Rosh Hashanah Ruach Sermon
Erev Rosh Hashanah Sermon
Rosh Hashanah Family Story
Erev RosH Hashanah Avinu Malkeinu
Erev Rosh Hashanah Ahavat Olam
Erev Rosh Hashanah Heal Us Now
Rosh Hashanah Ruach Oseh Shalom
Rosh Hashanah Ruach Al Shlosha
Rosh Hashanah Family Sing Along Song
Rosh Hashanah Family Sh'ma
Rosh Hashanah Traditional B'rosh HaShanah
Rosh Hashanah Traditional Avinu Malkeinu
Is the Sanctuary Half Empty or Half Full?
Rosh Hashanah Morning, 5784 September 16, 2023
Rabbi David Locketz
Last April, I spent a meaningful week in Israel on the Minneapolis Jewish Federation Mega Mission with 250 other Minneapolitans, including a great group of people from Bet Shalom. Following the path of my ancestors from Ancient Israel, I made a side trip on the way home and met up with Debbie in Lithuania to visit my ancestral villages. I landed in Vilnius from Tel Aviv about twenty minutes before Debbie arrived from Minneapolis, so I was able to properly welcome her to my homeland. We spent a few days in Lithuania where I got to meet some living relatives whose branch of my family never left Europe. We also made a day trip into Latvia to where my Great-Grandfather was born.
In Latvia, we visited the city that had been called Dvinsk when my great-grandfather was born there in 1887. The city once had a vibrant Jewish presence with a population of more than 10,000 before WWI. For comparison, a 1907 demographic survey of Minneapolis states that there were 13,000 Jews here at roughly the same time, so similar Jewish populations 100 years ago. Today there are fewer than 100 Jewish people in that city, and over 40k in Minneapolis.
An elderly Jewish man showed us around what is left of the Dvinsk Jewish presence. There were once more than 30 synagogues, today most of those are gone or the buildings are being used for other things…and most of them are in their final stage of demise bearing little resemblance to what they once were.
Those 100 Jewish residents have maintained one synagogue building, the Kadish Synagogue, and it serves as the Jewish Community Center, the synagogue and a museum. It looks like a synagogue, but it mostly sits empty of community members.
While we were sitting in that sanctuary, my mind drifted and I tried to imagine what the people who built this building in 1850 were trying to create together. It certainly wasn’t what it is now…history pretty well messed that up…but what did that group of Jews who decided to pool their resources to build this building almost 175 years ago hope would come of their efforts? The earliest of my ancestors that I have discovered, arrived to that city in 1858. What kind of Jewish community did they encounter there when the building I was sitting in was only eight years old?
Did they gather together to celebrate Shabbat and holidays? Did they extend Mazal Tovs to each other when a child became B’nai Mitzvah? Did they celebrate circumcisions and baby namings in that space? I asked our host if there was a moyel in town…someone who performed the ritual circumcisions when baby boys were born…he laughed. He told me that the community was too old to need a moyel…there would be no more babies. No more babies.
How many years will it be before this is just another forgotten run down building in what used to be a Jewish neighborhood in Eastern Europe?
In that moment…in that space…I felt so much gratitude for Bet Shalom. And I was filled with hope. In places I have visited, I find that synagogue buildings are just an empty shell of memories of what they used to contain…an homage to a bygone glory day. I am grateful for the vibrancy of this community…I am grateful for the passion around social action and social justice…the commitment to ensure a positive Jewish identity in our youngest members…opportunities for study, for prayer and for being in relationship with others who call Bet Shalom their synagogue home.
It gives me hope that even though we face challenges, we will continue to find new ways at Bet Shalom to create Kehilah Kadosha - sacred community for generations to come.
There is evidence that synagogues existed even before The Second Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed 2000 years ago. But synagogues really took root after the destruction. And in every generation since, our ancestors, and now us, have come together in communal places of prayer and study to create what we continue to create here.
Our purpose is no different than in any generation that came before us. We bring Judaism and people together as our ancestors have done for thousands of years. That combination of Judaism and people leads to celebrating life together. It leads to shoulders being there for sorrowful and tear filled moments. It leads to learning and living our values in the world which in turn increases kindness. Judaism and people. You all are the people. Our community makes our community.
