mind, you are still precious to me.” And if you can do that, if you can send that message, difficult as it is to convey, and difficult as it is to receive, I can think of no mitzvah that anyone can do that is greater than this.

I conclude with a story, one that speaks to my heart, and that I hope will speak to yours as well. I can think of nothing that I can say to you today that is as important as this story.

Several years ago, I was at the doctor's office. I was waiting in line to sign my name at the receptionist's desk before I sat down, and I couldn't help overhearing this conversation between the receptionist and the man in front of me. He said to her: “Look, would you do me a big favor. I see that the doctor is running late, and I have to leave in just a few minutes. I have an important appointment, a very important appointment. Could you please get me in early?”

The woman said she would do what she could, she would try her best, but then, for some reason, I don't know why, she asked him, “what is the appointment? What is so important that you have to leave so quickly?”

And he said to her, “It's my wife. She is at a facility for people who are suffering from Alzheimer’s, and I have to get there in time to have lunch with her.”

The receptionist said, “But if she has Alzheimer’s, will she really know whether you are there or not?”

And the man said, “oh no. She doesn't even know who I am anymore. She hasn't for a long, long time.”

And the receptionist said, “If she doesn't even know who you are, then what's the big rush to get there in time to have lunch with her?”

The man replied, “You don't understand. She may not know who I am, but I still know who she is.”

The receptionist walked into the doctor's office and said something to him. And then she came out and escorted this man right into the doctor's office. Then she turned to me, and with tears in her eyes said, “That’s the kind of love that I would like to have in my life someday.” That is the true meaning of caregiving.

May God bless each one of us with much strength and much good health in this New Year. And if, in the future, we become infirm, then may God bless us with the joy of having such a caregiver as that gentleman, one who is truly devoted, and one who is truly heroic. And, if it turns out to be our lot to be the caregiver, then may we perform this sacred task, as carefully, as lovingly, and as patiently, as we can. And may God help us in this task.

Amen!

YK '07

2007-09-26T06:58:00.000-07:00

YK ‘07

LAST NIGHT, I SPOKE ABOUT SOME OF THE CONNOTATIONS OF “LIGHT” AS THEY RELATE TO US – BOTH AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A CONGREGATION. THIS MORNING – I CONTINUE IN THAT SAME VEIN. i begin with a story, ONE THAT i HAVE READ TO YOU NUMEROUS TIMES ON PAST HIGH HOLY DAYS. IT IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF AN ACTUAL RADIO CONVERSATION OF A US NAVAL SHIP WITH CANADIAN AUTHORITIES OF THE COAST OF NEWFOUNDLAND IN VERY HEAVY FOG IN OCTOBER, 1995:
aMERICANS: pLEASE DIVERT YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES TO THE NORTH OT AVOID A COLLISION.
CANADIANS: rECOMMEND YOU DIVERT YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES TO THE SOUTH TO AVOID COLLISION.
AMERICANS: THIS IS THE CAPTAIN OF A US NAVY SHIP. I SAY AGAIN, DIVERT YOUR COURSE.
CANADIANS: NO… I SAY AGAIN YOU DIVERT YOUR COURSE.
AMERICANS: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNTIED STATES ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. i DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH. THAT’S ONE FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE OUR SAFETY.
CANADIANS: THS IS A LIGHTHOUSE2…… YOUR CALL!!

the reason i tell you this story is, of course, not only because it’s funny, but also because i think it explains why we have come here today.

Very simply, we live in a foggy world; a world in which it is very easy to wander off course and not even know it. We have learned the hard way that the lighthouse sees things more clearly than we do; that it has the power to cut through the fog that clouds our vision better than we can. Therefore, we come here, at least once a year, in order to check with the lighthouse, and in order to make a midcourse correction, if need be, in order to avoid a crash.

For that is what the Torah and the tradition are - they are lighthouses. They have been cutting through the fog and illuminating the world for all these centuries, and it behooves us, when the fog is thick and we cannot find our way, to check our course with the help of the lighthouse in order that we do not crash.

What does the lighthouse see that we don't see? What does the lighthouse have to say to us today?

Let me name three of the things that I believe we all have trouble seeing because of the fog.

One: the people around us. Two: the possessions we have. And three: our children.

When you look around you, at home, in the office, or on the road, when you are with family and friends, a client or a customer, what do you see?

If your vision is foggy, you see a rival, or a competitor, or a person whom you can use for your own benefit. The lighthouse bids you look again, and correct your course, because if you go through life looking at the people around you that way, you will end up alone.

The lighthouse says that sooner or later you are going to have to understand that your impact upon the world will come, not from how successful you are in beating your competition, but from what you mean to other people and what they mean to you.
When it is foggy out there, it is hard to understand that because the fog makes us forget that the struggle for success, unless it is controlled, can consume your soul. The fog makes us think that there are not enough of the good things in life to go around, and therefore that you better hustle and scramble if you want to get your share. The fog makes us think that everything that someone else has is something that we can't have; that every point of market share that someone else has is one more share that we can't have. But if you live that way long enough, you will crash into the lighthouse; because if you see the world as dog eat dog, then eventually you become a dog.

And so we come here today in order to see the world with the help of the lighthouse; because if we do, if we look at the people around us by the light that comes from the lighthouse, we will see that the other is a partner, a friend, a person who is made in the image of God, and if you see him that way, you will not crash into him.

let’s now turn from people to possessions and look at them from the point of view of the lighthouse.

If you look at your possessions through the fog, you think that they are your strength, and that they are your security. But if you look at them with the help of the lighthouse, you realize that, if you depend on them, then you don't possess your possessions, they possess you! How do you remember this truth while you are in the middle of the rat race?

My suggestion is to take a furlough one day in seven –AKA “Shabbat.” My suggestion is to get out of the rat race one day in SEVEN; so that you may realize that you are a person and not a rat; so that you may realize that you are not a money making machine and not a money spending machine, that you are not a machine at all. You are a person! if you can live on a different plain for twenty five hours a week without making money or spending money, without being part of the rat race, Then you possess your possessions and they do not possess you. and if you can’t do that, if you are so addicted to the accumulation of things that you cannot quit, even for a day, then the lighthouse says that you are headed for a crash. You will end up at the end, after a lifetime of running, rushing, grabbing and spending, feeling cheated; feeling that you have run and run and run and gotten nowhere.

There is one more dimension of our lives that we need to look at with the help of the lighthouse: our children.

Many of us work hard, very hard, in order to give our children everything, and then, we end up, when the fog clears, realizing, too late, that we have given them every THING, everything except that which they need more than all others, namely, ourselves.
no too long ago, A Boston based social psychologist named Tom Cottle conducted a study in which he tried to quantitatively identify the best predictor of how students would do on their S.a.t. exams. his answer – how often students had dinner with their parents. a youngster who has dinner with his parents on the average of twice a week will, on average, do 30 points better on his S. A. T’s than one who has dinner with his parents only once a week! think of that! If that is true, then all the time that we spend, and all the strength and energy that we spend running around, working hard, so that we will be able to give our children every thing, to the point where we have no time and no strength left to give them of our selves, may be a terrible waste. We may end up shortchanging them, and we may have set them on a crash course, without meaning to.
And so the lighthouse says: have Dinner with you kids. more specifically, have Shabbat dinner with your kids—NO MATTER WHAT. And if your schedule does not permit it? THEN CHANGE YOUR SCHEDULE!
The lighthouse says: make a course correction before it is too late. Cut through the fog and see things as they really are. The LIGHTHOUSE SAYS that your kids need you and your time a lot more than they need whatever it is that you earn WITH YOUR hectic schedule. But when it is foggy, and when the whole culture clouds your vision, with its message of more, more, more, more, it is hard to understand this.

And so we come here today in order to look at our schedules, and in order to look at our children, by the light that comes from the lighthouse.

What does the light house say?

It says some very simple, very basic, very obvious truths, which, because of the fog we have somehow lost sight of.

It says things like: be a mentsch, have compassion for others , do a mitzvah, honor your parents, take the torah seriously, observe shabbat, love your neighbor as yourself, and care about what is going on, both at home and on the other side of the world. if you don't understand this, you are setting yourself up for a crash.
The world around us is very foggy, and so it is very easy to get off course. and far too many of us are like the captain in our story who went around saying: I'm an aircraft carrier - You move for me, instead of realizing that we are dealing with a lighthouse, that does not move for anyone, and that lights the way for everyone.

May we not be like that captain. Instead, may we ask the real questions, and may we look to the lighthouse (to torah and judaism) for guidance in how to answer them. May we cut through the fog and correct our course. For if we do, then it will be a good year, a sweet year, a blessed year, for all of us.

KN '07

2007-09-26T06:57:00.000-07:00

kn ‘07
Some advertising campaigns ARE AMAZINGLY EFFECTIVE. For instance, if I said the name “Tom Bodett,” would you know which advertising campaign I was referring to? Tom Bodett is the recognizable icon for Motel 6 hotels who famously says in the commercials, “We’ll leave the light on for you.” I learned from the Internet that Tom Bodett, a radio voice who had no prior affiliation with Motel 6, actually ad libbed the tagline, “We’ll Leave the Light on for YoU” In the very first session he recorded for the company. Fifteen years later, Bodett remains the spokesperson for Motel 6 and has relied upon those same words in commercial after commercial, whether on the radio or on TV. The campaign is one of the longest running advertising campaigns in history, and continues to win awards for its creativity and effectiveness in the hotel industry.
So, what is this marketing campaign SO EFFECTIVE? Specifically, why is this catchphrase so successful? The answer I believe has to do with the operative word “light.” Leaving a light on for someone is a sign that they are welcome to join you. You are letting them know that you will open up your house, or hotel, or synagogue and make them feel at home. They will feel invited, accepted, embraced and safe. It is a statement of inclusion.
lIGHT, OF COURSE, HAS MANY CONNOTATIONS IN JUDAISM IN GENERAL AND IN RELATION TO THE HIGH HOLY DAYS IN PARTICULAR. THE “NER TAMID – THE ETERNAL LIGHT” AND THE MENORAH IMMEDIATELY COME TO MIND. as for the high holy days - ACCORDING TO TRADITION, ROSH HASHANAH MARKS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE BEGINNING OF cREATION, AND THE VERY FIRST THING GOD CREATES IS LIGHT. in addition, on this kol nidre night, the service must begin before the sun sets, i.e., while it is still light. GIVEN THESE ASSOCIATIONS, IT IS MOST APPROpRIATE THAT BOTH THIS EVENING AND TOMORROW WE FOCUS ON SOME OF THE MANY ASPECTS OF LIGHT IN JEWISH TRADITION.
In parshaT B’ha’alotcha IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS, gOD speaks to Moses telling him that he should command Aaron to light the Menorah in the “Ohel Moed, the Tent of Meeting.” The Kohanim, the priests, were responsible to make sure that this light would never be permanently extinguished. THIS is not the first occasion of an eternal flame in the Torah. We can look to the Burning Bush in which God first appeared to Moses. That light, the fire of the bush that would not be consumed, was an invitation. It was an invitation for Moses to lead the people to freedom.
But getting back to the menorah, the rabbis in the midrash ask what the point of the light of this menorah is in the first place. After all, Israel already has a light, amud ha-esh, the pillar of fire that God illuminates the camp with each night. So, what is the purpose for the light created from this menorah? The response of the rabbis is that it serves as A balance. The pillar of fire is God’s light that shines on us humans, and we in turn reciprocate by shining a light on God. The light is a statement of safety and love. God’s fire illuminates the camp providing protection and a sense of security. Our light, the light of the menorah, shines upon God in appreciation for God’s gifts bestowed upon us.
Judaism understands light in a very positive sense. Light is life. Light is learning. Light is Truth. The rabbinic sages emphasize the peaceful nature of light. Light is not a violent force and we are to take this notion seriously. As the prophet Zechariah explains in his vision upon seeing the menorah, “Not by might, and not by power, but only by the spirit of God.”. we take this statement to refer to our responsibility to the rest of the world. We Jews are to be an “Or Lagoyim - a light to the rest of the world.” Therefore, the menorah was a constant reminder of our mission to be a light unto the nations - a paradigm of virtue and education, of peace and tolerance. While we no longer have the lit menorah because we no longer have the Temple, we are reminded of our responsibility to be a light unto the nations, and to be welcoming to all by the ner tamid, the eternal light that hangs in front of the ark in every synagogue.
each of us, both individuallly and collectively, as members of this kehillah KEDOSHA “this holy community” has the responsibility to see to it that Beth Emeth’s “lights stay on,” not only in the literral sense of providing funds to keep the electric bills paid, but in making sure that Torah - study, Avodah - worship, and Gemillut Chasadim – acts of lovingkindness, all continue to be our mantra and our mission.
Light: Torah;
Light: Future;
Light is learning, programming, education of our youth; social activities; celebratory meals and life cycle events. Light is who we are to the world!
Light has always been the most favored metaphor for all forms of revelation. We speak of "Godly light," "Divine light," the "new light" of the Redemption We use expressions such as, "Do you still walk in darkness or have you seen the light?"
As physical light brightens our path so we don't stumble over obstacles, so the light of Godliness, our spiritual awareness, helps us avoid the pitfalls on the journey of life. Light represents truth, eternal values, the spiritual which transcends the mundane and the temporal.
The story is told of a wealthy man who had three sons. As he was uncertain as to which son he should entrust with the management of his business, he devised a test. He took his three sons to a room which was absolutely empty and he said to each of them, "Fill this room as best as you are able."
The first son got to work immediately. He called in bulldozers, earth-moving equipment, workmen with shovels and wheelbarrows and they got mightily busy. By the end of the day the room was filled, floor to ceiling, wall to wall, with earth.
The room was cleared and the second son was given his chance. He was more of an accountant type so he had no shortage of paper: boxes, files, archives, records, that had been standing and accumulating dust for years and years suddenly found a new purpose. At any rate, it didn't take long and the room was absolutely filled from floor to ceiling, wall to wall, with paper.
Again the room was cleared and the third son was given his turn. He seemed very relaxed and didn't appear to be gathering or collecting anything at all with which to fill the room. He waited until nightfall and then invited his father and the family to join him at the room. Slowly, he opened the door. The room was absolutely pitch black, engulfed in darkness. He took something out of his pocket. It was a candle. He lit the candle and suddenly the room was filled with light.
He got the job.
Some people fill their HOMES WITH lots of physical objects and possessions which clutter their closets but leave their homes empty. Our cars and clothes, our treasures and toys, all lose their attractiveness with time. If all we seek satisfaction from is the material we are left with a gaping void in our lives.
Others are into paper. Money, stocks, bonds, share portfolios, but there is little in the way of real relationships. Family doesn't exist or is relegated to third place at best. On paper, such a person might be a multi-millionaire, but is he or she happy? Is his or her life rich or poor? Is it filled with family and friends or is it a lonely life, bereft of true joy and contentment?
The truly wise son understood how to fill a vacuum. The intelligent person knows that the emptiness of life needs light. Torah - The Creator's revelation to humankind - is light. Shabbat candles illuminate and make Jewish homes radiant with light. Godly truths and the eternal values of our heritage fill our homes and families with the guiding light to help us to our destinations safely and securely.
Light is how the world began ("And God said, 'Let there be light.' And there was light" (Genesis 1:3)
We are shutafim, PARTNERS with God, in the creation of the world. And we are also partners with God in our attempt to perfect the world - tikkun olam. Let us begin here at our shul. Let us take on the continuing responsibility for keeping the light of Judaism alive and well here at CBE. now – and for generations to come!

RH 2 '07

2007-09-17T13:57:00.000-07:00

RH 2b - ‘07
FOR MANY REASONS, THESE ARE EXCITING TIMES FOR CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS THAT JUST LAST WEEK PROF. ARNOLD EISEN WAS INAUGURATED CHANCELLOR OF THE JEWISH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, OUR FLAGSHIP INSTITUTION. EISEN WAS SOMEWHAT OF AN UNUSUAL CHOICE TO HEAD AN INSTITUTION WHOSE NAME INCLUDES THE WORD “SEMINARY,” IN THAT HE IS NOT A RABBI. BUT DURING HIS YEAR AS “CHANCELLOR-DESIGNATE,” AS HE TRAVELLED ACROSS THE COUNTRY MEETING LAYPEOPLE AND RABBIS, HE WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED. I HAVE KNOWN “ARNIE” FOR MANY YEARS AS A BRILLIANT AND CHARISMATIC ACADEMIC COLLEAGUE, AND I AM ELATED THAT HE WAS CHOSEN AS THE SEMNARY’S NEW CHANCELLOR.
ARNIE HAS WASTED NO TIME IN BEGINNING TO ARTICULATE AND IMPLIMENT HIS VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR MOVEMENT. EVEN BEFORE HE WAS INAUGURATED, EISEN PRESENTED WHAT HE CALLS “THE M ITZVAH INITIATIVE” AND CHALLENGED MEMBERS OF THE RABBINICAL ASSEMBLY TO ENTER INTO DIALOGUES WITH OUR CONGREGANTS ON THE MEAN OF THE TERM, MITZVAH. THIS MORNING WE SHALL BEGIN THAT DIALOGUE.
EISEN HAS STUDIED AND WRITTEN WIDELY ON THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMUNITY AND FEELS STRONGLY THAT WHAT SETS US APART AS CONSERVATIVE JEWS IS OUR COMMITMENT TO AND BELIEF IN THE IDEA OF “MITZVAH.” IN ORTHODOXY, IT IS HALACHA, DIVINELY-GIVEN LAW; IN REFORM, IT IS PERSONAL AUTONOMY, OR “THE SOVEREIGN SELF,” A PHRASE WHICH EISEN COINED IN HIS BOOK, ‘THE JEW WITHIN,’ AND ABOUT WHICH I SPOKE AT LENGTH A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO. (I’M SURE YOU ALL REMEMBER THAT SERMON VERY WELL – AS MY OPENING ANCEDOTE YESTERDAY DEMONSTRATED!)
JUST IN CASE YOU DON’T, THE TERM “SOVEREIGN SELF” MEANS THAT NO ONE – NOT EVEN GOD – CAN COMMAND YOU IN YOUR PERSONAL JEWISH OBSERVANCE. ‘SOVEREIGN SELF”; MEANS THAT ‘I WILL OBSERVE WHAT I WANT WHEN I WANT.’ AND WHILE IT IS THE HALL
MARK OF REFORM, IT ACCURATELY DESCRIBES MANY IN OUR MOVEMENT AS WELL.

