Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D.
Winter is almost over and spring is right around the corner. And as spring approaches we should be reminded that it is a time of renewal, a time set aside by the calendar to remind us of the those things that are important so that we can discard those things that are troubling and cause us pain.
As Americans we commemorate the birthdays of our presidents because they represent the best in us. We understand, only too well, the anguish of growth and development that their lives depicted as they forged a nation from dissidents and malcontents and reformers – all thirsting for the freedom from degradation and despair. The country they fled – primarily England – held nothing but a repressive existence and an opportunity to go nowhere in the quest for completion and contentment.
The Founding Fathers were, and remain, important in our lives because they were able to work tirelessly for the benefit of all even to the point of losing their wealth and status as successful entrepreneurs.
Albert Einstein once wrote, “Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to divine a purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we know: That we are here for the sake of others…Above all, for those whose smile and well-being our own happiness depends, and also for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy.
May times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labors of my fellow men, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received.”
I could not help think as I read these words how much of an impact we have on the lives of those we come in contact with each and every day. We probably will never know, as our framers never really understood, to what extent we truly comfort those in need or help those looking for togetherness and purpose. Each and every time we gather, as a nation and a people, to celebrate or to mourn, the faces of each show a feeling of satisfaction because of our inheritance. It is truly uplifting.
The men and women who chose to assume roles of leadership in the development of our nation enabled us to witness firsthand the value of friendship and warmth. Sure there are times we feel estranged or perhaps disconnected, but then all we have to do is read a document called the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and the Emancipation Proclamation and it awakens in us a true feeling of patriotism and connection to one another.
These revolutionaries knew that they could not be all things to all people but they also understood that they and we should never stopped trying. Personalities notwithstanding, we are all linked in a chain of tradition that has been inherited from generations past. They leaned on Scripture for encouragement and faith in the purpose for which they fought and we should not only carry that torch of fervor but also enhance its message by ensuring that their devotion was not in vain. Each generation of Americans must ensure that the flame is never extinguished.
By honoring the past we honor the present and guarantee the future. This is the hallmark of a great people, a great institution called democracy and a great heritage. And each brings to the table different talents that blend together to form a great nation.
When we join together during the month of February to honor our leaders, know that we are also congratulating each other because we continue to elevate our image within our own country and beyond. We are an influential force of dignity for all humanity.
Let us all wish a Happy Birthday to our presidents for their sincerity of purpose and devotion to the continuity of human deliverance. It is through their efforts that we enjoy the fondness and gratitude of so many.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
A New Year Message - 2012
Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D.
It was approximately twenty-five hundred years ago that the Prophets of Israel roamed the countryside preaching about the goodness of humanity and how it could be found in each of us. In fact they emphasized that the most enduring force known to man was the power of our ability to conquer the wrong doing we witness every day.
There are many ways we can accomplish what was suggested so long ago. For example: Supporting institutions that give others the ability to survive and even carry themselves with dignity. Every day we witness the poverty and misery of those less fortunate. And there are those among us who were more independent but somehow became victims of the terrible nightmare we have been exposed to for these many years.
It is not enough to acknowledge the problems. We are obligated, as partners with God, to ensure that the tear in our society is repaired to the best of our ability. Each tear in the fabric of our existence should bring us closer to understanding our place in the journey we are embarked upon. Age should not be a deterrent to reaching out to lend a helping hand. Rather it should encourage us to do more because we have been there and have seen what nothingness brings.
Perhaps, given what has transpired this past year, we can reach for the unreachable with deeds. We are nothing without purpose and only when we lift a person who has fallen, can we with pride, declare who we are and truly comprehend the connection of Heaven and Earth.
This time of the year enables us to recollect as well as plan for tomorrow. There is the custom of New Year’s resolutions – a wish list of things yet to be accomplished and with good intentions attached. But it shouldn’t end there. The act of making a wish should be connected to the action necessary to see them completed. Some will falter and some will see their dreams come true. There is no shame in failing but rather in not making an honest attempt. That is the beauty of trying.
Our religious New Year encompasses these thoughts but also includes a desire to complete the journey with God as a partner. The secular New Year enables us to recall the past with the intention of trying harder through our own efforts of will power and determination. When you think about it they are similar.
Yes, the Prophets were right when they declared that goodness can be found in each of us. And it takes a little push called New Year to bring out the best in each of us. This to me is the true meaning of a New Year.
My prayer is that we will all find 2012 a year that will give us the ability to celebrate those things that give us comfort and joy; that each of us will join in creating an even better life filled with wishes and dreams, contentment and good health; that God will look favorably upon us and bless us with long life and most of all, quality of life.
