Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D.
Each year we begin the reading of the Torah all over again. The lesson is quite simple: There is no end to learning. We think, as we read, that having read it before we cannot learn anything new and then a new thought, a new understanding of the same sentence enables us to forge a new concept or idea. Isn’t that what learning is all about?
In the first Book of the Torah we begin to realize the depth of experiences during our lifetime. We journey from Creation to destruction and then creation again. God talks and the world comes into being. God regrets and the world descends once more into the same abyss that was there at the very start of this encounter with time.
Noah is left to carry-on so that this beginning will result in a different future. No longer are we innocent strays wandering aimlessly with no purpose or meaning. The master plan is taking shape as directed by the Master builder.
Imperfections exist in the human story. We are told of these failings because life is not perfect and our partnership with the Creator is the eternal quest for perfection. Perhaps it is an unattainable goal, but it is part of our pursuit for connection.
We float to Abraham who, with all his shortcomings is determined to maintain that bridge to eternal salvation through a chain of events that result in the creation of a ladder of evolving climbing to greater heights filled with awe and fulfillment.
The chain of tradition remains the link of all the generations that will follow until this very day.
The first story of humanities formation and existence teaches us very valuable lessons: We are born, we live, we laugh, we cry, we die, and then we are re-born because as Creation teaches us, this is an evolutionary process that, like learning, has no end, just a continuing journey.
If we take anything away from the lessons of these chapters it is that we know where we came from, we know where we have been and perhaps, if we are lucky enough, we will learn where we are going. But through it all we need to remember that we are human and as such there are trials and tribulations that go with that understanding.
And just as we are born, we are born with instincts that sometimes make no sense; we live with frailties and infirmities; we laugh when, sometimes, nothing makes sense; we cry uncontrollably when we lose someone we love or something precious has been taken from us; we die, because all things die and we are not picked for this in answer to some mistaken belief that we were destined for punishment; we are re-born as a testament to the eternalness of Creation.
Perhaps the next time we read the beginning of everything we will remember that this is but one way to comprehending our purpose and meaning. If you think of more, then you have accomplished the ultimate learning example.
Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Relationships
Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D.
Sometimes we take relationships for granted. We assume that people will react as we do to situations that require compassion and understanding. And then we see, all too often, the disregard for feelings and the contempt that develops because of familiarity.
Such is the ultimate fate of getting involved with people. We are born to be together and yet, we find it difficult at times to maintain closeness. We discard as fast as we accumulate. The friend of today will probably not be the friend of tomorrow. How sad when you think of all the effort that is involved in cultivating relationships and maintaining them.
Sometimes we think that one feeling or sentiment fits all. But we know this to be untrue. Moses Mendelssohn, the German-Jewish philosopher of the eighteenth century wrote: “If we are seeking to be genuinely sympathetic to others, then we must not think one emotional blanket will cover all when God by design and act shows sympathy for each of us as individuals.” His philosophical teachings took Jews into the Renaissance with a feeling of connection and purpose.
A recent movie entitled “Toy Story 3” gives the perfect example of how we sometimes take things seriously and when we are finished we just abandon any feeling of connection. In the movie there are toys that were part of a boy’s development and growth. He played with them throughout his youth and then when he was ready to move-on, to go to the next-step in his maturity, he puts them in a chest and doesn’t think about them again. That is, until he gets ready to go off to school.
He begins to clear his room of all his boyhood memories and comes across these toys that brought him so much joy. Eventually he decides to place all but one in the attic and that one special toy he wants to bring to school as a reminder of those happy moments.
The story is quite amazing because it gives us insight into our own relationships with friends and family. Most of us have had childhood friends that matured with us. Some have had very good friends or best friends and as the years progressed, so did we and those friends, are for the most part, not involved in our lives anymore. It’s not that we don’t have fond recollections, but rather we have moved-on and they don’t seem to be necessary anymore.
Some, I am sure, still have childhood friends that are still here with us in our more maturing age. These are rare. Our society is so mobile. Once we lived within a stone’s throw of each other, now find ourselves in different corners of the country and even the world. So we engage new friends and new acquaintances. However, there is always something happening that reminds us of that special girl or that special boy. It could be a smile or an experience or a location and there it is – a reminder of those pleasant times, or maybe not so pleasant times, when we were in school or on a first date.