BUT CHANCELLOR EISEN SUGGESTS THAT AS CONSERVATIVE JEWS WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON THE CONCEPT OF MITZVAH.
FOR CONSERVATIVE JEWS, MITZVAH IS A WAY OF SEEING OUR ACTIONS AS A MEANS OF BINDING OURSELVES TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND TO THE WORLD-AT-LARGE. SO, TODAY, AT THE NEW CHANCELLOR’S SUGGESTION, WE OPEN A DIALOGUE WHICH, AS I SHALL MENTION TOWARD THE END OF MY REMARKS, WILL CONTINUE IS THE DAYS, WEEKS AND MONTHS AHEAD. SO, LET’S BEGIN!
AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, THE WORD “MITZVAH,” LITERALLY MEANS “COMMANDMENT,” OR “OBLIGATION,” AS IN THE 613 MITZVOT, THE DIVINE COMMANDMENTS, THAT TRADITION MAINTAINS WERE GIVEN TO MOSES ON MT SINAI. BUT, TRUTH BE TOLD, VERY FEW LIBERAL JEWS OBSERVE THE MITZVOT BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THEM AS DIVINE COMMANDMENTS. LET’S TAKE A VERY TIMELY EXAMPLE; YOU ARE HERE TODAY TO HEAR THE SOUND OF THE SHOFAR. THAT IS ONE OF THE 613 MITZVOT. BUT I SUSPECT THAT IF I WERE TO ASK YOU WHY YOU CAME AND YOU WERE HONEST, YOU WOULDN’T SAY “BECAUSE GOD COMMANDED ME TO HEAR THE SHOFAR.” YOU MIGHT SAY “BECAUSE IT’S A TIME-HONORED JEWISH TRADITION” OR “BECAUSE I DID THAT WITH MY PARENTS AND I WANT MY CHILDREN TO DO THE SAME.” OR “BECAUSE I KNOW THAT JEWISH COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD ARE DONG THE SAME THING TODAY.” OR “BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT ROSH HASHANAH IS ALL ABOUT.” THE HEARING OF THE SHOFAR MAY TRULY MOVE YOU, BUT RARELY BECAUSE YOU THINK ANYONE HAS COMMANDED YOU TO HEAR IT.

PUT IN GENERAL TERMS: FUNCTIONALLY, THERE MAY BE NO MITZVOT, BUT THERE IS “MITZVAH,” THE IDEA OF BEING OBLIGATED.
NOT TOO LONG AGO, CHANCELLOR EISEN EXPLORED SUCH ISSUES WITH A GROUP OF LAYPEOPLE; HE ASKED THEM WHAT PART, IF ANY, OF THE TRADITION THEY FELT OBLIGATED TO. HERE AE A FEW OF THEIR ANSWERS: AN AVID FISHERMAN SAID, “I FEEL OBLIGATED NOT TO EAT THOSE CRUDDY THINGS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN.” ANOTHER PERSON SAID: “I FEEL OBLIGATED TO THE STATE OF ISRAEL BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY OF OUR PEOPLE AND TH NECESSITY OF HAVING A SAFELY VALVE.” AND A THIRD SAID: “I FFEL OBLIGATED THAT BECAUSE OF THE PERSECUTION OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE, I WILL NOT TOLERATE HEARING DEROGATORY WORDS ABOUT OTHER RACES OR ETHNIC GROUPS.”
YESTERDAY, OUR PRESIDENT MARTY ZELMAN, REMINDED US OF HOW MUCH WE AT CBE HAVE GOING FOR US: A WELL-RUN, WELCOMING INSTITUTION, PARTICIPATORY WORSHIP SERVICES, OUTSTANDING PRE AND RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS, A WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAMMING, OUTSTANDING YOUTH GROUPS AND MORE. BUT I SUGGEST TO YOU THAT THE ‘STAYING POWER’ OF ALL THAT DEPENDS ON WHAT WE FEEL OBLIGATED TO DO. I HOPE I HAVE WHETTED YOUR APPETITE THIS MORNING. NEXT WEEK, DURING OUR STUDY SESSION ON YOM KIPPUR WE SHALL CONTINUE THIS DIALOGUE/ DISCUSSION ABOUT ‘MITZVAH’. I HOPE THAT PARTICIPANTS WILL CANDIDLY TELL US WHAT, IF ANYTHING, IN JUDASM OBLIGATES YOU.

A FURTHER FOLLOW-UP TO TODAY’S COMMENTS – LONG BEOFRE CHANCELLOR EISEN ANNOUNCED HIS “MITZVAH INITIATIVE” WE ANNOUNCE THAT OUR WED MORNING AND THURSDAY NIGHT CLASSES THIS YEAR WOULD BE DISCUSSING THE RECENTLY PUBLISHED BOOK, “JEWS AND JUDAISM IN THE 21ST CENTURY: HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY, THE PRESENCE OF GOD, AND THE FUTURE OF THE COVENANT.” CLEARLY, OUR CLASS DISCUSSIONS WILL ADDRESS THE CONCEPT OF ‘MITZVAH’ AS WELL AS MANY OTHER RELATED ISSUES, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS THE EXTREMELY TANTALIZING ONE WHICH I HAVE INTENTIONALLY AVOIDED THIS MORNING, NAMELY – WHO COMMANDS, WHO OBLIGATES. GOD? THE JEWISH COMMUNITY? PAST SACREDNESS? FUTURE DESTINY? WHO OR WHAT?

TAKEN TOGETHER, MY COMMENTS THIS MORNING, FOLLOWED BY OUR YOM KIPPUR AFTERNOON DISCUSSION, IN TURN FOLLOWED BY OUR COURSE, CONSTITUTE OUR RESPONSE TO CHANCELLOR EISEN’S CHALLENGE TO MAKE ‘MITZVAH’ THE DEFINING ASPECT OF CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM. I HOPE YOU’LL “FEEL OBLIGATED” TO PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLL IN THIS EXCITING NEW ENTERPRISE.

RH 1 '07

2007-09-17T13:51:00.000-07:00

RH 1 ‘07
I WANT TO SHARE A STORY THAT I ONLY HEARD FOR THE FIRST TIME RECENTLY, BUT WHICH IMMEDIATEY BECAME ONE OF MY VERY FAVORITES. It’s about a rabbi who gave the same sermon every year on the High Holy Days. Now this particular rabbi was especially beloved in his congregation so no one ever questioned him about this. But after A NUMBER OF years of hearing the same sermon, the board worked up the courage to approach their dear rabbi and ask him to prepare a new sermon for the NEXT YEAR. So as not to embarrass him, they waited until Chanukah to confront the rabbi about his repetitiveness.

Chanukah came and the executive officers MET WITH the rabbi. the president said, “Rabbi you know how much we love you. Our only problem is that you’ve been giving the same sermon on Rosh Hashanah for fifteen years. Don’t you think you it’s time for a new one?”

The rabbi thought for a moment and then said, “Of course, I’d be glad to give a new sermon. By the way, what did I speak about this past year on Rosh Hash” There was a long embarrassed pause. Then the rabbi said, “You seem to have forgotten. I’ll tell you what. I’ll give the sermon one more time so you’ll remember it and then I’ll prepare a new one!”

PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE THIS IS A TERRIFIC STORY, NO PERSONAL REFERENCE IS IMPLIED!!! I DO not re-usE my old sermons AND I work hard at coming up with something original to say to our congregation EACH YEAR. But the truth of the matter is, there are really only five sermons that any rabbi deliverS in his OR HER life time. And everything ELSE he OR SHE says is basically a repetition of those same five sermons. tHAT’S WHY THE STORY SOUNDS SO FAMILIAR!

That’s right – there are only five sermons. We each come up with clever ways to deliver our message and inspire our congregationS each week; we combine these messages and come up with various permutations. But the five sermons are basically the same:
1. Be good
2. Have faith
3. Love one another
4. Do Mitzvot
5. Learn Torah

The first lesson we all try to teach is “Be good.” It’s that simple. And we have been teaching it for a very long time. When a gentile came to Hillel and asked the great sage to teach him the whole Torah while standing on one foot, Hillel answered: “What is hateful to you don’t do to others.” That’s a lesson that everyone can understand. Goodness begins by not inflicting pain on others. That doesn’t make us a Tzaddik, a righteous person, but at least it insures that we’re not criminals. So the first thing a rabbi must teach his OR HER congregation (and himself OR HERSELF!) is to avoid causing pain to others and strive to live by a modicum of justice and fairness.

The second lesson we try to teach is, “Have faith.” For us as Jews this begins with the words of the Sh’ma – “Hear O Israel: Adonai is our God, Adonai is one.” But faith is more than just a numerical equation. Faith is a way of seeing the world. To have faith means that you believe that life has some larger meaning and purpose, that your presence in this world is more than just some cosmic accident, and that there is goodness in the universe. It means that you believe that there is a transcendent source of right and wrong – that the Ten Commandments are not opinions. To have faith is also to reject the false idols of this world. Or as someone once put it: It is not whether or not we worship God but what we choose to worship that counts in the end. If we reject God, chances are we will invent other objects of worship for ourselves.

The third sermon every rabbi giveS is, “Love one another.” It’s not enough just to be good. As I said, all that means is that you’re not a criminal. It doesn’t mean you have ever helped another person in need or that you’ve done anything to make a difference in the world. Judaism expects much more of us. Beyond goodness, there is love. WE ARE TAUGHT, “V’ahavta lire’akha kamocha, Love your neighbor as yourself.” And as the sages tELL us: “Zeh klal gadol ba-torah” – this is the great principle in the Torah.

The fourth sermon that every rabbi gives is, “Do Mitzvot!” Faith and love mean nothing if they are not acted out in our daily lives. The Torah offers us 613 opportunities not only to feel love and express our faith but to do love and live faith through our day to day actions.

And finally, the fifth sermon is “Learn Torah.” In Pirke Avot we are taught that an ignorant person can not be a God fearing person. Faith has no place in an empty mind. Torah challenges us, and we must challenge it. Judaism challenges us – the more Torah we learn, the more we are capable of making informed and sensitive decisions in our lives. That is why this holiday is called Rosh Hashanah, literally, “the head” of the year. Why do we begin the year with the head? Because “hakol holekh achar ha’rosh, everything follows the head” in life. And an empty head will lead to an empty life.

So there you have it. Five sermons. I’ve now given all my sermons so I guess I can sit down and really enjoy the rest of the holidays. These sermons are so simple. The real challenge is that we have to learn to translate these lessons into life. And these sermons must come from the heart in order to enter the hearts of those who are hearing them.

The Talmud tells us that Rabbi Akiva was an illiterate shepherd until the age of 40. One day he was sitting by a pond when he noticed that there was a large stone with a hollow indentation in it. He wondered how such a stone could have been worn away. And then he noticed that there was water dripping down on the stone from above and that the water had worn a hole in the stone.

Rabbi Akiva said. If water can wear away the hardest of substances then surely there are words of Torah that can penetrate my mind. I’ll go to the Beit Midrash, the house of learning, and begin studying Torah.

I hope that these simple lessons can penetrate our minds and hearts as we begin a new year. Be good. Have faith. Love one another. Do Mitzvot. Learn Torah. There is so much to learn and do in life, but if we can begin with these lessons we will have a truly sweet year

Erev Rosh Hashanah - 06

2006-10-11T09:12:00.000-07:00

EREV RH 06

AS HAS BEEN MY CUSTOM OVER THE YEARS ON EREV ROSH HASHANAH, TONIGHT I WILL SHARE A STORY WITH YOU WHICH HAS TOUCHED MY HEART, AS I HOPE IT WILL TOUCH YOURS. THIS YEAR’S STORY WAS WRITTEN BY MASTER STORYTELLERS, PENINAH SCHRAM AND RACHAYL ECKSTEIN DAVIS, AND IS ENTITLED, “THE APPLE TREE’S DISCOVERY.”

IN A GREAT OAK FOREST WHERE THE TREES GREW TALL AND MAJESTIC, THERE WAS A LITTLE APPLE TREE. IT WAS THE ONLY APPLE TREE IN THAT FOREST AND SO IT STOOD ALONE.

WINTER CAME. AS THE SNOW FELL TO THE FOREST FLOOR, IT COVERED THE BRANCHES OF THE LITTLE APPLE TREE. THE FOREST WAS QUIET AND PEACEFUL.

ONE NIGHT, THE LITTLE APPLE TREE LOOKED UP AT THE SKY AND SAW A WONDERFUL SIGHT. BETWEEN THE BRANCHES OF ALL THE TREES, THE LITTLE APPLE TREE SAW THE STARS, WHICH APPEARED TO BE HANGING ON THE BRANCHES OF THE OAK TREE.

“OH GOD, OH GOD,” WHISPERED THE LITTLE APPLE TREE, “HOW LUCKY THOSE OAK TREES ARE TO HAVE SUCH BEAUTIFUL STARS HANGING ON THEIR BRANCHES. I WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD TO HAVE STARS ON MY BRANCHES, JUST LIKE THE OAK TREES HAVE! THEN I WOULD FEEL TRULY SPECIAL.” GOD LOOKED DOWN AT THE LITTLE APPLE TREE AND SAID GENTLY, “HAVE PATIENCE! HAVE PATIENCE, LITTLE APPLE TREE.”

TIME PASSED, THE SNOW MELTED AND SPRING CAME TO THE LAND. TINY WHITE AND PINK APPLE BLOSSOMS APPEARED ON THE BRANCHES OF THE LITTLE APPLE TREE. BIRDS CAME TO REST ON ITS BRANCHES. PEOPLE WALKED BY AND ADMIRED ITS BEAUTIFUL BLOSSOMS.

ALL SUMMER LONG, THE APPLE TREE CONTINUED TO GROW. THE BRANCHES OF THE TREE FORMED A CANOPY OVERHEAD AS THEY FILLED WITH LEAVES AND BLOSSOMS. BUT NIGHT AFTER NIGHT, THE LITTLE APPLE TREE LOOKED UP AT THE SKY WITH THE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF STARS AND CRIED OUT, “OH GOD, I WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD TO HAVE STARS IN MY TREE AND ON MY BRANCHES AND IN MY LEAVES, JUST LIKE THOSE OAK TREES.”

AND GOD LOOKED DOWN AT THE LITTLE APPLE TREE AND SAID, “YOU ALREADY HAVE GIFTS. ISN’T IT ENOUGH TO HAVE SHADE TO OFFER PEOPLE, AND FRAGRANT BLOSSOMS, AND BRANCHES ON WHICH THE BIRDS CAN REST SO THEY CAN SING YOU THEIR SONG?”

THE APPLE TREE SIGHED AND ANSWERED SIMPLY, “DEAR GOD, I DON’T MEAN TO SOUND UNGRATEFUL, BUT THAT IS NOT SPECIAL ENOUGH! I DO APPRECIATE HOW MUCH PLEASURE I GIVE TO OTHERS, BUT WHAT I REALLY WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD IS TO HAVE STARS, NOT BLOSSOMS, ON MY BRANCHES. THEN I WOULD FEEL TRULY SPECIAL!”

GOD SMILED AND ANSWERED, “BE PATIENT, LITTLE APPLE TREE.”

THE SEASONS CHANGED AGAIN, AND SOON, THE APPLE TREE WAS FILLED WITH MANY BEAUTIFUL APPLES. PEOPLE WALKED IN THE FOREST, SAW THE APPLE TREE, REACHED UP, PICKED AN APPLE, AND ATE IT.

AND STILL, WHEN NIGHT CAME TO THE FOREST, THE APPLE TREE LOOKED UP AT THE STARS IN THE OAK TREES AND CALLED OUT, “OH GOD, I WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD TO HAVE STARS ON MY BRANCHES! THEN I WOULD FEEL TRULY SPECIAL!”

AND GOD ASKED, “BUT APPLE TREE, ISN’T IT ENOUGH THAT YOU NOW HAVE SUCH WONDERFUL APPLES TO OFFER THE PEOPLE? DOESN’T THAT SATISFY YOU? DOESN’T THAT GIVE YOU ENOUGH PLEASURE AND MAKE YOU FEEL SPECIAL?” WITHOUT SAYING A WORD, THE APPLE TREE ANSWERED BY SHAKING ITS BRANCHES FROM SIDE TO SIDE.

AT THAT MOMENT, GOD CAUSED A WIND TO BLOW. THE GREAT OAK TREES BEGAN TO SWAY AND THE APPLE TREE BEGAN TO SHAKE. FROM THE TOP OF THE APPLE TREE, AN APPLE FELL. WHEN IT HIT THE GROUND, IT SPLIT OPEN. “LOOK,” COMMANDED GOD, “LOOK INSIDE YOURSELF. WHAT DO YOU SEE?”

THE LITTLE APPLE TREE LOOKED DOWN AND SAW THAT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE APPLE WAS A STAR. AND THE APPLE TREE ANSWERED, “A STAR! I HAVE A STAR!”

AND GOD LAUGHED A GENTLE LAUGH AND ADDED, “SO YOU DO HAVE STARS ON YOUR BRANCHES. THEY’VE BEEN THERE ALL ALONG, AND YOU JUST DIDN’T KNOW IT.”

