Sunday, August 1, 2010

Seeing the Words



It is both compelling and daunting to share one’s own ideas and opinions.  It is especially so when you cannot see the reaction stretch across the reader’s (or the listener’s) face.  But, I guess that does not matter.  Franz Rosenzweig once wrote to Martin Buber, “For a word does not remain its speaker’s possession; he to whom it is addressed, he who hears it, or acquires it by chance—they all get a share of it; the word’s fate, while in their possession, it is more fateful than what its original speaker experienced when first uttering it.
  
So I guess it does not really matter in the end, for once an idea, a word, an opinion is shared, it is given life.  This reality motivates me to share my ideas, words, and opinions with anyone who cares to listen and read.  
I intend to use this blog to write about Torah and other Jewish texts.  The interesting and moving life-cycle moments that I am honored to share with others will often motivate me to share my experience.  I look forward to sharing thoughts on Israel and the challenges and triumphs of the Jewish State.  The events that shape our lives and the world we are responsible for are often on my mind so I intend to use this space to react and hear your thoughts as well.  The burning question, though, that pervades my work as a rabbi in 2010, living in America, is “why be Jewish?”  So without diving into that now, it leads me to the final two areas that I look forward to sharing thoughts on and that is living Jewishly and living Jewish values, or middot. 
So, I leave now having only opened the door.  And I leave you with a piece from the Torah portion for this week.  The opening of the portion, Re’eh, begins:  See, this day I set before you blessing and curse.  The unique formulation of the command, ‘See’, is in the singular.  Yet, later in the verse, ‘before you’ is in the plural (2nd person).  The Jewish tradition comments how this teaches us that the mitzvot (commandments) were give to the entire community as a group (‘see’ is in the singular second person), while each of us is given the choice about committing ourselves to the tradition (‘before you’ is second person plural).  

So, we could read this opening verse as:  See, all of you, the Jewish people, who have received the mitzvot as a way of life, there is a choice for each of you as individual Jews to choose your path.  Is this not the ultimate challenge of Jewish life?  Sure, we can make our choice about commitment, observance and living Jewishly, but who does it affect?  Is there not an endless chain of effects based on the decisions we make?  We must make the commitment to living Jewishly, and our individual choice is inextricably tied to the reality expressed in the opening of the parasha - see, all of you - collectively.  For the heritage belongs to all of us together.  We have been given this beautiful tradition, it must be integrated into your lives, as individuals and as a community.  May this week bring you opportunities to SEE the diverse ways Judaism is yours, as an individual, and also ours - Am Yisrael.
See - the opening word has so many ways to be understood.  That word no longer belongs to the author of Torah, to God, to Moses, to the sages of our Jewish tradition.  As Rosenzweig wrote, anyone can have a share of it.  See these words, take them, improve them, make them your own - just please share your own thoughts too!
Evon J. Yakar, August 1, 2010

7 comments:

  1. After hundreds maybe thousands of MILES of conversations (on the bike), I am looking forward to the challenge of corresponding in print. I hope to be as adept at the written word as you. Thank you for this tool to teach, learn, and grow.


    Jason K.

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  2. Thanks Jason...I, too, look forward to continuing the conversation!

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  3. Evon,

    Terrific blog. Great post on the Torah portion re the Jewish community and our individual paths as Jews. That individual path is certainly csomething I think about a lot.

    Great to see you on FB as well.

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  4. Lisa, thanks for posting. I appreciate the compliments. The tension between the individual and the community is certainly present. I guess it is my hope and prayer that they intersect regularly so that we can use our personal experiences to enhance the Jewish conversation and experience for all of us!

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  5. Wonderful words Evon, Hoping you may help my family find a new link ti Judaism, as I have not found a rabbi I've connected with in some-time. You are truly a breath of fresh air, and I am grateful that you've rode into my life.

    Joe Berman

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  6. Hi Evon,
    I enjoyed the blog. I am looking forward to reading more about "Why be Jewish?" I have often asked myself that very question. There are so many different perspectives to this question. I believe it takes a lifetime of exploring, learning and growing to create a meaning for oneself. On that note, Shabbat Shalom.
    Marci

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  7. Joe - "riding" into your life has been a breath of fresh air for me as well! Thanks! I look forwarding to helping that "link to Judaism" grow and strengthen.

    Marci - "Why be Jewish?" is only a question today. Something, probably our understanding of the world, has changed in the last century to allow us a level of comfort with Judaism being a choice. Check out this piece by Rabbi Jan Katzew (http://urj.org/learning/teacheducate/symposium/?syspage=document&item_id=30525). He makes a clear statement about why Judaism is a choice in our generation. More on my responses to that question forthcoming!!

    Thanks!

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