It is said that Nobel Prize-winning author Shmuel Yoseph Agnon was challenged by a relative of the Archbishop of Canterbury to disclose whether Judaism had any rituals that rose to the level of the great drama of the Easter service in Anglican tradition. In answer, S.Y. Agnon wrote his literary masterpiece: “The Days of Awe,” published in 1948. He plumbed the vastness of Jewish texts and traditions and extracted his own literary exploration of the High Holy Day rituals. In anticipation of Rosh Hashanah (which begins this Sunday evening), the next several kavanot will draw from the wealth of Agnon’s marvelous work. Full poetic license has been exercised to reflect modern sensibilities and egalitarianism. Passages inspired by “The Days of Awe” are italicized, other content is the author’s.
A rabbi asked: Why do the Yamim Nora’im (High Holy Days) come every year? His colleague answered: “God reviews each person’s deeds yearly so that they may have the chance to repent before their list of misdeeds grows too numerous. Were people not given the chance to repent yearly, their sins would multiply to such an extent that the world would be doomed!”
Judaism has always held that human beings are not doomed by original sin: the idea that we are sullied by sin from the moment of our birth. In fact, each day, the Jewish morning prayers include the words: “The soul you have given me is a pure one.” Virtue lies within each of us; it is only tarnished by freely-chosen behaviors that shadow the purity of our inner souls. It is an article of Jewish faith that each person carries responsibility for their conduct and has the ability to change their ways. This is a remarkable expression of optimism and hope for humanity’s potential. By suggesting that God actually gives humans a precious gift by allowing repentance (or teshuvah), our tradition also suggests that because God forgives, so, too, should we.
Regardless of whether you take this literally or metaphorically, there is deep wisdom in this idea. Our tradition affirms that people can change, whether through our own efforts or with the assistance of others. It also opens the door to the most important of relational dynamics: forgiveness. However, forgiveness is not necessarily freely given; it must be earned.
As we all walk the path towards the Holy Days, what can you change for the better in your own life? What are the steps that you’ll take to achieve that change? From whom do you need forgiveness and to whom can you grant forgiveness?
Our tradition reminds us, each and every year of our lives, that we can be better than we were the year before.
—Rabbi Ron Stern