Yom Kippur/Yizkor Sermon- 06

2006-10-11T09:11:00.000-07:00

YK ‘06

most of you, i am sure, have heard of the Rothschilds, the banking family who have business interests throughout much of the world. well, today i want to share with you a story about the “founding father” of the Rothschild clan, Anshel Rothschild, an observant jew who livewd in the middle of the eighteenth century. Anshel amassed a huge fortune and established a close relationship with the Emperor of Austria.

From time to time the Emperor would send visitors to Anshel’s luxurious and famous palace. It was the most lavish and well-appointed palace in all of Austria, and everyone wanted to see its beauty and wealth.

During one such visit Anshel took his guest, an important government official, on a tour of the palace. He showed him room after room, and the guest was awed by the beauty of the gold, the silver, the furnishings, the chandeliers, the imported fabrics. Everything was a sight to behold. There existed nothing like it in all of Austria.

as the tour continued, Anshel passed a closed door and continued walking. but the guest asked to be shown the room behind the door.

“I am sorry,” said Anshel. “This is the one room in the palace that I cannot show you.”

“Why not?” asked the guest. I would love to see every nook and cranny of your most remarkable palace.
“I simply cannot,” answered Anshel, and continued walking.

The tour concluded, and the official returned and reported everything he saw. The palace was even more than one could imagine. “However,” said the official, “there was one room that Anshel refused to show me.”

“Why not?” asked the Emperor

“I do not know. But I can guess. “You know how wealthy those Jews are. My theory is that in that room there is a magic money-making machine. That is why he is so wealthy. Behind that door must be a machine that creates the wealth of Anshel Rothschild.”

The Emperor did not know whether to believe his official, so he sent a second government official to see the palace of Anshel Rothschild. The second official came back with exactly the same story. And so did a third official, and then a fourth.

by this time the curiosity of Emperor Franz was greatly aroused, so he decided to go himself and visit the palace. Anshel took the Emperor on the same tour as he did all the earlier visitors. And when they reached the “forbidden room,” the Emperor asked to go inside and see what was there.

Anshel explained that that was the one place he could not show anyone. but the Emperor insisted, and Anshel gave in and agreed to show the Emperor the secret room. He took out his keys, opened the door, and invited his guest to enter. the emperor looked in and was amazed at what he saw. There, in a small room, was a simple pine box and some plain white cloth on a table. That was all there was!

“What is this all about?” asked the Emperor.

“We Jews have strict rules about burial customs,” explained Anshel. When a person dies, he must be buried in a very simple coffin, a plain pine box. And his body must be enveloped in a plain white shroud. This is to maintain the equality of all God’s creatures. No one is permitted to be buried in a fancy, expensive coffin, or in luxurious clothing. Though some may live affluent lives, and others may suffer dire, abject poverty, in death all are equal.”

“But why is this here in this room?” asked the Emperor, impressed but still confused.

“At the end of each day I come to this room, and view my own coffin and the shrouds, and I am reminded that even though I have great wealth and power, and I move in the highest echelons of the Austrian Empire, I am still one of God’s simple creatures, and that one day my life will end like that of all of God’s other children. I do this lest after a day filled with high finance and major financial transactions, I think too highly of myself, and develop an inflated sense of my self-worth.”

the emperor was amazed. in fact, he was speechless. His respect for Anshel Rothschild grew even greater than before and He never again questioned the sincerity, honesty or integrity of Anshel rothschild.

that’s the story. is it true? who knows? but its lesson is more important than its historicity!

each of us will, one day, come to the same end. our tradition has provided a series of democratic rituals that assures us the equality of all humans in the eyes of god and god’s creatures. we may live 2 years or a hundred and 2. but, in th end, as scripture says, “We are dust, and to dust we return.” it is not the wealth we accumulate, but our good deeds that live on after us that really count.

benjamin franklin used the “book of Life” image so previlant on this day, when he once wrote that what matters is not the number of pages in our book that matters, but rather what is written on each page. that is our everlasting legacy. all our wealth ans possessions are fleeting. what lasts are our good deeds and the good memories that our families, friends and community keep alive after we are gone.

may the story of anshel rothschild’s secret room keep us humble, compassionate, and devoted to the highest ideals for which we were created. and may we so live that our lives, like those of our loved ones whom we remember today, will truly BE A blessing. amen

Kol Nidre Sermon - 06

2006-10-11T09:05:00.000-07:00

KN ‘06

During this season MANY OF US BOTH SEND AND RECEIVE ‘NEW YEARS’ cards. It is a LOVELY thing to do, to wish each other well.

Most of the shona tova cards that we get and that we send are pretty standard. They are store-purchased cards or cards that we buy from various organizations, and their wordings are pretty much the same. They say: “may you have a healthy and a happy new year,” or: “may there be peace in the world this year,” or something like that. Occasionally, someone will send a longer message in which they bring us up to date on what is doing in their lives. I look forward to getting these annual reports on what my friends have done during the last twelve months, though I MUST ADMIT THAT sometimes I get A BIT BORED reading ALL THE DETAILS.

But this year I RECEIVED two new year's cards that were different, and I want to share them with you THIS EVENING.

The first one READS: Dear STEVE, In the spirit of the season, if there is anything that I have done that has offended you, I want to make amends. But simply saying that in a perfunctory way is too easy. And so if there is anything that I have done that was hurtful, I hope that you will tell me what it was in specific terms so that I can make amends properly. Sincerely yours, And then his name.”

I was moved by that card for two reasons. One is: this is what you are supposed to do at this season of the year. It is not enough to just wish someone a peaceful and a prosperous year. You are also supposed to make amends and to apologize for any hurt that you may have caused them. Otherwise, how can you go into Yom Kippur and ask God to forgive you until and unless you have asked for and given forgiveness to others? How can you ask God to accept your apologies and to wipe away your sin while you have not yet admitted your sin to the one whom you have hurt?

The second reason why I was impressed by this card is that my friend is right: it is not enough to simply say: If I have hurt you in any way during this past year, please forgive me. That's too vague. You have to name the sin. And you have to be specific. Otherwise, it becomes a meaningless cliché, a phrase that you rattle off that means nothing, not to you and not to the one YOU’VE OFFENDED.

The second shana tova card that I received this year came from one of my friends who is into what IS callED 'new age' Judaism’ or 'Jewish Renewal'. THE CARD CONTAINS SENTIMENTS IN BOTH Hebrew and in English, and there Are some wonderful insights in both parts. BUT THIS EVENING, FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, I ONLY WANT TO SHARE THE HEBREW.

THE CARD BEGINS with a blessing that IS based on THIS YEAR’S HEBREW NUMBER, 5767, TAV, SHIN, SAMEACH, ZAYIN,
, WHICH, FREELY TRANSLATED, MEANS “mAY THIS YEAR BE A PURE TREASURE.”

Then the Hebrew GOES on: “yihi ratson shetichaleh shana ukililateha, vatachel shana ubirchateha - may the old year end and may its curses go away with it; may the new year begin and may its blessings accompany it.” This prayer is an echo of one of the prayers in the High Holy Day liturgy and the writer has carried it over from the machzor onto his shana tova card.

Then it says: “hareynu miachalim lachem brochot, briyut gufa unhora mialya.” in rough translation, “we hereby send you wishes for health of body and light from Above.”

It goes on with: “umivakshim slichotchem im b'eze shehu inyan paganu bichvodchem.” - “We ask your forgiveness if, in any matter whatsoever we have diminished your honor.” NOW I REALLY like that phrase, “DIMINISH YOUR HONOR,” because that is the real damage that we all do to each other. I don't think I have hurt anyone's body even once during this past year, and I doubt if you have either. I don't think that I have lifted a fist against anyone during this past year and I doubt if you have either. But I am sure that I have, and I suspect that you have, been “pogea bichavod,” that we have hurt each other's dignity, that we have demeaned each other's esteem, and for this we need to do teshuvah. “Lifgoa bichavod” is a fascinating phrase. In Modern Hebrew, a terrorist incident is called a “pigua,” because it injures people. But you can injure a person spiritually as well as physically. You can injure a person if you hurt their feelings or if you injure their self esteem. That can be just as hurtful as a body blow is. Therefore my friend asks forgiveness if he has been “pogea bichvodi,” if he has damaged my self respect. And I would suggest that you and I do the same thing. If there is anyone whom we have hurt by a cruel word, by a nasty joke or by demeaning them in any way, let us realize that demeaning is also damage, and let us apologize.

And FINALLY, my friend says: “vinizke litshuva meyahava, hamihapechet et zidonot lizchuyot.” “ And may all of us be worthy of achieving the highest level of teshuvah, the kind that stems, not from guilt and not from fear, but from love, because the tradition is that if you repent out of love, then your sins are transformed into merits.” Think of that! If you really repent with all your heart and soul and spirit, then God considers the things that you have done wrong as springboards that led to your transformation, and so God counts them as good deeds, and not as sins.

That is the highest and the holiest wish that anyone can give to another human being at this season of the year, but it only works if we wish it to ourselves as well. May we do the kind of teshuvah that transforms us. May we do the kind of teshuvah that transforms our lives and that not only affects our future but that also affects our past. Because, if you really, really repent, then not only does your future change but your past does too. If you really repent, then God looks at the bad deeds you have done in the past and says; Look what these deeds led to! Look what these deeds brought about! And God blesses those deeds.

So let this be my wish tHIS EVENING - for you and for myself. May we repent, not just pro forma, but really. And may we repent, not out of fear, and not out of guilt, but out of love. And may that love be so pure and so strong that it transforms the bad deeds that we have done, that have led us to the realization that we need to repent, become a source of blessing. may that be the kind of teshuvah that we are all enabled to do in these coming days. AMEN.

Rosh Hashanah Sermon -2nd day

2006-10-11T09:02:00.000-07:00

RH 2 ‘06
FROM TIME TO TIME IN THE PAST, I HAVE BASED A HIGH HOLIDAY SERMON ON A BOOK I FELT HAD AN APPROPRIATE MEASSAGE I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU. OFTEN, THE VOLUMES WERE BY MY OLD FRIEND, RABBI HAROLD KUSHNER, AN AUTHOR WHO’S APPROACH TO LIFE AND ITS PROBLEMS I FIND EXTREMELY HELPFUL. QUITE COINCIDENTALLY, OUR HAZZAN, RABBI BARAT ELLMAN, OFFICIATED WITH RABBI KUSHNER ON LAST YEAR’S HIGH HOLIDAYS. WELL, RABBI ELMAN, I HOPE YOU AREN’T TOO DISAPPOINTED, BUT I’M NO HAROLD KUSHNER!! BUT FOR SOME TIME HE AND I HAVE HAD “AN ARRANGEMENT” – HE WRITES A NEW BOOK AND GETS THE ROYALTIES AND I GET A HIGH HOLIDAY SERMON! UNTIL NOW, THAT IS! FOR, WHILE HAROLD KUSHNER HAS JUST COME OUT WITH A NEW BOOK BASED ON THE LIFE OF MOSES AND TITLED, “OVERCOMING LIFE’S DISAPPOINTMENTS” (most appropriate for the hhd!); AND WHILE I’VE READ IT AND ENJOYED IT, AND WHILE IT’S ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER LIST, I’M GOING TO PASS ON IT THIS YEAR IN FAVOR OF ANOTHER VOLUME, ONE ALSO WRITTEN BY A RABBINIC COLLEAGUE, WHO, WHILE NOT AS WELL KNOWN AS HAROLD KUSHNER, IS QUITE PROMINENT. HIS NAME IS ROBERT LEVINE AND HE SERVES TEMPLE RODEPH SHALOM, A LARGE REFORM CONGREGATION ON MANHATTAN’S UPPER WEST SIDE (Rabbi Ellman probably knows him, too!).

LEVINE’S BOOK IS A SUMMARY OF THE HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL LITERATURE RELEVANT TO THE CONCEPT OF THE MESSIAH. BUT BEFORE YOU ALL TUNE OUT, LET ME QUICKLY ASSURE YOU THAT I SHALL ONLY DEAL BRIEFLY WITH THE CONTENTS, AND THAT I AM REALLY MORE INTERESTED IN THE BOOK’S TITLE THAN ITS CONTENTS. WE’VE DISUSSED THE IMPORTANCE OF TITLES IN PRIOR YEARS, WHEN I’VE POINTED OUT HOW MUCH CARE GOES INTO HAROLD KUSHNER’S CHOICE OF TITLES, SUCH AS “WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE” OR “WHEN ALL YOU’VE EVER WANTED IS NOT ENOUGH,” OR “HOW GOOD DO WE HAVE TO BE?”, OR, FOR THAT MATTER, “OVERCOMING LIFE’S DISAPPOINTMENTS.”

THE TITLE OF ROBERT LEVINE’S WORK IS SO GOOD THAT I KNEW I WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS VOLUME BEFORE I EVEN OPENED IT – BUT I WON’T TELL YOU WHAT THAT TITLE IS – AT LEAST NOT YET!
WE JEWS HAVE CHERISHED MESSIANIC CONVICTIONS THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY. INDEED, THE WORSE THINGS WERE, THE MORE WE LOOKED FORWARD TO THE ARRIVAL OF A MESSIANIC PERSONALITY WHO WOULD PUT AN END TO THE HORRORS THAT PLAGUED OUR PLIGHT HERE ON EARTH. EVEN AMIDST THE PLENTY AND PROSPERITY OF LIFE HERE IN AMERICA, MESSIANIC CONVICTIONS HAVE RETAINED THEIR GRIP UPON OUR CONSCIOUSNESS. INDEED, SINCE ''9-1 1,'' THE NUMBER OF BOTH JEWS AND CHRISTIANS WHO ARE SURE THAT THE MESSIANIC AGE IS AT HAND HAS INCREASED SHARPLY. THE TOLL THAT TERRORISM HAS TAKEN, IN THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND AROUND THE WORLD, HAS CONVINCED OTHERS THAT THE APOCALYPSE THAT WILL PRECEDE THE ARRIVAL OF THE MESSIAH HAS ALREADY BEGUN. INDEED, A STUDY REPORTED IN TIME MAGAZINE FOUND THAT SEVENTEEN PERCENT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE SURE THAT THE MESSIAH WILL COME DURING THEIR LIFETIME.
WHILE LEVINE RECOGNIZES THE PERVASIVENESS OF THE TRADITIONAL JEWISH VIEW OF THE MESSIAH, HE DECLARES THAT THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY, NOT EVEN A "SINGLE DEFINITIVE INHERITOR" OF THE MESSIANIC MANTLE HAS EMERGED. WHAT'S MORE, HE ARGUES THAT THE TORAH DOES NOT CONFER MESSIANIC DUTIES UPON ONE PERSON TO THE EXCLUSION OF EVERYONE ELSE. THE RESULT OF THIS UNCERTAINTY IS THAT FALSE MESSIAHS HAVE ARISEN FROM TIME TO TIME WHO HAVE WROUGHT HAVOC AND DESTRUCTION UPON THE BODY AND SOUL OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY.
LEVINE REVIEWS THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS THAT BEFELL THE JEWISH PEOPLE THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY IN OUR EFFORTS TO SEEK OUT THE MESSIAH. THUS, AS WISE AND ERUDITE A MAN AS RABBI AKIBA MISTOOK BAR KOKHBA FOR THE MESSIAH IN THE SECOND CENTURY, C.E. THE RESULTS OF THE BAR KOKHBA REVOLT WERE CATASTROPHIC. DURING THE THREE- AND-A- HALF YEARS OF THE UPRISING, 600,000 JEWS LOST THEIR LIVES AND JERUSALEM WAS DEMOLISHED. AS HORRIBLE AS THE BAR KOKHBA FIASCO WAS, THE MESSIANIC MISADVENTURES OF SABBATAI TZVI IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY AND JACOB FRANK DURING THE EIGHTEENTH RANK LIKEWISE AMONG THE MOST WRETCHED CHAPTERS OF JEWISH HISTORY.
AS A RESULT OF THE HORRENDOUS DISASTERS THAT FALSE MESSIAHS HAVE BROUGHT UPON THE JEWISH PEOPLE, OUR SAGES URGED CAUTION IN APPROACHING THIS SUBJECT. TO BE SURE, TRADITIONAL JUDAISM CONTINUED TO PROPOUND THE BELIEF THAT THE MESSIAH WOULD COME, AND REGARDED THIS IDEA AS INDISPENSABLE TO KEEPING ALIVE
HOPES FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE IN THE SOULS OF A PERSECUTED PEOPLE. NEVERTHELESS, GOD WOULD DETERMINE THE DATE AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE MESSIAH'S ARRIVAL. IN THE MEANTIME, WE ARE EXHORTED TO CONCENTRATE ON PRACTICAL MATTERS. HENCE, WE ARE TAUGHT IN THE AVOT DeR. NATAN THAT ''IF YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF PLANTING A TREE AND WORD COMES THAT THE MESSIAH HAS ARRIVED, FINISH PLANTING THE TREE, THEN GO SEEK THE MESSIAH.'' LEVINE ALSO QUOTES THE STORY OF A WOMAN WHO BECAME HYSTERICAL WHEN SHE HEARD THAT THE MESSIAH WAS ON HIS WAY. SHE COMMISERATED WITH HER HUSBAND THAT THEY HAD SPENT MANY YEARS WORKING HARD TO GET THE
HOUSE OF THEIR DREAMS AND TO FIX IT UP THE WAY THEY WANTED AND SHE NOW FEARED THAT THE MESSIAH WOULD TAKE IT ALL AWAY. HER HUSBAND REASSURED HER: ''DON'T WORRY. WE SURVIVED PHARAOH; WE SURVIVED HAMAN. AND WITH GOD'S HELP, WE'LL SURVIVE THE MESSIAH, TOO!''
AMONG SOME MODERN JEWS, AND RABBI LEVINE IS CLEARLY IN THEIR RANKS, BELIEF IN A PERSONAL MESSIAH WAS REPLACED BY YEARNING FOR A MESSIANIC ERA IN WHICH EACH HUMAN BEING WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE EMERGENCE OF A JUST AND PEACEFUL WORLD.

