Bet Mishpachah D'rash: Rosh Hoshana Morning II 5764

<BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" LINK="#000000" VLINK="#000000" ALINK="#000000"> <CENTER><TABLE><TR><TD WIDTH=20% VALIGN="TOP"> <A NAME="top"> <P> <B><a href="http://betmish.org/text/rhii5764drash.html">Text-Only Version</a></B> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/index.html">Home</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/whatsnew.html">What's New</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/calendar.html#July8">Coming Events</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/drashot.html">D'rashot</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/do.html">What We Do</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/who.html">Who We Are</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/contact.html">Contact Us</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/faq.html">Frequently Asked Questions</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/archives.html">Archives</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/links.html">Links</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/member.html">Membership</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/credits.html">Credits</A></B></BIG> <P> <BIG><B><a href="http://betmish.org/addbook.html">Guest book</A></B></BIG> </FONT></TD> <TD ALIGN=CENTER VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="80%> <CENTER>    <table border="0" align="center"> <tr> <td align="center"> <a href="http://betmish.org/index.html" target="_top"><IMG border=0 src="http://betmish.org/images/banner2.gif" align=center height="104" width="512" hspace=5 alt="Bet Mishpachah banner"></a> </td> <td align="left"> <font size="-5"><a href="http://betmish.org/child/descriptions/banner.html">Banner<br>Description</a></font> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> <p><font size="-1"><i>Washington, DC's Egalitarian Synagogue</i><br> <i>Embracing a Diversity of Sexual and Gender Identities</i></font> </p> <p> <b><font face="Arial"><font size="+1">Rabbi Bob Saks<br> </font></font></b><br> <font face="Arial"><font size="-1"><i>Founded in 1975 by Members of the GLBT Community<font color="white" size="-4"> </font></i></font></font></p> </td> <td align="left"> <font size="-4" color="white"> </font> </td> </tr> </table> </center> <center><h1>What Are The Acts of Repentance?</h1> <b>Eva Freund</b> <br><b>Rosh Hashonna - Day 2 - 2003</b></p></center> <P><span lang="Transliterated Hebrew"><i>Sha-na To-va</i></span>.</P> <P>It is always a challenge for me to stand before you during these days of awe. What can I say that has not been said before? What can I say that will cause you to reflect about what I say? And what can I say that you will remember after you leave here? <P>You may recall the year I spoke about Sara's response when Abraham spirited Isaac out of the house before the other members of the household were awake. Or the year I used the Laws of Robotics as promulgated by the noted writer, Isaac Asimov, to draw a parallel with the ethical dilemmas we confront both during these days of awe and our daily lives. And last year when I spoke about the young Hebrew woman, who -- when hearing Moses describing his dream for and about his people, described for us her own dream of literacy and freedom for her daughters - the women of future generations. <P>During these holy days we are confronted with readings that carry the dual messages of repentance and subsequent redemption. Perhaps one that is the most familiar is the binding of Isaac. In this reading, Abraham believes that <span lang="Transliterated Hebrew"><i>Adonoi</i></span> has directed him to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. At the last possible moment <span lang="Transliterated Hebrew"><i>Adonoi</i></span> intervenes and Isaac is saved. <P>In another reading, Moses addresses the tribes, prior to their crossing of the river Jordan and entering into the Land of Israel, Moses tells them of his dream in which their children and their children's children would be dispersed from the land that had been given to them. This would happen because their children would stray from the words of the Commandments. His dream included their repentance and eventual return. <P>In the story of Jonah, we learn that Jonah has been directed to go to Nineveh, to remind the people that they had strayed from the words of <span lang="Transliterated Hebrew"><i>Adonoi</i></span>; and that they and their city would be destroyed if they did not repent. Jonah attempts to avoid his responsibility. <P>However it is neither the binding of Isaac nor the message of Jonah that I want to address today. Rather it is the message of hope that permeates Jeremiah, Chapter 31 (verses 1-19). <P>The story of Jeremiah is the story of a people who thought that being secular meant that their pagan behavior was alright as long as they also went to the Temple to worship <span lang="Transliterated Hebrew"><i>Adonoi</i></span>. It is the story of a young man who spent his days on the streets preaching his message - REPENT BECAUSE THE END IS NEAR! And it is the story of someone who was willing to undergo beatings, shunning and imprisonment for his belief. <P>This traditional reading - which is not in your prayer book -- is best known for the last three verses because they speak of the efficacy of repentance and the resultant compassion of G_d. In verse 16 we read: <blockquote><P>Thus saith <span lang="Transliterated Hebrew"><i>Adonoi</i></span>: <br>Refrain thy voice from weeping, <br>And thine eyes from tears; <br>For thy work will be rewarded, saith <span lang="Transliterated Hebrew"><i>Adonoi</i></span>: <br>And they shall come back from the land of thy enemy. <br>And there is hope for thy future, saith <span lang="Transliterated Hebrew"><i>Adonoi</i></span>: <br>And thy children shall return to their own border</p></blockquote> <P>Jeremiah spoke these words to the people even though he knew that the days of Jerusalem were numbered and that this holy city was about to be attacked by the mighty armies of Babylon. ..even though he knew Jerusalem would