Eventually these memories are relegated to the chest of remembrances to be opened occasionally when we go to attic or the basement or the storage closet. The albums come out, the pictures are there to constantly bring to mind the times of pimples or bobby sox or peg pants or slick hair gel that brought your hair back to a meeting place at the back of your head. You remember hair?
The story reminds us that today we still do the same things. We may not have the same friends but the new ones come and go faster than we would like. As we get older it is harder to make friends and even harder to keep them. We have family that occupy our time even more because they are growing and increasing so we need to find the energy to keep up with it all. It is daunting, to say the last.
On top of all that we have friends and neighbors who need us as we need them. It is especially true for those who live far from family. No longer are we just around the corner or upstairs or next door. Once we took a few steps and we were connected, and now we have to travel great distances. And it seems that this great family experience is an effort more for them more than for us. After all, we are two and they are many.
Now we are witnessing a different dynamic. Our families are no longer an integral part of our daily lives and the friends we once shared all our deepest most intimate thoughts are memories never to be repeated. We don’t keep in touch nor do we make any serious attempt to re-connect. We discard old reminiscences as though they no longer matter and forget the significance of these past relationships.
Today’s cliques are born out of yesterdays remnants. We tend to forget as the Yiddish folk saying goes: “Those who think they can live without others are wrong. But those who think that others cannot survive without them are even more in error.” Friendships are created and nurtured with effort and action, not by accident.
The past teaches us that friendships come and go because we neglect to continue showing the ability to forgive as well as the necessity for respect. The Ethics of the Fathers, the writings of the Sages, instructs us by asking simple questions: “Who is wise? Those who can learn from everyone. Who is strong? Those who can control their passions. Who is honored? Those who honor others.” This is the essence of true and lasting friendships.
In a New Year, perhaps, we should remember our past encounters as a lesson in understanding ourselves and in so doing our expectation of friends will not cause friction but rather connection We need to be reminded of something Cynthia Ozick, the American writer, wrote in the early 20th century: “When something does not insist on being noticed, when we aren’t grabbed by the collar or struck on the skull by a presence or an event, we take for granted the very things that most deserve or gratitude.”
What better way to celebrate a New Year than to be grateful for each other; to appreciate each other; to be respectful of each other, and to love each other as we would want to be loved.
Sometimes we take relationships for granted. We assume that people will react as we do to situations that require compassion and understanding. And then we see, all too often, the disregard for feelings and the contempt that develops because of familiarity.
Such is the ultimate fate of getting involved with people. We are born to be together and yet, we find it difficult at times to maintain closeness. We discard as fast as we accumulate. The friend of today will probably not be the friend of tomorrow. How sad when you think of all the effort that is involved in cultivating relationships and maintaining them.
Sometimes we think that one feeling or sentiment fits all. But we know this to be untrue. Moses Mendelssohn, the German-Jewish philosopher of the eighteenth century wrote: “If we are seeking to be genuinely sympathetic to others, then we must not think one emotional blanket will cover all when God by design and act shows sympathy for each of us as individuals.” His philosophical teachings took Jews into the Renaissance with a feeling of connection and purpose.
A recent movie entitled “Toy Story 3” gives the perfect example of how we sometimes take things seriously and when we are finished we just abandon any feeling of connection. In the movie there are toys that were part of a boy’s development and growth. He played with them throughout his youth and then when he was ready to move-on, to go to the next-step in his maturity, he puts them in a chest and doesn’t think about them again. That is, until he gets ready to go off to school.
He begins to clear his room of all his boyhood memories and comes across these toys that brought him so much joy. Eventually he decides to place all but one in the attic and that one special toy he wants to bring to school as a reminder of those happy moments.
The story is quite amazing because it gives us insight into our own relationships with friends and family. Most of us have had childhood friends that matured with us. Some have had very good friends or best friends and as the years progressed, so did we and those friends, are for the most part, not involved in our lives anymore. It’s not that we don’t have fond recollections, but rather we have moved-on and they don’t seem to be necessary anymore.
Some, I am sure, still have childhood friends that are still here with us in our more maturing age. These are rare. Our society is so mobile. Once we lived within a stone’s throw of each other, now find ourselves in different corners of the country and even the world. So we engage new friends and new acquaintances. However, there is always something happening that reminds us of that special girl or that special boy. It could be a smile or an experience or a location and there it is – a reminder of those pleasant times, or maybe not so pleasant times, when we were in school or on a first date.