THE WORST PROBLEM REGARDING THE TRADITIONAL BELIEF IN A MESSIAH, AS LEVINE SEES IT, IS THAT IT GETS US OFF THE HOOK WHEN IT COMES TO CURING THE ILLS OF THE WORLD. WHY SHOULD I WORRY ABOUT HOW BAD THINGS ARE IF THE MESSIAH WILL STRAIGHTEN THEM OUT WHEN HE OR SHE GETS HERE? IN SHORT, MESSIANISM CAN BE A ''COP-OUT'' IF WE REGARD OURSELVES AS EXEMPT FROM THE TASK OF IMPROVING OUR SOCIETY. SIMPLY OPENING THE DOOR FOR ELIJAH AT THE PASSOVER SEDER DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE SUM TOTAL OF WHAT IS EXPECTED OF US BY WAY OF RESPONSE TO THE ILLS OF THE UNIVERSE.
IN PRAGMATIC TERMS, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU HOLD THE TRADITIONAL JEWISH VIEW OF A PERSONAL MESSIAH OR YOU ADOPT A MODERNIST POSITION. WE STILL EACH HAVE THE JOB OF STRUGGLING TO CREATE A BETTER SOCIETY AS WE AWAIT THE MESSIAH'S ARRIVAL. OUR FAITH TEACHES US THAT EACH AND EVERY PERSON MUST PARTICIPATE IN THE TASK OF TIKKUN, OF REPAIRING AND PERFECTING THE UNIVERSE. WE ARE ALSO INSTRUCTED THAT GOD DELIBERATELY CREATED AN UNFINISHED WORLD IN ORDER TO GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY OF PARTICIPATING WITH THE ALMIGHTY AS “SHUTAFIM - PARTNERS,” IN IMPROVING IT.
AND NOW, FINALLY, WE ARE READY TO HEAR THE UTTERLY BRILLIANT TITLE OF ROBERT LEVINE’S BOOK. IT IS: “THERE IS NO MESSIAH – AND YOU’RE IT”!
AND, FOLKS, THAT ABSOLUTELY SAYS IT ALL! LISTEN TO IT ONE LAST TIME: “THERE IS NO MESSIAH – AND YOU’RE IT”!

First Day Rosh Hashanah Sermon - 06

2006-10-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

RH 1 ‘06

CAN YOU IMAGINE JULY 4TH WITHOUT ANY AMERICAN FLAGS ON DISPLAY? OR MEMORIAL DAY WITH NO PARADES IN ANY SMALL TOWNS? OR CAN YOU IMAGINE HANUKKAH WITHOUT MENOROT? WELL, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING TODAY, ON THIS THE FIRST DAY OF ROSH HASHANAH THIS YEAR. WE CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAY - BUT OMIT ITS MOST VISIBLE SYMBOL – THE SHOFAR. WHY?
WHY REMOVE THE CENTRAL SYMBOL OF THE DAY? SURELY THERE ARE TECHNICAL REASONS, WHICH SOME OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW. THE GENERAL NOTION THAT AFTER THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE THE DECREE WAS MADE NOT TO BLOW THE SHOFAR ON SHABBAT. THE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENT THAT WE SHOULD NOT CARRY OR FIX A BROKEN SHOFAR ON SHABBAT; AND IN ORDER TO AVOID THOSE CONTINGENCIES WE SIMPLY REMOVE IT ALTOGETHER.
BUT I THINK THAT THIS YEAR NONE OF THESE REASONS PERTAIN. I WANT TO SUGGEST THAT THERE IS A MORE GLOBAL REASON WHY THE SHOFAR IS ELIMINATED TODAY. MY NOTION IS EXTRACTED FROM THE MIDRASH, THE RABBINIC COMMENTARY, ON A PSALM, 98, THAT WE RECITE IN OUR PRAYERS.
THE WORDS GO SOMETHING LIKE THIS: “ZAMRU LADONAI B’CHINOR…BHETOTZROT…V’KOL SHOFAR…ETC.” – “SING TO THE LORD WITH THEHARP, WITH HORNS, AND WITH THE VOICE OF THE SHOFAR.” THE MIDRASH IS STRUCK WITH THE MENTION OF SEVEAL INSTRUMENTS. WHY NOT JUST ONE?
ITS ANSWER, SOMEWHAT COUNTERINTUITIVELY, IS – “BECAUSE ISRAEL HAS NOT YET BEEN REDEEMED. TO TEACH YOU THAT THERE IS NO COMPLETE JOY UNTIL ISRAEL IS REDEEMED.” THAT MIDRASH HELPED ME TO UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS NO SHOFAR ON THIS PARTICULAR SHABBAT/ROSH HASHANAH. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TECHNICAL REASONS. IT HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT IN THE WORDS OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH, “M’ZTAFON TIPATACH HARAAH, THE TERROR ARRIVED FROM THE NORTH.” IT HAS TO DO WITH THE STATE OF ISRAEL BECOMING CAPTIVE NOT ONLY TO THAT TERROR BUT TO THE NEGATIVE GAZE OF THE WORLD COMMUNITY. ON THIS ROSH HASHANAH BECAUSE “AM YISRAEL – THE PEOPLE, ISRAEL” AND “MEDINAT YISRAEL - THE STATE OF ISRAEL,” ARE FAR FROM BEING REDEEMED - OUR SHOFAR – OUR HOLYDAY RELIGIOUS FLAG – STANDS AT A HALF MAST. IT IS SILENT!
THIS MORNING IT IS NOT MY INTENTION TO OFFER A POLITICAL OR MILITARY ANALYSIS OR TO REPEAT WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY HEARD AND READ ABOUT THIS DEPRESSING WAR WITH HEZBOLAH. SOME OF YOU KNOW THAT ANDREA AND I WERE IN JERUSALEM DURING THE FIGHTING AND HAVE READ THE E-MAIL COMMENTS I OFFERED DURING OUR STAY. TODAY, I WOULD RATHER CONVEY TO YOU THE MOVING WORDS WRITTEN BY TWO FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES, ONE OF WHOM I HAVE KNOWN FOR DECADES AND THE OTHER ONLY FOR TWO MONTHS. I FIRST PRESENT THE WORDS OF RABBI DAVID ZISENWINE, SOMEONE I HAVE KNOWN SINCE THE ‘60S. 35 YEARS AGO DAVID AND HIS LATE WIFE, ANNE, DECIDED THAT THEY WANTED TO RAISE THEIR FAMILY IN ISRAEL AND SO THEY GAVE UP CONGREGATIONAL LIFE IN COLUMBUS, OHIO, WHERE, AFTER ORDINATION, DAVID HAD EARNED A PhD IN EDUATION. HE RELOCATED, HAS THREE GROWN CHILDREN, AND CURRENTLY IS A PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION AT TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY WHOSE SPECIALTY IS THE TEACHING OF RELIGIOUS CURRICULA IN ISRAELI SECULAR SCHOOLS. LET ME SHARE WITH YOU WHAT HE WROTE ON THE FIRST DAYS OF THE HEZBOLLAH WAR:
“THIS WAR CAUGHT US OFF GUARD. UNLIKE PREVIOUS INVOLVEMENT WHERE THERE WERE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WISDOM AND MORALITY OF OUR MILITARY RESPONSE, THIS WAR HAS NOT EVOKED THIS TYPE OF PUBLIC RESPONSE.
“I SEE MYSELF AS PART OF THE RESPONSIBLE, ZIONIST LEFT. I USUALLY HAVE STOOD WITH THOSE WHO RAISE THE MORAL ISSUE WHEN DEALING WITH ARABS IN ISRAEL AND BEYOND OUR BORDERS. THIS TIME IS DIFFERENT. THE REALITY IS THAT HEZBOLLAH VIOLATED OUR BORDERS, KIDNAPPED SOLDIERS, AND BEGAN RANDOMLY FIRING MISSILES AT OUR CIVILIAN POPULATION. IF ANYTHING IS IMMORAL, IT IS THIS CONTINUING AND UNRELENTING ATTACK ON OUR POPULATION. I SEE IT, AS DO MANY OTHERS, AS AN OUTRIGHT ATTACK ON OUR EXISTENCE. HEZBOLLAH IS IDEOLOGICALLY, AND NOW PRACTICALLY, COMMITTED TO OUR DESTRUCTION. I HAVE NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. I SEE THEM AS THE PROXY FOR IRAN. WE HAVE PROBABLY NEVER CONFRONTED SUCH A DETERMINED ENEMY, AND I JOIN THOSE WHO SAY – STOP IT NOW BEFORE THEIR ARSENAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL ABILITY GETS STRONGER. YOU HAVE TO LIVE HERE, AND EXPERIENCE THE PAIN AND SUFFERING OF THE ENTIRE NORTHERN PART OF ISRAEL TO APPRECIATE THE FEELINGS THAT I SHARE WITH YOU.
“THE LAST FEW WEEKS HAVE SHOWN US THE POTENTIAL THREAT WE ARE FACING. I BELIEVE NASRALLA. HE WANTS TO DESTROY THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND IS WORKING HARD TO DO IT. WE CAN’T AFFORD THE LUXURY OF NOT HURTING HIM BADLY – NOW! I KNOW THAT THIS SOUNDS HARSH TO AMERICAN JEWISH EARS, BUT IT IS THE EXISTENTIAL REALITY.
“I AM PART OF THE VERY LARGE GROUP THAT SEES THIS AS A FIGHT TO THE DEATH. IT IS NOT SOAP OPERA DRAMA, BUT REALITY AS WE SEE IT FROM HERE. I MUST ADMIT THAT I SOUND LIKE SOME RIGHT WING CRAZY, BUT THIS REALITY IS CRAZY. THE LEFT HAS BECOME THE CENTER.”
JUST FIVE WEEKS LATER, THE FOLLOWING, VERY DIFFERENT CORRESPONDENCE ARRIVED FROM A NEW FRIEND, RABBI DANIEL GOLDFARB. LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT RABBI GOLDFARB.
DANIEL GOLDFARB IS ALSO AMERICAN BORN. HE GRADUATED FROM HARVARD, THEN COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL, AND ONLY THEN WAS ORDAINED AS A CONSERVATIVE RABBI. IN 1976 HE LEFT BOTH THE POSSIBILITY OF EITHER A RABBINICAL CAREER IN THIS COUNTRY, OR A LAW CAREER TO MAKE ALIYAH. THERE HE WORKED FOR MANY YEARS AS A LAWYER. IN 2000 HE LEFT LAW TO BECOME THE DIRECTOR OF THE CONSERVATIVE YESHIVA. IT IS IN THIS ROLE THAT I MET HIM THIS PAST JULY WHEN I LECTURED AT THE YESHIVA.
DANIEL AND HIS WIFE, ADA, HAVE FOUR CHILDREN, ALL OF WHOM SERVE IN THE IDF. SO DANIEL GOLDFARB’S CREDENTIALS, TOO, ARE IMPECCABLE. HIS LETTER, WRITTEN SOME FIVE WEEKS AFTER RABBI ZISSENWINE’S WAS MORE SOBER: LESS HUBRUS AND DEFIANT, AND CERTAINLY MORE REALISTIC:
“THE WAR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE HEZBOLLAH IS NOW IN ITS FIFTH WEEK. IT REMINDS ONE OF TWO BOXERS SLOGGING AWAY IN THE TENTH ROUND, TOO STRONG AND PROUD TO FALL, YET EACH TOO WEARY AND PAINED TO KNOCK OUT THE OPPONENT.
“ISRAEL DID NOT SEE THIS AS SIMPLY ANOTHER PROVOCATIVE INCIDENT BUT AS WAR, AND RESPONDED LIKE THE U.S. DID AFTER PEARL HARBOR AND BRITAIN AND THE ALLIES DID FOLLOWING THE GERMAN MISSILE ATTACKS, AND RIGHTLY SO.
“ISRAEL'S FAMED MILITARY DID NOT ACHIEVE A QUICK AND DECISIVE VICTORY, A SURPRISE FOR MANY. THERE WERE SEVERAL REASONS FOR THIS. THIS WAS A NEW TYPE OF COMBAT - ONE OF BALLISTIC MISSILES, NOT TERRITORY.
“THE EXTENT TO WHICH HEZBOLLAH DUG IN VILLAGES NEAR THE BORDER, THE TENACITY WITH WHICH THEY FIGHT AND, MOST IMPORTANT, THE SOPHISTICATION OF THEIR EQUIPMENT AND WEAPONRY, MOST PARTICULARLY ANTI-TANK MISSILES OF RUSSIAN AND IRANIAN PRODUCTION, HAVE ALL MADE PROGRESS IN DRIVING THEM OUT OF SOUTHERN LEBANON SLOW AND COSTLY IN HUMAN LIFE.
“WE ARE IN A STANDOFF.
“THE RESULTS ARE TWO SELF-PROCLAIMED "WINNERS BY TKO," HEZBOLLAH AND ISRAEL, EACH BY ITS OWN CRITERIA OF VICTORY; AND ONE LOSER, LEBANON, KNOCKED OUT BY BOTH HEZBOLLAH AND ISRAEL, BUT ULTIMATELY THE VICTIM OF ITS OWN DENIAL. MR. SENIORA'S GOVERNMENT CAN NO LONGER LIVE UNDER THE ILLUSION THAT LEBANON CAN HAVE IT BOTH WAYS - BEIRUT THE SNAZZY, SOPHISTICATED PARIS OF THE MIDDLE EAST WHILE HEZBOLLAH RUNS A TERROR KINGDOM IN THE SOUTH AND LOBS MISSILES OVER A THIRD OF ISRAEL, CAUSING A MILLION ISRAELIS TO FLEE THEIR HOMES OR LIVE FOR WEEKS IN BOMB SHELTERS.”

TWO LETTERS FROM TWO FRIENDS - FIVE WEEKS APART. ONE HARD- NOSED AND STOICALLY DEFIANT. THE SECOND HARD - NOSED AND STOICALLY RESIGNED.
TODAY, THE SHOFAR IS SILENT BECAUSE “YISRAEL LO NIGALEEN” - ‘THE PEOPLE AND THE STATE OF ISRAEL THIS YEAR REMAIN UNREDEEMED.”
YET IN OUR PRAYERS IN THE AMIDAH ON THIS DAY WE ALSO EXPRESS THE NEW YEAR WISH “TEN KAVOD L’AMECHA” – “GRANT HONOR, LORD, TO YOUR PEOPLE ISRAEL.” IN SPITE OF THE NON-REDEMPTION OF OUR STATE THIS YEAR, THERE IS GREAT “KAVOD” -GREAT HONOR FOR OUR PEOPLE, EVEN IF IT WAS NOT A MAGNIFICENT, NECESSARY, AND DESERVED VICTORY AGAINST AN ENEMY THAT WANTS NOTHING LESS THAN THE ANNIHILATION OF THE JEWISH STATE. THAT “KAVOD” WAS IN THE REACTION OF OUR PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY AS CONTRASTED WITH MOST IN ARAB WORLD. THAT REACTION WAS NOT TO BLAME THE EXTERNAL WORLD FOR THIS STALEMATE, BUT TO BLAME OURSELVES – ESPECIALLY THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL BOTH PRIOR TO AND DURING THE EXECUTION OF THE WAR. IN THE WORDS OF OUR OWN PRAYER BOOK “UMPNEI HATAENU GALEENU M’ARTZENU” – “BECAUSE OF OUR OWN SINS WE HAVE BEEN EXILED FROM OUR LAND.”
IRONICALLY, IN THAT SELF-BLAME IS THE POSSIBILITY OF REPAIR AND HOPE AND OPTIMISM EMERGING OUT OF THIS SUMMER’S HARD AND DEPRESSING REALITY. THAT HOPE IS THAT THERE IS SUCH SERIOUS SELF EXAMINATION GOING ON IN ISRAEL TODAY. THAT MEANS THAT THE NEXT TIME – AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE, WILL TRAGICALLY BE A NEXT TIME, ISRAEL WILL GET IT RIGHT. THEN WE SHALL BE ALLOWED TO SOUND THE SHOFAR ONCE MORE.

JTS's new Chancellor!

2006-06-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

You may know that the Jewish Theological Seminary recently named Prof. Arnold Eisen of Stanford as its new Chancellor. The fact that Eisen is not a rabbi has raised some eyebrows since one of the Seminary's schools is The Rabbinical School. A number of my colleagues have raised concerns about the Seminary's head not being an ordained rabbi. I respectfully disagree and feel that Eisen was an inspired choice, and I want to commend the Search Committee for thinking "out of the box" and choosing a top-notch academic who is a receognized expert on American Judaism and also a committed and active Conservative Jew. I know Prof. Eisen and have the utmost repsect for him. His appointment augers well for the future of Conservative Judaism.

from Michelle:

2006-02-28T06:29:00.000-08:00

The committee’s feeling was that we want to ensure that we have an *inclusive* congregation, where minorities within our community feel just as welcome as the majorities. Those minority groups are not limited to those with disabilities. From that perspective, GLBT people are a minority (in sexual orientation) & are often intentionally or (more often) unintentionally slighted. For example, our preschool and religious school registration forms ask for “Mother/Guardian name” and “Father/Guardian name”. So, where does this leave gay or lesbian parents? More inclusive wording might be “Parent’s Name” two times for even though marriages & adoptions for partners are illegal in Virginia, we can reduce the subtle exclusion in our congregational community.

Has King David's Palace been Found?

