Reminder regarding High Holy Day services: WEST END SYNAGOGUE IS LOCATED AT 69th and AMSTERDAM AVE. Looking forward to bringing in the New Year together.
And now for some Torah:
When Stevie Wonder was writing the lyrics to this totally awesome song, while many of his songs reflect a powerful and intense relationship with God, I highly doubt, he was referencing "U-netaneh Tokef". The prayer, embedded within the Amidah (the Standing Prayer) of the Rosh Hashanah morning service, answering the question "What is the point of these High Holy Days?"
From Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur we are engaged in a process of repentance and reflection. We hope the work we have done will persuade God to write us in the Book of Life.
We pray:
Let us proclaim the power of this day-
a day that is awe-some and awe-ful.
and inspires highest praise for Your dominion,
for Your throne is a throne of love;
Your reign is a reign of truth.
...On Rosh Hashanah this is written;
on the Fast of Yom Kippur this is sealed:
Who will pass from this world?
Who will be born into it?
Who will live and who will die?
Who will reach the ripeness of age,
who will be taken before their time;
who by fire and who by water;
who by war and who by beast;
who by famine and who by drought;
who by earthquake and who by plague;
who by strangling and who by stoning;
who will rest and will will wonder;
who will be tranquil and who will be troubled;
who will be calm and who tormented;
who will live in poverty and who in prosperity;
who will be low and who will be elevated;
But through return to the right path,
through prayer and righteousness
we can transcend the harshness of the decree.
Every year we recite these same words creating an image of God deciding our fate. "Did I repent hard enough? Honestly enough? Enough so that God will grant me another year of life?"
Really?
Really?
Really?
It's an incredibly disturbing, challenging, and in many ways, absolutely absurd image.
I don't know exactly how the "Book of Life" works but I'm fairly certain, in fact, I would lean towards very certain that it ISN'T how it was just described above earlier. God is NOT sitting on a throne, looking down, judging whether or not my self reflection and my repentance are "good" enough, worthy enough to result in my be written in the big bad book of life. Too many good people have died and too many wicked have continued to live. It is literally impossible to take this prayer literally.
And, that doesn't take away from its "awe-some" and "awe-full" ness.
The items listed can be put into many categories - including; humans are the cause and something larger than humans is the cause. Perhaps God? Nature? Energy? Something not human.
People are born and people die. Some people live a long time and some lives are cut way too short. There are earthquakes, drought, and fires.
And then there are the things humans cause. We speak nastily about someone. We bully. We are impatient to the point where we diminish. We are jealous. We steal. We are silent. We hurt. We are selfish. These actions and their impact are not meant to be resolved with God. Matters between people need to be resolved by people. If I have harmed someone, I need to figure out how to make up for the pain and suffering I have caused. If someone has harmed me, I need to find a way to forgive and move forward.
We also love. We show compassion. We help those in distress. We are respectful. We offer dignity. We compliment. We share. We elevate. We speak out. We create change. We make room. We hope.
What will we choose in the coming year? What qualities will guide our actions? What will we do in this life? Who will be brought low and who will be raised up by our hands?
It would be easy to put in the hands of God. Then we are free from responsibility and blame. Are we ready to accept the privilege and the responsibility of being in charge of "signing", "sealing" and "delivering" our own selves?
May you be blessed with compassion.
May you be blessing with meaning.
May you be blessed with peace.
Wishing everyone a Shabbat shalom and a "Shana tova u'mevorach" - a good and blessed year.
Laurie
No comments:
Post a Comment