It is said that the Gates of Repentance, the Sha’arei Teshuvah, open during the High Holy Days. Maimonides, the famed medieval philosopher, taught extensively on teshuvah, making clear that repentance was not a one-time act, but rather an intricate process. According to his teaching, there are six steps to what he calls “complete repentance”: Recognition, Remorse, Recitation, Restitution, Reconciliation, and Resolve. Throughout these High Holy Days, our kavanot, taken from our High Holy Day worship supplement, “Days of Awe” (available at our High Holy Day services and online by clicking HERE) will consist of reflections from your clergy on each of these six steps.
Recognition
by Senior Cantor Emma Lutz
There is a beautiful and well-known verse from Shir HaShirim: “אני לדודי, ודודי לי—I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine” (Song of Songs 6:3). The first letters of the words of the verse spell out the name of the month of אלול (Elul), our time to begin our process of repentance. We recite this verse at Jewish weddings, when a couple exchanges their rings. The original meaning of the text was likely an analogy describing the loving relationship between God and the Jewish people. So, what is the connection between this biblical poetry and our own personal commitment to the work of teshuvah during these Days of Awe?
I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine— when we say these words to our spouse, to God, or to ourselves, we are performing an act of recognition. We are truly seeing with empathy and understanding, recognizing the deep connections that exist between each of us and the Divine. I am you, you are me, I am willing to see you truly as you are—with all of your imperfections, in all of your shortcomings, with all of your messiness, in all of your radiant potential.
It can be difficult, painful even, to begin the first step of Maimonides’ path to repentance—the deep work of recognition. When we recognize our sins or remember the moments when we have not been our best selves, we might feel compelled to stop the work there—to get stuck in shame, denial, or fear, to be unwilling to move forward into the growing work of remorse or reconciliation. But what if we were to recognize ourselves fully with deep love, with true understanding, as a reflection of God, just as the text of Song of Songs suggests? I think only when we truly recognize ourselves, even with our sins and scars, can we move into the real work of teshuvah with our whole hearts. When we see ourselves for who we are, we can start the process of true and deep self-reflection and self-realization, and only then can we really recognize where we fell short and how we hope to grow in the year to come.
May we wholeheartedly employ the 10 Days of Awe as a time for recognition, to acknowledge where we fell short and where we have transgressed, to commit deeply to the process of teshuvah, but first and always, to see ourselves and others with true compassion. And then, let us work toward recognizing our best impulses, to becoming our best selves in the year to come.