2005-12-04T08:50:00.000-08:00

I spoke this past Friday night about an Israeli archeologist named Eilat Mazar who feels she may have uncovered what might be the remains of King David's palace in Jerusalem. Some of you may have seen the first page article in the Washington Post describing the find. This is an issue with not only archeological ramifications, but Biblical and political ones as well. In terms of the Biblical ramifications, there is a raging debate about the accuracy of the Bible in general and the size and extent of the ancient Jewish kingdoms and Jerusalem in particular. A group known as "minimalists" believe that Biblical accounts are greatly embellished and that Jerusalem was little more than 'a hick town' in the time of David. If it could be shown that there existed a sizable building there (even if it were not 'a palace'!) in David's time, that would indicate that the city might have more closely approximated the Bible's description.

In terms of the political ramifications, the site of Mazar's excavation is on land captured by Israel in 1967 which the Palestinians claim. The discovery of a sizable Jerusalem in David's time would certainly strengthen Israel's claim of Jewish presence there for millennia.

That's it for this brief review of the current situation vis-a-vis Mazar's claim. I'll keep you updated.

Bombings in Amman!

2005-11-11T08:09:00.000-08:00

Some readers may be aware of the fact that I was among approximately 50 rabbis invited to a luncheon in September hosted by King Abdullah of Jordan. This was a truly historic event - the first time a Muslim monarch has invited a group of rabbis to meet. It received next to know meadia coverage because Katrina was the #1 story. In his remarks at the luncheon, the King made a passionate plea for cooperation in combatting radical fundamentalism - in Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

About a month after the luncheon, it came to our attention that a mult-part TV series which was highly antismeetic was airing in Jordan and 24 of the attendees wrote to the King. Within 48 hours the program was withdrawn.

In light of the terrible hotel bombings this week, I have sent the following letter both to the Jordanian Ambassador and to the King:

Dear Ambassador Kawar:

As a rabbi and a participant in the luncheon you hosted in September, I am writing to express my condolences in the wake of the hotel bombings. Caring people throughout the world are outraged whenever and wherever terrorism rears its ugly head. The loss of innocent lives at the hands of terrorists is something that rational individuals should never tolerate. The fact that so many of the dead were celebrating weddings poignantly underscores the senselessness of these acts.

Please know that my thoughts and prayers and are with you and the Jordanian people at this most difficult time. May God continue to guide you in your struggle again those who resort to acts of terrorism to achieve their ill-conceived goals.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Steven Glazer
Herndon, VA

Sermon - yom kippur

2005-11-01T16:58:00.000-08:00

YK ‘05
LET ME BEGIN BY ASKING YOU A QUESTION: IF SOMEONE WERE TO COME INTO THE SYNAGOGUE THIS MORNING WEARING THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR, OR A SILVER STAR, OR A PURPLE HEART, OR ANY OTHER SYMBOL OF HEROISM DURING WAR, HOW WOULD WE TREAT THEM?

I AM SURE THAT WE WOULD MAKE EVERY ATTEMPT TO GIVE SUCH A PERSON EVERY HONOR THAT THEY DESERVE. WE WOULD CALL THEM UP FOR AN ALIYAH OR GIVE THEM SOME BIMA HONOR, AND WE WOULD TREAT THEM WITH ALL THE RESPECT THAT THEY DESERVE.

AND YET, WITHOUT TAKING AWAY ANYTHING FROM THE BRAVERY OF SUCH PEOPLE WHO HAVE WON MEDALS FOR COURAGE IN ACTION, IS IT NOT TRUE THAT IN MAOST CASES THEIR HEROISM CONSISTED OF ONE BRIEF ACT, AN ACT THAT MAY HAVE TAKEN THIRTY SECONDS OR MAYBE A MINUTE TO PERFORM. WHEREAS, THERE ARE PEOPLE SITTING IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW WHO ARE PERFORMING DEEDS OF DAILY HEROISM, WHOM WE BARELY NOTICE, WHOM WE SELDOM PRAISE, AND WHOM WE PAY LITTLE ATTENTION TO.

THEREFORE, I WANT TO PAY TRIBUTE THIS MORNING TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW WHOM I CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST HEROIC PEOPLE IN THIS CONGREGATION. CAN ANY ONE OF YOU GUESS WHO THEY ARE?

THESE PEOPLE WEAR NO BADGES. THEY GET NO PLAQUES. THERE ARE NO TRIBUTE DINNERS AT WHICH THEY ARE THE GUESTS OF HONOR. AND YET I BELIEVE THAT THIS SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE--SOME OF WHOM YOU KNOW, SOME OF WHOM YOU MAY NOT KNOW - ONE OF WHOM MAY BE SITTING NEXT TO YOU AT THIS VERY MOMENT---THESE PEOPLE ARE IN MY JUDGMENT THE MOST HEROIC ONES HERE. CAN YOU GUESS WHO THEY ARE?
THEY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO, DAY IN AND DAY OUT, WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT, MONTH IN AND MONTH OUT, CARRY OUT THE ENORMOUSLY CHALLENGING, THE ENORMOUSLY DRAINING AND THE ENORMOUSLY DIFFICULT TASK, OF BEING CAREGIVERS TO THOSE WHO ARE AFFLICTED WITH ONE OF THOSE DISEASES THAT RAVAGE THE BODIES AND CONSUME THE SOULS OF THE PEOPLE WITH WHOM THEIR LIVES ARE BOUND. TODAY I WANT TO YOU ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD DO AND HOW WE SHOULD COPE, WHEN SOMEONE WHOM WE LOVE IS STRICKEN WITH A DEBILITATING DISEASE.

I HAVE CHOSEN TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS PAINFUL SUBJECT TODAY FOR TWO REASONS.

THE FIRST IS BECAUSE I WANT TO PAY TRIBUTE TO ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL WOMEN IN AMERICA, FORMER SUPREME COURT JUSTICE SANDRA DAY O’CONNER. YEAR. BACK IN JULY, WHEN SHE RESIGNED, IT WAS A SHOCK AND A SURPRISE TO THE WHOLE COUNTRY. THE WHITE HOUSE, THE CONGRESS, AND HER FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE COURT ALL SAID THAT THEY HAD NO ADVANCE KNOWLEDGE THAT SHE WAS GOING TO RESIGN. AND WHEN SHE DID, THE FOCUS OF THE COUNTRY WENT IMMEDIATELY TO THE QUESTION OF WHO WAS GOING TO TAKE HER PLACE.

BUT IN ALL THE DISCUSSIONS OF WHO WOULD TAKE HER PLACE, ONE PART OF THE STORY GOT OVERLOOKED. WHEN SHE RESIGNED, HER LETTER SIMPLY SAID THAT SHE WAS RESIGNING 'FOR PERSONAL REASONS'. AND SHE NEVER EXPLAINED WHAT THAT MEANT.

BUT WHEN THE REPORTERS CALLED HER SON, AND ASKED HIM IF HE KNEW WHY HIS MOTHER WAS RETIRING FROM THE SUPREME COURT, HE GAVE A VERY SIMPLE ANSWER. HE SAID, “MY DAD HAS BEGUN TO SHOW THE FIRST SIGNS OF ALZHEIMER'S. AND, FOR MY MOTHER, IF SHE HAS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN TAKING CARE OF HER HUSBAND OR BEING A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE, IT WAS A NO-BRAINER WHICH SHE WOULD CHOOSE.”
AND I THINK SHE SHOULD BE HONORED AND ADMIRED FOR HER DECISION.

THE SECOND REASON WHY I HAVE CHOSEN TO SPEAK ON THIS THEME TODAY IS BECAUSE THIS IS THE THEME OF ONE OF THE CENTRAL PRAYERS THAT WE RECITE ON THIS DAY. THERE IS ONE PASSAGE IN THE YOM KIPPUR SERVICE THAT SPEAKS TO ME WITH EVER INCREASING URGENCY AND POWER FROM YEAR TO YEAR, AND I SUSPECT THAT IT SPEAKS TO YOUR HEARTS JUST AS MUCH AS IT DOES TO MINE. IT IS THE PASSAGE THAT WE SAY FIVE TIMES ON YOM KIPPUR: FIVE TIMES, FIRST IN MAARIV, THEN IN SHACHRIT, THEN IN MUSSAF, THEN IN MINCHA, AND THEN AT NEILAH. FIVE TIMES WE OPEN THE ARK, AND RISE, AND SAY TOGETHER THESE AWESOME WORDS: “SHMA KOLEYNU, ADONOY ELOHEYNU, CHUS VIRACHEM OLEYNMU, VIKABEL BIRACHIM UVIRATSON ET TIFILEYTEYNU - HEAR OUR VOICE, O LORD OUR GOD, TAKE NOTICE AND HAVE COMPASSION UPON US AND ACCEPT WITH FAVOR THIS PRAYER.” AND THEN WE SAY: “ AL TASHLICHEYNU L'ET ZIKNAH, KICHLOT KOCHEYNU AL TA AZVEYNU -DO NOT THROW US AWAY WHEN WE GROW OLD; WHEN OUR STRENGTH GIVES OUT, DO NOT ABANDON US.”

I MUST TELL YOU THAT THE OLDER I GET, THE MORE THOSE WORDS MOVE ME, THE MORE THEY HIT ME AND HURT ME, AND I SUSPECT THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO FEELS THIS WAY, BECAUSE THE FEAR OF BECOMING OLD AND THE FEAR OF BECOMING HELPLESS AND THE FEAR OF BEING ABANDONED IN OUR OLD AGE IS TERRIFYING TO US ALL.

SOMETIMES I CAN LOOK AROUND AS THE CONGREGATION RECITES THESE WORDS AND I CAN TELL WHO IN THIS ROOM IS WRESTLING WITH THIS SITUATION IN THEIR LIVES RIGHT NOW. AND I CAN TELL WHO IN THIS ROOM IS WORRIED THAT IF NOT THIS YEAR, THEN MAYBE NEXT YEAR, THIS WILL BE THEIR FATE.

AND WHEN I RECITE THOSE WORDS I ALSO THINK OF ALL THE PEOPLE I KNOW WHO SUFFER FROM SUCH DISEASES AND OF THEIR CARETAKERS.
IT’S TERRIBLY HARD TO BE CAREGIVER – WHETHER TO A PARENT, SPOUSE OR CHILD! THERE IS AN OLD YIDDISH PROVERB THAT SAYS: “WHEN PARENTS FEED CHILDREN THEY BOTH LAUGH, WHEN CHILDREN FEED PARENTS, THEY BOTH CRY.” HOW TRUE, HOW TERRIBLY TRUE, THAT PROVERB IS!!!

IT IS HARD, TERRIBLY HARD, ALMOST UNIMAGINABLY HARD, TO BE A CAREGIVER. FOR WHEN YOU ARE A CAREGIVER TO SOMEONE WHOSE MIND AND BODY HAVE BEEN GREATLY DIMINISHED BY ILLNESS, SO MUCH OF YOUR LIFE IS CONSUMED BY CAREGIVING, AND THERE IS SO LITTLE RELIEF AND SO LITTLE RESPITE, AND SOMETIMES SO LITTLE APPRECIATION FROM THE ONE WHOM YOU ARE CARING FOR.

WHEN YOU ARE A CAREGIVER, YOU MUST STRUGGLE AGAINST EXHAUSTION, AGAINST SELF PITY, AND AGAINST RESENTMENT. YOU MUST STRUGGLE AGAINST ANGER AND AGAINST A HOST OF OTHER EMOTIONS THAT NO ONE WHO HAS NOT GONE THROUGH WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH CAN EVER EVEN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND. AND EVENTUALLY, YOUR STRENGTH WEARS OUT AND YOU BECOME WEARY AND WORN OUT.
OTHER PEOPLE MAY TELL YOU HOW WONDERFUL YOU ARE. OTHER PEOPLE MAY SAY THAT YOU ARE SAINTLY. BUT IN YOUR OWN EYES, YOU ARE SIMPLY DOING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. IT IS NOT A LIFE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE CHOSEN, BUT YOU CANNOT IMAGINE DOING ANYTHING ELSE IN THE SITUATION IN WHICH YOU FIND YOURSELF.

BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS HEROIC, FOR THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE. YOU COULD QUIT, YOU COULD GIVE UP, AND YOU COULD ABANDON THE ONE WHOM YOU ARE CARING FOR. THEREFORE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE, TO MUSTER UP THE PHYSICAL AND THE EMOTIONAL STAMINA THAT CAREGIVING REQUIRES, DAY AFTER DAY, WEEK AFTER WEEK, MONTH AFTER MONTH, SOMETIMES YEAR AFTER YEAR, TO HOLD ON SO FIERCELY TO LOVE, EVEN WHEN THE PERSON WHOM YOU LOVE HAS CHANGED SO PROFOUNDLY THAT HE OR SHE IS NO LONGER THE SAME PERSON AND TO CARE FOR SOMEONE FOR WHOM YOU MAY HAVE HAD, NOT ALWAYS LOVE BUT SOMETIMES AMBIVALENT AND COMPLEX FEELINGS, THIS IS HEROISM, HEROISM OF THE HIGHEST ORDER.

DOES JUDAISM HAVE ANY WISDOM AND ANY GUIDANCE TO OFFER TO THOSE OF US WHO ARE CAREGIVERS TODAY? OR TO THOSE OF US WHO MAY FACE THIS CHALLENGE IN THE FUTURE? FOR IF IT DOES, WE SURELY WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT IS.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE JEWISH TRADITION HAS THREE LESSONS TO TEACH US. AND THIS IS WHAT THEY ARE:

THE FIRST IS THAT, ACCORDING TO JUDAISM, YOU HAVE THE MORAL RIGHT, AND YOU HAVE THE HALACHIC RIGHT, TO FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF THE RAMBAM.

MAIMONIDES SAYS IT CLEARLY: IF THE TASK OF CARING FOR A PARENT BECOMES BEYOND YOUR STRENGTH, THEN YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO TURN OVER THE TASK TO ONE WHO IS MORE COMPETENT, TO ONE WHO IS LESS EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED, TO ONE WHO WILL DO IT WITH YOU OR INSTEAD OF YOU. MAIMONIDES IS VERY CLEAR. HE SAYS THAT THERE ARE LIMITS TO WHAT A HUMAN BEING CAN DO. AND IF YOU REACH THAT LIMIT, THEN YOU ARE ALLOWED TO HIRE HELP, AND YOU ARE ALLOWED TO BRING YOUR LOVED ONE TO AN AGENCY THAT IS SET UP TO CARE FOR HIM OR HER, AND YOU ARE ALLOWED TO SHARE THIS DIFFICULT TASK. FOR IF YOU DON'T, THEN YOU WILL COLLAPSE. AND WHY SHOULD THERE BE TWO WHO ARE ILL INSTEAD OF JUST ONE?

MAIMONIDES SAYS THAT THE DECISION TO TURN OVER THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CARE OF A SICK ONE DOES NOT ABSOLVE YOU FROM THE DUTY TO VISIT, AND TO CARE, BY NO MEANS, BUT IT DOES ABSOLVE YOU OF THE DUTY TO BE CONSUMED WITH THE TASK UNTIL YOU YOURSELF BECOME ILL AS A RESULT. AND SO THIS IS MY FIRST WORD OF GUIDANCE TO YOU: THERE ARE LIMITS TO HUMAN STRENGTH, AND THERE IS NO POINT TO SELF DESTRUCTION. THEREFORE, ACCORDING TO THE RAMBAM, THERE IS A TIME, WHEN IT IS PERMITTED, AND THERE IS EVEN A TIME WHEN IT IS A MITZVAH, TO SHARE THE CARE OF SOMEONE WHOM YOU LOVE WITH OTHERS, WHO CAN DO IT WITH YOU, AND WHO CAN PERHAPS EVEN DO IT BETTER THAN YOU.

THAT IS THE FIRST THING THAT I WANT TO SAY TO THE CARETAKERS IN OUR MIDST TODAY…THAT THERE ARE LIMITS TO WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR THE ILL WITHOUT BECOMING ILL YOURSELVES, AND THAT, WHEN YOU REACH THAT POINT, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT, AND PERHAPS EVEN THE DUTY, TO SHARE THE TASK OF CAREGIVING WITH OTHERS.

BUT, IF YOU REFUSE TO TAKE THE PERMISSION WHICH THE RAMBAM GIVES YOU, THEN THE SECOND THING THAT THE JEWISH TRADITION HAS TO SAY TO YOU IS THAT, AS THE TALMUD PUTS IT: “HASHECHINAH SHRUYAH AL MITATO SHEL HACHOLEH, - THAT GOD'S HOLY PRESENCE HOVERS OVER THE BED OF ONE WHO IS SICK.”

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I THINK IT MEANS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK UPON THE FACE OF SOMEONE WHO IS ILL, FRAIL AND IMPAIRED BY DISEASE, IT IS A MITZVAH TO REMEMBER, TO REMEMBER AND TO NEVER FORGET THAT THIS PERSON IS NEVERTHELESS, EVEN IN HIS OR HER ILLNESS, EVEN IN HIS OR HER DEMENTIA, EVEN IN HIS OR HER NEARLY DEHUMANIZED STATE, EVEN WHEN THIS PERSON CAN NO LONGER SPEAK OR THINK, EVEN WHEN THIS PERSON CAN NO LONGER RECOGNIZE YOU, OR CAN NO LONGER EVEN RECOGNIZE HIMSELF OR HERSELF, THAT THIS PERSON IS STILL NEVERTHELESS MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING WHATSOEVER, NOT EVEN THE LOSS OF THE MIND, NOTHING, NOTHING WHATSOEVER, CAN EVER DESTROY THE INHERENT DIGNITY OF A HUMAN BEING.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

IT MEANS THAT NO ONE IS EVER ALLOWED TO REFER TO HIM OR HER AS 'THE CASE IN ROOM 503'. IT MEANS THAT NO ONE IS EVER ALLOWED TO TREAT THIS PERSON ROUGHLY OR DISRESPECTFULLY. IT MEANS THAT NO ONE IS EVER ALLOWED, GOD FORBID, TO EXPLOIT OR MISTREAT THE PERSON WHO IS THEIR CARE. IT MEANS THAT NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO TALK IN THEIR PRESENCE AS IF THEY WERE NOT THERE. AND NO ONE IS EVER ALLOWED TO TREAT THEM AS IF THEY WERE LESS THAN FULLY HUMAN. FOR “THE SHECHNAH HOVERS OVER THE BED OF THE ONE WHO IS SICK!” AND WE DARE NOT EVER FORGET THAT!