We talk alot about our building and money at Bet Shalom. That is inevitable. We share assets as a congregation and we have a shared responsibility to take care of them. No one questions whether this building adds value. But the building isn’t what makes our community. You do.
All of us together. It means that we are co-creating something special. Something that is bigger than any one of us…something that feels good to be part of. Something you need to be part of. It means bringing yourself…whoever you are and whatever skills or passions animate you…you bring that to the community. It also means bringing your needs. Because being in sacred community together means that others are here for you…we are here for each other. As you are here for others, so may they be here for you.
On Rosh Hashanah we celebrate the birthday of the world. But we don’t take that literally. And we don’t really know what the Hebrew year 5784 is counting from. But we might say that it is counting from the beginning of a group of people associating together for a shared purpose. So I think we can say that we stand on the shoulders of those that have, for almost 6000 years, created community together. Connections so deep and rich and all encompassing…so sacred that you came here today to be a part of it.
I don’t know if we can properly define it. But I do think we can recognize “when” it happens.
Martin Buber, one of the greatest theologians and Jewish scholars of the 20th century taught that the sacred can be found between two people.
At Bet Shalom, there is no shortage of human kindness and human connection. But it does require some effort. It takes our community to make our community. It is co-creation…so you have to step forward. You have to answer the request to volunteer or to participate in something. You have to show up.
This past Spring, we began sharing periodic volunteer editions of HaEtone, our weekly newsletter. Many people are volunteering and engaging in ways they hadn’t previously. Surprisingly, the two volunteer opportunities that created the most buzz were sorting keys and digging a hole for the geniza so that we could bury some old prayer books. The people who volunteered for these would tell you that both opportunities were good exercise…running back and forth from various doors to the pile of keys…digging a four foot deep and four foot wide hole…But it was far more than physical exertion. In so many ways, these were illustrations of co-creating our sacred community. Making the “it'' happen.
One was ritualistic, one was building related, both needed to be done.
In both cases, it gave people the chance to be at Bet Shalom with a purpose.
In both cases, the volunteers interacted with staff, clergy and other Bet Shalom members who were here for their own reasons.
In both cases the volunteers were able to experience the vibrancy in our community that many don’t get to see…the parking lot full of cars on a weekday as the building was bustling with the Bet Shalom Yeladim childcare center and other meetings that were taking place.
These brief moments extend our Bet Shalom congregation…our Bet Shalom network...into the world and into each other’s lives. Shabbat and Holiday Services are when we celebrate together…and yet these other moments spark that kind of sacredness too. The opportunities to experience those moments are endless. Everything you care about at Bet Shalom has an opportunity for you to co-create with others. Our community creates our community every single day.
It happens when someone delivers a Kugel and has a three minute interaction with the recipient. They create Bet Shalom between themselves in those moments.
It happens when the choir comes together and rehearses…in the ruach ensemble too.
It happens when a group of adults study together to become Adult B’nai Mitzvah.
It happens when we come to Shabbat services and are present in each others’ lives.
In Mishnah Pirkei Avot (2:4), it says, אַל תִּפְרֹשׁ מִן הַצִּבּוּר: do not separate yourself from the community…” May I be so bold as to expand those words of the sage…do not separate yourself from the community. Run towards it.
The pandemic accelerated some behaviors that were already present in the world before. Digitizing our world kept us going. Moving our world to our screens got many of us through the pandemic.
I do understand and empathize with those who need that kind of digital access from home. And it is also true that it is much tougher to access the kind sacred community I am talking about, from home. We even have some members who tune in from other states and they have created community. It isn’t impossible, it is just harder. I commit that we will continue to offer our services and programs in dual fashion, and I am asking you all…come here in person when you can. I know Covid is still a concern. When you feel it is safe for you to do so, come here and create the kind of community I am talking about with other members of our congregation.
The last few years of Covid has pushed us into our own singular worlds. We need to remember…or re-learn…how to be in community. We need to move from the singular to the plural. Not just me…but we. We are not that synagogue building in Dvinsk.