It was approximately twenty-five hundred years ago that the Prophets of Israel roamed the countryside preaching about the goodness of humanity and how it could be found in each of us. In fact they emphasized that the most enduring force known to man was the power of our ability to conquer the wrong doing we witness every day.
There are many ways we can accomplish what was suggested so long ago. For example: Supporting institutions that give others the ability to survive and even carry themselves with dignity. Every day we witness the poverty and misery of those less fortunate. And there are those among us who were more independent but somehow became victims of the terrible nightmare we have been exposed to for these many years.
It is not enough to acknowledge the problems. We are obligated, as partners with God, to ensure that the tear in our society is repaired to the best of our ability. Each tear in the fabric of our existence should bring us closer to understanding our place in the journey we are embarked upon. Age should not be a deterrent to reaching out to lend a helping hand. Rather it should encourage us to do more because we have been there and have seen what nothingness brings.
Perhaps, given what has transpired this past year, we can reach for the unreachable with deeds. We are nothing without purpose and only when we lift a person who has fallen, can we with pride, declare who we are and truly comprehend the connection of Heaven and Earth.
This time of the year enables us to recollect as well as plan for tomorrow. There is the custom of New Year’s resolutions – a wish list of things yet to be accomplished and with good intentions attached. But it shouldn’t end there. The act of making a wish should be connected to the action necessary to see them completed. Some will falter and some will see their dreams come true. There is no shame in failing but rather in not making an honest attempt. That is the beauty of trying.
Our religious New Year encompasses these thoughts but also includes a desire to complete the journey with God as a partner. The secular New Year enables us to recall the past with the intention of trying harder through our own efforts of will power and determination. When you think about it they are similar.
Yes, the Prophets were right when they declared that goodness can be found in each of us. And it takes a little push called New Year to bring out the best in each of us. This to me is the true meaning of a New Year.
My prayer is that we will all find 2012 a year that will give us the ability to celebrate those things that give us comfort and joy; that each of us will join in creating an even better life filled with wishes and dreams, contentment and good health; that God will look favorably upon us and bless us with long life and most of all, quality of life.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
The Meaning of Tradition
Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D.
Usually at this time of the year we start asking questions because of all the commotion regarding Christmas. It is a wonderful time of the year and, a frightening time as well. There are doubts about who we are and how we fit into the rush and excitement that we witness taking place with our Christian neighbors. I, for one, am happy for them because of the message of the season, not the trappings and gift giving.
The meaning is quite simple which makes it even more appealing. Peace on Earth, good will toward men – men, of course, used in the generic sense. How could anyone argue with such a concept? After all it has its roots in Judaism’s understanding of relationships and attachments. It emanates from the Jewish gift to humanity of the concept of a Messianic wish and hope – a time when all will be well with the world and the lion will finally lie down with the lamb indicating the removal of hate and fright.
And yet, while we delivered this message as described in the Prophets, we still are a skeptical people reacting more to practical feelings rather than spiritual ones. Our Christian brothers and sisters have taken the belief to include a physical arrival while we look to a time when order will be created out of chaos. Both traditions are rooted in the belief and hope that humanity is capable of good and noble things
We look at this tradition in a more humorous way giving us the opportunity to rationalize the idea so that we can digest it. For example the story is told about a small Russian shtetl (community) where the city council decides to pay a poor Jew a ruble a week to sit at the town’s entrance and be the first to greet the Messiah when he arrives. The man’s brother comes to see him, and is puzzled why he took such a low paying job. “It’s true,” the poor man responds, “the pay is low. But it’s a steady job.”
We wait and yet we wonder and all too often we see misery and homelessness and poverty and wonder about our ever witnessing a time of tranquility and peace. And, yes, we laugh because it gives us the ability to hope without feeling so frustrated.
A Jew comes home from Synagogue and tells his wife: “They say the Messiah is coming any day, and will take us all to Israel.” The wife becomes hysterical. “Oh no! It would be terrible. It took years till we could finally move into this neighborhood, and buy the house we wanted. Now we’ve spent a fortune fixing it up. I don’t want the Messiah to take us away.” “Okay, okay, don’t worry,” the husband says. “We survived Pharaoh; we survived all types of discrimination. With God’s help, we’ll survive the Messiah too!”
Woody Allen reacted to the prophesy about the lion and the lamb explaining that a man was visiting a zoo and is taken to the lion’s cage. He witnesses there the literal fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy – a lion and calf in a cage together. Amazed he calls over an attendant. : How long have you had a lion and calf in a cage together?” “Over a year already.” “How do you do it?” “It’s easy. Every morning we put in a new calf.”