THERE IS A WONDERFUL MIDRASH THAT I WOULD HAVE YOU LEARN TODAY, IF YOU DO NOT ALREADY KNOW IT. IT IS THE MIDRASH THAT SAYS THAT WHEN MOSES CAME DOWN FROM MT. SINAI AND SAW THE PEOPLE DANCING AROUND THE GOLDEN CALF, HE SMASHED THE TWO TABLETS OF STONE, ON WHICH WERE WRITTEN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. AND THEN, AFTER GOD FORGAVE THE PEOPLE FOR THE SIN OF THE CALF, MOSES WENT BACK UP THE MOUNTAIN, AND BROUGHT BACK A SECOND SET OF TABLETS, AS HOLY AS THE FIRST ONES WHICH HE HAD BROKEN. THE MIDRASH ASKS: WHAT DID HE DO WITH THE BROKEN PIECES OF THE FIRST SET OF COMMANDMENTS? AND THE ANSWER THAT THEY GIVE IS THAT HE PUT THOSE BROKEN PIECES IN THE ARK RIGHT NEXT TO THE SET THAT WAS COMPLETE. WHY? IN ORDER TO TEACH US THAT THAT WHICH WAS ONCE HOLY REMAINS HOLY, EVEN IN ITS BROKEN STATE. IN ORDER TO TEACH US THAT BROKEN PEOPLE, SENILE PEOPLE, PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMER'S, PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON'S, ARE STILL HOLY. PEOPLE, WHO WERE ONCE HOLY, REMAIN HOLY, EVEN IN THEIR BROKEN STATE.

THIS IS THE SECOND LESSON THAT I WOULD OFFER TO THE CARETAKERS IN OUR MIDST TODAY, AND TO THOSE OF US WHO MAY BECOME, OR WHO MAY BE IN NEED OF CARETAKERS, SOMEDAY IN THE FUTURE.

THE LAST LESSON THAT I WOULD OFFER TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE BEING TESTED IN THIS WAY IS THIS: KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE TASK OF THE CAREGIVER IS NOT ALWAYS TO CURE. SOMETIMES CURING IS SIMPLY NOT AN OPTION, NOT FOR THE DOCTOR AND NOT FOR THE CAREGIVER. THE TASK OF THE CAREGIVER IS NOT TO CURE, BUT TO GIVE TO THE PERSON WHO IS ILL THE MOST VALUABLE GIFT THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM, THE GIFT OF REASSURANCE. EVERY DAY YOU HAVE THE POWER AND THE ABILITY TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE ONE WHOM YOU CARE FOR, WHETHER THEY HAVE THE POWER AND THE ABILITY TO RECEIVE IT AND COMPREHEND IT OR NOT. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO SAY TO THEM, BY YOUR WORDS OR BY YOUR DEEDS THAT: YOU MATTER TO ME AND THAT IN MY EYES, YOU ARE STILL PRECIOUS. YOU MAY NOT KNOW WHO YOU ARE ANYMORE, BUT I KNOW WHO YOU ARE, AND I CARE ABOUT YOU. DESPITE THE DAMAGE THAT LIFE HAS DONE TO YOUR BODY AND YOUR MIND, YOU ARE STILL PRECIOUS TO ME. AND IF YOU CAN DO THAT, IF YOU CAN SEND THAT MESSAGE, DIFFICULT AS IT IS TO CONVEY, AND DIFFICULT AS IT IS TO RECEIVE, I CAN THINK OF NO MITZVAH THAT ANYONE CAN DO THAT IS GREATER THAN THIS.

IF YOU CAN SEND THIS MESSAGE THAT I CARE ABOUT YOU AND THAT YOU ARE PRECIOUS TO ME, EVEN NOW, EVEN IN THIS STATE, WHAT A BLESSING YOU ARE TO THAT PERSON.

LET ME FINISH WITH A STORY THAT I LOVE, THAT SPEAKS TO MY HEART, AND THAT I HOPE WILL SPEAK TO YOURS AS WELL. HEAR THIS STORY, PLEASE, AND HEAR IT WELL. FOR I CAN THINK OF NOTHING THAT I CAN SAY TO YOU TODAY THAT IS AS IMPORTANT THAN THIS.
I WAS AT THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE ONE DAY LAST YEAR. I WAS WAITING IN LINE TO SIGN MY NAME AT THE RECEPTIONIST'S DESK BEFORE I SAT DOWN, AND I COULDN'T HELP OVERHEARING THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE RECEPTIONIST AND THE MAN IN FRONT OF ME. HE SAID TO HER, “LOOK, WOULD YOU DO ME A BIG FAVOR. I SEE THAT THE DOCTOR IS RUNNING LATE, AND I HAVE TO LEAVE IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. I HAVE AN IMPORTANT APPOINTMENT, A VERY IMPORTANT APPOINTMENT. COULD YOU PLEASE GET ME IN EARLY?”

THE WOMAN SAID SHE WOULD DO WHAT SHE COULD, SHE WOULD TRY HER BEST , BUT THEN, FOR SOME REASON, I DON'T KNOW WHY, SHE ASKED HIM, “WHAT IS THE APPOINTMENT? WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE TO LEAVE SO QUICKLY?”

AND HE SAID TO HER, “IT'S MY WIFE. SHE IS AT A FACILITY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM ALZHEIMER'S, AND I HAVE TO GET THERE IN TIME TO HAVE LUNCH WITH HER.”

THE RECEPTIONIST SAID, “BUT IF SHE HAS ALZHEIMER'S, WILL SHE REALLY KNOW WHETHER YOU ARE THERE OR NOT?”

AND THE MAN SAID, “OH NO. SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHO I AM ANYMORE. SHE HASN'T FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.”

AND THE RECEPTIONIST SAID, “IF SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, THEN WHAT'S THE BIG RUSH TO GET THERE IN TIME TO HAVE LUNCH WITH HER?”

THE MAN REPLIED, “YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. SHE MAY NOT KNOW WHO I AM, BUT I STILL KNOW WHO SHE IS.”

THE RECEPTIONIST WALKED INTO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE AND SAID SOMETHING TO HIM. AND THEN SHE CAME OUT AND SHE WALKED THIS MAN RIGHT INTO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE. THEN SHE TURNED TO ME, AND SHE SAID SOMETHING THAT HAS STAYED IN MY MIND EVER SINCE.

SHE TURNED TO ME AND IF I AM NOT MISTAKEN, I AM NOT SURE, BUT I THINK THAT THERE WAS A BIT OF WETNESS IN HER EYES, AND SHE SAID TO ME, “THAT'S THE KIND OF LOVE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IN MY LIFE SOMEDAY.”

AND THAT IS THE TRUE MEANING OF CAREGIVING.

MAY GOD BLESS EACH ONE OF US WITH MUCH STRENGTH AND MUCH GOOD HEALTH IN THIS NEW YEAR THAT NOW BEGINS.

AND IF, IN THE FUTURE, IF, IN THE YEARS TO COME, EITHER WE OR ONE WHOM WE LOVE BECOME OLD AND WEAK AND INFIRM, THEN MAY GOD BLESS US WITH THE JOY OF HAVING SUCH A CAREGIVER, ONE WHO IS TRULY DEVOTED, AND ONE WHO IS TRULY HEROIC. AND IF IT TURNS OUT TO BE OUR LOT TO BE THE CAREGIVER, INSTEAD OF THE ONE TO WHOM CARE MUST BE GIVEN, THEN MAY WE DO THIS SACRED TASK, AS CAREFULLY, AS LOVINGLY, AND AS PATIENTLY, AS WE CAN. AND MAY GOD HELP US IN THIS TASK.

AND TO THE REST OF US WHO ARE HERE TODAY, TO THOSE OF US WHO ARE WELL, AND WHOSE LOVED ONES ARE WELL, WHAT IS THE LESSON?

THE LESSON IS TO CARE FOR THE CAREGIVERS IN OUR MIDST. THE LESSON IS TO RESOLVE TO GIVE THEM AN ENCOURAGING WORD OR A SMILE OR A HUG OR A PAT ON THE BACK WHEN WE MEET THEM. THE LESSON IS TO CALL THEM ONCE IN A WHILE AND ASK: HOW ARE YOU DOING? THE LESSON IS TO REALIZE HOW AWESOME AND HOW DRAINING AND HOW DIFFICULT THEIR LIVES ARE. AND TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO STRENGTHEN THEM AND TO HONOR THEM AND TO PAY ATTENTION TO THEM. FOR THESE GOOD PEOPLE, WHO DO THEIR WORK WITHOUT QUESTION AND WITHOUT COMPLAINT, ARE THE REAL HEROES IN OUR MIDST. THEY DESERVE ALL THE HELP AND ALL THE HONOR THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM.

MAY WE RESOLVE IN THIS NEW YEAR, NOT TO IGNORE THEM BUT TO NOTICE THEM, NOT TO TREAT THEM AS IF THEY ARE INVISIBLE BUT INSTEAD TO RECOGNIZE THEM AND TO APPRECIATE THEM FOR THE DAILY DEEDS OF HEROISM WHICH THEY PERFORM.

Sermon - kol nidre

2005-11-01T16:56:00.000-08:00

(kn) YK ’05 2

ON THE HIGH HOLY DAY DAYS OUR ATTENTION IS MUCH MORE KEENLY FOCUSED ON THE PASSAGE OF TIME THAN DURING THE REST OF THE YEAR. THE THEMES OF THESE DAYS – REMEMBRANCE AND REPENTENCE – REMIND US THAT TIME DOES NOT STAND STILL.
ON THE SECOND DAY OF ROSH HASHANAH I SPOKE ABOUT ‘GOING UNDER THE KNIFE’ AS A METAPHOR FOR COMING TO GRIPS WITH OUR MORTALITY, AND I SUGGESTED THAT THOSE OF US WHO HAVE ‘GONE UNDER THE KNIFE’ ARE DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAN WE WERE PRIOR TO THAT EXPERIENCE AND THAT THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM ‘GOING UNDER THE KNIFE’ ARE VALUABLE AND THAT, PERHAPS, WE MIGHT LEARN THESE LESSONS PRIOR TO ACTUALLY COMING FACE TO FACE WITH DEATH. THIS EVENING I PRESENT YET ANOTHER METAPHOR –A VERY DIFFERENT ONE, YET WITH A SIMILAR MESSAGE.
THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME FAIRLY WELL KNOW THAT I AM HARDLY WHAT ONE MIGHT CALL ‘A SPORTS FAN.’ OH, I CATCH PART OF A GAME ON TV EVERY NOW AND THEN, FOOTBALL MOSTLY (I USUALLY FALL ASLEEP!!); BUT I RARELY ATTEND GAMES, HAVE NO FAVORITE TEAM, AND DO NOT CARE WHO WINS THE SUPERBOWL OR WORLD SERIES. IT IS, THEREFORE, SOMEWHAT SURPRISING THAT MY MESSAGE TO YOU THIS EVENING COMES FROM SPORTS, BASEBALL IN PARTICULAR. THE TIMING COULDN’T BE BETTER AS THE PLAYOFFS ARE NOW GOING ON. ACTUALLY, IT’S NOT MY MESSAGE AT ALL, BUT THAT OF VETERAN NEW YORK TIMES SPORTSWRITER, IRA BERKOW. IT APPEARED LAST FEBRUARY; AND IS , AT ONE AND THE SAME TIME, A POWERFUL METAPHOR FOR OUR MORTALITY AND A POIGNANT TRIBUTE TO BERKOW’S FATHER. I FIND IT SO MOVING THAT I SHALL QUOTE IT IN ITS ENTIRETY WITHOUT COMMENT - FOR IT NEEDS NONE! IT IS ENTITLED “THE FINAL COUNTDOWN”:
“IT IS ONE OF THE RITES OF EARLY SPRING, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE. MANY PEOPLE ENVY JOURNALISTS LIKE ME WHO RECEIVE AN ANNUAL CARD EACH FEBRUARY FROM THE BASEBALL WRITERS' ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA THAT ENTITLES THE BEARER, WHO, AS IT STATES ON THE FRONT, "IS A DULY QUALIFIED MEMBER," TO "PRESS COURTESIES OF THE CLUBS OF THE NATIONAL AND AMERICAN LEAGUES OF PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL CLUBS." THAT IS, WITH THIS WALLET-SIZE PLASTIC CARD, YOU CAN GET FREE ADMISSION TO ANY MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL GAME IN THE WORLD. OF COURSE, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO WORK ONCE INSIDE THE BALLPARK, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER MATTER.

SPORTSWRITERS, THOUGH, APPROACH THE CARD'S ARRIVAL WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DREAD, IF NOT TREMBLING. FOR THEY KNOW IT'S A LIVING SYMBOL OF THE END OF ANOTHER GAME - THAT GAME BEING LIFE. FEW PEOPLE IN ANY PROFESSION HAVE A CLEARER INDICATION OF WHERE THEY STAND IN RELATION TO THE EVENTUAL EMBRACE OF THE MAKER. FOR PRINTED ON THE TOP RIGHT-HAND CORNER OF MY BLUE-AND-WHITE CARD THIS YEAR IS THE NUMBER 20. THE NUMBER IS RELATED TO SENIORITY. IN OTHER WORDS, OF THE NOW NEARLY 800 ACTIVE MEMBERS IN THE ASSOCIATION, ONLY 19 WRITERS HAVE BEEN IN IT LONGER THAN I HAVE. EACH YEAR, THE NUMBER GETS LOWER, AS IN THE MIND'S EYE THE JAWS OF ETERNITY WIDEN. I KNOW SOME WRITERS WHO REFUSE TO TELL THEIR NUMBERS, FEARING THEY WOULD SEEM OLD, NEVER MIND THE BALD PATE AND SLOWED STRIDE.

LAST YEAR I WAS NO. 22. THAT MEAGER DECLINE MAY MEAN - IN MY IMAGINATION, ANYWAY - THAT TIME IS SLOWING FOR ME. THE DROPS IN THE LAST THREE YEARS HAVE BEEN THE SMALLEST I'VE EXPERIENCED IN MY JOURNEY THROUGH THE DUGOUTS AND CLUBHOUSES OF THE NATION. I BEGAN AS A 25-YEAR-OLD BASEBALL WRITER FOR THE MINNEAPOLIS TRIBUNE IN 1965, WHEN, ACCORDING TO JACK LANG, THE RETIRED LONGTIME SECRETARY-TREASURER OF THE B.B.W.A.A., THERE WERE ABOUT 800 MEMBERS. THERE IS NO RECORD OF THE EXACT NUMBER I STARTED AT, AND I HAVE BEEN SAVING THE CARDS SINCE ONLY 1983. BUT IN THE LAST 40 YEARS, SOME 780 NEWSPAPER BASEBALL WRITERS OR COLUMNISTS WHO COVER BASEBALL HAVE EITHER RETIRED OR DIED.

HERE FOLLOWS MY MARCH TO CLIFF'S END - FROM 1983 THE NUMBERS GO THUSLY: 142, 130, 121, 105, 100, 91 (DOUBLE DIGITS BEGINNING IN 1988), 86, 78, 71, 62, 56, 49 (BROKE THE HALF-CENTURY MARK IN 1994), 45, 40, 36, 32, 31, 29 (BROKE 30 IN 2000), 28, 24, 23, 22 AND NOW 20.

I ONCE ASKED A WRITER WHO HAD ATTAINED CARD NO. 1 WHAT THAT WAS LIKE. "BETTER THAN THE ALTERNATIVE," HE REPLIED.

ROGER ANGELL, TRUTHFULLY BUT MYSTICALLY, HAS WRITTEN IN THE NEW YORKER: "SINCE BASEBALL TIME IS MEASURED ONLY IN OUTS, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SUCCEED UTTERLY; KEEP HITTING, KEEP THE RALLY ALIVE, AND YOU HAVE DEFEATED TIME. YOU REMAIN FOREVER YOUNG." THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A GAME, OF COURSE, THAT WENT ON FOREVER (THE MAJOR LEAGUE RECORD IS 26 INNINGS), ALTHOUGH SOME, EVEN THOSE THAT GO NINE INNINGS, FEEL AS IF THEY ARE GOING ON FOREVER - WITH ALL THE POSTURING AND SCRATCHING OF THE PITCHER AND THE DIGGINGS-IN OF THE BATTER SEEMINGLY SEARCHING FOR BURIED TREASURE. BUT THE BASEBALL WRITER ESCHEWS THIS FOR A FOCUS ON THE DRAMA, THE BEAUTY, THE AMBIENCE, THE STRATEGIES OF THE CONTEST AND THE PEOPLE IN THE GAME.

I'VE SEEN THE INEVITABLE DIMINISHING OF SKILLS, THE CAREERS GRADUALLY DRAWING TO TERMINATION. EVEN THE "IMMORTALS," AS THOSE ENSHRINED IN COOPERSTOWN ARE KNOWN, HAVE NOT BEEN SPARED MORTALITY, INCLUDING THOSE I COVERED AS PLAYERS, INCLUDING MICKEY MANTLE, CATFISH HUNTER AND HOYT WILHELM, AND THOSE I COVERED AS MANAGERS OR COACHES, LIKE TED WILLIAMS, JOE DIMAGGIO AND CASEY STENGEL. AND SO, AT SOME POINT, FOR THE SUPERSTARS AS WELL AS THE JOURNEYMEN, THE WRITER MUST CONSIDER BASEBALL PLAYERS AND HIS CARD NOT MORBIDLY BUT OBJECTIVELY: THERE MUST BE A CONCLUSION.

