L'shanah Tovah/"Cup" song

Here is a link to a fun video the staff at Temple Emanuel put together for the New Year. Enjoy!  http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DNcYj_XA2HGQ%26feature%3Dyoutu.be&h=vAQE0qf8QAQGkM7ztVVPBZ8wUX5hrvn6d7Da_VaSBMe3-YA&enc=AZNO7IikbP-WU5fkGnc4In0bbN_e8K67_d63mVmQe0wR39Z4EZQuUkrD2JioJwWziPMOQPwPV5NlUcLv2PB0oaia&s=1

4 Weeks of Elul 5773 - Week Four: Our Physical Selves

My Dear Friends,

One of the most hotly debated political issues that we, as a nation face is that of affordable health care.  The questions surrounding who should have access to health care and how much it should cost have become so polarizing that they often have been used to torpedo our national political process.  Unfortunately, what often is lost in the rhetoric and political manipulation is the fact that ultimately, what is being discussed and debated revolves around the fact that, as physical beings, we are vulnerable.  Our bodies are the vessels in and through which we encounter both the physical and the spiritual realms.  If we are not physically healthy, then we cannot perform Tikkun Olam - the repairing of our world. Our bodies are holy.  The Torah teaches that we are created B’tzelem Elohim - in the image of God. In this light, taking care of our bodies is a sacred task.  We also are taught that helping others find health and wellness is a vitally important mitzvah.  The simple act of visiting someone who is ill can make a huge difference in their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

During this last week of Elul, I want us to focus on our physical selves.  Again, this is by no means a complete list.  Some questions are repeated from previous years.  Hopefully the questions will provide you with a starting point for examining and improving the relationships in your lives:  As such – I offer the following questions:

1. Have I taken care of my body through diet and exercise?
2. Have I prepared medical directives that are clear and unambiguous stating my desires for illness and end-of-life issues?
3. Have I done all that I could to comfort those around me who are affected by illness – have I performed the mitzvah of Bikkur Cholim – visiting the sick?
4. Have I allowed political affiliation to blind me to the real issues revolving around the current debate over the implementation of national health care?
5. How much stress is in my life?  Is it affecting the way I live my life?
6. What bad habits have I cultivated that I need to change?
7. Have I been avoiding going to the doctor, dentist or other health care professionals due to financial concerns or fear of what I might discover?

I want to wish all of you a healthy and a happy New Year.  I hope to see you at Selichot services on Saturday night, August 31^st at Temple.  We will be watching Woody Allen’s masterpiece, Crimes and Misdemeanors and discussing its relevance to the themes of repentance and forgiveness. The program begins with a “pre-Oneg” at 7:00, followed by the film and discussion at 7:30.  Services – featuring the music of the High Holy Days, begin at 10:00.  Look at your bulletins and e-notes for more information.  To go to our website, click here:  http://www.emanueldenver.org/ 

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions for additional questions and formats that we can use. This is by no means a complete list of questions. It is just a beginning. If answering any of them causes you to want to speak to one of the Temple clergy, Rabbi Immerman, Cantor Heit, Cantor Sacks and I would welcome the opportunity. Note that all of these materials will be available in several formats: electronically - via email, on our Temple website and Facebook page, in my blog: www.Rabbijoeblack.blogspot.com; and in hard copy at the Temple Office. If you know of anyone else who might want to receive these mailings – whether or not they are members of the congregation, please contact Susie Sigman at Sigman@emanueldenver.org .

May this time of Cheshbon Hanefesh be fruitful for all of us as we prepare to enter into the holiest days of the year.

L’Shanah Tovah Tikateyvu – May you have a good year and may we all be inscribed for blessing in the Book of Life.

L’Shalom,

 

Rabbi Joseph R. Black

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Let God In" Video

I recently was interviewd for Radio Chavura - a Denver-based radio program.  Our interview was also digitally recorded.  Here is a link to me singing my song, "Let God In."
 
Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ5iHWRL08Q&feature=player_embedded
 
Here are the lyrics:

LET GOD IN  (Meditation on n’eilah). 

Words and music - Rabbi Joe Black

(C) Copyright, 1995. LANITUNES Music

(El norah alilah - 3x Ham'tze lanu m'chilah bish'at ha-neilah)

(Awesome God, on high grant us pardon during this hour of neilah.)

