"So Take These Words ...."

Yom Kippur, the holiest and most solemn day on the Jewish calendar, was Saturday. In English it's the "Day of Atonement," at the end of which the Book of Life is sealed; those who have taken care to make amends -- to the universe, to other individuals, to God and even, I think, to themselves -- are said to have their names inscribed for another year.

Jews are noted for their symbolic foods and for generally over-feeding people ... of course I was drawn to this group! But Yom Kippur is a fast day, with no food or water permitted (except for reasons of health or age) for 25 hours from sundown to sundown. Secular girl that I am, though, I didn't fast; I think it's medically unsound, especially the lack of hydration. But I did eat simply and refrained from snacks and sweets ... the best I can do.

So, since I didn't fast on Saturday, let me sorta do so here today and write a post without any references to food or restaurants or recipes. I've been told that my more personal posts are meaningful to readers, so I'm offering extra helpings of that today: some readings from the Tashlich [tahsh-LEEK] service -- a symbolic casting off of sins by tossing bread crumbs into the river to be washed away -- and from the Conservative Movement's beautiful new High Holiday prayer book, Machzor Lev Shalem [MAHK-sore layv shah-LEM].

These spoke proverbial volumes to me, reaching into my heart and my soul and nearly bringing me to tears as I assessed my character, my accomplishments, my failings and my blessings over the course of the past year ....

No one sees, no one knows,
how often I take the easy way,
I let myself off the hook,
give myself the benefit of
the doubt --
every day, every day.

On this day, this one day, I stand before You naked,
without disguise, without
embellishment, naked,
shivering, ridiculous.

I implore You --
let me try again.

by Merle Field
Machzor Lev Shalem - page 204

Let us cast away the sin of deception,
so that we will mislead no one in word or deed, nor pretend to be what we are not.

Let us cast away the sin of vain ambition
which prompts us to strive for goals which bring neither true fulfillment nor genuine contentment.

Let us cast away the sin of stubbornness,
so that we will neither persist in foolish habits nor fail to acknowledge our will to change.

Let us cast away the sin of envy,
so that we will neither be consumed by desire for what we lack nor grow unmindful of the blessings which are already ours.

Let us cast away the sin of selfishness,
which keeps us from enriching our lives through wider concerns, and greater sharing, and from reaching out in love to other human beings.

Let us cast away the sin of indifference,
so that we may be sensitive to the sufferings of others and responsive to the needs of our people everywhere.

Let us cast away the sin of pride and arrogance,
so that we can worship God and serve God's purposes in humility and truth.

from the Tashlich service

We abuse, we betray, we are cruel, we destroy, we embitter, we falsify, we gossip, we hate, we insult, we jeer, we kill, we lie, we mock, we neglect, we oppress, we pervert, we quarrel, we rebel, we steal, we transgress, we are unkind, we are violent, we are wicked, we are extremists, we yearn to do evil, we are zealous for bad causes.

Ashamnu, The Shorter Confession
Machzor Lev Shalem - page 404

And, because it's Music Monday, I'll also toss a song into the mix. This was played at the Selichot [slee-KOTE] service 2 weeks ago, at the beginning of the High Holiday season. Penitential prayers are recited at this time, as individuals begin preparing for Yom Kippur and atoning for any transgressions they may have committed in the past year.

I'm not a huge fan of the Goo Goo Dolls, but the lyrics to this song (once you get past the drivel someone added at the beginning) have great significance at this time ....



Now, of course, the challenge for this frail, fragile and fallible human is to remember these lessons and to act upon them daily. As the angel said, to try ....