Rosh HaShannah: Some Personal Observations
The High Holiday season is a hard time for rabbis. Understandably, it is the busiest time of the year: after a lazy, quiet summer you have to hit the ground running! As the holidays approach it is time to make Rosh HaShannah “happen” for everyone else. Sermons, logistics, planning, honors, participation, and more must all be done so that services flow smoothly. All the “behind the scenes” work has to be completed so that all is ready when the crowds begin to gather. You can’t say “come back later.” It is a time during which the rabbi gets “one chance” to touch people, to get the message across, to set the stage for the year ahead, and to create a spiritual framework for the season.
Through all of this the role of the rabbi is to make sure that everyone gets to reconnect with the traditions of Judaism. This is all well and good. It is, after all, the reason that I and others become rabbis . Although it is a big task I always feel that it is a great privilege to stand before a congregation and have the opportunity to speak about our traditions. It is an honor to lead others in prayer and one by which I am always humbled.
With all of these tasks to do at Rosh HaShannah it is often hard for me to make a spiritual time for myself. I liken it to cooking for a crowd but the cook never gets to eats! Allow me to share some of my personal thoughts about the holidays that keep me going (and, yes, sneaking a snack for myself.)
I believe that to live as a Jew you must live with passion- passion for our traditions, passion for life, and passion for the beliefs that make you who you are. That’s a very big order—the daily grind of life often steals our passions. Our daily struggles rob our energy, our time, and our passions. The High Holidays serve as a time to step back from the daily grind to rediscover and recharge those passions! It is often impossible to live in the world of the spirit—the holidays are like a mini vacation for the soul. That fact alone makes Rosh HaShannah and Yom Kippur the very best time to reconnect to your Jewish heritage and to yourself.
Although I might have the chance to speak to a thousand people over the course of the holidays I can only do that if I take the time to speak to myself first. I can only remind others about those things that I remember myself.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Back On Track: Rosh HaShannah
There is a ritual that we observe on the first day of Rosh HaShannah called Tashlich. The word means “casting away.” It is a part of the celebration of the new year and our preparation for Yom Kippur. (We perform Tashlich the second day if the first day was Shabbat.) The custom observed by most communities is to gather at a spot where there is free flowing water (pretty easy in Florida) and, after several Biblical verses are read, we cast bread into the water to symbolize the “casting away of our sins.”
There are communities that don’t include “the bread” but make Tashlich an oral declaration only. However one does it, it is clear that Tashlich is a symbol of what we hope to achieve during the High Holiday period—to rid ourselves of all those traits that we wish we could “throw away,” and retain the parts of our personalities that are the noblest!
If only it was that easy! We often make plans to change our behavior, our attitudes, stop bad habits, and improve ourselves. Of course we know how that usually turns out—we have great goals but most often fall short of what we planned. How great would it be if getting rid of all our bad habits or problems were as easy as throwing some stale bread into the water!! Wow – the world could be a better place pretty quickly! From experience we all know that the only thing that is really that easy is to make another mistake! Things don’t change by just wishing for them to be different.
With this said, should we despair? Should we give up on bettering ourselves by using the excuse that we “will probably just fail again?” One enduring message of this holiday season is an answer to that question: No, it is not easy to change, it is not easy to break old habits, and it is not easy to change one’s behavior. Often it is a slow process with ups and downs, with success and with failure. Nothing comes as easy as Tashlich—but by performing this one small ritual we are reminded of the message of Rosh HaShannah and Yom Kippur—getting back on track is always possible.
As we head into the holiday season it is not too early to start our spiritual preparation – we may dismiss rituals like Tashlich as “silly” – a simple act that really doesn’t change anything. That’s true on one level but the larger truth is that sometimes such rituals can serve as a reminder of what is possible. It’s been a very tough year for all Americans so a little reminder about “what is still possible” couldn’t hurt anyone!
There are communities that don’t include “the bread” but make Tashlich an oral declaration only. However one does it, it is clear that Tashlich is a symbol of what we hope to achieve during the High Holiday period—to rid ourselves of all those traits that we wish we could “throw away,” and retain the parts of our personalities that are the noblest!
If only it was that easy! We often make plans to change our behavior, our attitudes, stop bad habits, and improve ourselves. Of course we know how that usually turns out—we have great goals but most often fall short of what we planned. How great would it be if getting rid of all our bad habits or problems were as easy as throwing some stale bread into the water!! Wow – the world could be a better place pretty quickly! From experience we all know that the only thing that is really that easy is to make another mistake! Things don’t change by just wishing for them to be different.
With this said, should we despair? Should we give up on bettering ourselves by using the excuse that we “will probably just fail again?” One enduring message of this holiday season is an answer to that question: No, it is not easy to change, it is not easy to break old habits, and it is not easy to change one’s behavior. Often it is a slow process with ups and downs, with success and with failure. Nothing comes as easy as Tashlich—but by performing this one small ritual we are reminded of the message of Rosh HaShannah and Yom Kippur—getting back on track is always possible.
