January 2008

Two different worlds
We live in two different worlds…

It’s an ancient rabbinic tradition to take words of Torah completely out of context when the words support a point the rabbis want to make. In this case, the words quoted above come from a popular love song of my youth which--in time-honored rabbinic tradition--I am now going to take completely out of context.

The sense of living in two different worlds is never stronger for Jews than during December and the beginning of January. While the mainstream world we live in is attending to Christmas in its many dimensions, we struggle with interfaith family issues, or we keep our eyes focused on Chanukah, or we do some version of “duck and cover” until the whole season is over.

But no sooner is Christmas over when our worlds collide again with New Year’s festivities. It seems odd for Jews to be saying “Happy new year” in December because we just welcomed the new year not so many months ago. In fact, several of my friends have adopted the custom of saying “Happy secular new year” by way of making the distinction.

Now, at the beginning of the secular new year, I suggest we step back into our Jewish world and recall the New Year we celebrated this past September. How are we doing with the resolutions and insights that were part of our soul-searching not so long ago?

At Rosh Hashanah evening services I challenged us to ask ourselves these questions: What gives my life meaning? Is the path I am on the right path for me? What are my essential soul traits? What special gifts do I bring to the world?

Then on Yom Kippur day I proposed that we each set an intention for the year to come, based on who we are. An intention that helps us expand, that puts us on the right path, that makes a difference in the world.

One woman, now retired from her career as an occupational therapist, had been drawing and painting as an avocation for many years and canvases were stacked all over her apartment. But she didn’t feel anyone would be particularly interested in seeing, much less buying, her art. However she took the Rosh Hashanah invitation seriously and told several of her friends that what has always given her life meaning, and who she is really is at a soul level, is creativity. She then announced her intention: to have a public showing of her work, although she had no idea how that could possibly take place.

Having an intention to express our true nature in a particular way can have great power. In late November I received a card from a gallery announcing the opening of an art show that contains 25 of her oil paintings. The picture on the card is of a bold, strong, woman. The title of the picture is “The Seeker.”

During these opening days of 2008 when we can’t help but feel a sense of new possibilities, I invite us also to recall and review our High Holy Day introspection. Have we followed up on the intentions we set? Are we listening to the still, quiet voice that tells us the truth about our lives? Are we making the choices in 5768 that lead to spiritual growth and deeper satisfaction? And if not now, when?

L’Shalom,
Rabbi Helen