So here we are at this time, in this place, and the same thoughts run through our mind about a Messiah and the message it is intended to deliver. But then I look around and see people rushing to help people. I see people, some tired, some ill, still reaching out to help others who need the help more than they. I see volunteers serving food to those who are hungry or bringing groceries and medicines to the housebound. I see people raising funds for the needy among us. I see others collecting food for those less fortunate. I see all of this each and every day and I realize that the Messiah is among us – in each of us.
This is not a dream or a wish – but in the person of each of us who join together to reconnect to an idea, a feeling, and a moment of sacredness.
Those who believe in a physical Messiah can witness all the Messiahs at work. Those who believe in a Messianic era – well each generation brings the Messianic time a bit closer through the works of their hands. This is how God intended us to believe in the future by living in the present.
To our Christian friends – we wish them a very Merry Christmas together with the hope that their dreams and wishes will receive fulfillment and that the message of this season will give them renewed faith in each other and in God.
To all who celebrate Hanukkah – my wish is that the lights of the Menorah will continue to burn in each of us as we go from strength to strength in achieving the meaning of the Messianic promise and expectation of goodness and mercy, of kindness and redemption. This is what the Maccabees, some 2200 years ago in the midst of turmoil and despair taught us by taking destiny into their own hands thus giving us the opportunity to get closer to God through our own efforts of determination and fortitude.
May God bless all of us, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Baha’is and all who seek to find God through their own commitment of love and caring. And may He find favor with us as we begin a new season of continuity.
Usually at this time of the year we start asking questions because of all the commotion regarding Christmas. It is a wonderful time of the year and, a frightening time as well. There are doubts about who we are and how we fit into the rush and excitement that we witness taking place with our Christian neighbors. I, for one, am happy for them because of the message of the season, not the trappings and gift giving.
The meaning is quite simple which makes it even more appealing. Peace on Earth, good will toward men – men, of course, used in the generic sense. How could anyone argue with such a concept? After all it has its roots in Judaism’s understanding of relationships and attachments. It emanates from the Jewish gift to humanity of the concept of a Messianic wish and hope – a time when all will be well with the world and the lion will finally lie down with the lamb indicating the removal of hate and fright.
And yet, while we delivered this message as described in the Prophets, we still are a skeptical people reacting more to practical feelings rather than spiritual ones. Our Christian brothers and sisters have taken the belief to include a physical arrival while we look to a time when order will be created out of chaos. Both traditions are rooted in the belief and hope that humanity is capable of good and noble things
We look at this tradition in a more humorous way giving us the opportunity to rationalize the idea so that we can digest it. For example the story is told about a small Russian shtetl (community) where the city council decides to pay a poor Jew a ruble a week to sit at the town’s entrance and be the first to greet the Messiah when he arrives. The man’s brother comes to see him, and is puzzled why he took such a low paying job. “It’s true,” the poor man responds, “the pay is low. But it’s a steady job.”
We wait and yet we wonder and all too often we see misery and homelessness and poverty and wonder about our ever witnessing a time of tranquility and peace. And, yes, we laugh because it gives us the ability to hope without feeling so frustrated.
A Jew comes home from Synagogue and tells his wife: “They say the Messiah is coming any day, and will take us all to Israel.” The wife becomes hysterical. “Oh no! It would be terrible. It took years till we could finally move into this neighborhood, and buy the house we wanted. Now we’ve spent a fortune fixing it up. I don’t want the Messiah to take us away.” “Okay, okay, don’t worry,” the husband says. “We survived Pharaoh; we survived all types of discrimination. With God’s help, we’ll survive the Messiah too!”
Woody Allen reacted to the prophesy about the lion and the lamb explaining that a man was visiting a zoo and is taken to the lion’s cage. He witnesses there the literal fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy – a lion and calf in a cage together. Amazed he calls over an attendant. : How long have you had a lion and calf in a cage together?” “Over a year already.” “How do you do it?” “It’s easy. Every morning we put in a new calf.”
So here we are at this time, in this place, and the same thoughts run through our mind about a Messiah and the message it is intended to deliver. But then I look around and see people rushing to help people. I see people, some tired, some ill, still reaching out to help others who need the help more than they. I see volunteers serving food to those who are hungry or bringing groceries and medicines to the housebound. I see people raising funds for the needy among us. I see others collecting food for those less fortunate. I see all of this each and every day and I realize that the Messiah is among us – in each of us.
This is not a dream or a wish – but in the person of each of us who join together to reconnect to an idea, a feeling, and a moment of sacredness.
