THE HOLIDAY SEASON

Our holiday season began in mid-September and ended early this month. I am referring, of course, to the Jewish High Holidays and the ones immediately following. It is a platefull.

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles.
Shemini Atzeret, the Eighth Day of Meeting.
Simchat Torah, the Rejoicing of the Law.

I had the honor and privilege of leading services during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Under the best of circumstances, these are lengthy affairs requiring an enormous amount of vocal and spiritual energy. This year, our rabbis and synagogue staff made sure that accommodations were in place to enable me to function. It was a most gracious gesture that allowed me an opportunity to deliver what I knew to be my valedictory.

On Simchat Torah, both Dee and I were honored by being called to recite the blessings at the end of Deuteronomy and the beginning of Genesis. For our cycle of reading the Torah never ends: as we finish we begin anew. And seeing Dee standing on the bimah as the story of Creation was read will be one of my sweetest memories.

For extra fun, fully one-third of the congregation was wearing colanders. Those of you who know me will understand.

A NEW YEAR’S REFLECTION

Adieu

On finishing our life’s long toil
And shuffling off this mortal coil
Sometimes it is a great surprise
The ways and means of our demise

Some by water, some by fire
Some by crazy Uncle Meyer
Some by drought and some by flood
And some, bacilli in the blood
Some by knife and some by gun
And some from having too much fun
Some by food and some by drink
And some because they didn’t think

Some by the hand of evil men
They knew not where, they knew not when
One moment here, next moment not
Such was their tragic, painful lot

Repentance, prayer, and charity
May soften the severe decree
When comes the time to say adieu
May grace and mercy follow you

[an interpretation of the U-netaneh Tokef prayer recited by Jews on the High Holidays, inspired by recent events]

THE FINE ART OF APPRECIATION

I am not an especially religious person. My friends from synagogue might be surprised to hear this, since I am adept in many Matters Ritual and I make it my business to be knowledgeable. (Often, I will tell people that knowing a lot about my religion allows me to be cognizant of which of its innumerable rules and regulations I might be violating at any given time.)

I am a skeptic. Nevertheless, I pray.

A friend taught me a beautiful analogy for prayer, one that works even for us skeptics. He compared praying to standing in front of a room with a one-way mirror, speaking to the occupant within. We don’t know who or what is in the room, or whether the occupant of the room is there always or only sometimes. We don’t know whether this mysterious occupant listens to us or takes action based upon what we say or do. About these matters, we can only guess - and have faith. But regardless of who or what is in the hidden room, when we pray we see our own reflection in the one-way mirror.

It’s a wonderful analogy, and it is reinforced further by the fact that, in Hebrew, the verb “to pray“ is a reflexive verb: one for which both the subject and object are the same.

Thus do I justify my prayers, despite my being skeptical about the existence of a deity.

Our liturgy is beautiful... not just because of its language and poetry, but because so much of it forces the mind to focus on important things. The miracles that attend us daily - evening, morning, and afternoon. The wondrous way our bodies are constructed, permitting us not only to eat and breathe, but to have rich intellectual lives and to look beyond the human, mortal world. The beauty that surrounds us. Our liturgy teaches us the fine art of appreciation.

As I said above, I am a skeptic. Nevertheless, there are plenty of words with which I can express thanks for all of the blessings I have had for over 65 years.

And as far as the words that I will use to express my fear, frustration, discomfort, and just plain pissed-offedness at my current situation are concerned, I’m perfectly capable of making those up on my own.