We have vitality. We are vibrant. We are diverse. We are Bet Shalom.
It is true that in the world today, religious affiliation is on the decline. No matter how you cut it or which data you follow, there are fewer people who opt into a religious community. But I think what people think of as a religious community is not what it really means today. Some bad things have happened in the name of religion and those things are not what we mean by kehilah kadosha - sacred community.
You may have noticed over the years that while some congregations refer to themselves as faith communities, we at Bet Shalom refer to ourselves as a sacred community. That is not to say that faith isn’t part of Judaism. But when we talk about your connection to Bet Shalom and Judaism, we talk about your expression of values and what kind of engagement you are interested in…not what you believe. I love talking about faith and belief and that conversation is always welcome. But community is the entry point. And we have many ways we can help you establish those points of entry.
I know that some of you are driven by sincere faith and that is what brings you here. And I know many of you were born into Judaism and come here because of a sense of responsibility for maintaining the chain, of which you are a link, going all the way back those 5784 years. And I know there are others who have chosen this path as adults and your journey is what brings you here. And there are dozens of other reasons you come. Whatever brings you here, I am so grateful for each of you. Our community is what makes our community and we need you.
Being part of Bet Shalom is about bringing the values of our tradition into the world with and for each other. This last summer, a prominent Rabbi named Rabbi David Wolpe upon his retirement published an op ed reflecting on his career in which he said, “I still believe the synagogue is a refuge for the bereaved and provides a road map for the seeker. The stories of the Torah, read year after year, wear grooves in our souls, so that patterns of life that might escape us become clear. Sibling rivalries and their costs are clear in the story of Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers. The consequences of kindness emanate from the book of Ruth. We share unanswerable questions with Job and passion with the Song of Songs. The Torah acts as a spur and a salve.”
We at Bet Shalom are too big to be a family. But at the same time, we want you to see the synagogue as an extension of your home. And maybe it isn’t even at our building. Bet Shalom happens wherever you create sacred community with each other.
I know that when I take up this topic of communal responsibility and engagement, it can be perceived as a guilt trip. That is of course a very Jewish thing…guilt. But I don’t believe in guilt as a motivator. I believe in joy as a motivator. I believe in a deep sense of community as a motivator.
So what motivates you? What are you personally seeking? What would draw you into deeper community at Bet Shalom? I am asking for real. It takes our community to make our community. As we enter the new year of 5784, I am asking you to think about where you see yourself at Bet Shalom and come co-create with us.
Ken Yehi Razon - May it be so.
Yom Kippur Family Service Story 5784/2023
Yom Kippur Ruach Service Sermon 5784/2023
Do It Anyway.
Yom Kippur Morning 5784-2023
Rabbi David Locketz
TIKKUN OLAM: REPAIRING THE WORLD - Serve as model members of society, locally and globally.
In modern Jewish life, when we hear the words Tikkun Olam, our minds typically go to the ideals of Social Action and Social Justice, the environment and advocacy. Tikkun Olam means to repair or correct the world. Which is a bold statement…arrogant even…that we human beings can somehow entertain the idea of repairing the world.
But it isn't a new idea and we can trace this back roughly 500 years. It was then in the mystical city of S’fat in Northern Israel that Rabbi Isaac Luria, known as the Ari (1534-1572) first spoke it. Light is mentioned on two different days in the Creation Story…and as a mystic…the Ari understood that the world was created with some special kind of light in addition to the sun, the moon and the stars. The idea is captured beautifully by gifted storyteller, Howard Schwartz:
“At the beginning of time…When God decided to bring this world into being…And when God said, “Let there be light” (Gen. 1:3), the light that came into being filled the darkness, and ten holy vessels came forth, each filled with primordial light.
God sent forth those ten vessels, like a fleet of ships, each carrying its cargo of light. Had they all arrived intact, the world would have been perfect. But the vessels were too fragile to contain such a powerful, divine light. They broke open, split asunder, and all the holy sparks were scattered like sand, like seeds, like stars. Those sparks fell everywhere.