Eventually these memories are relegated to the chest of remembrances to be opened occasionally when we go to attic or the basement or the storage closet. The albums come out, the pictures are there to constantly bring to mind the times of pimples or bobby sox or peg pants or slick hair gel that brought your hair back to a meeting place at the back of your head. You remember hair?
The story reminds us that today we still do the same things. We may not have the same friends but the new ones come and go faster than we would like. As we get older it is harder to make friends and even harder to keep them. We have family that occupy our time even more because they are growing and increasing so we need to find the energy to keep up with it all. It is daunting, to say the last.
On top of all that we have friends and neighbors who need us as we need them. It is especially true for those who live far from family. No longer are we just around the corner or upstairs or next door. Once we took a few steps and we were connected, and now we have to travel great distances. And it seems that this great family experience is an effort more for them more than for us. After all, we are two and they are many.
Now we are witnessing a different dynamic. Our families are no longer an integral part of our daily lives and the friends we once shared all our deepest most intimate thoughts are memories never to be repeated. We don’t keep in touch nor do we make any serious attempt to re-connect. We discard old reminiscences as though they no longer matter and forget the significance of these past relationships.
Today’s cliques are born out of yesterdays remnants. We tend to forget as the Yiddish folk saying goes: “Those who think they can live without others are wrong. But those who think that others cannot survive without them are even more in error.” Friendships are created and nurtured with effort and action, not by accident.
The past teaches us that friendships come and go because we neglect to continue showing the ability to forgive as well as the necessity for respect. The Ethics of the Fathers, the writings of the Sages, instructs us by asking simple questions: “Who is wise? Those who can learn from everyone. Who is strong? Those who can control their passions. Who is honored? Those who honor others.” This is the essence of true and lasting friendships.
In a New Year, perhaps, we should remember our past encounters as a lesson in understanding ourselves and in so doing our expectation of friends will not cause friction but rather connection We need to be reminded of something Cynthia Ozick, the American writer, wrote in the early 20th century: “When something does not insist on being noticed, when we aren’t grabbed by the collar or struck on the skull by a presence or an event, we take for granted the very things that most deserve or gratitude.”
What better way to celebrate a New Year than to be grateful for each other; to appreciate each other; to be respectful of each other, and to love each other as we would want to be loved.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Choices
Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D.
Sometimes when things do not seem to go according to our wishes or desires we tend to say that it is “besheirt” – it was destined to be. It is a simple way of explaining the unexplainable. After-all we are not built to delve too deeply into things that seem to make no sense. It is a defense mechanism that gives us the ability to cope.
And yet, when the dust settles, there is a frustration that leaves us even more puzzled about life and its many experiences. It is frustrating because we are taught that we have the ability to choose the path we take with many of the decisions we make. Do we go to the left or to the right? Do we accept one answer without looking for another? Are we satisfied that our choices are motivated by fact and not fantasy? All these come into play when deciding our journey through the adventures of life.
Even the venerated Sage, Rabbi Akiba pronounced that everything is foreseen, yet freedom of choice is given. On the surface this would seem to be contradictory. But think about it. We are faced with choices every day. Some choices are simple such as what to wear or what to eat. And then there are choices that can be mind boggling such as to love and be loved and by whom or to go to war or make peace. In the end what we decide can be construed as being pre-ordained. No matter what choice we make, as Shakespeare said,”it is written in the stars.”
Here is where the test of faith and understanding takes root. How can we, on the one hand, be free to choose our destiny, and on the other, be told that the exercise is futile? Why? Because we are also taught that the fate of man is self-determining. And we also know that we are responsible for our choices, right or wrong. We are answerable for choices even though, in some instances, we were forced into them.
I recently watched an old movie. It was 1950’s vintage and concentrated on the “lost war” – the “Korean Conflict,” as it was also called. The subject-matter dealt with the horror of imprisonment by the enemy and the torture that was endured, both physical and mental.
The ranking officer, in this particular prison environment, was a major who, it was thought, became a traitor and even gave support to the enemy. Eventually when the war had ended he and his men were returned and he then faced court martial charges of treason as well as the responsibility for the death of two of his subordinates.
It was an imposing movie because the major offered no explanation and even refused to defend himself. One by one his men gave testimony supporting the charges. I will not go into the details other than to state that it was clear to me that sometimes we make choices that are difficult to accept and perhaps even more difficult for others to understand.
I doubt even God would have known what this man would do or for that matter what we would do. We all have differing degrees of conscience. What can break one person would not necessarily break another. Sometimes, in fact, we find that we can muster the courage to do things we never thought we were capable of.
