Erev Rosh Hashanah Sermon 5784

What role models and qualities do you aspire to? We are now beginning this period of return to our best selves, and celebrating the birthday of the world and most specifically the birthday of humanity. So what finest human traits are we now committing to? 

I know one of the aspirations that I internalised over my life. As a teenager, at school, during that identity formation, I found I could sit in my attic bedroom for hours- creating a time out of time - and writing creatively (pieces interested in isolation perhaps) or analysing outstanding works of literature. Now this prizing of outstanding individual creativity could be a problem for a community Rabbi- which is what I’ve turned out to be.

We might each find ourselves sometimes cynical about the actual reality and power of community. But, now is the time to find our best selves within community.

What are we to be like at this time? The Mishnah in Rosh Hashanah, this early foundational Rabbinic text, says: On Rosh Hashanah, Kol Ba’ei Ha’olam, everyone in the world, ovrim lefanav, passes before the Ultimate Kivnei Maron. Like B'nei Maron. Be like B'nei Maron. There are two different understandings of this term, with a powerful common aspect that can reshape us. We should all be like B'nei Maron - and the teaching continues - as it says in the Psalms, The Divine “Hayotser yachad libam, hameyvin al kol maaseyhem”. The Divine shapes together their heart, and understands all their acts”.

One understanding of B'nei Maron, with some traditional weight, is sheep. Today we are like sheep passing, one by one, before a Shepherd. We thought tradition might offer only people that we should be like! Yet, the invitation is to enjoy being like one amongst many sheep. Sheep get a bad press! We in emulating them can know the value of the collective, enjoy it, feel bound to it, and still find our own needs and simple openness within it. I’ll offer the other interpretation…but you might not like it! Today we all pass before the Divine like we are in a military legion. The text probably originally said Kibenumeron: like you’re in the Greek term for a legion, a troupe, Numeron (and it was misread and copied). The way the image works when we think about it, in which everyone in the world is passing together before our most Sacred General subverts divisive military associations. We are to find in togetherness the strength, hope and inspiration to find greater togetherness in taking on life together.

Whether we try to be like sheep or a member of a kindness vanguard, both possibilities lead us to beyachad libeinue, our heart together. We are to find a collective heart, a powerful spirit in community. We are to also find that we can delve better into ourselves, personal feelings and profound thoughts, when pushed and lifted up by others.

What human qualities are the most important, that we now look to grow? You might find it useful to look at our first archetypal human, born on this day, Adam. There is a beautiful claim about Adam, and about human nature, amplified by Rambam in the 12th century through a controversial assertion that Adam was born in fact not in Eden but on Mount Moriah - where an earthy altar for repentance was once made, where Avraham binds Isaak, and where that altar of repentance stood in the Temple. Rambam makes this claim to teach: Mimkom kaparato Adam nivra. The human is created from their atonement. We were born to make mistakes and to make up for them. The finest human quality is to create ourselves better in recognising wrongs, especially those we have done, and seek atonement, or at-one-ness. Even that first human, who we could have imagined thriving gloriously, alone, unspoilt, was made in responsible relation to others, this world and themself.  We are made to be responsible, make mistakes, and get better. The greatest human traits that we look to now is the ability to say sorry and to repent. 

We can aspire to sensitive reflection, and collective inspiration. We find these together. From now we are building up to the greatest collective moment of the ancient Israelites. On Yom Kippur when the Temple stood, perhaps the greatest leader, the High Priest, the Chosen one of God, the leader of the nation, would approach the Holy of Holies and that altar, surrounded by hundreds of thousands of Isralites. What did he say? 

You can imagine what this national leader could have said, with current reiterations of ancient strong-man impulses in mind. He could have said: we are the true proud Israelite, I and all of you. We are great in our history and our nature. We are good and right by virtue of our very being- and now we feel this together. Some people in this land complain, and they even apologise. If you’re not proud to be us you’re not us.

What the High Priest does say, with those thousands gathered, at the moment of national unity, is this:

Ana HAshem. Please most sacred name. Chatati, I have made mistakes. Aviti, I have willfully done harm, pashati lefanecha, I have rebelled before You, Ani, I and My household. My colleagues have made mistakes, and the whole people, this whole collective, have. 

The people all respond: Baruch Shem Kavod Malchuto Lolam vaed. Blessed is the Great Name, may this Kingdom last forever.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that we find greatness in being part of a collective, recognising wrongs and relaising better possibilities. We are named after Israel, chosen ahead of Esau, who is profoundly right in his claims and rather strapping, mainly for Jacob’s virtue of being wrong, and then spending his life making up for it. It might not be surprising that togetherness is good for us. It is now scientifically proven that people feel awe most- what these days are all about- by seeing the everyday acts of others; and that there is great power in collective exaltation. Our hormones will be more aligned about now and especially with all the time singing together over Yom Kippur! Awe is a superorganism transcending us, bringing us together. We each have a Vegas nerve. It connects our brains, heart, and even digestive system. It;s stimulated by togetherness and leads us to be more open, and healthier digestively!

We are part of something bigger by reflecting and being together - but it hasn't always come naturally. I learned community this year out of need. Leah experienced 6 days of early labour, in which she couldn't sleep with the contractions. I was needed - though arguably not that useful. I needed to hear from friends thinking of me too- and one of my resolutions is to be in touch with these friends more. We have needed people so much this year, family especially and friends and community, and I am often really needed at home (though arguably not that useful). 

Turn yourself to community, now and this year. Find within it personal thoughts and feelings. To soften you might reflect on when you have needed someone and who came through for you? You might also reflect on when someone needed you and you were there. 

We must each also now reflect on the mistakes we have made. We’re greatest when we think how we can do better by people and how we can do better as people. And then we need to bring that apology to a person - hopefully the relevant one! 

We can contribute to a culture in which people can say sorry and grow. There is a cultural current in which someone who has done something wrong is forever condemned without engagement. There is a strong cultural corollary in which apologising or changing your mind is seen as the greatest weakness. It’s the greatest strength! Please, we should have leaders who are reflective. Please, we should have collectives that are reflective, alive to historic and current injustices and inequities. Please, we each should personally model saying sorry and becoming better. 

We can find the inspiring collective movement to personally grow in this community. Rabbi Kamila was meant to be giving this sermon, but she came down with Covid. You’ll hear from her on Yom Kippur. I’m delighted that we now have a model in this community of several leaders, getting it right in conversation, rather than one. I’ve seen powerful community here, when one of you has spent all day, or stayed up all night caring for another; or when we learn together and learn that which we couldn’t have gotten to alone. When we’re here singing, reflecting and in service. We are developing our services so that there should be still more singing, and some quiet time too, for you to deeply personally reflect. 

I’ve seen the power of community- it turns out now that I believe in it. Make our community greater, and yourself greater within it, kindly reflecting and being part of us.