We continue our focus on the climactic line of the unetaneh tokef prayer by examining the second element tefillah/the spiritual life that we are called to engage in during the High Holiday period. Michael (MichaelStrassfeld.com) mjstrassfeld@gmail.com
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A word of Torah:
Last week I wrote about the climax of the unetaneh tokef prayer, which asserts that repentance, prayer, and charity can avert the severity of the decree/ u-teshuvah, u-tefillah, u-tzedakah ma’avirin et roa ha-gezerah. I suggested one understanding of this line of liturgy is that death cannot be averted, but we can lessen the difficulty of the decree by living a life infused with the values of striving to change (teshuvah), engaging in spirituality (tefillah), and acts of lovingkindness (tzedakah).
I linked the first word teshuvah with the third word ma’avirin/ passes to remind us that everything changes. “This too shall pass” doesn’t free us from responsibility to repair past wrongs. It does give us a perspective to see the wrongs in the context of our whole life story that is filled with moments of caring as well as moments of carelessness.
This week we will link the second with the fifth word: u-tefillah/prayer and roa/difficulty. I broadened the definition of u-tefillah to mean spiritual life, not just prayer. Traditionally prayer is about connecting to God. Central to the process of change in this period is feeling connected to other people. This involves making amends to people we have hurt in the past year.
The word roa/severity or difficulty is a form of the word ra, meaning evil or not good. While God describes the days of creation as tov/good, we quickly find out what is not good when God says that it is not good for adam/human to be alone (lo tov heyot ha-adam livado Gen. 2:18). Of course, fixing broken relationships is an essential aspect of teshuvah/change, but that is only part of what is required. In the beginning of the human story, God says existential aloneness is not good.
Beyond not saying hurtful things, we are meant to connect with other people. Life is lived in relationships—relationships of all kinds and of all levels of intimacy. It can involve being more intentional in expressing our feelings of love, affection, and appreciation to family and friends during this period of the year. It also means being connected to those who live on the other side of the world (literally or metaphorically) and feeling compassion for them.
Traditionally in this season, we ask that God leave the throne of judgment (din) and sit on the throne of mercy (rahamim). We do that because we know that none of us can be judged as innocent, of having done no wrong in the past year.
We too are called to be like God by having compassion. This is particularly challenging in our divided world. Having compassion means we understand that everyone feels imperfect and afraid and hurt. It doesn’t mean we approve of wrongs that they have done. It does mean that we are to remember that we are all created in the image of God. Fundamentally our task is to transform roa/difficulties to a Hebrew word with the same two letters re’ah/neighbor. "Love your neighbor as yourself" is not focused on your family or your people. Love those whose only connection to you is that they are your neighbors on this earth.
If you can do that then disconnection will become connection, difficulties will become neighbors.
Intention/kavana for the week We begin the process of teshuvah/change by acknowledging we don't know how to begin especially after so many failed past attempts. But then we sing this kavanah: We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You. O God be mindful of Your compassion and Your faithfulness; they are as old as time.
Song:
Ve-anahnu lo neida mah na'aseh
ki aleikha eineinu.
Zekhor rahameikha adonai va'hasadekha ki mei'olam heima.