At the end of the movie we are told, in the most compelling display of emotion and contrition, that his choice to give aid and comfort to the enemy was dictated by his desire to keep his men alive. These lives were threatened daily and the enemy commander made it perfectly clear that if he did not agree to deliver the messages and make an attempt to indoctrinate his men, that he would be made to watch each one die in front of him and they would also be forced to watch. What would you do?
All of us can sit back and follow this unimaginable ordeal unfold and offer different opinions, but in the end, it really doesn’t matter because we can never know for sure what our choice would be and if we could live with the choice.
Here we are at a crucial juncture in our lives. The Gates of life are open and we have the opportunity to walk through. But it is not that simple. The Gate is within our each and yet seems to be unreachable. The year is ending, and a new one is beginning. What kind of a year has it been? Sure it was filled with happy times and memorable occasions but it was also filled with disappointments and frustrations.
There was illness and recovery. Perhaps we lost someone we loved or just casually knew. Could it be that we offended someone and now seek forgiveness? Did we not care enough and now regret that action and seek to recapture the feeling of connection? In all these instances we faced choices and we made some good ones and some bad ones.
Here and now we have the ability to take that step that will bring us closer to the Gate and even garner the strength to make-it through. It is within our grasp.. It requires our ability to remove the shackles of hate and indifference. We need to determine that it is necessary for us to move forward enabling us to begin a new chapter that is void of unnecessary impulses that undermine our ability to love and be loved.
The Gate swings two ways – outward, allowing us to be part of a greater experience and fulfillment – and inward, allowing us to enter and be accepted by God as we attempt to accept God. This is why we listen to the prayers that have been recited from time immemorial: To enable us to reach a level of spiritual involvement that will give us the ability to be refreshed and complete. And we are compelled to keep the connection alive that has sustained us as for four-thousand years. This is no small accomplishment.
Yes, we all have choices in life. God is not waiting for us to make the choice that is already written but rather to erase the past and write a new chapter. God waits for us to make choices because that is what is pre-ordained – the ability to make choices. Adam and Eve had a choice and they chose to be able to make choices. This is the beauty of not sitting back and waiting for things to happen – nothing is “besheirt.” Isn’t it why pencils come with erasers?
What is our choice as we welcome in a New Year? To live!
Sometimes when things do not seem to go according to our wishes or desires we tend to say that it is “besheirt” – it was destined to be. It is a simple way of explaining the unexplainable. After-all we are not built to delve too deeply into things that seem to make no sense. It is a defense mechanism that gives us the ability to cope.
And yet, when the dust settles, there is a frustration that leaves us even more puzzled about life and its many experiences. It is frustrating because we are taught that we have the ability to choose the path we take with many of the decisions we make. Do we go to the left or to the right? Do we accept one answer without looking for another? Are we satisfied that our choices are motivated by fact and not fantasy? All these come into play when deciding our journey through the adventures of life.
Even the venerated Sage, Rabbi Akiba pronounced that everything is foreseen, yet freedom of choice is given. On the surface this would seem to be contradictory. But think about it. We are faced with choices every day. Some choices are simple such as what to wear or what to eat. And then there are choices that can be mind boggling such as to love and be loved and by whom or to go to war or make peace. In the end what we decide can be construed as being pre-ordained. No matter what choice we make, as Shakespeare said,”it is written in the stars.”
Here is where the test of faith and understanding takes root. How can we, on the one hand, be free to choose our destiny, and on the other, be told that the exercise is futile? Why? Because we are also taught that the fate of man is self-determining. And we also know that we are responsible for our choices, right or wrong. We are answerable for choices even though, in some instances, we were forced into them.
I recently watched an old movie. It was 1950’s vintage and concentrated on the “lost war” – the “Korean Conflict,” as it was also called. The subject-matter dealt with the horror of imprisonment by the enemy and the torture that was endured, both physical and mental.
The ranking officer, in this particular prison environment, was a major who, it was thought, became a traitor and even gave support to the enemy. Eventually when the war had ended he and his men were returned and he then faced court martial charges of treason as well as the responsibility for the death of two of his subordinates.
It was an imposing movie because the major offered no explanation and even refused to defend himself. One by one his men gave testimony supporting the charges. I will not go into the details other than to state that it was clear to me that sometimes we make choices that are difficult to accept and perhaps even more difficult for others to understand.
