Sh'liach Tzibur's Page

In this section
   This Month
   Archive

September 2008

I hope that all of you had a healthy summer with at least some time for fun and relaxation. When you read this, we will have entered the month of Elul (September 1) which means that it’s time to devote at least part of our attention to preparation for the Days of Awe. In our congregation this traditionally has meant performing Random Acts of Kindness, and sending them along to me so we can read them anonymously and send them heavenward on Rosh Hashanah. It also means beginning to write down our shortcomings for deposit, again anonymously, in “The Box” on Kol Nidre night for reading aloud on Yom Kippur morning.

Jim Levinson, Sh'liach Tzibur
 

Let me suggest, however, that this year we do even more – that we think through in advance some of the inner journey, the inner transformation we’d like to take place during these all important days. As we know, there are plenty of reasons to be in the shul on Rosh Hashanah: to reconnect deeply with our heritage, one that also has meant so very much to our families back through the ages; to be “present” with Jews all over the world who are offering the very same prayers; to be present with our own community here in Brattleboro at this most important time of the year. But, since we’re going to be spending all those hours in shul, why not allow the experience to be truly transformative – to genuinely change aspects of our lives that are sources of darkness and unhappiness, to choose life in its very best sense.

In order to help make this happen, it may be helpful, during this month of Elul to do some real prep work. And we might do that by beginning now to ask ourselves some of the central questions.

Here are mine. I’m sure you’ll come up with questions every bit as good.

1. What are the blessings we have been given? Part of what we do during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is express gratitude for what is right about our lives.
2. What are the gifts, talents, skills that we possess, and how can we focus them on the needs of others in our community, others in the world – more generally on our people’s mission of tikkun olam?
3. And then the traditional question: What have been our own shortcomings during the past year(s)? - these distinct from our efforts which have failed – a distinction I’ll talk about on Yom Kippur.)
4. Who are the persons important in our lives from whom we feel estranged? And – ready for this? – that list can include people no longer living. More on that on Yom Kippur.
5. And finally, going back to those gifts and talents and skills that we possess, how can we use them to address both those shortcomings that we’ve identified, and the estrangements that darken our lives.

Our High Holiday prayers are truly magnificent. They are capable of taking us into another realm. They connect us with our heritage. But their greater purpose is to help us with these questions, help us bring peace and reconciliation to our own lives, help make us the best persons we can be. May the gifts of Shalom be with us all of us throughout this preparatory month of Elul and then during the Chaggim – the Days of Awe.

B’Shalom,
Jim