Rabbi's message - September 2019
Rabbi’s Message:
Try to Do Just a Little Better Each Year
A year in the life of a rabbi is unlike most experiences people have. There are moments of witnessing great joy and happiness and also moments of sharing in great sadness and sorrow. There are moments of taking pride in what you can teach others and moments of great humility when you realize just how much you still have to learn. Every moment is a chance to grow and learn from your mistakes and your triumphs. In this connection, I want to share two lessons that I learned this year. Two lessons that I think will help guide both you and I through the High Holy Days and the year beyond.
The first lesson is about lifecycles. Over the years of my ministry in Hudson, I’ve officiated at many funerals, unveilings, and shiva minyanim. Each time, I commit as fully as I can to being supportive and present for the family. Each time, I walk away wishing I had said or done something differently, prepared more, or didn’t make some small mistake that only I was aware of. But, I can’t continue to beat myself up over this—otherwise, I would cease being an effective professional. All that I can do is learn from the time before, and make sure to do better the next time. The Rambam, a 12th century thinker, wrote in his famous work on Jewish Law, the Mishna Torah, that true teshuva, repentance, doesn’t occur when someone simply says they are sorry. True teshuva happens when a person is faced with the same situation they found themselves in before and doesn’t make the same mistake, but learns from their past and does better. Lesson well received!
The second lesson, our synagogue is full of diversity; full of people on different journeys with different assumptions about how to approach God, life, and Judaism. The text of the Kol Nidrei invites all of us to come to God, the righteous and the sinners. The message is that in the eyes of God we all have good deeds and sins on our cosmic ledger. In the eyes of God, there are no true righteous people, and there are no true sinners, we are all part of one community, all trying to get closer to God. If being the rabbi of Congregation Anshe Emeth for so many years has taught me anything, it is the value and beauty of embracing everyone wherever they are on their journey.
Every day is a chance to ask God for forgiveness, and in that way the whole year is an opportunity to prepare for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. For me every day is an opportunity to grow as a rabbi and prepare for whatever happens next. With deep gratitude I recognize and celebrate how lucky I am to be your rabbi here at Anshe Emeth.
Denise and I want to wish our congregational family a sweet and healthy New Year full of second chances, growth, and learning. Li-Shana Tova Tikatevu!