I doubt even God would have known what this man would do or for that matter what we would do. We all have differing degrees of conscience. What can break one person would not necessarily break another. Sometimes, in fact, we find that we can muster the courage to do things we never thought we were capable of.
At the end of the movie we are told, in the most compelling display of emotion and contrition, that his choice to give aid and comfort to the enemy was dictated by his desire to keep his men alive. These lives were threatened daily and the enemy commander made it perfectly clear that if he did not agree to deliver the messages and make an attempt to indoctrinate his men, that he would be made to watch each one die in front of him and they would also be forced to watch. What would you do?
All of us can sit back and follow this unimaginable ordeal unfold and offer different opinions, but in the end, it really doesn’t matter because we can never know for sure what our choice would be and if we could live with the choice.
Here we are at a crucial juncture in our lives. The Gates of life are open and we have the opportunity to walk through. But it is not that simple. The Gate is within our each and yet seems to be unreachable. The year is ending, and a new one is beginning. What kind of a year has it been? Sure it was filled with happy times and memorable occasions but it was also filled with disappointments and frustrations.
There was illness and recovery. Perhaps we lost someone we loved or just casually knew. Could it be that we offended someone and now seek forgiveness? Did we not care enough and now regret that action and seek to recapture the feeling of connection? In all these instances we faced choices and we made some good ones and some bad ones.
Here and now we have the ability to take that step that will bring us closer to the Gate and even garner the strength to make-it through. It is within our grasp.. It requires our ability to remove the shackles of hate and indifference. We need to determine that it is necessary for us to move forward enabling us to begin a new chapter that is void of unnecessary impulses that undermine our ability to love and be loved.
The Gate swings two ways – outward, allowing us to be part of a greater experience and fulfillment – and inward, allowing us to enter and be accepted by God as we attempt to accept God. This is why we listen to the prayers that have been recited from time immemorial: To enable us to reach a level of spiritual involvement that will give us the ability to be refreshed and complete. And we are compelled to keep the connection alive that has sustained us as for four-thousand years. This is no small accomplishment.
Yes, we all have choices in life. God is not waiting for us to make the choice that is already written but rather to erase the past and write a new chapter. God waits for us to make choices because that is what is pre-ordained – the ability to make choices. Adam and Eve had a choice and they chose to be able to make choices. This is the beauty of not sitting back and waiting for things to happen – nothing is “besheirt.” Isn’t it why pencils come with erasers?
What is our choice as we welcome in a New Year? To live!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Miracle In the Rain
Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D.
I borrowed this title from a movie I saw recently, vintage 1956, starring Jane Wyman and Van Johnson. It was both moving and heart wrenching. It was nostalgic and timely. It was all these things and more.
The saying goes that art imitates life and that is true in most instances. One thing is for sure, movies can make you feel glad and at the same time make you feel sad. It is like life. We have moments of ecstasy and in an instant we can become despondent. We are designed to withstand euphoria and disappointment; it’s built into the system. Sometimes, however, the system breaks down and we can’t discern one from the other.
The one emotion that can carry us through dark days and help us rejoice when there is light is called love. It works in mysterious ways. Our hearts can be filled with unimaginable happiness. When we love someone and are loved in return we enter into the realm of divine fulfillment.
But then the worst happens and we lose someone we love and that hurt is too much to bear. We try to reach for some magical occurrence that will bring back our love so that the hurt will go away and our feelings of happiness return. We remember the bliss of an embrace, the thrill of a kiss, the orgasmic expression of love’s completion, the birth of a child.
The days and nights are empty now. The touching and reaching are beyond our grasp. The marvel of a smile or a gleam in an eye seems so distant as if they never really were there at all. It is such a lonely sensation. Tears, like falling rain fill our eyes and roll down our cheeks. Sometimes we cry uncontrollably and our body trembles. It is so awful. We are so desolate.
The respected poet-philosopher, Noah ben Shea tells the following story:
Once there was a student who was with a teacher for many years. And when the teacher felt he was going to die, he wanted to make even his death a lesson.
That night, the teacher took a torch, called his student, and set off with him through the forest.
Soon they reached the middle of the woods, where the teacher extinguished the torch, without explanation.
“What is the matter?” asked the student.
“This torch has gone out,” the teacher answered and walked on.
“But,” shouted the student, his voice plucking his fear, “will you leave me here in the dark?”
“No! I will not leave you in the dark,” returned the teacher’s voice from the surrounding blackness. “I will leave you searching for the light.”