Those who believe in a physical Messiah can witness all the Messiahs at work. Those who believe in a Messianic era – well each generation brings the Messianic time a bit closer through the works of their hands. This is how God intended us to believe in the future by living in the present.
To our Christian friends – we wish them a very Merry Christmas together with the hope that their dreams and wishes will receive fulfillment and that the message of this season will give them renewed faith in each other and in God.
To all who celebrate Hanukkah – my wish is that the lights of the Menorah will continue to burn in each of us as we go from strength to strength in achieving the meaning of the Messianic promise and expectation of goodness and mercy, of kindness and redemption. This is what the Maccabees, some 2200 years ago in the midst of turmoil and despair taught us by taking destiny into their own hands thus giving us the opportunity to get closer to God through our own efforts of determination and fortitude.
May God bless all of us, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Baha’is and all who seek to find God through their own commitment of love and caring. And may He find favor with us as we begin a new season of continuity.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Don't let the lights go out
Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D.
Hanukkah 5772
December 22-29, 2011
“Don’t let the lights go out!” With these words, over 2200 years ago, humanity was introduced to an awareness that not only illumines the path of life’s journey but also enables us to understand the difference between good and evil.
Good requires light so that everyone can see the splendor that it represents. Good is the indispensable ingredient toward fulfillment. Good demands a great deal of effort because it is needed to eradicate our inclination to be evil.
Hanukkah helps us understand this eternal struggle because it is man’s first fight for religious freedom.
Hanukkah represents the globalization of the understanding of God. The light that emanates from the Menorah is the light of the true meaning of the relationship between us and God.
Hanukkah comes at a time when darkness surrounds us. The days are short. The night is long. It is cold and the harshness of winter is upon us. Life withers. We sleep. And some die. For this is the darkest time of the year.
Then there is light. The warm glow of these candles hopefully kindles awareness in our hearts that radiates so strongly and embraces everything around us. We are mesmerized by the flame, almost hypnotized, and we feel secure. Each night we light another candle until all eight are lit. And each night we feel a new sense of enlightenment, a new level of Holiness, a new attempt at the connection between God and humanity.
We light eight candles to differentiate between the Creator and the created. For in six days did God bring order from chaos and rested on the seventh,
and we, on the eighth day, attempt to bring this order into our daily lives through the miracle of the lights.
We cannot recapture the past, but we can use it to ensure the future. The religious freedom that was won has been the clarion call for all people throughout history. Every battle for religious freedom has had as its foundation the spark from the candles lit to indicate that evil was conquered by good.
May the lights of freedom continue to glow for all humanity.
May the lights of hope always give meaning to our lives.
May the lights of redemption remain fulfilling through the days and years ahead.
May the lights of Hanukkah remain a symbol for the future of all God’s children.
May the lights illuminate the paths of darkness, awakening our souls to our societal duties and always reminding us that there is goodness in each one of us.
May the lights help us to remember our responsibility to comfort the oppressed; encourage those who feel hopelessness.
May the light act as a symbol always reminding us to respond in a meaningful way relieving all the pain and suffering so that tomorrow will be better than today because all life is to be cherished.
Hanukkah 5772
December 22-29, 2011
“Don’t let the lights go out!” With these words, over 2200 years ago, humanity was introduced to an awareness that not only illumines the path of life’s journey but also enables us to understand the difference between good and evil.
Good requires light so that everyone can see the splendor that it represents. Good is the indispensable ingredient toward fulfillment. Good demands a great deal of effort because it is needed to eradicate our inclination to be evil.
Hanukkah helps us understand this eternal struggle because it is man’s first fight for religious freedom.
Hanukkah represents the globalization of the understanding of God. The light that emanates from the Menorah is the light of the true meaning of the relationship between us and God.
Hanukkah comes at a time when darkness surrounds us. The days are short. The night is long. It is cold and the harshness of winter is upon us. Life withers. We sleep. And some die. For this is the darkest time of the year.
Then there is light. The warm glow of these candles hopefully kindles awareness in our hearts that radiates so strongly and embraces everything around us. We are mesmerized by the flame, almost hypnotized, and we feel secure. Each night we light another candle until all eight are lit. And each night we feel a new sense of enlightenment, a new level of Holiness, a new attempt at the connection between God and humanity.
We light eight candles to differentiate between the Creator and the created. For in six days did God bring order from chaos and rested on the seventh,
and we, on the eighth day, attempt to bring this order into our daily lives through the miracle of the lights.
We cannot recapture the past, but we can use it to ensure the future. The religious freedom that was won has been the clarion call for all people throughout history. Every battle for religious freedom has had as its foundation the spark from the candles lit to indicate that evil was conquered by good.