We were created — to gather the sparks, no matter where they are hidden…And when enough holy sparks have been gathered, the broken vessels will be restored, and tikkun olam, the repair of the world will finally be complete. Therefore it should be the aim of everyone to raise these sparks from wherever they are imprisoned and to elevate them to holiness by the power of their soul…”
My guess…the Ari…Rabbi Isaac Luria was looking out at the world, as some of us do now, and sitting up on top of that mountain looking out at the Land of Israel, and he wondered, “how, if Creation was perfect…did our world get into such a mess? And in that moment, he decided that it didn’t matter how we got here. Let’s presume we can do something about it. Let’s live like we can do something about it.
But not only can we do something about it, maybe even the world was created in such a way that requires us to co-create it. We can’t go back to the beginning and make stronger vessels…but we can band together and search for that lost light, metaphorically speaking.
Light is a powerful metaphor in Judaism. Torah is light. Righteousness is light. Justice is light. And we like to think that the light is inside of us. Certainly the potential to create that light in the world. I once heard a version of this story where the story teller had us close our eyes tightly and gently press on our eyelids. You can try it if you like…or imagine it…many of us see colors and lights when we do that…one could say that this illustrates that the holy light of creation is inside of us. And that is where we get our power to act.
And our responsibility. There is of course a range of privilege, but whatever resources you have at the ready…money, influence, energy and enthusiasm…time…We are compelled to gather the light.
In Tractate, Shabbat 54b in the Babylonian Talmud, it says,
Whoever has the ability to protest against the members of their household, but does not protest, they are punished for the transgressions of the members of their household.
Similarly, one who can protest against the people of their town, but does not do so, they are punished for the transgressions of the people of their town.
Further, one who can protest against the entire world, but does not protest, they are punished for the transgressions of the entire world.
That is a strong statement from the rabbis. That we don’t get to stand by when we see injustice. If we do, we are at fault on some level. That is a lot to have on our shoulders. And what if we feel the task is too great? That we can’t actually achieve it or make a difference? Judaism says, “do it anyway.” Long before Nike started the “Just Do It” campaign, Judaism has given us a framework for getting important work done in the face of adversity. “Do it anyway because it is a sacred obligation.”
In fact, in the Mishnah, in Pirke Avot, we have the words,
לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה.
“Rabbi Tarphon used to say: It is not your responsibility to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” Responsibility for our world has long been understood to be a responsibility we all share.
If we all take part…we can make a difference in many things even if we can’t resolve them entirely. Living these values is, in and of itself, the act of gathering light. Of strengthening the vessels metaphorically.
I have a few topics I’d like to lift up in the name of Tikkun Olam. The world has many challenges…and there is work to be done and even if it seems like our actions are not going to make much of a difference…do it anyway.
The environment feels like one of those things to me. Our Jewish tradition demands we do what we can to care for our planet. There are dozens of proof texts from the Torah and the Rabbininc writings, but we know that Judaism started out as an earth based, agrarian tradition. Our holidays all include so many messages and rituals that link our lives with appreciation for Creation - the land - and all it produces. Our founding mythologies teach us that we were created to be responsible for Creation. Co-creators. The climate crisis…is dire. debilitatingly dire. And I know more people than ever have thrown their hands up and said, there is nothing I can do about it. As if doing acts of tikkun olam won’t help. Maybe it will, and maybe not…do it anyway.
Find ways to make an impact, from little actions to big ones. [Ideas keep changing as to how we can reduce our foodprints.] We can do so many things to reduce the overconsumption that plagues the planet…filling waterways with plastic, poisoning the environment and destroying ecology. We all can do something.
At Bet Shalom we have recommitted to reducing waste here at the synagogue. Will it change the world? Maybe…maybe not. But we should do it anyway. And we are at the early stages of determining how and when we can add solar power to our building to reduce our expenses and our carbon footprint. We have been talking about solar panels as long as I have been at Bet Shalom. It will take a few more years to get there…but I am confident we will.