Such is the path we should take when we lose a loved one. During their lifetime they gave us light, the light of hope and completion. They lit our path so that we could experience fulfillment. And when that light is extinguished, it is not really gone because the flame that burned our passion is now embedded in our heart for all time. That is called memory.
Memory will not replace the intensity of the joy but it will enable us to embrace the very depth of understanding and realization that without the love that was shared there can be no memory and memory guarantees immortality. Memory is the next step in the thrillful journey of life.
Sorrow is the rain and the drops remind us of the tears we shed and the miracle is that our affliction will be washed away together with the sadness allowing us to begin a new day filled with sunshine and a life yet to be lived. This is the legacy that was left to us and we leave others: That the next generation and the next will be able to share what we had and make it into what they now have.
To have loved and to be loved is a miracle whether in the rain or in the clear skies that dry up our tears. We must continue because that is the true miracle of life.
I borrowed this title from a movie I saw recently, vintage 1956, starring Jane Wyman and Van Johnson. It was both moving and heart wrenching. It was nostalgic and timely. It was all these things and more.
The saying goes that art imitates life and that is true in most instances. One thing is for sure, movies can make you feel glad and at the same time make you feel sad. It is like life. We have moments of ecstasy and in an instant we can become despondent. We are designed to withstand euphoria and disappointment; it’s built into the system. Sometimes, however, the system breaks down and we can’t discern one from the other.
The one emotion that can carry us through dark days and help us rejoice when there is light is called love. It works in mysterious ways. Our hearts can be filled with unimaginable happiness. When we love someone and are loved in return we enter into the realm of divine fulfillment.
But then the worst happens and we lose someone we love and that hurt is too much to bear. We try to reach for some magical occurrence that will bring back our love so that the hurt will go away and our feelings of happiness return. We remember the bliss of an embrace, the thrill of a kiss, the orgasmic expression of love’s completion, the birth of a child.
The days and nights are empty now. The touching and reaching are beyond our grasp. The marvel of a smile or a gleam in an eye seems so distant as if they never really were there at all. It is such a lonely sensation. Tears, like falling rain fill our eyes and roll down our cheeks. Sometimes we cry uncontrollably and our body trembles. It is so awful. We are so desolate.
The respected poet-philosopher, Noah ben Shea tells the following story:
Once there was a student who was with a teacher for many years. And when the teacher felt he was going to die, he wanted to make even his death a lesson.
That night, the teacher took a torch, called his student, and set off with him through the forest.
Soon they reached the middle of the woods, where the teacher extinguished the torch, without explanation.
“What is the matter?” asked the student.
“This torch has gone out,” the teacher answered and walked on.
“But,” shouted the student, his voice plucking his fear, “will you leave me here in the dark?”
“No! I will not leave you in the dark,” returned the teacher’s voice from the surrounding blackness. “I will leave you searching for the light.”
Such is the path we should take when we lose a loved one. During their lifetime they gave us light, the light of hope and completion. They lit our path so that we could experience fulfillment. And when that light is extinguished, it is not really gone because the flame that burned our passion is now embedded in our heart for all time. That is called memory.
Memory will not replace the intensity of the joy but it will enable us to embrace the very depth of understanding and realization that without the love that was shared there can be no memory and memory guarantees immortality. Memory is the next step in the thrillful journey of life.
Sorrow is the rain and the drops remind us of the tears we shed and the miracle is that our affliction will be washed away together with the sadness allowing us to begin a new day filled with sunshine and a life yet to be lived. This is the legacy that was left to us and we leave others: That the next generation and the next will be able to share what we had and make it into what they now have.
To have loved and to be loved is a miracle whether in the rain or in the clear skies that dry up our tears. We must continue because that is the true miracle of life.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
I Believe
Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D.
Many times I hear from different people with different attitudes and histories indicating that it is not necessary to do many things that are expected regarding faith observance because all that is needed is to believe.
“I believe in God, what more is needed?” “I am a good person, isn’t that enough?” Both questions sound logical on the surface but actually difficult to answer. We observe different customs because of background or location and then change them to fit our present requirements. Some enhance those traditions by strict observance and some dilute them by saying that they are old fashioned and hold no relevance in today’s world.
We even excuse the lack of response by finding excuses such as,”The laws of Kashrut were originated for health and cleanliness. Now that we have refrigeration and health inspections, etc. it is no longer necessary.” That’s just one example. There are many more.