May the lights of freedom continue to glow for all humanity.
May the lights of hope always give meaning to our lives.
May the lights of redemption remain fulfilling through the days and years ahead.
May the lights of Hanukkah remain a symbol for the future of all God’s children.
May the lights illuminate the paths of darkness, awakening our souls to our societal duties and always reminding us that there is goodness in each one of us.
May the lights help us to remember our responsibility to comfort the oppressed; encourage those who feel hopelessness.
May the light act as a symbol always reminding us to respond in a meaningful way relieving all the pain and suffering so that tomorrow will be better than today because all life is to be cherished.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
What is Thanksgiving?
Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D.
Soon we will celebrate an annual event called Thanksgiving. It is an American holiday formed after the holiday in the Hebrew Bible known as Sukkot – Feast of Tabernacles.
The Bible tells us that it was incumbent on all the people to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem and bring the first fruits of the harvest gleaned from the fields to demonstrate appreciation to God for the blessings bestowed upon the people.
The Pilgrims who landed in the New World were grateful for many things, among them the freedom from oppression; the ability to be free in a new land that was ripe for the experiments of choice resulting from hard work and determination. There were no task masters to control their goings and comings or to take tribute for their labor.
We have all read accounts of those times and the struggles and hardships that required steadfastness and dedication. There was comfort from and with each other that translated in survival in a harsh new environment. If ever there was the ability to be grateful, it certainly was found in faith.
The Bible played a significant role in offering comfort from the unexpected. Several centuries later there was found on the walls of a cellar where people were hiding from the Nazis which, perhaps, describes the torment and belief in redemption that the Pilgrims were looking for to assist in their ability to endure:
“I believe in the sun even when it is not shining.
I believe in love even when not feeling it.
I believe in God even when He is silent.”
One of the writings of the great poet, Noah benShea, indicated that faith sees beyond fate. And that is the essence of what gave the people who witnessed humanities darkest hour and what gave the Pilgrims the ability to overcome difficulties of what they could not see or imagine.
The 18th century German poet, Heinrich Heine wrote that human misery is too great for men to deal with without faith. As a Christian he was motivated by a deep desire to instill a feeling of worthiness in the human spirit that can only be found in a strong connection to God.
There was a recent movie titled “The Way” which describes with tender feelings and emotions the need to discover the ability to learn from our journey of life – the good and the bad. In it we witness people from different corners of the Globe searching for meaning as they endeavor to walk the path of generations seeking fulfillment and completion.
Each of them – four in all – came for various reasons; one for understanding; one to relinquish a bad habit; one for connection to a child lost to eternity and the fourth to write the great novel. There were dramatic events that took place during this long trek and affected each in differing ways. In the end they realized that the path to realization lead to a single concept of deliverance: Connection.
All of us, at one time or another, try to reach out to touch a hand or kiss a face or hear a familiar sound with the ultimate objective of feeling a togetherness that is essential to live our lives as God intended – united with a friend, a loved one, even a stranger.
Some of us believe only what we understand, as Benjamin Disraeli remarked, but the truth is that we can believe what we don’t understand, and that is called faith. It is this faith in ourselves and faith in the unknown we refer to as God that sustains us and gives us the impetus to continue with life even when there is the good and the bad in the mix.
The Pilgrims were also driven by a vision as described in Proverbs: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” The generations that preceded us and gave us the understanding of thankfulness through sacrifice knew only too well the meaning of dreaming what was considered impossible.
As we gather together at this great festival of appreciation let us remember, with gratitude, the people who allow us to rejoice – the men and women who serve our country wearing its uniform. Through the centuries they have demonstrated time and again the need for vigilance tempered with mercy so that all will be able to savor the abundance given to us by God.
Soon we will celebrate an annual event called Thanksgiving. It is an American holiday formed after the holiday in the Hebrew Bible known as Sukkot – Feast of Tabernacles.
The Bible tells us that it was incumbent on all the people to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem and bring the first fruits of the harvest gleaned from the fields to demonstrate appreciation to God for the blessings bestowed upon the people.
The Pilgrims who landed in the New World were grateful for many things, among them the freedom from oppression; the ability to be free in a new land that was ripe for the experiments of choice resulting from hard work and determination. There were no task masters to control their goings and comings or to take tribute for their labor.
We have all read accounts of those times and the struggles and hardships that required steadfastness and dedication. There was comfort from and with each other that translated in survival in a harsh new environment. If ever there was the ability to be grateful, it certainly was found in faith.
