Putting Our Name on The List
Day Nine
If these Days of Awe have revealed anything to me this year so far, it is — above all — that the work has to start with us. Doing the work of forgiveness is far from easy, far from comfortable; yet if we commit ourselves to healing, to living our lives with a more open heart — and manifest this commitment in such tangible ways — then I believe that we will inspire others who — by witnessing our actions — will be moved to do the same. This is where true Tikkun Olam awakens, where the Healing of our World is allowed to truly take place. When enough of us are able to shift the energies in our lives to be more loving, more inclusive, and more forgiving, we can’t help but watch these energies begin to ripple in the life of our communities and in our world. Our individual work is the most important work. It is, therefore, critical that we put our name on our list as well, and begin our journey by forgiving ourselves. This is your final assignment on this Day 9; to take the list from Day 4 and simply add your name there.
Tonight we are meeting again as a community to celebrate the holiest day in the Jewish year. And even though we have been hard at work preparing ourselves to meet this day through these “Days of Awe” musings, in the moment we step into the sanctuary we unavoidably realize how unprepared we truly are. I hope you do. I hope you come to this moment with some level of trepidations, knowing you are not ready, and with the Avinu Malkeinu prayer in your heart. The Avinu Malkeinu prayer is what we declare on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kipur, standing in the Presence of the One: “Avinu Malkeinu… Ein Banu Ma-asim,” “Holy One of Being…we have too few good deeds,” or, as I like to translate it: “Holy One of Being… we’ve got nothing!” We come to this day with nothing. We come to this day with the precious emptiness of who we are. We are not ready. And because we are not ready, we can step into the day open to receiving whatever it is we came to hear. We surrender into our not-readiness, we let go of our expectations, and make ourselves available to discover what is yearning to be revealed this Yom Kippur.
G’mar Chatimah Tovah, may your name be sealed for Good in the Book of Life.