There's a hole in the sky growing bigger every day

And it looks like an eye gazing sadly down our way.
Try to ignore it, but it just won't go away
Tears falling down like the acid rain
 
There's a hole deep inside of so many here today
Try to ignore it but it just won't go away
So we fill it up with our moneys and desires
Measuring our worth with what we can acquire
But the only way to patch it is to catch it from within....
Where is God?    Whenever we let God in.

You can't find God in the classroom

Or a book that you take from a shelf.
You can't find God on a mountain top,
You can only find God in yourself.
There's nowhere to look and no place to find
If your final destination is your peace of mind.
It's not a matter of place, it's time -
You've got to change the "where" to "when."
Where is God?  Whenever we let God in.

Four Weeks of Elul 5773 - Week 3: Personal and Professional Relationships

Dear Friends,

 

Last week, I wrote about the importance of community. This week, I want us to focus on the individual relationships we share that are the backbone of creating a Kehillah Kedosha - a sacred community.

 

Martin Buber, in his classic work, I and Thou, teaches that there are two basic types of human relationships: “I-It” and “I-Thou”. An “I-It”relationship is one in which we interact with others for the purpose of gaining something. This can take place in the arena of commerce, entertainment or any other experience where we interact with others on a daily basis. An “I-It” relationship is not necessarily a bad thing: the majority of our relationships are this type. When I go to the store to purchase an article of clothing and I hand the sales person the required money, we have had an “I-It” relationship. When I work on a project with a co-worker, this too can often be an "I-It" interaction. Of course, these relationships have the potential to be destructive and manipulating –especially when we use them for the purpose of our own gain at the expense or hurt of others.

An “I-Thou” relationship, on the other hand, is not about business, personal or professional gain. It is the purest (and rarest) of all connections. According to Buber, when we come in contact with another person as a“Thou,” we experience the essential holiness of their soul. “I-Thou” relationships become the template for experiencing God in the world.

 

This time of Cheshbon Ha-nefesh (soul searching) during the month of Elul gives us an opportunity to examine the central relationships in our lives. Almost everything we do involves other people. We have different kinds of relationships: personal, professional, romantic and platonic. And yet, all of our dealings with others – both “I-It” and “I-Thou” - have the potential for holiness. The Torah teaches that every person is created in the image of God. How we treat others must reflect this awareness.

 

The Mishnah teaches that on Yom Kippur the sins we have committed against God will be forgiven if we are truly repentant. The sins we commit against others, however, cannot be forgiven unless and until we have asked those whom we have wronged to forgive us. In many ways, this is one of the most difficult aspects of Cheshbon Ha-nefesh. It means that we have to take risks by reaching out to others. We may encounter resistance, anger, or resentment. Sometimes it is impossible to reach out to others – and yet, it is our duty to do all that we can to assess whether or not reconciliation is possible. If there is a slightest hope –then we need to try – even if we fail.

 

The following questions are designed to help us think about the current status of the many different relationships in our lives. Again, this is by no means a complete list. Hopefully it will provide you with a starting point for improving the relationships in your lives.

 

1. Have I been able to see the holiness in those closest to me?

 

2. Are there people I have wronged to from whom I need to ask forgiveness?

 

3. Do I have the strength to take the risk of asking those whom I have wronged for their forgiveness?

 

4. Have I shut out the pain of others in other parts of the world? In my country? My City? My congregation? My neighborhood? My family?

 

5. Have I taken time recently to let the most important people in my life know how much I care about them?

 

6. Have I done all that I could to repair damaged relationships in my life?

 

7. Have I taken part in any business or personal transactions this past year that were against my religious, moral or ethical principles? Did I ever ignore the gnawing feeling in my Kishkes that told me that I took advantage of someone else?

 

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions for additional questions and formats that we can use. This is by no means a complete list of questions. It is just a beginning. If answering any of them causes you to want to speak to one of the Temple clergy, Rabbi Immerman, Cantor Heit, Cantor Sacks and I would welcome the opportunity. Note that all of these materials will be available in several formats: electronically - via email, on our Temple website and Facebook page, in my blog: www.Rabbijoeblack.blogspot.com; and in hard copy at the Temple Office. If you know of anyone else who might want to receive these mailings – whether or not they are members of the congregation, please contact Susie Sigman at Sigman@emanueldenver.org .