There is a group of Bet Shalomians who work together on advocacy efforts concerning Environmental Justice as part of our Social Action group. If this is an area that interests you in which you might help gather up those sparks...let me know.
So far I don’t think I have said anything too controversial. But I want to include Israel on this list of important Jewish values that fall under Tikkun Olam. We have defined Tikkun Olam at Bet Shalom, as striving to be model citizens locally and globally.
Love of Israel has become a politically charged topic. Because our congregation is no different than the rest of society, I know we won’t always agree on how to address challenges in the world…and Israel may be one of them. I hold Israel in this sacred category of Tikkun Olam and I hope you will too.
I have never been shy about my love for Israel. Nor have I been shy about criticizing Israel’s government when criticism is deserved. This is a moment in history where I believe the government deserves our rebuke as it has pulled back civil freedoms and checks and balances on government power. The world is watching as Israel’s streets are filled with protesters each Saturday night…two nights ago was the 38th straight week of protests…Jews here in the United States have been protesting too, the largest was on Friday outside the UN where Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was meeting with other world leaders.
In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of The Yom Kippur War in Israel, we will be hosting Tal Schneider who is the Political and Diplomatic Correspondent for the Times of Israel on Sunday morning, November 12th. We will have plenty of time to discuss the politics of Israel. But today we talk about Tikkun Olam. If you don’t like what is happening in Israel…get involved. Love Israel anyway. Love Israel with all your heart and soul.
Our own Reform Movement works tirelessly to promote an Israeli society that reflects both democratic values and religious pluralism. I am proud to be a Reform Rabbi and for our congregation to be part of the Reform Movement. If this is an area of Tikkun Olam that pulls at your heart - I can help you connect.
And in the name of Tikkun Olam, your love for Israel can also mean getting involved in other ways that aren’t political. The people that live in the Land have all the same societal woes that we do here too. And there are unbelievable organizations doing great work to help gather the holy sparks together. Our Federation allocates communal dollars in supporting several services in Israel. We:
✡ provide holiday packages to lone soldiers who have made aliyah and don’t have local family support systems
✡fund six youth villages that serve over 1000 at risk students providing housing and education
✡Our funds promote shared society programming in mixed cities where Jews, Muslims and Christians live together.
✡We help 8500 immigrant get settled each year…people coming from all over the world for a better life.
✡Our Federation works to help reduce socioeconomic gaps in Israel, supports vulnerable older adults, children at risk, people with disabilities and those who are unemployed or underemployed.
✡This is Tikkun Olam.
✡I can help you get involved in this work too.
Again from Pirke Avot (1:2), we learn:
עַל שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד, עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְעַל הָעֲבוֹדָה וְעַל גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים: Shimon the Righteous used to say: The world stands upon three things: the Torah, Prayer, and G’milut Chasadim - acts of loving kindness.
Over these High Holidays I have shared thoughts with you all about all of these because this is also how Bet Shalom stands. Our ultimate goal is to establish an environment where each of us can be part of sacred community. To belong. To co-create our community because as my refrain has been, our community creates our community. Torah, Prayer, and G’milut Chasadim…the study of our tradition through Talmud Torah, and our prayers and rituals, enrich our souls in times of sadness and in celebration. G’milut Chasadim…the third pillar stated by Shimon the Righteous…Acts of Love and Kindness…that is where the rubber hits the road.
G’milut Chasadim…acts of loving kindness…acts of compassion…acts of generosity…these are some of our greatest values. And the world we want to co-create has those at the very center. And sometimes it seems like the challenges society faces in this realm are too great. We have to act anyway. There are people who don’t have homes or who live in desperate situations without enough food. It is almost impossible to believe that it can happen in our world. There is enough food for everyone! Everyone deserves a safe place to live and enough food to eat. Our Jewish values won’t stand for hunger. Those values won’t stand for homelessness either.
We may not solve the problem entirely…but thank you to all of you who brought food here today to help those who don’t have enough. Our collective donation to the ICA is extraordinary and is an enormous gathering of the light of Creation.
Rabbi Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl (1730-1797), known as Me’or Einayim wrote, “that when you make yourself holy and speak Torah in holiness, even the ground around you resounds with that holiness.” That is what living a life of Tikkun Olam is.