The Bible played a significant role in offering comfort from the unexpected. Several centuries later there was found on the walls of a cellar where people were hiding from the Nazis which, perhaps, describes the torment and belief in redemption that the Pilgrims were looking for to assist in their ability to endure:
“I believe in the sun even when it is not shining.
I believe in love even when not feeling it.
I believe in God even when He is silent.”
One of the writings of the great poet, Noah benShea, indicated that faith sees beyond fate. And that is the essence of what gave the people who witnessed humanities darkest hour and what gave the Pilgrims the ability to overcome difficulties of what they could not see or imagine.
The 18th century German poet, Heinrich Heine wrote that human misery is too great for men to deal with without faith. As a Christian he was motivated by a deep desire to instill a feeling of worthiness in the human spirit that can only be found in a strong connection to God.
There was a recent movie titled “The Way” which describes with tender feelings and emotions the need to discover the ability to learn from our journey of life – the good and the bad. In it we witness people from different corners of the Globe searching for meaning as they endeavor to walk the path of generations seeking fulfillment and completion.
Each of them – four in all – came for various reasons; one for understanding; one to relinquish a bad habit; one for connection to a child lost to eternity and the fourth to write the great novel. There were dramatic events that took place during this long trek and affected each in differing ways. In the end they realized that the path to realization lead to a single concept of deliverance: Connection.
All of us, at one time or another, try to reach out to touch a hand or kiss a face or hear a familiar sound with the ultimate objective of feeling a togetherness that is essential to live our lives as God intended – united with a friend, a loved one, even a stranger.
Some of us believe only what we understand, as Benjamin Disraeli remarked, but the truth is that we can believe what we don’t understand, and that is called faith. It is this faith in ourselves and faith in the unknown we refer to as God that sustains us and gives us the impetus to continue with life even when there is the good and the bad in the mix.
The Pilgrims were also driven by a vision as described in Proverbs: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” The generations that preceded us and gave us the understanding of thankfulness through sacrifice knew only too well the meaning of dreaming what was considered impossible.
As we gather together at this great festival of appreciation let us remember, with gratitude, the people who allow us to rejoice – the men and women who serve our country wearing its uniform. Through the centuries they have demonstrated time and again the need for vigilance tempered with mercy so that all will be able to savor the abundance given to us by God.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Pekuach Nefesh: The saving of a life
Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D.
Sukkot is a special holiday and at the same time mostly ignored because it follows on the heels of the High Holidays. In fact tradition teaches that Sukkot is really part of the High Holiday season. So why then is it insignificant in many circles? Perhaps because we seem to be “holidayed out,” so to speak. For several weeks we are inundated with Selichot prayers ushering in the “Days of Awe” and then the time arrives and we are left to ponder and contemplate. All of this culminates with the “Afflicting of our Souls” as prescribed in the Torah.
Somehow Sukkot, even with its rituals and trappings, such as building a Sukkah or arranging to obtain the four species of vegetation put together with the Lulav and Etrog, seems to be lost in the shadow of the agony and ecstasy of renewal and anticipation.
However, I believe, we neglect to think of one aspect of all these holidays, a common denominator, if you will: The saving of life. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur give us the ability to reconnect with God through introspection and Sukkot completes the journey by suggesting that now is the time to remember the blessings of life afforded us through the beneficence of a caring and loving God. By recalling these messages we, in all probability, will be saving the lives of ourselves, our loved ones, and even those we don’t know.
How is this accomplished? Simply stated, remembering that we are responsible to others for our actions. We are responsible to God for those things that relate to our spiritual well-being. We are responsible to ourselves to ensure that our lives will have meaning and purpose.
Sukkot reminds us of God’s protection which is given because we take the necessary action and attitude to affect happiness and completeness. It also suggests that the shelter we build is established to connote that God too attempts to shelter us from the consequences of choices we make that can hurt us and those around us through ignorance and neglect.
Our lives certainly are tenuous and fragile as is the Sukkah. Therefore we must take the time to celebrate, rejoice, and give thanks. There is, however, one more aspect that needs to be part of our thoughts and actions: Pekuach Nefesh – the saving of humanity, one person at a time.
I recently met a woman, advanced in age, but determined to live her life to the fullest and prolong it even though she is suffering from failed kidneys. She is a candidate for a transplant, but is on a very long list and probably will not survive the wait.
She needs help. She needs someone to come forward and offer her survival. She has insisted that, even though it is forbidden to purchase or sell a kidney, she is willing to make whatever arrangements are necessary to accomplish her goal: To spend her twilight years in the bosom of her family enjoying their continued growth and development.