 

May this time of Cheshbon Hanefesh be fruitful for all of us as we prepare to enter into the holiest days of the year.

 

L’Shalom,

 

Rabbi Joseph R. Black

 

 

 

Four Weeks of Elul: Week 2 - Our Communal Selves

My Dear Friends,

As I write this second installment of the Four Weeks of Elul, my heart is heavy.  Tomorrow morning, I have the difficult task of officiating at the funeral of a young man who died suddenly and tragically - leaving behind a wife, two young children, a stricken family and many, many friends.  He was a pillar of our community.  He gave his time, expertise and resources to support  the Denver Jewish and secular communities.  At the service tomorrow, our sanctuary will be filled to overflowing with grieving family, friends and colleagues.

When we confront tragedy: when our ordered and compartmentalized world is suddenly turned upside down, we look to one another to find comfort and caring.  As members of a Kehilla Kedosha – a sacred community – we share a common bond and connection.  The presence of caring souls helps to ease the burden of grief, pain and fear.

But it is not only in times of difficulty that we need community.  We also come together to celebrate the joys of life, to experience the sacred, to learn from one another and chart a course for our future.  Community strengthens and inspires us to share in the wonder of God’s creation.

We live in a society that threatens the very foundation of community.  Our digital technology encourages us to work alone.  This can be a good thing, but there is a fine line between alone-ness and loneliness.  One of the curses of the information age is the fact that we no longer are forced to be in proximity with one another.  We can be educated, entertained and earn a living all in the privacy of our homes.

Jewish life is based on a core value of creating and celebrating community.  We need a minyan in order to pray.  We pray in the plural.  We say: “OUR God and the God of all ages,” not “MY God. I have always found that the rhythm of weekly Shabbat observance is a vital part of my overall spiritual health. The act of regularly coming together for worship and study not only strengthens our souls, it also prepares us for those moments when we need to be together – when we experience loss or tragedy; when we want to share our joy. 

During this second week of Elul, I want us to focus on the importance of our communal selves.  If you have not taken the opportunity to participate actively in Temple Emanuel this past year, I would ask that, during this month of Elul when we perform the Mitzvah of Cheshbon HaNefesh (soul searching), you might think of ways to become involved.  You will be glad that you did.

The following questions will help you to focus your Elul preparations on how you can make a difference for good in your congregation, community and, indeed, the world itself. Again, this is by no means a complete list. There are many other areas that can be explored. Hopefully, this will provide you with a starting place for a much longer process.

1. Have I been generous enough in my support - financially or otherwise - of the institutions and charities that I find important?
2. Do I feel confident that I will be able to help those who need me in times of trouble?
3. Have I worked to strengthen my congregation? Have I given of my skills and expertise when asked?
4. How often have I been content to complain when I was affected by a problem – but after complaining, not done anything to help solve the problem?
5. Have I allowed petty squabbles and disagreements to distract me from the importance of staying involved in my community?
6. When I am at synagogue, have I done all that I can to make others feel welcomed in the same way that I want to feel welcome?
7. Have I allowed myself to enjoy Shabbat in the context of my community?

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions for additional questions and formats that we can use.  This is by no means a complete list of questions.  It is just a beginning.   If answering any of them causes you to want to speak to one of the Temple clergy, Rabbi Immerman, Cantor Heit, Cantor Sacks and I would welcome the opportunity. Note that all of these materials will be available in several formats: electronically - via email, on our Temple website and Facebook page, in my blog: www.Rabbijoeblack.blogspot.com; and in hard copy at the Temple Office. If you know of anyone else who might want to receive these mailings – whether or not they are members of the congregation, please contact Susie Sigman at Sigman@emanueldenver.org .

May this time of Cheshbon Hanefesh be fruitful for all of us as we prepare to enter into the holiest days of the year.