A FEW YEARS AGO, THERE WAS AN OLD SANDLOT PLAYER, AN 87-YEAR-OLD BASEBALL FAN NAMED HAROLD, WHO LAY IN A CHICAGO HOSPITAL BED WITH SEVERE HEART CONGESTION. THE DOCTOR TOOK HAROLD'S SON ASIDE AND TOLD HIM THAT HIS FATHER HAD MAYBE A MONTH OR SO TO LIVE. SHOULD HE TELL THE FATHER? THE SON SAID YES, HIS DAD COULD TAKE THE TRUTH, AND ALSO, THE SON COULD NEVER LIE TO HIS FATHER OR DEAL IN SUBTERFUGE. HIS FATHER WOULD SEE RIGHT THROUGH IT. WITH HAROLD PROPPED UP ON A PILLOW, THE DOCTOR RELATED THE NEWS TO HIM AS GENTLY AS HE COULD AND THEN DEPARTED.

THE SON, NOW SITTING ALONE AT BEDSIDE, LOOKED AT THE MAN WHO HAD JUST BEEN GIVEN A LITERAL DEATH SENTENCE. "HOW DO YOU FEEL, DAD?" HE ASKED.

THERE WAS A BRIEF SILENCE. "LIKE I TOLD MA," MY FATHER SAID TO ME, "NOBODY LIVES FOREVER. I'M NOT SCARED, AND I'M NOT DE-PRESSED. I'VE TRIED TO LIVE A FULL AND GOOD LIFE, TRIED TO DO THE RIGHT THING. I HOPE I HAVE."

I TOLD HIM, YES, HE HAD, AND THEN GREW EMOTIONAL. I BELIEVE, OR WANT TO BELIEVE, THAT BABE RUTH AND RED SMITH MAY HAVE FELT THE SAME WAY AS MY FATHER - AS I HOPE I FEEL WHEN THE NUMBER ON MY BASEBALL CARD IS ABOUT TO REACH 0.

Sermon - 2nd day Rosh Hashanah

2005-11-01T16:54:00.000-08:00

RH 2 ‘05

HOW MANY OF YOU WHO ARE IN THIS ROOM TODAY HAVE EVER HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING WHEELED DOWN TO THE OPERATING ROOM TO GO UNDER THE KNIFE? IF SO, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS. (Me, TOO – KIDNEY CANCER – JAN ’95)
IF YOU HAVE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE THEN YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE NEVER QUITE THE SAME AGAIN. YOU KNOW THAT YOUR PERCEPTION OF LIFE CHANGES ON THAT DAY AND YOU SEE THE WORLD IN A DIFFERENT WAY FROM THEN ON FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

IF YOU HAVE EVER HAD THAT EXPERIENCE OF GOING UNDER THE KNIFE THEN YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED A MOMENT WHEN THE NORMAL, PULSING HEARTBEAT OF THE WORLD SUDDENLY STOPPED AND THE NORMAL, RHYTHMIC BREATH OF LIFE WAS HUSHED AND LIFE ITSELF STOOD STILL. ISN’T THAT SO?

I WANT TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT A MAN WHOM YOU AND I KNOW WHO WENT THROUGH THAT EXPERIENCE OF GOING UNDER THE KNIFE. I WANT TO TELL YOU HOW I THINK HIS PERCEPTION AND HIS PERSONALITY WERE CHANGED FOREVER AS A RESULT.

THE MAN’S NAME WAS ISAAC. AND WE READ THE STORY OF THAT EXPERIENCE WHICH HE HAD FROM THE TORAH EARLIER TODAY.

LET ME CONFESS BEFORE I BEGIN THAT I USUALLY AVOID SPEAKING ABOUT THE AKEYDA. I USUALLY AVOID TALKING ABOUT THE STORY OF THE BINDING OF ISAAC, BECAUSE I CONFESS, THAT I AM KIND OF SQUEAMISH ABOUT RETELLING THE TALE.

GOD COMMANDS A FATHER TO TAKE HIS SON, HIS ONLY SON, WHOM HE LOVES AND OFFER HIM AS A SACRIFICE?

AND THE FATHER AGREES?

WHAT KIND OF A GOD COMMANDS THAT? WHAT KIND OF A FATHER AGREES TO THAT?

AND THEN, AT THE VERY LAST MOMENT, JUST WHEN HE IS ABOUT TO LOWER THE KNIFE, AN ANGEL INTERVENES AND SAYS: STOP! NOW I KNOW THAT YOU ARE SINCERE. YOU NEED NOT SACRIFICE YOUR SON.

I AM UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT STORY. AREN’T YOU?

THE STORY IS USUALLY TOLD AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE FAITH AND THE LOVE AND THE LOYALTY OF ABRAHAM. OR ELSE IT IS TOLD AS A STORY THAT PROVES THAT GOD DOES NOT REALLY WANT HUMAN SACRIFICES. BUT EITHER WAY, THE STORY TROUBLES ME, JUST AS IT HAS TROUBLED THOUSANDS OF READERS BEFORE ME.

WHAT KIND OF A GOD COULD ISSUE THIS KIND OF A COMMAND? AND WHAT KIND OF A FATHER COULD OBEY IT? THE STORY TROUBLES US IF WE READ IT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF GOD OR FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF ABRAHAM. BUT THIS TIME, LET ME READ THE STORY DIFFERENTLY. LET ME READ IT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF ISAAC.

THE REASON I DO SO IS BECAUSE YOU AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THE POSITION OF GOD AND YOU AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THE POSITION OF ABRAHAM, BUT MANY OF US, AT SOME TIME IN OUR LIVES, HAVE BEEN IN THE POSITION OF ISAAC. MANY OF US, AT SOME TIME IN OUR LIVES, HAVE BEEN UNDER THE KNIFE, AS HE WAS; AND, THEREFORE, WE CAN IDENTIFY WITH HIM AND LEARN FROM HIM.

THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY THAT ABRAHAM AND JACOB WERE GIANTS AND THAT ISAAC WAS A PYGMY COMPARED TO THEM, AND THAT HIS ONLY SIGNIFICANCE IS THAT HE WAS A LINK BETWEEN THEM. I AM NOT SO SURE. I USED TO THINK SO. IT IS TRUE THAT ISAAC IS DIFFERENT FROM HIS FATHER, ABRAHAM, AND FROM HIS SON, JACOB. ABRAHAM AND JACOB ARE TRAVELERS; THEY GO TO EGYPT; THEY GO TO SYRIA. ISAAC NEVER LEAVES HOME. ABRAHAM AND JACOB ARE PUBLIC FIGURES. THEY TALK TO PHARAOH; THEY TALK TO AVIMELECH. ISAAC NEVER DOES. ABRAHAM AND JACOB ARE WARRIORS AND THEY FIGHT WITH SWORDS. ISAAC NEVER DOES. AND SO IT IS EASY TO THINK THAT THEY ARE HEROES AND HE IS NOT. BUT IF YOU STUDY THEIR LIVES CAREFULLY I THINK YOU WILL SEE THAT ISAAC WAS A HERO TOO, BUT A DIFFERENT KIND OF HERO. AND YOU WILL SEE THAT THE CENTRAL MOMENT OF HIS LIFE, THE MOMENT THAT CHANGED HIM FOREVER, WAS THE MOMENT WHEN HE WENT UNDER THE KNIFE.

WHAT HAPPENED TO ISAAC THAT DAY WHEN HE WENT UNDER THE KNIFE? I THINK THAT FOR ONE BRIEF, AGONIZING MOMENT ISAAC CAME FACE TO FACE WITH HIS MORTALITY. FOR ONE BRIEF MOMENT, WHEN HE LOOKED UP AT THAT KNIFE, BEFORE THE ANGEL INTERVENED, HE MUST HAVE COME FACE TO FACE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT HE WOULD SOMEDAY DIE. AND FROM THEN ON, FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE, HE MUST HAVE LIVED WITH THAT CONSCIOUSNESS. AND I THINK IT CHANGED HIM IN MANY WAYS.

OF ISAAC AND ONLY ISAAC, IT IS WRITTEN THAT HE MEDITATED. NOWHERE DOES THE TORAH SAY THAT ABRAHAM MEDITATED OR THAT JACOB MEDITATED OR THAT JOSEPH MEDITATED. THEY WERE MEN OF ACTION, PEOPLE WHO RAN BIG BUSINESSES, PEOPLE WHO WERE BUSY DAY AND NIGHT. OF ISAAC, AND ONLY ISAAC, DOES IT SAY THAT HE MEDITATED. I PICTURE HIM AS A PERSON WHO WALKED QUIETLY ON THIS EARTH, WHO TOOK TIME TO CONTEMPLATE, SOMETHING THAT NO OTHER BIBLICAL FIGURE EVER DID. SOMEHOW, WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN UNDER THE KNIFE, YOU ARE DIFFERENT FROM THEN ON. FROM THEN ON, YOU THINK IN DIFFERENT TERMS. FROM THEN ON YOU THINK IN TERMS OF: WHO AM I? AND WHERE AM I GOING? AND WHY AM I HERE? AND WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY DAYS? AND NOT JUST ABOUT HOW MUCH DO I HAVE? OR HOW MUCH FASTER CAN I GO? OR WHO CAN I BEAT? OR WHAT CAN I WIN? WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN UNDER THE KNIFE, IF YOU RECOVER YOU GO AT A DIFFERENT PACE AND YOU LIVE IN A DIFFERENT WAY FROM THEN ON, AND YOU MEDITATE, AS ISAAC DID.

NOT EVERYONE REACTS THAT WAY. I REMEMBER HOW ONCE I WENT TO VISIT A FRIEND OF MINE IN THE HOSPITAL. HE HAD SUFFERED A MAJOR HEART ATTACK AND HAD JUST BEEN MOVED OUT OF THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT TO A PRIVATE ROOM. I WALKED IN AND I FOUND HIM MAKING A LONG DISTANCE CALL AND DICTATING TO HIS SECRETARY. I LOOKED AT HIM AND I DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING BUT HE MUST HAVE GUESSED WHAT I WAS THINKING FOR HE GRINNED AT ME SHEEPISHLY AND HE SAID, “I’M DOING IT FOR THE CHILDREN.”

NO HE WASN’T. HIS CHILDREN WERE ALREADY WELL OFF. HE WAS DOING IT BECAUSE HE WAS ADDICTED, BECAUSE HE COULDN’T STOP. BUT MOST OF US ARE NOT LIKE THAT. MOST OF US ARE MORE LIKE ISAAC: ONCE YOU HAVE BEEN UNDER THE KNIFE YOU BECOME MORE CONTEMPLATIVE. IT CONCENTRATES THE MIND.

THE TORAH SAYS OF ISAAC THAT HE MARRIED REBECCA AND THEN IT SAYS THAT HE LOVED HER. NOW, THAT IS NOT A COMMON EXPRESSION IN THE BIBLE. NOWHERE DOES IT SAY THAT ABRAHAM LOVED SARAH OR THAT MOSES LOVED TSIPORAH OR THAT ISAIAH LOVED HIS WIFE. THEY PROBABLY DID, BUT FOR A MAN OF ANTIQUITY TO ADMIT IT, FOR A MAN OF ANTIQUITY TO SHOW THAT HE CARED THAT MUCH ABOUT HIS WIFE, WAS UNUSUAL. BUT ISAAC DID. HE CARED SO DEEPLY FOR HIS WIFE THAT THE BIBLE RECORDS IT. AND THE BIBLE RECORDS THAT HE CARED SO MUCH ABOUT HER THAT HE PRAYED TO GOD ON HER BEHALF AND HE FELT HER PAIN AS IF IT WAS HIS OWN. THAT IS UNUSUAL.
ALSO UNUSUAL IS THAT THE TORAH TELLS US THAT ISAAC AND REBECCA RELAXED, THAT THEY ENJOYED EACH OTHER. THE OTHER BIBLICAL FIGURES WERE MUCH TO BUSY TO DO THAT, ISAAC WASN’T. BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN UNDER THE KNIFE AND SO HE KNEW WHAT WAS IMPORTANT AND WHAT WAS NOT. HE TOOK TIME TO RELAX BECAUSE THAT WAS IMPORTANT.

ISAAC IS DIFFERENT FROM HIS FATHER AND HIS SON IN ANOTHER WAY. HE NEVER ONCE LIFTS A SWORD OR A FIST OR WRESTLES AS THEY DO. HE IS A MAN OF PEACE. THREE TIMES HE DIGS A WELL AND THREE TIMES THE PHILISTINES CONTEST HIS CLAIM, AND EACH TIME HE GIVES UP THE WELL AND DIGS ANOTHER RATHER THAN WAGE WAR FOR IT.

WHY? BECAUSE ISAAC KNEW THAT HE WAS WEALTHY WITH OR WITHOUT ONE MORE WELL, AND HE WOULD NOT MEASURE HIS WORTH OR HIS WEALTH JUST BY THE NUMBER OF WELLS THAT HE POSSESSED. HE KNEW THAT ONCE YOU HAVE REACHED A CERTAIN POINT IN YOUR ACCUMULATIONS, ONCE YOU HAVE AS MUCH AS YOU NEED AND A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN YOU NEED, YOU NEED NOT KILL YOURSELF TO ACQUIRE MORE. HE FELT THAT HIS LIFE AND THE LIFE OF HIS FAMILY AND THE LIFE AND SAFETY OF HIS FOLLOWERS WERE WORTH MORE THAN A FEW MORE WELLS OF WATER. HAVING ONCE BEEN UNDER THE KNIFE, HE WAS NOT GOING TO SACRIFICE HIS LIFE OR THE LIVES OF HIS SERVANTS FOR THE SAKE OF ONE MORE WELL.

AND IT WORKED. BECAUSE ISAAC WAS COMMITTED TO PEACE, THE PHILISTINES EVENTUALLY RESPONDED WITH PEACE. THEY WERE IMPRESSED BY HIS GENTLENESS AND HIS GENEROSITY AND SO THEY ENDED UP MAKING PEACE WITH HIM. AND HE ENDED UP BECOMING JUST AS WELL OFF AS ABRAHAM AND JACOB WERE, EVEN THOUGH HE DID NOT FIGHT, AS THEY DID.

I THINK THAT ISAAC LEARNED UNDER THE KNIFE THE IMPORTANCE OF LOVE AND THE UNIMPORTANCE OF SO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE USUALLY TRADE FOR LOVE, TO OUR REGRET. ISAAC LOOKED AT THAT GLISTENING BLADE OVER HIS HEAD AND HE SAW IN ITS REFLECTION HIS OWN EVENTUAL DEATH. AND THE AWARENESS THAT HIS LIFE WOULD ONE DAY END CHANGED HIM FOREVER. IN THAT INSTANT, HE REALIZED THAT FAME AND POWER AND PUBLICITY AND STATUS AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT SEEM SO IMPORTANT TO SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE WERE MEANINGLESS IN THE FACE OF DEATH. ALL OF A SUDDEN HE REALIZED THAT THE ONLY POSSESSIONS OF ULTIMATE WORTH ARE: THE LOVE AND RESPECT OF FAMILY, A SENSE OF CONNECTION TO THE LAND AND A BOND WITH GOD. AND ALL THE REST, ALL THE NARISHKEIT THAT OCCUPIES US AND FRUSTRATES US SO MUCH REALLY ISN’T AS IMPORTANT AS WE THINK IT IS.

THIS IS WHAT I THINK ISAAC LEARNED THAT DAY WHILE HE WAS UNDER THE KNIFE AND THE TORAH RECORDS IT, TO HIS CREDIT AND FOR OUR BENEFIT.
THE ONLY BIT OF WISDOM THAT I WANT TO OFFER YOU TODAY, THE ONLY BIT OF WISDOM THAT I WANT YOU TO CONSIDER, IS VERY SIMPLY THIS: IF THIS IS THE LESSON THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING LEARNS WHEN HE OR SHE IS UNDER THE KNIFE, THEN WHY CAN’T WE LEARN IT NOW, BEFORE WE GO UNDER THE KNIFE?

WHY CAN’T WE LEARN IT NOW AND LIVE BY IT NOW AND NOT WAIT UNTIL THEN?

MANY TIMES DURING THE YEAR I GO TO THE HOSPITAL TO VISIT SICK PEOPLE. I GO IN ORDER TO GIVE A BIT OF STRENGTH AND SUPPORT IF I CAN. BUT NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN I COME AWAY HEARTENED AND ENCOURAGED AND INSPIRED AND INFORMED BY WHAT THE PATIENTS WHO ARE THERE TEACH ME. LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I HAVE LEARNED. SO FAR, I HAVE NEVER YET HEARD A PATIENT IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT OR IN THE RECOVERY ROOM SAY TO ME: RABBI, I MADE A MISTAKE; I SHOULD HAVE EARNED MORE MONEY. OR, RABBI, I MADE A MISTAKE; I SHOULDN’T HAVE SPENT SO MUCH TIME WITH MY CHILDREN. NOBODY HAS EVER SAID THAT TO ME YET. INSTEAD, WHAT THEY SAY TO ME IS WHAT ISAAC SAID: IF I GET BETTER, I AM GOING TO BE SMARTER. IF I GET BETTER, I AM GOING TO RUN AROUND LESS AND I AM GOING TO RELAX MORE. OR, IF I GET BETTER, I AM GOING TO FIGHT LESS AND I AM GOING TO GIVE MORE. OR, IF I GET BETTER, I AM GOING TO MAKE MORE TIME TO BE WITH MY FAMILY. THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE TELL ME WHEN THEY COME OUT AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN UNDER THE KNIFE.

