Filed under: Thoughts of the Week
A useful calendar to determine Hebrew readings is found at http://www.hebcal.com/converter/ .
This morning in our congregation there was an auf-ruf – a calling up of an engaged couple before their wedding to receive a blessing for their pending wedding. It was auspicious this week for the haftorah read from Isaiah VXI, 10-LXIII, 9, compares the relationship of the Divine with the people Israel as a bride-groom and a bride. It is a fitting reading for the seventh haftorah of consolation and is read the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah.
The Torah reading is part of the closing narrative of Moses’ life, preceding the song of Moses, the blessing of the tribes, and his death at 120, read in the next weeks, the last readings of the yearly cycle. Of particular note for our congregation is Deuteronomy, XXX, 19, which includes “choose life, so that you may live, you and your seed.” These words appear in large, stylistic bronze letters on the congregation’s ark. I am thinking of using this wisdom within my speech to my daughter at her bat mitzvah ceremony. This phrase follows Deuteronomy, XXX, 11-14, “for this commandment which I command you this day, it is not too hard for ou, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say: ‘Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say: ‘Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?’ But the sord is very near you, in your mother, and in your heart, that you may do it.”
I joked with Rav Jeremy that these Shabbat readings should be read for every auf-ruf or perhaps all engagements should be on this Shabbat. Right after the 9th of Av, a day of national mourning, on the 14 of Av, the full moon in mid-summer, legends tell us that the young women would run in the fields and in the cities in their fineries to attract men. Perhaps 7 weeks later, these new couples would announce their engagements while listening to these readings. Perhaps they would marry during the readings of Chayei Sarah, about 7 more weeks from now, which relates the early love story between Rebecca and Isaac and the late love story between Batsheva and David. Chayei Sarah was the reading the day before Debbie and I were wed. We met at the end of July, were engaged in September, and wed in November – following the schedule that I am suggesting would be a good pattern for others, for these traditions and readings would be supportive.
The reading that includes “choose life, so that you may live, you and your seed” is found as an alternative to the second paragraph of the Sh’ma in the prayer books that are used by Reconstructionist synagogues. It is a simple message, choose the life-affirming over negative actions. The Hebrew of the phrase is intriguing. The Hebrew word translated as choose – beharta – may be a command for “you choose”, with you as a singular, male noun. Behar is also related in Hebrew to the concept of desire, a behor is a desired male. Behar is followed with the preposition in – choose in, desire in. The word for life Haiim is used as toast of good wishes – l’haiim – to life. Haiim is a plural noun, hai is a life. Chayei Sarah is the life of Sarah. The Hebrew that I have translated as “so that” is also translated as “for the sake of” or “to the path of”. “You and your seed” are in the singular form. The word for seed may also be understood as plantings or descendants. The simple message is that you should desire life so that you and your children will live.
It was a warm, late summer day. We prepare for the new year by sending names in for the synagogue’s memorial book and by writing our annual new year letter to our family and friends. Some of these letters will be copied on paper in color and sent to some of our relatives, others will receive an email version. We add that we hope that we have not offend or hurt anyone during the past year and ask for forgiveness. We continue to believe in life and pray for the health, happiness, peace, and fulfillment of all. Happy new year – may you be inscribed in the book of life, affirming the wonders and miracles of each day, week, month, and year.
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