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
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