I THINK THAT THE SAGES WERE RIGHT IN MAKING US READ THE STORY OF WHAT HAPPENED TO ISAAC THE DAY THAT HE WENT UNDER THE KNIFE. THEY ARE RIGHT IN MAKING US READ THIS STORY EVERY YEAR IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT LEARN FROM HIS EXPERIENCE, THE SIMPLE LESSON THAT EVERYONE ALREADY KNOWS IN OUR HEADS AND THAT NO ONE REALLY BELIEVES IN OUR GUTS, WHICH IS THAT WE ARE ALL ONE YEAR OLDER THAN WE WERE A YEAR AGO, THAT ANOTHER YEAR OF LIFE HAS PASSED, NEVER TO RETURN, WE ARE ALL ONE YEAR CLOSER TO THE END NOW. ARE WE ONE YEAR WISER OR NOT?

LET ISAAC BE A MODEL. ALL HE DID WAS JUST LOVE HIS WIFE AND FIND THE TIME TO ENJOY LIFE WITH HER. ALL HE DID WAS JUST GET ALONG WITH HIS NEIGHBORS AND WIN THEIR RESPECT. ALL HE DID WAS JUST FARM HIS LAND AND STAY LOYAL TO HIS GOD ALL THE DAYS OF HIS LIFE. THAT IS ALL HE DID, JUST THAT. ALL HE DID WAS LIVE LIKE A MENTSH FROM THE DAY HE WENT UNDER THE KNIFE UNTIL THE END. THAT’S ALL. ISN’T THAT A LOT?

MAY WE, WHO ARE HIS CHILDREN, LEARN FROM HIS EXAMPLE. MAY WE FIND THE TIME TO LOVE OUR MATES AND TEACH OUR KIDS AND FARM OUR LITTLE PIECE OF LAND OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE DO TO EARN OUR LIVING AND BE LOYAL TO OUR GOD. MAY WE, BEFORE WE GO UNDER THE KNIFE, LEARN HIS SECRET AND STRIVE TO BE LIKE HIM.

Sermon - 1st day Rosh Hashanah

2005-11-01T16:45:00.000-08:00

RH1 – ‘05

IN TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY AMERICA IT IS COMMON FOR NON-JEWS TO BE PRESENT AT JEWISH WORSHIP SERVICES. SUCH VISITS OCCUR EITHER BECAUSE AN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP IS INTERESTEDIN LEARNING MORE ABOUT OUR RELIGIOUS PRACTICES OR, MORE FREQUENTLY, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND A BAR OR BAT MITZVAH. QUITE OFTEN THESE GUESTS WILL APPROACH RABBIS OR MEMBERS AFTER SERVICES WITH A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE SEEN OR EXPERIENCED. MOST OF THE TIME, THEIR QUESTIONS ARE THE USUAL ONES, ABOUT THE KIDDUSH, THE ARK, THE TORAH.
BUT RECENTLY, A YOUNG GIRL APPROACHED ME AFTER A BAT MITZVAH AND ASKED ME A VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF QUESTION, ONE FOR WHICH THERE IS NO ANSWER IN ANY BOOK ABOUT JEWISH CUSTOMS AND CEREMONIES, A QUESTION WHICH AT FIRST APPEARS TO BE BASED UPON NOTHING MORE THAN A RATHER NAÏVE OBSERVATION, BUT ON FURTHER REFLECTION CAPTURES THE VERY ESSENCE OF WHO WE ARE AND WHY WE ARE DIFFERENT. THE YOUNG LADY ASKED ME, “AFTER SERVICES, WHY DID EVERYONE KISS EACH OTHER?” I GAVE HER A VERY BRIEF ANSWER THEN, BUT TODAY I OFFER A MORE EXTENSIVE ONE:
MY DEAR YOUNG LADY:
THE FIRST THING YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT WHEN YOU COME HERE YOU HAVE ATTENDED SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE SERVICE IN YOUR CHURCH, OR ANY CHURCH. NOT JUST THE MUSIC, NOT JUST THE WORDS OR THE RITUAL OR THE LANGUAGE: THERE’S A GREATER DIFFERENCE! JEWS AT WORSHIP ARE NOT A COMMUNION OF THE FAITHFUL, SHARING A COMMON CONFESSION OR DOGMA. JEWS AT WORSHIP ARE NOT A CONGREGATION IN THE MYSTICAL CHURCH, AS ALL TRUE CHRISTIANS ARE PART OF THE MYSTICAL CHURCH IN CHRIST. JEWS AT WORSHIP ARE, FIRST AND FOREMOST, A FAMILY ENGAGED IN A FAMILY REUNION. ACTUALY, YOU KNEW WE WERE A FAMILY ANYWAY, BECAUSE THE BIBLE THAT WE BOTH SHARE ALWAYS CALLS US “THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.” SO ASIDE FROM PRAYER AND SONG AND PRAISE AND WORSHIP, OUR SERVICE IS ALWAYS A FAMILY REUNION. AND THAT’S PART OF THE REASON THAT YOU SAW PEOPLE KISSING EACH OTHER WHEN IT WAS OVER.
BUT YOU HAVE TO KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT OUR FAMILY TO FULLY APPRECIATE IT. AND SINCE YOU ASKED, YOUNG LADY, LET ME TELL YOU. YOUR FAITH TRACES ITSELF BACK TO A BIRTH, A BIRTH OF A CHILD SAID TO BE CONCEIVED IMMACULATELY. OURS TRACES ITSELF BACK TO A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT. WE CALL IT A COVENANT. IN BOTH CASES, GOD WAS ONE OF THE PARTIES. IN YOUR FAITH HE HAD A SON; IN OURS, HE ADOPTED A FAMILY! HE AND OUR FATHER ABRAHAM, BECAME PARTNERS IN A SENSE. THEY MADE AN AGREEMENT, AND GOD BECAME OUR GOD AND WE BECAME HIS PEOPLE. AND PART OF HIS PROMISE WAS THAT THE CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM WOULD GROW IN NUMBERS AND WOULD BE A SPECIAL FAMILY. IN US, GOD SAID, EVERY FAMILY ON EARTH WOULD BE BLESSED.
YOUR FAITH HINGES ON AN EXECUTION, THE EXECUTION OF JESUS ON CALVARY. OUR FAITH, OUR FAMILY, ALMOST ENDED IN AN EXECUTION. AFTER GOD HAD MADE HIS PROMISE TO OUR FIRST FATHER, ABRAHAM, HE TURNED AROUND AND TOLD HIM TO KILL HIS SON, ISAAC, OUR SECOND FATHER. BUT YOU KNOW THE STORY! IN THE LAST SPLIT SECOND THE EXECUTION WAS CALLED OFF, AND OUR FAMILY WENT ON. BUT WE LEARNED SOMETHING THERE AND IT BECAME PART OF A PATTERN, NOT A PATTERN WE CHOSE, BUT A PATTERN THAT HAPPENED TO US. AFTER THAT MOMENT ON MT. MORIAH, WE BECAME A FAMILY OF SURVIVORS; AND WE HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN THAT THROUGHOUT ALL OUR HISTORY, AND WE HAVE SELDOM BEEN ALLOWED TO FORGET.
WE KNOW EVERY TIME WE GATHER FOR A FAMILY REUNION THAT WE ARE ONLY A SMALL FRACTION OF THOSE WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN THERE. WE ARE THE SURVIVORS. WHO KNOWS HOW MANY CHILDREN, AND THROUGH THEM THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN’S CHILDREN HAVE DIED UNDER PERSECUTIONS? WHO KNOWS HOW MANY WERE KILLED BY THE BABYLONIANS OR THE ROMANS WHO WOULD HAVE LEFT DESCENDANTS TODAY FOR OUR FAMILY REUNION? WHO KNOWS HOW MANY OF US WERE LOST SURING THE MIDDLE AGES, WHEN AN IGNORANT PEASANT COULD KILL JEWS WITH IMPUNITY? WHO KNOWS HOW MANY OF US WERE LOST IN THE POGROMS OF RUSSIA WHEN A DRUNKEN BRUTE COULD SPILL JEWISH BLOOD AT LESS COST THAN SPILLING HIS VODKA?
AND IN THE LIFETIME OF SOME OF US, ONE OUT OF EVERY THREE OF US WENT UP IN SMOKE UNDER HITLER. SO AT A FAMILY REUNION WE ARE A MERE FRACTION OF WHAT WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN. AND EVERY ONE OF US, WHEN WE SHOW UP, WEARS AN INVISIBLE TATTOO ON HIS OR HER WRIST, SOME DON’T EVEN KNOW THEY HAVE IT, BUT IT’S THERE. IT’S A TATTOOED NUMBER, AND IT’S ALWAYS THE SAME – SIX MILLION AND ONE! WE ARE, EACH ONE OF US, A SURVIVOR. WE ARE THE ISAAC WHO WASN’T KILLED. WE ARE THE DIFFERENCE, EACH OF US, BETWEEN THE SURVIVAL OF THE FAMILY AND ITS EXTINCTION.
SO, WHY DO WE KISS AT THE END OF THE SERVICE, AT THE END OF A FAMILY REUNION? IN THAT KISS WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE. IN THAT KISS EACH ONE OF US KNOWS THAT WE ARE NOT THE LAST JEW. AND IN THE WARMTH OF TOUCHING ONE ANOTHER, WE KNOW THAT “AM YISRAEL CHAI, THE FAMILY OF ISRAEL LIVES.” WE ARE ENCOURAGED AND WE SEPARATE, LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER FAMILY REUNION.
THAT’S THE DARK SIDE OF OUR FAMILY; BUT I HOPE YOU DON’T THINK THAT’S ALL THERE IS TO US. YOU HAVE TO KNOW ABOUT IT, EVEN THOUGH SOME JEWS AREN’T SO CONSCIOUS OF IT. THEY DON’T SEE THAT TATTOO, SIX MILLION AND ONE, BUT IT’S THERE. AND WHEN OUR FAMILY IS THREATENED, EVEN THESE JEWS REMEMBER AND STAND UP, BECAUSE WE ARE A FAMILY OF SURVIVORS.
BUT THERE’S MORE! TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US YOU HAVE TO LOOK, LIKE ANY OTHER FAMILY, IN OUR FAMILY BIBLE. LOTS OF FAMILIES HAVE FAMILY BIBLES, BUT OURS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. IT DOESN’T REQUIRE ANY EXTRA PAGES TO RECORD SPECIAL EVENTS. OUR FAMILY BIBLE IS THE ONE THAT SITS IN YOUR CHURCH, WITH BIRTHS, DEATHS, MARRIAGES, TRIUMPHS AND DEFEATS. FROM GENESIS TO CHRONICLES, IT’S ABOUT US, OUR FAMILY, AND THE OTHER PARTNER IN THAT COVENANT, OUR GOD. AND IT TELLS ABOUT OUR FAMILY TRIPS. WE TOOK A LONG TRIP ONCE – FAMILY PLAN, GROUP RATES – DEPARTING FROM EGYPT AT MIDNIGHT, ARRIVING IN CANAAN FORTY YEARS LATER. AND WE TOOK A SIDE TRIP; AND THAR SIDE TRIP, TO MT. SINAI, TRANSFORMED US. THERE WE WERE ENTRUSTED WITH GOD’S LAW. WE WERE ENTRUSTED WITH GOD’S NAME. WE KNEW HIM WHEN NO ONE ELSE WANTED TO. GOD WAS A FATHER WITHOUT A FAMILY, AND HE ADOPTED US. HE ADOPTED US AND WE ADOPTED HIM!
IN ANCIENT TIMES WE HAD A FAMILY HOME CALLED CANAAN, AND A PALACE CALLED THE TEMPLE. OVER 1,900 YEARS AGO OUR HOME WAS TAKEN AWAY AND THE TEMPLE WAS BURNED. OTHERS TOOK OVER OUR LAND, OUR FAMILY HOMESTEAD. BY ALL LOGIC, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE END OF OUR FAMILY. WE HAD TO RUN; AND SOME WENT ONE WAY AND SOME ANOTHER. AND WE WHO HAD LIVED TOGETHER AS A FAMILY SUDDENLY FOUND OURSELVES SCATTERED INTO LITTLE ENCLAVES IN OTHER PEOPLES’ NEIGHBORHOODS, WHERE, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, WE WERE NOT WELCOME. AND IN THE HURRY AND RUSH TO LEAVE THE FAMILY ESTATE AS IT BURNED AND WAS TAKEN OVER BY OTHERS, ALL WE HAD TIME FOR WAS A KISS AND TO SAY, “WE’LL WRITE, WE’LL KEEP IN TOUCH.”
AND WE DID KEEP IN TOUCH, AND NOT JUST ABOUT OLD TIMES. WE EXPANDED AND WE RESHAPED AND WE CREATED A WHOLE CIVILIZATION FOR OUR FAMILY, A WHOLE TRADITION THAT COULD KEEP US IN TOUCH, SO THAT THE RELATIVES IN SPAIN COULD SPEAK A COMMON LANGUAGE WITH THOS EIN ITALY. SO THAT FAMILY IN RUSSIA COULD COMMUNICATE WITH THOSE WHO LIVED IN GERMANY. AND THAT’S IMPORTANT WHEN YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING TO BE TOMORROW. BUT YOU KNOW YOU’LL BE AT HOME IF YOU FIND A GATHERING OF YOUR FAMILY. OUR FAMILY HOME BURNED, BU FORTUNATELY WE HAD INSURANCE, OR WAS IT ASSUANCE? WE HAD THE ASSURANCE THAT WE WERE A SURVIVAL PEOPLE.
AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT GOD WHOSE TEMPLE WAS BURNED ON THE FAMILY ESTATE? WELL, OF COURSE, HE WENT WITH US! HE WHO HAD LIVED IN A PALACE WITH OUR FAMILY IN THE LAND THAT WAS OURS, NOW LIVED IN EVERY TINY TATTERED BAND OF US – IN BASEMENTS IN AMSTERDAM AND SIMPLE SHTIEBELS IN KIEV. WHEREVER JEWS GATHERED FOR A FAMILY REUNION, AND WHEREVER WE STILL GATHER, WE WORSHIP HIM, WE KISS ONE ANOTHER, AND HE IS THERE! EVERY SYNAGOGUE HAS BECOME A NEW PALACE FOR GOD TO DWELL IN WITH HIS FAMILY. AND EVERY GATHERING OF JEWS FOR WORSHIP BECOMES HIS GREAT HOME FOR THE MOMENT.
SO WHY DO WE KISS? WE KISS BECAUSE OF THE JOY, THE REASSURANCE AND THE EXULTATION WE FEEL WHEN WE KNOW THAT EVEN THE WRENCHING AWAY OF OUR HOMELAND AND THE BURNING OF GOD’S TEMPLE COULD NOT SEPARATE US FROM HIM. WE KISS AT ALL REUNIONS BECAUSE WE ARE ASSURED NOT ONLY THAT “THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL LIVE,” BUT ALSO THAT OUR GOD STILL LIVES WITH US.
WITH ALL THAT, WE DID A LITTLE MORE. EVERY SMALL SHTETL AND EVERY METROPOLIS TO WHICH OUR FAMILY CAME LEARNED FROM US, IF THEY LOOKED, THE REAL MEANING OF THE WORD “FAMILY.” A COMMUNITY CHARITY TO CARE FOR POOR JEWS, A BURIAL SOCIETY TO PRESERVE THE DIGNITY OF IMPOVERISHED FAMILIES, SCHOOLING FOR EVERY JEWISH CHILD, HOSPITALS, HOMES FOR THE AGED, EVERY IMAGINABLE CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER. THAT’S WHAT “MISHPACHA – FAMILY” MEANS. AND, HAVING CARED FOR OUR OWN, WE TURNED TO OTHERS, AND WE PROVED WHEREVER WE WENT THAT WE ARE A FAMILY WITHIN A LARGER FAMILY, THE FAMILY OF HUMANKIND. THE FAMILY BIBLE COMMANDS US TO BE CONCERNED FOR THE STRANGER, AND WE, THE ETERNAL STRANGERS, WENT AND DID FOR OTHERS. WE REACHED OUT TO ALL PEOPLE; AND, IF EVERY CONTRIBUTION OF OUR FAMILY WERE TO SUDDENLY DISAPPEAR, IN CULTURE, IN SCIENCE, IN ART, IN PHILANTHROPY, IT WOULD BE A VERY DIFFERENT WORLD, AND NOT A PRETTY ONE.
I COULD TELL YOU A LOT MORE, BUT THIS ALREADY HAS BEEN A LENGTHY ANSWER TO THE BRIEF QUESTION, “WHY DO YOU KISS AFTER SERVICES?” I COULD TELL YOU ABOUT OUR FIERCE LOVE FOR THAT FAMILY, LAND WE LOST – HOW WE REGAINED IT AND MADE IT FLOURISH ONCE AGAIN. I COULD TALK ABOUT OUR OWN FAMILIES, THE PREEMINENT EXAMPLE OF THE FAMILY IN ALL OF HUMAN HISTORY, IN WARMTH AND CONCERN. BUT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. I CONCLUDE WITH A LITTLE DEVICE TO HELP YOU REMEMBER THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION. IN THE HEBREW ALPHABET THE SMALLEST LETTER OF ALL IS THE LETTER “YUD.” THE WORD “YUD” IS ALSO THE WORD FOR JEW. IN OUR WRITING, SOMETIMES WHEN WE WANT TO ABBREVIATE THE NAME FOR GOD, ALL WE DO IS PUT A “YUD” NEXT TO A “YUD” AND IT SPELLS GOD. THUS, WHEN “YUD” IS JOINED TO “YUD,” WHEN A JEW KISSES ANOTHER JEW, THERE FOR EVERYONE TO SEE, IS GOD!!

Welcome!

2005-09-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

Welcome to 'Glazer's Gleanings' - a new blog devoted to random chats on a wide variety of subjects relating to Jews and Judaism.