In this community that we create together…each of us in our way, can do this…so that if it could be so, even the ground around us would rejoice.
We have been talking a lot about light lately. Last night, right before we prayed the Kol Nidre Prayer, we sang the words of Psalm 97,
א֭וֹר זָרֻ֣עַ לַצַּדִּ֑יק וּֽלְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵ֥ב שִׂמְחָֽה׃
Light is sown for the righteous, radiance for the upright.
This is the hope of the High Holidays. That we can start the new year fresh and that we will know the radiance that these words describe. In trying to understand what is meant by radiance, various sources have said, it means wealth, or peace, or health, even eternal life…it clearly is meant to symbolize good things. But the word seed…zarua…is also there. So maybe we take this as planting seeds.
With every act of Gemilut Chasadim, we plant more seeds of light…of kindness, and comfort and care for each other. And over time, we can gather in the light of Creation along with the light that we create - the light that grows from the seeds we planted with our good deeds. The task is big. The world is tired. Let’s do it anyway. Let’s live like we can do something about it. That we can make it better. That we can fill the vessels, and the world, with our light.
Ken Yehi Razon - May it be God’s will, May it be our will. May it be so.
Kol Nidre 2023
“God is just a word.”
Kol Nidre 5784/2023
Rabbi David Locketz
TIKKUN HANEFESH: ENRICHING OUR SOULS
Deepen members’ connection to Judaism and how it informs and enriches their lives.
Once when our daughters were young, I remember having a philosophical conversation with them while we were watching a sunset. It was about the nature of color and perception. One of them suggested that we could all be seeing different colors, but called those different colors by the same name. The idea being that we each perceived a color in our own spectrum, but that we had collectively assigned it the same word even though we saw it, or perceived it, differently. I remember thinking that was wise for a little girl.
I recalled that conversation this summer while listening to a podcast and heard the guest theologian say repeatedly, “God is just a word.” Well he was not really a theologian in the academically trained sense. If you were a fan of the TV series The Office, it might strike you as unlikely, but Dwight Schrute…or more accurately, the actor who played Dwight, Rainn Wilson, has written a theology book, called “Soul Boom,” where he calls on all of us to reconsider and re-engage in religion. He even proposes that perhaps we should take the best practices of all our religions and start a new one.
Wilson’s religious affiliation is Bahai so his practices are different than in Judaism, but he comes from a place that resonates with me…from the place of seeking meaning and strength…he comes from the same place that we all come from…that inner something that is not our material being…not our bodies…but that space of thought and feeling that we think of as soul. Or whatever you call it…Judaism calls it “nefesh.” It is that part of you that we say makes us different from some animals. The meaning seeking part of us.
The part of us that many people don’t really talk about…perhaps because it is too personal or we just don’t have the right words. In his book, Wilson tells the story of pitching a TV series idea to all of the networks. The idea was a show called, “The Notorious G.O.D.” in which he envisioned facilitating conversions between people talking about their God beliefs. He was rejected by every network. Netflix sent him a letter stating the concept was too controversial. [Netflix!]
When we talk about our spiritual connections to Judaism…our soul connections…our God connections, there is an assumption that we are talking about the same thing. Like we are looking at the same color. But I think it is far more likely that many of us in this room use the word God for different things. Like we are looking at different colors, but using the same word. And I think that is OK. Because what I am describing is an experience. Some people call it spirituality…I like to call it religious experience. And we can have shared experiences without defining things exactly the same way. God is just a word.
Addressing our souls…whether it is the deep work of cheshbon hanefesh on Yom Kippur when we take an accounting of souls, or making room in our lives for soul work outside of Yom Kippur…it is hard work. And it doesn’t come naturally for most people. But Yom Kippur is not easy. It wasn’t meant to be easy. It is meant to be a meaningful and moving experience.
And you are here. So you have already taken the first step. You have started the new year addressing your nefesh. But Kol Nidre is just a few moments in time. Let me suggest a few ways that we might address our souls…our nefashot in the coming year, while also deepening our connections to the wisdom and experience of Jewish tradition, deepening our connections to each other, and working to make the world a kinder, gentler place.