L’Shalom,

 

Rabbi Joseph R. Black

 

 

4 Weeks of Elul 5773- Week 1: Our Spiritual Selves

Dear Friends, The Hebrew month of Elul begins this Wednesday, August 7. Once again, as we enter into this sacred   season, we can begin the process of cheshbon hanefesh, taking a spiritual inventory of our souls. Our tradition teaches that in the last month before Rosh Hashanah, in preparation for the Yamim Noraim--the High Holy Days--we are supposed to focus on the year that has passed. We ask ourselves: How have our actions reflected our values? Have we done all that we could to live up to our highest expectations? How could we have done things differently if given the chance? None of us can state that we are perfect. We all fall short. We all disappoint ourselves and those around us, even if we like to pretend that we don't. The High Holy Days are a time when we both acknowledge the fact that we make mistakes, and give thanks for the ability to begin anew.  The word, teshuvah is usually translated as "repentance" but it literally means "turning." Our task during this sacred month is to turn: first inward and then outward. We look at our successes, shortcomings, and failures so that we might be able to grow, improve, make amends and do all that we can to repair relationships and build bridges. As many of you know, it has become my custom to write four meditations during the month of Elul to help us to travel together along the path of cheshbon hanefesh during this sacred time. Each week, I will pose seven questions (one for each day of the week) that revolve around a particular area of our lives. Each meditation will have a different focus: Spiritual, Physical, Interpersonal and Communal. I have found that the process of writing has become an important part of my own personal Elul preparation. Others have shared with me that they are important to them as well. The purpose of these questions is not to make us feel bad or unworthy, but rather to "nudge" us into looking at these vitally important aspects of our lives. This year, I will also be giving special focus to Shabbat observance. This is part of the year-long Shabbat Initiative that began just after Passover this past spring. Our goal is to provide a series of programs, classes, and other opportunities that will help our congregation engage in a sacred conversation about integrating the gift of Shabbat into our lives. I welcome your comments and suggestions for additional questions and formats that we can use. If answering them causes you to want to speak to one of the Temple clergy, Rabbi Immerman, Cantor Heit, Cantor Sacks and I would welcome the opportunity. Note that all of these materials will be available in several formats: electronically via email, on our Temple website and Facebook page, in my blog, and in hard copy at the Temple office. If you know of anyone else who might want to receive these mailings, whether or not they are members of the congregation, please contact Susie Sigman. She will be happy to forward them. May this time of chesbon hanefesh be fruitful for all of us as we prepare to enter into the holiest days of the year. L'Shalom, Rabbi Joseph R. Black      Four Weeks of Elul, 5773 Week One: Our Spiritual Selves The world in which we live is filled with facts. At any time of any day, at almost any place, we can find unlimited information simply by pressing a button on a cell phone. They say that knowledge is power, but I sometimes feel that being "plugged in 24-7" comes with a cost. We can deceive ourselves when we think that our ability to access data somehow is an end in and of itself. A key component of spiritual living is an awareness that life is not only about what we know and possess, but also how and why we live our lives in harmony with the world around us. Spirituality is a word that is hard to define. One way to look at it is in the way that we allow ourselves to let go of our need to control things and give into the fact that there are aspects of Creation that are beyond our ability to comprehend. The great theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote that Shabbat is a time when we stop trying to create, and focus on the fact that we are created. Shabbat observance becomes an integral part of our process of letting go of the "ordinary-ness" of daily life and opening ourselves to the potential for holiness that surrounds us. The following questions are designed to help us to see the spirituality that infuses every fiber of our being:    1. How often in my daily routine do I take the time to put away my cell phone, computer and other electronic devices and "unplug?" 2. When was the last time that I felt a true Shabbat experience? 3. Have I taken the time to fully appreciate the beauty of God's creation that surrounds me? 4. What are the most important gifts that God has given me? 5. How has my perception of God changed over the years? 6. If I were to be told the exact day of my impending death, what would I do differently today? 7. When was the last time I was able to pray without distraction? As always, these questions should not be perceived as a complete listing; they are merely a beginning. Some are repeated from previous years, others are new. If you have other questions that you think may help others in our community, please send them to me. Also, if you wish to share with me how these questions impact your own Elul preparations, I would love to hear from you. May you utilize these and all of your questions to help you gain a better understanding of your spiritual selves. L'Shanah Tovah, Rabbi Joseph R. Black