The summer feel is still in the air, yet we are busy with a brand new academic year and that can only mean one thing: fall is not far behind. The schools welcome the students back, older kids head back to college, and coaches are putting together schedules for fall/winter sports activities, games and meets. Our own TE Hebrew school is gearing up for another wonderful and exciting year of Jewish learning, as we welcome the returning as well as the new students into our classes. The new year of learning is here!
This summer I had an incredible opportunity to visit my friend and colleague Rabbi Robert Ash who serves Temple Emanuel in Johannesburg, South Africa. It was a wonderful and eye-opening trip in many ways, I am still trying to process all that we saw and experienced there. One of the remarkable experiences was coming to terms with Jewish life in southern hemisphere, where Jewish Festival cycle and seasons are not quite in sync- at least not the way WE are used to them! For us, the fall brings the new academic year and the new Jewish year, whereas Passover is the Festival of Spring. In South Africa (and the rest of the Southern Hemisphere) Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are celebrated in the spring (so is Sukkot!), while Pesach occurs in the fall. It was hard enough to wrap our heads around the fact that August is winter, but Rosh Hashanah in the spring is even more confusing! J
Now, I know what you must be thinking – surely our rabbi is educated enough to know that seasons are reversed ‘down under’! Let me assure you – I certainly knew about all of this IN THEORY. But visiting South African synagogues and praying with them using the special World Union edition of Mishkan Tefilah prayerbook drove that message home in a very different way. (For a moment I wondered – what reading would I choose in Amida – the winter one for rain or the summer one for dew? The answer was simple – their siddur includes a passage from a British Liberal prayerbook, acknowledging BOTH seasons at the same time, an excellent compromise!). On this trip I was reminded once again that theoretical knowledge is extremely important, but practical experience helps us truly understand and appreciate many things in life.
Our tradition sets aside the month of Elul, the one immediately preceding Rosh Hashanah, as a time for contemplation. For looking back at the year that is about to end, for evaluating our actions – and our thoughts. For putting them on ‘scales’ and trying to see if we have lived up to our own standards, our own expectations of what we think is a right and proper way to live our lives. In Judaism we often refer to this process as cheshbon hanefesh, the accounting of the soul. The idea is that we will begin this wonderful process of self-examination early, so that by the time we arrive at Rosh Hashanah we will have had a chance to truly prepare ourselves to this very special and joyous time of transition, ready to enter the new year. At least that’s the THEORY. Did you ever try this at home? What is YOUR practical experience of cheshbon hanefesh? Did you ever spend the month of Elul getting ready for High Holy Days? I know that for many of you the answer is yes – I know because you have shared those stories with me in the past. But I also know that far too many of us are way too busy this time of year to sit down and really process our actions and our thoughts. We know the theory of Jewish practice, and we also know that it would be a wonderful idea to really do it – but then life gets in the way and we arrive at Rosh Hashanah barely catching our breath…
Let’s try and do things differently this year. Let’s try and put theoretical knowledge to the test of practice. Let’s all find at least a few hours here and there to read a Jewish book (Agnon’s ‘Days of Awe’ is an excellent collection of stories, as are many others) to help get ourselves ready for the wonderful experience of High Holy Days WELL in advance. I know I’m going to try harder this year. Will you join me?
Shanah Tovah, a sweet a happy new year 5773!