We started our service by designating sacred space, by carving out some quiet…some sanctuary. In that way, Judaism can be a way of resisting popular culture and it has been since Moses in the desert. A repetitive theme throughout the Torah is, “don’t be like all those people…they are focussed on the wrong thing.” Fasting on Yom Kippur forces us to ignore our material needs and consider only our spiritual ones. So at least for this day, we can resist popular culture…tune out the noise and focus on our nefesh.
But Judaism doesn’t want us to fast every day. We can’t always be at this heightened level of spirit. But we can incorporate aspects of this work into our own daily routines. We know we need to take care of our bodies. And that is hard work. Some people get euphoric from endorphins when they exercise. Most of us don’t. But over time, we all can appreciate the benefits of being physically fit. The same is true of our souls. There are some among us who manage to hover above the ground in prayer. But for most of us that isn’t what happens. Yet over time, as we get better at it, being spiritually fit brings incredible benefit to our lives too.
It is told of Rabbi Akiva who was one of the great rabbis of the Talmud that when he would lead the congregation in prayer, he would cut his prayers short. But when he prayed by himself, he would begin in one corner of the courtyard and when he was done, he would find himself in another corner.
I can imagine Akiva leading prayer for the community and keeping an eye on the time, with both hands gripping his prayerbook wanting to get it all right and keep everything happening as it was supposed to be. But when he was by himself and he had no responsibilities beyond his own soul, he would pull his tallit up over his head and his prayerbook became a diving board into himself. He was one of the practiced few who could swim in the deep end of that pool.
The prayer book represents something that we call Kevah, or fixed. Kevah are the prescribed words on the page that have been handed down to us through the centuries. They are the words we recite together. Kavanah is what we ourselves bring to the prayer experience. How we understand it in our own way…how we perceive it…how we each place ourselves into it and it into us. And it takes practice. It isn’t something that you can just expect to happen. Most may not whirl around, lost in prayer like Akiva…but you too can find deep meaning in it. You just have to try.
If you were with us on Rosh HaShanah and heard me talk about the value of Kehilah Kedosha, creating sacred community, as one of Bet Shalom’s core values, some of what I’d like to suggest may echo what I said then. Because all of our strategic themes are interwoven. We use the words Tikkun HaNefesh to mean “enriching our souls” and consider this a big part of our mission…helping our members deepen their connections to Judaism and providing you with opportunities to enrich your souls.
That might sound lofty. But it is something every single one of us can do…and just as we know we need to exercise our bodies…so too should we consider exercising the part of ourselves that is separate from our material selves.
So here is where Tikkun HaNefesh echoes Kehilah Kedosha. You schedule time for most things in your life, schedule time in your life for coming to Shabbat services. You’ll create sacred connections in our community and you’ll exercise your spirit at the same time.
Find the right pace for you. Coming once a month at first is a great way to start…or come every single week…that is great too. You’ll be surprised how quickly you can create community. Sitting in community…singing together..praying the words of our tradition…sitting in silence together…this enriches our souls. And if that sounds enriching to your soul, but also scary…we can help you get started. I know that for some people, coming to services sounds a little scary because you aren’t sure what to expect. We’ll help you. I promise. You aren’t alone.
Rav Abraham Isaac HaKohen Kook who was the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem before Israel’s Independence taught that spiritual growth can be slow and almost imperceptible like the growth of our bodies.
But over time, the growth is real. And the side benefits are extraordinary.
Maybe you are ready to go deeper into the pool. Perhaps you could see yourself singing in the choir or making musical prayer with our Ruach Ensemble. In the Talmud, in maseket Arachin, we learn that, “The Sages taught: The song that the Levites sing while a communal offering is being sacrificed is indispensable and without it the offering is invalid.” - Pause - It is indispensable…the communal offering is invalid without it. I know the Cantor would love to hear from anyone who might even just be curious about the opportunity. And singing together is good for the soul. Not just because we learn this in the Talmud. But we know from experience. Our community has been singing together since Mt. Sinai.
