Gemar Chatimah Tovah

Once I was called by a prominent Orthodox Jewish Magazine. One of the editors heard that I was a poet and requested a poem on Yom Kippur. He told me that in Chasiddish circles Yom Kippur is Called Yom HaKaddosh and that the name is whispered in awe. I wrote the poem and submitted it, but I guess it was not to their liking. I reworked it since, and at present don't have easy access to that poem. But I remember the sentiment I was trying to capture as I described prominent moments of this holy day.

It dawns on me late on the night before Yom Kippur that in some ways Erev Yom Kippurr is harder to get into than Yom Kippur (just like Erev Shabbos is in many ways harder to get right than Shabbos itself). I'm reminded of the thought about Yom HaKippurim including the idea that Purim s in a certain way holier than Yom Kippur. On Purim we dive into all that we avoid on Yom Kippur: talking, joking, dancing, gifting, eating, drinking, etc. Erev Yom Kippur is a contrast as well. Maybe that's an additional reason why it's a mitzvah to eat on Erev Yom Kippur, so we can't take the easy way out two days in a row. We're commanded to serve G-d as human beings, which includes eating.

On the way home from a beautiful Shabbos in Carroll Gardens I read the NY Times. Peter Steinfels wrote a piece about Judaism's belief in resurrection. He writes :

"The most central part of ancient prayers that rabbinic law prescribes to be said every day,morning, afternoon, and evening, speaks several times of G-d's power to revive the dead, words that modern translations have often recast in ways that avoid the supernatural meaning that classical Judaism gave them. Traditionally, this prayer, the Amidah, also referred to as Tefilla or Shemoneh Esreh, was said five times on Yom Kippur, the day of Atonement, which occurs this year from sunset tomorrow until nightfall on Monday."

The focus on his piece is a book Jon D. Levenson that works to defend the traditional belief in the revival of the dead in Judaism. As printed in the paper, Steinfels' final paragraph reads as follows:

"Agree or disagree with professor Levenson about resurrection, it would be challenging during those solemn hours to have his case in mind."

It seems to me that in order for Steinfels' conclusion to make sense that last sentence must be corrected to read , "it would be challenging during those solemn hours not to have his case in mind," a sentiment that I agree with.

While we're on newspapers and Yom Kippur let's turn to Esther Kustanowitz's excellent article in this week's Jewish Week. The whole article is worth reading (she tends to write especially well about this season). Here is part of the article:

"The High Holy Day season is a chance to renew our relationship with Jewish life. Every year, we stand with our metaphorically wedded partner under a canopy of recommitment, and promise to marry each other all over again. As our Creator, surely God knows not to expect perfection - our entire relationship has been a bumpy cycle of imperfection: We violate our contract of commitment with God, and God rebukes but quickly forgives. Still, we do what we can to make positive changes in our lives, to increase our commitment to living as nobly and morally as human beings can. We critically assess our actions and hopefully forgive ourselves as we attempt to curb evil inclinations, in the pursuit of more permanent partnerships, with other people and with God."

I think this framing may be helpful for many people. I hope so.

While we're at it - here's a link that discusses one of the questions I raised in my recent Ellul questionnaire. The article fits exactly with what I remember Rabbi Soloveitchik saying at this time of year in 1980 - that people reverse the moods for Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. He spoke of his memory of Yom Kippur as a happy day as a child.

Gemar Chatimah Tovah
A Meaningful Fast