In such a timely fashion, a friend reminded me of the beautiful story about Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel who cried as a child when he heard the story of the Akedah, the binding of Isaac. His teacher told him not to worry because the angel arrived in time and saved Isaac. When Heschel tells the story, he reminds the reader, We are not angels and we don't always intervene in time.
How true this feels today as we face September 11, 2020. We can't count on miracles. We have to put the
miraculous into motion and acknowledge the angels who help us find another way. Today, our hearts are with the families and friends of the first responders, the angels who gave their lives. Today, we commit again to cultivating ourselves as angels, those who help, support, guide and maintain the holy fabric of community and the sanctity of our world.
This week's parasha reminds us that we stand as community before Gd, atem nitzavim hayom kulchem lifnei Adonai Eloheichem (Deut.29:9). Our job is to hold one another up in sacred togetherness as we strive to live lives of commitment and integrity, holiness and responsibility. This is our promise as we move into another year as Gd's children.
We need a reminder to look around and see who might lean on our shoulder - from a safe socially distanced expanse of 6ft or more. We need to open our eyes wide to acknowledge who stands with us and with whom we stand. We need to open our ears to listen for even the faintest cry of those who need help and support, those still learning how to walk and those whose legs have betrayed them.
Our tradition understands our proclivity for distraction and prescribes the sounding of the shofar each day of Elul leading up to our entrance into the new year. It wakes us up, over and over and over again. On the High Holy Days, the sound of that ram's horn who stood in for Isaac can bring us to tears.
This year, we'll hear the shofar on zoom on the second day of Rosh Hashanah (following the tradition of not blowing shofar on Shabbat). Those who wish, may also take part in our UWS Community Sounding of the Shofar (#shofaroteverywhere) at 4pm on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020/2 Tishrei 5781 at various stations between 65/Bdwy and 110/Bdwy. Everyone who comes to hear the shofar that day should take care to practice safe physical distancing (while your heart and soul draws close) and wear masks. Even the shofar may be wearing a mask!!
Atem nitzavim hayom/Let us stand together today and every day as witness, holders and creators of sacred memory. May we find strength together and apart.
Shabbat Shalom
rg
Congregation Habonim
103 West End Ave
New York, NY 10023
