“On Rosh HaShanah it
is written, On Yom Kippur it is sealed:
Who shall live and who shall die…..”
Dear Friends,
Each year, when we read the words of the Unetaneh Tokef prayer printed above, I
am struck by the disturbing power of these words. The idea that God sits in
judgement, while central to the theology of the High Holy Days, seems
antiquated. Do we really believe this? Are we not painting a picture of God as some
sort of exalted Santa Claus who watches us, pen in hand, while “…making
a list, checking it twice, looking to see who’s naughty and nice?” Is this
the God to whom we want to pray?
I have rabbinic colleagues who have omitted this prayer entirely
from the Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur liturgy because of their discomfort with
its message. For a long time, I, too, struggled to find meaning in its message.
This year, however, I’m approaching the U’netaneh Tokef with new eyes.
As many of you know, my mother, Sophie Black z”l, and Sue’s father, Amos Rosenbloom z”l recently passed away. While their deaths were not sudden or
unexpected, the reality of the loss of a parent brings questions of mortality,
meaning and purpose into sharp focus.
The phrase: “Who Shall live and Who shall die....” shifts from the
abstract to the concrete. Suddenly and
without warning Sue and I have become one of the elders of our family. This is both sobering and liberating – a
combination of personal loss and responsibility.
Another aspect of this prayer is not found in the concept of
God’s judgement, per se, but in
reinforcing the central moral principle that our actions make a
difference. If God is truly watching us
– then we must ask ourselves whether what we do with the limited time allotted
to us is worthy of observation. In this context, no action is too small or
inconsequential to be judged. We are
placed on earth for a limited time. How
we utilize the gifts of the years, months, weeks, days and seconds we are allocated
becomes a reflection of our own selves and the awareness of our relationship
with the potential for holiness that is an outgrowth of being created in the
Divine image. If God really cares about
what we think and do, then we must be important. One act can either change or destroy the
world. One person can make a
difference. It is up to us to choose.
As we enter into this High Holy Day Season, let us reflect
on how we all have the potential to make change – in ourselves, our families
and communities and in the world.
Sue, Elana and Ethan join me in wishing you a Shanah Tovah U’metukah – a good and
sweet New Year.
Rabbi Joseph R. Black
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