As we head into the holiday season it is not too early to start our spiritual preparation – we may dismiss rituals like Tashlich as “silly” – a simple act that really doesn’t change anything. That’s true on one level but the larger truth is that sometimes such rituals can serve as a reminder of what is possible. It’s been a very tough year for all Americans so a little reminder about “what is still possible” couldn’t hurt anyone!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Will Israel be Forced to do America’s Dirty Work?
Looks can be deceiving. Relatively calm water can hide great dangers below the surface. While that might be a good weather forecast for hurricane season, it is an even more accurate forecast for conditions in Israel. We have been focused on American problems for months and, since the flotilla confrontation, the news from Israel has not been that alarming. I remind you, however, looks are deceiving. The American press has been under-reporting events in the Middle East to such an extent that we have been lulled into thinking that things are “normal” (What ever that would mean for Israel.) The truth is that tensions are growing every day. Last week Israeli and Lebanese soldiers exchanged fire with deaths on both sides. Recent rocket attacks from Gaza have struck Israel again. Arabs leaders have gathered to urge restraint and ask Turkey to serve as a messenger between Israel and Arab states. Some signs seem to indicate that Turkey may no longer fill that role.
Of course there remains the most dangerous state in the Middle East—Iran. While other Arab states seem to sense that an all out war would be bad for everyone, we have to face the ugly reality that Iran is just waiting for the ability to turn Israel into a mushroom cloud. Likewise there are forces in the Arab world waiting to destabilize Saudi Arabia, poison its oil, and, in that way, bring America to her knees. It is also frightening that our administration is doing little to discourage any of these scenarios. Both to placate the Arab world and the American Left our administration shows little serious intent to confront Iran.
T hese factors seem to be putting all the conditions in play for a real catastrophe- even Time magazine has recently described the current situation as the most dangerous set of circumstances in years despite the “relative calm.” Is this the calm before the storm? Only time will tell but I, for one, will be holding my breath for a quiet holiday season! Netanyahu has already remarked that any attack will be met with immediate and full response. That is code for: should war come, it will be full force and fast. Israel has learned that it can’t afford the luxury of hesitation.
Just one last observation: I think very few of us have been happy with the current support that America gives Israel. Too ambivalent. There has been a recent development you may not have heard about- House Resolution 1553, sponsored by Representative Louie Gohmert (R, Texas) and 46 other US Representatives. Resolution 1553 both condemns Iran’s threats against America and Israel and “supports using all means” for Israel to deal with that threat. This resolution is the “green light” for Israel to strike. While that may be Israel’s only choice at some point, I only hope that this will not amount to Israel having to do America’s “dirty work” at a time in which every decision can ignite a regional conflict. Pray for Israel!
Looks can be deceiving. Relatively calm water can hide great dangers below the surface. While that might be a good weather forecast for hurricane season, it is an even more accurate forecast for conditions in Israel. We have been focused on American problems for months and, since the flotilla confrontation, the news from Israel has not been that alarming. I remind you, however, looks are deceiving. The American press has been under-reporting events in the Middle East to such an extent that we have been lulled into thinking that things are “normal” (What ever that would mean for Israel.) The truth is that tensions are growing every day. Last week Israeli and Lebanese soldiers exchanged fire with deaths on both sides. Recent rocket attacks from Gaza have struck Israel again. Arabs leaders have gathered to urge restraint and ask Turkey to serve as a messenger between Israel and Arab states. Some signs seem to indicate that Turkey may no longer fill that role.
Of course there remains the most dangerous state in the Middle East—Iran. While other Arab states seem to sense that an all out war would be bad for everyone, we have to face the ugly reality that Iran is just waiting for the ability to turn Israel into a mushroom cloud. Likewise there are forces in the Arab world waiting to destabilize Saudi Arabia, poison its oil, and, in that way, bring America to her knees. It is also frightening that our administration is doing little to discourage any of these scenarios. Both to placate the Arab world and the American Left our administration shows little serious intent to confront Iran.
T hese factors seem to be putting all the conditions in play for a real catastrophe- even Time magazine has recently described the current situation as the most dangerous set of circumstances in years despite the “relative calm.” Is this the calm before the storm? Only time will tell but I, for one, will be holding my breath for a quiet holiday season! Netanyahu has already remarked that any attack will be met with immediate and full response. That is code for: should war come, it will be full force and fast. Israel has learned that it can’t afford the luxury of hesitation.
Just one last observation: I think very few of us have been happy with the current support that America gives Israel. Too ambivalent. There has been a recent development you may not have heard about- House Resolution 1553, sponsored by Representative Louie Gohmert (R, Texas) and 46 other US Representatives. Resolution 1553 both condemns Iran’s threats against America and Israel and “supports using all means” for Israel to deal with that threat. This resolution is the “green light” for Israel to strike. While that may be Israel’s only choice at some point, I only hope that this will not amount to Israel having to do America’s “dirty work” at a time in which every decision can ignite a regional conflict. Pray for Israel!
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