Upon Reflection

“Upon reflection.”

I have always liked those words because they mean something.  Instead of blurting out the first thing that comes to to mind, “upon reflection” indicates depth.  That is precisely what is supposed to be happening now.

“Repent one day before your death,” advises Pirkay Avot.  But the Talmud wisely asks, “Who knows when they are going to die?” 

Precisely.  Therefore, they counsel, repent every day.  Easier written than done.

Expressing sorrow, regret, is complex.  It means defying the voice of the ego, which loudly proclaims, “You were right!  They were wrong!  How can you apologize to someone who is so callous?  A brute?  An idiot?”  If you say you are sorry you will become diminished.  

Of course this is a lie told by our ego but if it said loud enough who has the strength to go against it?

The Holy Days are the time for repair work.  Fixing stuff.  Hurt feelings. Broken relationships.  Hearing and responding to the soft but insistent voice of our conscience demanding that wrongs be made rights.  

Human nature does not change.  We have been at war with our self for eons.  Two thousand years ago scholars wondered, “What if they reject my apology?  Must I go back and humble ourselves again? (Yes, up to three times, they counsel).  What if the person is dead? (We visit the grave and speak to their spirit).

Judaism does not let us off the hook easily.  It insists that we find mechanisms to quell the voice of pride and the seemingly all-powerful defense mechanisms and become simple and whole once again.

It is easy, too easy, to see the flaws in others.  It far more daunting to see them in us and then ask, as Rabbi Jonah of Gerona taught, “One must ask oneself: ‘What have I done? What have I become?’”

The answer begins with these words, “upon reflection….”

Stories that Define

We are the carriers and tellers of stories.  Torah and Talmud are filled with tales.  Some are simple and others are complex but they are all invaluable.  We tell our stories because they communicate who we are.  They say something profound about our deepest beliefs.  We also tell stories to express profound truths, ones that surpass simple words.  Stories also have many layers.  They can mean different things.  The way we understand them defines us.

Abba Tahnah the Pious was swiftly walking to his home erev Shabbat, as dusk began to fall.  He was hurrying with a sack on his shoulders to greet his family before the sun set.  At a crossroads he met a beggar who was covered in sores, longing for assistance.  "Will you help me get home?" he begged Abba Tahnah.  

What is important that respecting Shabbat?  If he helped the stranger he would arrive home after the candles were lit.  That would be wrong.

Quickly deciding to help the beggar he picked up that ailing man and carried both him and his bundle.  Neighbors were horrified to see Abba Tahnah doing this work so close to Shabbat.  Undeterred, he continued.

A Heavenly Voice then declared that the sun would be delayed in going down.

Now that you have read this tale, consider what does it mean?  Choose the one that defines you:

Lesson 1.  Shabbat is critical to our existence.  It is our locus, our home in time.  Yet, life takes precedence,

Lesson 2.  God assists those who act with resolute altruism even to the point to reworking nature.

Lesson 3. Every moment is a test of who we are and whether we have mastered our personal interests.

Lesson 4. This story is meant for me to share with others so they will learn the importance Judaism places on human dignity.

Lesson 4. The afflicted, i.e. those with illness or disability, need special care.

Lesson 5. Human concerns always trumps religious concerns. 

Lesson 5.  The real definition of a tzaddik (pious one) is one whose heart overrules his head.

Now the most important questions, do you like your answer?  If not, what should it be?