She is not unique. There are, I am sure, many people who have maladies that require unusual attempts at life saving efforts. What does separate her is that she is not angry. She is not angry at God. She is not angry at anyone. She is accepting but hopeful. She is prayerful but realistic. She has the love of husband, children, grandchildren and friends.
I spent much time with her listening to her story. I left feeling empty and helpless. All I could offer were words, words of encouragement and words of spiritual awareness. I have encouraged some to say Psalms for her every day. She is on every Misheberach list I could find. Still I feel despondent because that is all I have to offer.
So I turn to my readers and ask if you know any way you can lend a hand. I urge you to call me or write me with whatever information you have available. I take this unusual step because of the message I have received through the High Holiday experience and significance of holiday called Sukkot.
There is something I read recently written by Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman titled, A Prayer For Prayer. The following are excerpts from his offering:
O My God
My soul’s companion
My heart’s precious friend
I turn to you.
In your oneness, I find healing.
In the promise of Your love, I am soothed.
In Your wholeness, I too can become whole again.
Please listen to my call-
Help me find the words
Help me find the strength within
Help me shape my mouth, my voice, my heart
So that I can direct my spirit and find You in prayer
In words only my heart can speak
In songs only my soul can sing
Lifting my eyes and heart to You.
This is my prayer as we begin a New Year: A prayer for God’s guidance and understanding so that all who listen and read will find the courage to affect true Pekuach Nefesh for a woman called Barbara.
Sukkot is a special holiday and at the same time mostly ignored because it follows on the heels of the High Holidays. In fact tradition teaches that Sukkot is really part of the High Holiday season. So why then is it insignificant in many circles? Perhaps because we seem to be “holidayed out,” so to speak. For several weeks we are inundated with Selichot prayers ushering in the “Days of Awe” and then the time arrives and we are left to ponder and contemplate. All of this culminates with the “Afflicting of our Souls” as prescribed in the Torah.
Somehow Sukkot, even with its rituals and trappings, such as building a Sukkah or arranging to obtain the four species of vegetation put together with the Lulav and Etrog, seems to be lost in the shadow of the agony and ecstasy of renewal and anticipation.
However, I believe, we neglect to think of one aspect of all these holidays, a common denominator, if you will: The saving of life. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur give us the ability to reconnect with God through introspection and Sukkot completes the journey by suggesting that now is the time to remember the blessings of life afforded us through the beneficence of a caring and loving God. By recalling these messages we, in all probability, will be saving the lives of ourselves, our loved ones, and even those we don’t know.
How is this accomplished? Simply stated, remembering that we are responsible to others for our actions. We are responsible to God for those things that relate to our spiritual well-being. We are responsible to ourselves to ensure that our lives will have meaning and purpose.
Sukkot reminds us of God’s protection which is given because we take the necessary action and attitude to affect happiness and completeness. It also suggests that the shelter we build is established to connote that God too attempts to shelter us from the consequences of choices we make that can hurt us and those around us through ignorance and neglect.
Our lives certainly are tenuous and fragile as is the Sukkah. Therefore we must take the time to celebrate, rejoice, and give thanks. There is, however, one more aspect that needs to be part of our thoughts and actions: Pekuach Nefesh – the saving of humanity, one person at a time.
I recently met a woman, advanced in age, but determined to live her life to the fullest and prolong it even though she is suffering from failed kidneys. She is a candidate for a transplant, but is on a very long list and probably will not survive the wait.
She needs help. She needs someone to come forward and offer her survival. She has insisted that, even though it is forbidden to purchase or sell a kidney, she is willing to make whatever arrangements are necessary to accomplish her goal: To spend her twilight years in the bosom of her family enjoying their continued growth and development.
She is not unique. There are, I am sure, many people who have maladies that require unusual attempts at life saving efforts. What does separate her is that she is not angry. She is not angry at God. She is not angry at anyone. She is accepting but hopeful. She is prayerful but realistic. She has the love of husband, children, grandchildren and friends.
I spent much time with her listening to her story. I left feeling empty and helpless. All I could offer were words, words of encouragement and words of spiritual awareness. I have encouraged some to say Psalms for her every day. She is on every Misheberach list I could find. Still I feel despondent because that is all I have to offer.
So I turn to my readers and ask if you know any way you can lend a hand. I urge you to call me or write me with whatever information you have available. I take this unusual step because of the message I have received through the High Holiday experience and significance of holiday called Sukkot.
There is something I read recently written by Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman titled, A Prayer For Prayer. The following are excerpts from his offering:
O My God
My soul’s companion
My heart’s precious friend
I turn to you.
In your oneness, I find healing.
In the promise of Your love, I am soothed.
In Your wholeness, I too can become whole again.