soon be overcome and its idolatrous inhabitants taken to the land of their enemy… even though he knew the land would be subject to years of desolation and darkness. Jeremiah knew because he heard the voice of G_d telling him that the people had to be punished because they had fallen away from the Commandments. They had to be punished because they had become immoral. <P>Envision massive armies with thousands of men armed with bows, arrows, and lances thundering toward each other for the purpose of annihilation. For years, the drums of war were heard. There were many battles in that world because of the ongoing contest for world supremacy among Assyria, Egypt, and Babylon. Sometimes, the way to the enemy led across the small country of Ju-dah who, some say, had survived because of a continuing alliance with Egypt, soon to be defeated in battle by Babylon. Others in Judah believed that the holy city had survived and maintained its independence because of their G_d and the holiness of their Temple. The date is between 600 and 500 years B.C.E. <P>The days pass into years. The years pass with numbing redundancy. Many hundreds of years pass in the blink of an eye. <P>Envision massive armies with hundreds of thousands of men armed with rifles and grenades advancing toward each other. Instead of chariots, the soldiers use tanks that crush everything in their path. Instead of catapults to fling hot oil at the enemy, the armies drop bombs from the skies. There is a contest for world supremacy among the United States, Germany, Japan and Russia.. Where were you Jeremiah with your message of hope? <P>Again the armies of the world face each other. Their weapons are guided by computer-generated laser beams. Their bombs contain smart chips and reach their target based on embedded location data. Their uniforms are made of bullet proof cloth. They wear night vision goggles. Each soldier is wired for instant communication with the images of battle beamed from a low-orbiting satellite. The battle is no longer for territory but for power over the hearts and minds of the people. The battle is between two armies believing that their god is the one true god. Again the people of Jud-day-ah put their trust in their alliances. Where are you, now, Jeremiah with your message of hope? <P>The drums of war are beating but there are no armies facing each other. Today, weapons ranging from personal shoulder missile-launchers to political rhetoric to economic sanctions are used by those who can. Where are you, now, Jeremiah with your message of hope? <P>Yet, even as you call for Jeremiah remember that hope and restoration can come only when the nation of Judea truly repents. Hope and restoration can come only when the words of repentance are replaced by the acts of repentance. <P>What are the acts of repentance that will remove intolerance? <ul><P><i>Can you continue to do nothing when your family or your co-workers say hateful things about GLBT persons or will you challenge their fear of those who are different?</i> <P><i>Can you continue to do nothing when the person praying next to you does not look like you or will you challenge your fear of those who are different?</i> </ul> <P>What are the acts of repentance that will remove the divisions among peoples? <ul><P><i>Can you continue to do nothing when elected officials commit immoral acts that serve to divide the country or will you challenge their thinking?</i> <P><i>Can you continue to do nothing when ideologues attempt to place boundaries on how others may live or will you challenge your apathy?</i> </ul> <P>What are the acts of repentance that will remove exploitation? <ul><P><i>Can you continue to do nothing when businesses move off-shore to take advantage of child-labor or will you challenge your shopping choices?</i> <P><i>Can you continue to do nothing when you experience exploitation in personal relationships or will you challenge your apathy?</i> </ul> <P>What are the acts of repentance that will stop the destruction of the earth? <ul><P><i>Can you continue to do nothing when your government dumps pollutants or will you challenge their actions?</i> <P><i>Can you continue to do nothing when you experience the lowering of the standard that defines "bad air" or will you challenge your apathy?</i> </ul> <P>What are the acts of repentance that will compensate for love that has turned to hate? <ul><P><i>That is to be resolved within yourself.</i> </ul> <P>What are the acts of repentance that will compensate for friends, families, and significant others ignored in our personal quest for success? <ul><P><i>That is to be resolved with those individuals.</i> </ul> <P>And what are the acts of repentance that will compensate for religious, cultural, and tribal traditions ignored in our quest to find ourselves? <ul><P><i>That is to be resolved with <span lang="Transliterated Hebrew">Adonoi</span>.</i> </ul> <P>The Commandments, referenced in today's Torah portion, address not only our relationship with G_d but also our relationships with family and community. Jeremiah's life represented the moral high ground. What will your life represent? And, will each of us delay or hasten the end of the Diaspora -- so that our work shall be rewarded; we shall come back from the land of the enemy; and there is, again, hope for our future. <P><span lang="Transliterated Hebrew"><i>Sha-na To-va tik-a-tay-vu</i></span>.</P> </TD></TR></TABLE></CENTER> <P><HR> <p align="center"><FONT face=Arial><small><small><b>For a description of any of the graphics on this page, click on the D next to the graphic. <BR>For more information, contact our office at <a href="mailto:office@betmishpachah.org?SUBJECT=Request for Information from Web Site">office@betmishpachah.org</a><br> Send comments about this site to <a href="mailto:webweaver@betmishpachah.org?SUBJECT=Comments About Web Site">webweaver@betmishpachah.org</a>.<br> Copyright 1996 - 2008 Bet Mishpachah.</b></small></small></FONT> <CENTER><font face=Arial size="-1" color="#999999"><small><small><P><b>This page last modified on Wednesday, December 3, 2003 at 07:55 PM EST.</b></small></small></font> </CENTER> </body>