A YOM KIPPUR MESSAGE
YOM KIPPUR MESSAGE
Yom Kippur is probably one of the most influential Jewish holidays to our people. It stands apart. The obvious reason is that we don’t eat or drink, we refrain from wearing leather and endeavor to become as close to God as possible. But, it is also a time when Jews around the world are unified for a common purpose. Even the most secular Jews who choose to work on Yom Kippur, still fast as a sign of respect and unity to our ancient traditions. What is it about this day that is so special?
An answer to this question can be found in the “zochreinu” prayer we begin reciting on Rosh Hashanah and continue during the Ten Days of Repentance, up to Yom Kippur. It reads: “Zochreinu L'chaim ... remember us for life, O King Who wants us to have life, and inscribe us in the Book of Life, for Your sake O Living G-d” and concluding on the actual day of Yom Kippur by saying “seal us in the book of life.” This idea of being inscribed in the book of life is the essence of Judaism. It does not just refer to some esoteric relationship between human beings and God, but rather the intrinsic personal relationships with our families and communities.
We only achieve personal forgiveness by making amends to the people around us. This is the essence of “Uvacharta b’chaim…and you shall choose life” one of the highest commandments in Judaism. This can be exemplified by an quote from Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, who composed some of the beautiful melodies we hear in temple, when he was interviewed while entertaining Israeli soldiers fighting in the Yom Kippur war. He was asked 'what's the difference between you and the Arabs, both sides are shooting?’ Rabbi Carlebach answered “I'll tell you the difference. When the other side is shooting and pulling the trigger, they are praying, Please God, make sure this bullet kills somebody. When we, the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and our four holy mothers, when we pull the trigger, we pray to God, let there be a miracle, that between my pulling the trigger and the bullet reaching somebody, let there be a miracle. Suddenly, let there be peace in the world.”
This is who we are as a people. We choose life whenever given the opportunity. The Jewish people have stood at the forefront of the civil rights movement and have led the way in social justice and equality throughout the centuries. Judaism itself holds life as the most treasured gift bestowed upon us by God and its preservation supersedes all of the commandments in the Torah, except for three, and those, it can be argued, are still about holding someone else’s life above our own.
On this day, as we stand before the gates of repentance, we are at our most holy and sublime. Having deprived our bodies of food and drink, we become pure spiritual beings able to discern the ultimate of ideals. For those brief moments, we become spiritually recharged so that we may choose to do better in the coming year. May you all be inscribed in the book of life and have a healthy and prosperous 5775.
Shabbat Shalom and Gamar Chatima Tova.
Rabbi Andrew Bentley
Rabbi Andrew Bentley
No comments:
Post a Comment