I am reminded about a man who lived in the 12th century. He was called The Rambam, an acronym for his real name, Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon. He was better known as Maimonides. He was a physician, philosopher and rabbi. His feats were many, primarily in the field of medicine and Torah. In fact some of his medical pronouncements are still used today. He promoted and developed philosophical traditions of Aristotle. Albert the Great and Thomas Aquinas were among the notables of Western readers of the Rambam. There was an equal legion of Torah scholars who embraced his writings on Talmud and explanations of Scripture.
Because of his worldly appeal and his love of philosophy he was criticized by his peers and even threatened with ex-communication. He sat down, and among his most notable writings we find the Thirteen Principles of Faith. It is a digest of all the laws of Judaism and their significance to human values and our relationship to God.
These principles are repeated time and again in many different ways. You can find them in song and prayers and poems. They are repeated on the lips of the devout as well as the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the sake of their faith.
1. I believe with perfect faith that God is the Creator and Ruler of all things. He alone has made, does make, and will make all things.
2. I believe with perfect faith that God is One. There is no unity that is in any way like His. He alone is our God He was, He is, and He will be.
3. I believe with perfect faith that God does not have a body; physical concepts do not apply to Him. There is nothing whatsoever that resembles Him at all.
4. I believe with perfect faith that God is first and last.
5. I believe with perfect faith that it is only proper to pray to God. One may not pray to anyone or anything else.
6. I believe with perfect faith that all the words of the Prophets are true.
7. I believe with perfect faith that the prophecy of Moses is absolutely true. He was the chief of all prophets, both before and after him.
8. I believe with perfect faith that the entire Torah that we now have is that which was given to Moses.
9. I believe with perfect faith that this Torah will not be changed, and that there will never be another given by God.
10. I believe with perfect faith that God knows all of man’s deeds and thoughts. It is thus written (Psalm 33:15), “He has molded every heart together. He understands what each one does.”
11. I believe with perfect faith that God rewards those who keep His commandments, and punishes those who transgress them.
12. I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah. How long it takes, I will wait His coming every day.
13. I believe with perfect faith that the dead will be brought back to life when God wills it to happen.
There are many who will dispute some of these beliefs because they seem foreign in today’s understanding of God and religion. As time progresses so does our thinking and our understanding of life and its origins and its finality.
Each generation goes through its battles with beliefs. Each generation has its standards of these beliefs. Each generation goes through adjustments of thought. And each generation proclaims its commitment in ways that may seem strange to generations past and even stranger to the generations that will follow.
This does not mean that each was right or wrong. What it does mean that just as we have alternative concepts of God we alter the traditions to fit those notions. God gave us the ability to think and choose. That is why change is not a repudiation of the past but rather an enhancement. We could not have modern ideas if they were not preceded by ancient heritages.
We began communicating with each other with fire followed by drums succeeded by wireless and then came the telephone and cell phones and computers and who knows what will follow. Does that make fire less important? NO, because we have found a way to harness that flame to create warmth for comfort and enjoyment. We just moved forward with the help of what was.
So saying, “I believe in God” is not as bad as it sounds as long as it is accompanied by further clarification through word and deed. We all can’t be as firm in our faith as Maimonides and we all can’t sit down and write thirteen principles of faith. It is important to remember that we come together as we do for prayer and meditation to proclaim some belief because we know that without faith there can be no future.
Faith is just not belief in God. Faith is also confidence in ourselves. Faith is loyalty to family. Faith is being in love. Faith is all these things and more. We round it out with an expectation of a benevolence that we understand to be God.
If we all knew the true essence of God what would we be? Part of the mystery of life is the mystery of our birth and the mystery of our continuation after death. Faith is trust. The Hebrew word Shechina indicates a “presence or manifestation” and allows us to imagine the meaning of God without really knowing the reality of God because we can never really know God. This is the beauty of faith: The imagination of magnificence.
Maimonides searched for this reality and came to his conclusions after a life time of learning and teaching and applying his craft as given to him by God. We may not be as extensive in our search but we know that each of us has the ability to reach heights that seem unreachable because of two simple words: “I believe.”
Many times I hear from different people with different attitudes and histories indicating that it is not necessary to do many things that are expected regarding faith observance because all that is needed is to believe.
“I believe in God, what more is needed?” “I am a good person, isn’t that enough?” Both questions sound logical on the surface but actually difficult to answer. We observe different customs because of background or location and then change them to fit our present requirements. Some enhance those traditions by strict observance and some dilute them by saying that they are old fashioned and hold no relevance in today’s world.
