Chodesh tov, everyone. The month of Elul began this Tuesday night, a final month of the Jewish year, a month of preparation for the season of Teshuvah. Rabbi Alan Lew z"l is famous for his book on this season titled This Is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared. Well, I believe we are indeed prepared. We must be. By G-d, we have to be. But, I do wonder, prepared or not: is teshuvah even possible right now? What can we do with the upcoming High Holidays now?
Teshuvah on its face means return. But, I will tell you, I feel so done returning at the moment. I feel done returning to the back-and-forth-and-back-again of conflict and violence and revenge and posturing and arrogance and unwillingness and recalcitrance that accounts for my entire adult life caring deeply about Israel/Palestine – the second intifada began in my last year of college.
During Elul we are asked to conduct cheshbon hanefesh, an accounting of our soul, or a soulful accounting of our lives. In the kabbalah, nefesh is the layer of soul that is most connected to our physical body and our actions in the material world. A nexus of our highest ideals and how we actively conjure them in our lives. Where the rubber meets the road.
And this is where teshuvah comes in as Elul begins at this moment. We must take account. Let everyday this Elul be a mark of our ongoing account. Let this month resonate for the year to come which must not simply bring a ceasefire (which has always and still includes a full hostage return), but a renewal of our accountability as Jews to Israel’s actions. Each day, where the rubber and road meet.
I am heartened by the rise of protest and Israeli Jewish calls for ceasefire this week after the discovery of six murdered hostages this week – may their memories be a blessing and peace be upon them. May all who knew them and cared for them be comforted among all those who mourn. But I am also so deeply troubled and scarred. I have no expectation of this changing during the High Holiday season, a feeling confirmed just this morning hearing about the murder of another UW alumna, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi in the West Bank. May also her memory be a blessing and community find comfort among all those who mourn. What I do expect is that I might come together with others who overlap in pain, frustration, disbelief, anger, action, and inaction, open to what we might find in grappling community.
And so I ask of us each as we wade into the waters of Elul 5784, entering the 12th month of a nightmare many decades in the making. May this month help propel us toward a new year of connection with purpose to change the things we can and to find ways to change the things we cannot yet. Perhaps through a new coming together.
Shabbat shalom and chodesh tov,
R’ David
Teshuvah on its face means return. But, I will tell you, I feel so done returning at the moment. I feel done returning to the back-and-forth-and-back-again of conflict and violence and revenge and posturing and arrogance and unwillingness and recalcitrance that accounts for my entire adult life caring deeply about Israel/Palestine – the second intifada began in my last year of college.
During Elul we are asked to conduct cheshbon hanefesh, an accounting of our soul, or a soulful accounting of our lives. In the kabbalah, nefesh is the layer of soul that is most connected to our physical body and our actions in the material world. A nexus of our highest ideals and how we actively conjure them in our lives. Where the rubber meets the road.
And this is where teshuvah comes in as Elul begins at this moment. We must take account. Let everyday this Elul be a mark of our ongoing account. Let this month resonate for the year to come which must not simply bring a ceasefire (which has always and still includes a full hostage return), but a renewal of our accountability as Jews to Israel’s actions. Each day, where the rubber and road meet.
I am heartened by the rise of protest and Israeli Jewish calls for ceasefire this week after the discovery of six murdered hostages this week – may their memories be a blessing and peace be upon them. May all who knew them and cared for them be comforted among all those who mourn. But I am also so deeply troubled and scarred. I have no expectation of this changing during the High Holiday season, a feeling confirmed just this morning hearing about the murder of another UW alumna, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi in the West Bank. May also her memory be a blessing and community find comfort among all those who mourn. What I do expect is that I might come together with others who overlap in pain, frustration, disbelief, anger, action, and inaction, open to what we might find in grappling community.
And so I ask of us each as we wade into the waters of Elul 5784, entering the 12th month of a nightmare many decades in the making. May this month help propel us toward a new year of connection with purpose to change the things we can and to find ways to change the things we cannot yet. Perhaps through a new coming together.
Shabbat shalom and chodesh tov,
R’ David
RSS Feed