We cross a scary, narrow bridge,
It has an awesome span.
From Tisha b’AvThe holiday on which the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem is commemorated through fasting and prayers. to Simkhat TorahThe Five Books of Moses, and the foundation of all of Jewish life and lore. The Torah is considered the heart and soul of the Jewish people, and study of the Torah is a high mitzvah. The Torah itself a scroll that is hand lettered on parchment, elaborately dressed and decorated, and stored in a decorative ark. It is chanted aloud on Mondays, Thursdays, and Shabbat, according to a yearly cycle. Sometimes "Torah" is used as a colloquial term for Jewish learning and narrative in general. and back again.
It’s not a simple stroll across this bridge,
Revealing truth with each step.
How do we getA writ of divorce. Traditionally, only a man can grant his wife a get. Liberal Jews have amended this tradition, making divorce more egalitarian. across intact?
Tread gingerly, alone,
Exposed before our friends and family and yes, the Infinite.
But most of all, to ourselves.
We know what we have done. We do.
So what helps us across that bridge?
Our music, the poetry, the liturgy;
The wise words, the sharing, the rhythm of the rituals and conversations with God.
TefillahLit. Prayer.
Our gathering, these clergy and prayer leaders, this community,
Social justice and acts of loving kindness,
TzedakahCharity. In Hebrew, the word tzedakah derives from the word for justice. Tzedakah is not seen as emanating from the kindness of one’s heart but, rather, as a communal obligation..
Our self-awareness, honesty, regret, humility, atonement,
Our forgiveness, grief, redemption, and joy,
Teshuvah.
The same stuff every year but shockingly different each time.
This is Kesher, our connection to truth and hope.
This is Gesher, our bridge across these Days of Awe.
Kesher v’Gesher
Connect. Cross the bridge.
From Tisha b’Av to Simkhat Torah:
From Regret to Celebration
From Celebration to Teshuvah
From Teshuvah to Sweetness
From Sweetness to Atonement
From Atonement to Awe
From Awe to Abundance
From Abundance to Torah
Blessed One-ness, Breath of Everything, we are not alone on this journey.
Walk with us as we cross each bridge to a new year and yet another beginning.
Amen.