We even excuse the lack of response by finding excuses such as,”The laws of Kashrut were originated for health and cleanliness. Now that we have refrigeration and health inspections, etc. it is no longer necessary.” That’s just one example. There are many more.
I am reminded about a man who lived in the 12th century. He was called The Rambam, an acronym for his real name, Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon. He was better known as Maimonides. He was a physician, philosopher and rabbi. His feats were many, primarily in the field of medicine and Torah. In fact some of his medical pronouncements are still used today. He promoted and developed philosophical traditions of Aristotle. Albert the Great and Thomas Aquinas were among the notables of Western readers of the Rambam. There was an equal legion of Torah scholars who embraced his writings on Talmud and explanations of Scripture.
Because of his worldly appeal and his love of philosophy he was criticized by his peers and even threatened with ex-communication. He sat down, and among his most notable writings we find the Thirteen Principles of Faith. It is a digest of all the laws of Judaism and their significance to human values and our relationship to God.
These principles are repeated time and again in many different ways. You can find them in song and prayers and poems. They are repeated on the lips of the devout as well as the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the sake of their faith.
1. I believe with perfect faith that God is the Creator and Ruler of all things. He alone has made, does make, and will make all things.
2. I believe with perfect faith that God is One. There is no unity that is in any way like His. He alone is our God He was, He is, and He will be.
3. I believe with perfect faith that God does not have a body; physical concepts do not apply to Him. There is nothing whatsoever that resembles Him at all.
4. I believe with perfect faith that God is first and last.
5. I believe with perfect faith that it is only proper to pray to God. One may not pray to anyone or anything else.
6. I believe with perfect faith that all the words of the Prophets are true.
7. I believe with perfect faith that the prophecy of Moses is absolutely true. He was the chief of all prophets, both before and after him.
8. I believe with perfect faith that the entire Torah that we now have is that which was given to Moses.
9. I believe with perfect faith that this Torah will not be changed, and that there will never be another given by God.
10. I believe with perfect faith that God knows all of man’s deeds and thoughts. It is thus written (Psalm 33:15), “He has molded every heart together. He understands what each one does.”
11. I believe with perfect faith that God rewards those who keep His commandments, and punishes those who transgress them.
12. I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah. How long it takes, I will wait His coming every day.
13. I believe with perfect faith that the dead will be brought back to life when God wills it to happen.
There are many who will dispute some of these beliefs because they seem foreign in today’s understanding of God and religion. As time progresses so does our thinking and our understanding of life and its origins and its finality.
Each generation goes through its battles with beliefs. Each generation has its standards of these beliefs. Each generation goes through adjustments of thought. And each generation proclaims its commitment in ways that may seem strange to generations past and even stranger to the generations that will follow.
This does not mean that each was right or wrong. What it does mean that just as we have alternative concepts of God we alter the traditions to fit those notions. God gave us the ability to think and choose. That is why change is not a repudiation of the past but rather an enhancement. We could not have modern ideas if they were not preceded by ancient heritages.
We began communicating with each other with fire followed by drums succeeded by wireless and then came the telephone and cell phones and computers and who knows what will follow. Does that make fire less important? NO, because we have found a way to harness that flame to create warmth for comfort and enjoyment. We just moved forward with the help of what was.
So saying, “I believe in God” is not as bad as it sounds as long as it is accompanied by further clarification through word and deed. We all can’t be as firm in our faith as Maimonides and we all can’t sit down and write thirteen principles of faith. It is important to remember that we come together as we do for prayer and meditation to proclaim some belief because we know that without faith there can be no future.
Faith is just not belief in God. Faith is also confidence in ourselves. Faith is loyalty to family. Faith is being in love. Faith is all these things and more. We round it out with an expectation of a benevolence that we understand to be God.
If we all knew the true essence of God what would we be? Part of the mystery of life is the mystery of our birth and the mystery of our continuation after death. Faith is trust. The Hebrew word Shechina indicates a “presence or manifestation” and allows us to imagine the meaning of God without really knowing the reality of God because we can never really know God. This is the beauty of faith: The imagination of magnificence.
Maimonides searched for this reality and came to his conclusions after a life time of learning and teaching and applying his craft as given to him by God. We may not be as extensive in our search but we know that each of us has the ability to reach heights that seem unreachable because of two simple words: “I believe.”
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