Please listen to my call-
Help me find the words
Help me find the strength within
Help me shape my mouth, my voice, my heart
So that I can direct my spirit and find You in prayer
In words only my heart can speak
In songs only my soul can sing
Lifting my eyes and heart to You.
This is my prayer as we begin a New Year: A prayer for God’s guidance and understanding so that all who listen and read will find the courage to affect true Pekuach Nefesh for a woman called Barbara.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Rosh Hashanah 5772
Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D.
Soon we will gather in the Synagogue to celebrate another year as the old disappears and the new takes shape. What kind of year is passing and what kind of a year lies ahead? These are just two of the questions we will ask ourselves as we do each year at this time.
Some of us will wonder whether we did enough to matter and some will contemplate about things that never were and maybe will never be. Through it all, however, there is one constant theme that will resonate within us as we sit and sing and pray and listen and it is something I think about, not just at this season but all year long and is best illustrated by the following story:
A yeshiva student was having a discussion with his rabbi. “Someday, I too hope to become a rabbi,” said the youth. “Aside from my studies is there any other all-important qualification I will need?” “Yes, the stimulus of imagination,” replied the rabbi. “You will have to imagine that somebody is paying attention to what you say.”
I believe that all of us during our lifetime have wondered whether anyone listens to us, our children, our colleagues at work, our significant others, and even ourselves. We have a great deal to say because communicating is a significant way of connecting.
Sometimes we say things that really don’t matter and, of course, we do say things that affect our lives and those around us. Sometimes we say things that have different meanings because we are not clear and precise. Sometimes we say things we really don’t mean because we want to be sensitive to another’s feelings. And sometimes we say things that aren’t true because we are too ashamed or embarrassed as to our real intent.
The High Holidays give us an opportunity to say things to God we never thought we had the ability to utter. There are thoughts we have that mean so much because we are at a stage in life where minutes, hours, days, weeks and years are precious and not to be wasted.
It takes a great deal of imagination to pray that God is listening and hears our words because we cannot see, or touch, or even hear an answer. But it doesn’t take imagination to realize that answers can come from experiences and happenings that remind us we do matter. We see the miracles of life daily, but we tend to ignore them. We can touch a loved one because that touch awakens the understanding of togetherness and companionship. We do hear the sounds of laughter and the tears that fall when we lose someone we love or witness illness.
As we embark on another year we all should listen to our inner voice that tells us life is to live and treasure because it is a gift that keeps on giving.
May we all have a very happy New Year filled with laughter and love and good health and above all the ability to listen and hear.
Shanah Tovah!!
Soon we will gather in the Synagogue to celebrate another year as the old disappears and the new takes shape. What kind of year is passing and what kind of a year lies ahead? These are just two of the questions we will ask ourselves as we do each year at this time.
Some of us will wonder whether we did enough to matter and some will contemplate about things that never were and maybe will never be. Through it all, however, there is one constant theme that will resonate within us as we sit and sing and pray and listen and it is something I think about, not just at this season but all year long and is best illustrated by the following story:
A yeshiva student was having a discussion with his rabbi. “Someday, I too hope to become a rabbi,” said the youth. “Aside from my studies is there any other all-important qualification I will need?” “Yes, the stimulus of imagination,” replied the rabbi. “You will have to imagine that somebody is paying attention to what you say.”
I believe that all of us during our lifetime have wondered whether anyone listens to us, our children, our colleagues at work, our significant others, and even ourselves. We have a great deal to say because communicating is a significant way of connecting.
Sometimes we say things that really don’t matter and, of course, we do say things that affect our lives and those around us. Sometimes we say things that have different meanings because we are not clear and precise. Sometimes we say things we really don’t mean because we want to be sensitive to another’s feelings. And sometimes we say things that aren’t true because we are too ashamed or embarrassed as to our real intent.
The High Holidays give us an opportunity to say things to God we never thought we had the ability to utter. There are thoughts we have that mean so much because we are at a stage in life where minutes, hours, days, weeks and years are precious and not to be wasted.
It takes a great deal of imagination to pray that God is listening and hears our words because we cannot see, or touch, or even hear an answer. But it doesn’t take imagination to realize that answers can come from experiences and happenings that remind us we do matter. We see the miracles of life daily, but we tend to ignore them. We can touch a loved one because that touch awakens the understanding of togetherness and companionship. We do hear the sounds of laughter and the tears that fall when we lose someone we love or witness illness.
As we embark on another year we all should listen to our inner voice that tells us life is to live and treasure because it is a gift that keeps on giving.
May we all have a very happy New Year filled with laughter and love and good health and above all the ability to listen and hear.
Shanah Tovah!!
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