Jewish musician Sam Glaser recently wrote that, “According to the Maharal of Prague (Judah Loew ben Bezalel, 1512-1609), music serves the threefold purpose of the creation of humankind: to develop a connection with the divine in the form of prayer, to connect us with one another and to connect us with our own souls.
It seems like singing together can carry us pretty far along our spiritual trajectory as we consider our souls. Our nefashot. But singing isn’t the only way.
Learning is also a very Jewish way to enrich our souls. The rabbis of our tradition have long debated what is the best recipe for human development and they argued over how we humans are supposed to spend our time. In Talmud Tractate Kiddushin (40b), it relates that, ““Rabbi Tarphon and some elders asked: Which is greater, study or action? Rabbi Tarphon spoke up and said: Action is greater. Rabbi Akiva disagreed and said: Study is greater. The others then declared: "Study is greater because it leads to action.”
So our sages took the position that study for study’s sake holds a very high value. We still hold that value high. Because Rabbi Tarphon knew what he was talking about. Studying ultimately will lead to so many other things…to a deeper appreciation of our traditions…to a deeper sense of community with others who are studying…and the beauty of it is that there is no experience required. You can jump in from anywhere.
Engaging in Jewish learning is Tikkun HaNefesh. It is a Jewish spiritual practice. Study is when we hear the voice of tradition. Some say that it is when God, or at least the wisdom of the ages, speaks to us…through the text. Prayer is when we voice our own inner thoughts, concerns and desires. Study, like prayer, connects us with our fellow learners. It also connects us with tradition and serves to enrich our souls.
So this is an open invitation to add some Jewish learning to your life in the year ahead.
Join one of our study communities that meet regularly to discuss the Torah portion or some other part of the Hebrew Bible. You will be beautifully welcomed.
Consider studying to become an Adult B/M. Or work with Cantor Havilio to relearn your own B/M torah portion. Join our book group. Or come discuss your interests with me and I can make some recommendations. To make things easier, starting in November, I plan to begin holding open office hours online on Tuesdays when people can just sign on and drop in. And on Thursday mornings I plan to be at a local coffee shop available to study a little or chat about anything you’d like. I’ll share the details for those opportunities soon.
And Just like with choir…perhaps you can contribute here too. Community makes community. What can you teach or lead? Perhaps you want to kick-off a new small group of learners. We will be here to support you on this journey.
Both of these suggestions, communal prayer and study, bring you into community with others. With Tikkun HaNefesh, soul work…there are no limits. You can turn every minute into an opportunity to express gratitude or awe.
Prayer can be communal, but it can also be very personal…like breathing…
One of the prayers we say in the morning guides us to give thanks for everyday miracles - Nisim B-chol yom. Like having sight or other physical abilities. We give thanks for having our ability to discern and make decisions.
Baruch atah adonai, thank you for…all that I cherish in life. This list of prayers is really just a reminder that we should live lives of gratitude…looking for things over which we can give thanks. Prayer is when we express ourselves. And gratitude is at the core of so many of our prayers.
Baruch atah adonai, thank you for the cycle of the seasons and the Fall Colors we are starting to see.
Baruch atah adonai, thank you for the blessing of laughter.
Baruch atah adonai, thank you for kindness in the world.
Baruch atah adonai, thank you for sacred community here at Bet Shalom.
When I started to think about my sermons for these High Holidays, I thought about what it might mean to express one of our four strategic themes in each of my sermons. I know that this one…Tikkun HaNefesh is the one that most people lean into, the least. And I want you to know that in the most difficult moments, in moments of celebration, when you are seeking meaning in your everyday existence, having space in your routine for Tikkun Ha Nefesh - nefesh work is a sacred and important thing.
The world is a tough place right now. And just for these few minutes, we’ve managed to keep ourselves in a state of sanctuary. Where we can just be here, in the moment…hoping to float a few inches above the ground…in our minds if not in our bodies. May the coming year have many moments like this. Consider committing yourselves to it. You won’t regret it.
G’mar Chatimah Tovah. May you already be inscribed for life.