Shoftim

Deuteronomy 4 Minutes

Tonight, the Jewish community will begin Shabbat (the Sabbath) by reflecting upon the themes in Shoftim (Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9; Isaiah 51:12-52:12) which contains the following exhortations: “There shall not be found among you… a soothsayer, a diviner of times, one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or a charmer… You shall be whole-hearted with your Lord” (Deuteronomy 18:10-14) as well as: “You forgot the Lord, your Maker, Who spread out the heavens and founded the earth, and you fear constantly the whole day” (Isaiah 51:13).

Traditional rabbinic commentary explains that Jews are forbidden from relying upon superstition, magic, astrology, psychics or other attempts to try to know or control the future. Rather, Jews are commanded to rely on their faith and their trust in the Creator of heaven and earth. Nevertheless, Judaism, along with many other faith traditions have developed their own means of coping with anxiety and trying to ward off negative outcomes. Many scholars believe that it is a fine line between a superstition and a religious compulsion, noting that even religious rituals can be used superstitiously. Ultimately, it is less about the behavior, and more about the meaning attributed to it, and the ways in which it impacts the person. Do the behaviors help ground in faith, or do they maintain an underlying anxiety? Ultimately, trying to control the future is a way of avoiding the present. None of us are guaranteed a future, but few of us maximize our present. We are too busy killing time or procrastinating what matters. These two texts speak to the challenge of being “whole-hearted” when one is consumed with anxiety.

Modern psychology explains that superstition is a coping mechanism of the ego, to avoid feeling out of control or helpless: https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-29/november-2016/everyday-magic-superstition. Indeed, to truly recognize how out of control our lives are can be a terrifying realization. None of us know what will happen next. Will this be our last day on earth? We are all at the mercy of the unexpected. Recognizing this can either lead us to feel terrified, or feel reenergized to live with true intentionality. Most religious faiths are rooted in shifting this existential terror to a deeper trust, faith and purpose, while existential psychology is focused on transforming that fear into gratitude and perspective.

The Dalai Lama was once asked what surprised him most, and he responded: “Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present, the result being that he does not live in the present or the future. He lives as if he is never going to die, then dies having never really lived.” This insight is echoed in the Talmud’s injunction to live every day as if it were our last… a technique that is often used in psychotherapy as well, to help with difficult decisions. For example, think about what you did yesterday… if you knew that yesterday was the last day you were going to be alive… what would you have wanted to do differently?

For Jews, this month marks the beginning of a time of deep reflection upon these themes, as we prepare for the start of a new Jewish year (Rosh Hashanah which will begin on September 9th).  It is a time to consider that this coming year is not a certainty of which we are guaranteed, and to reprioritize our lives so that we live without regrets or unresolved. It is a time to work on forgiveness and becoming whole-hearted. It is a form of “death bed meditation” which is also an important practice within Buddhism; for more: https://kadampa-center.org/sites/default/files/DeathHO5.pdf. One does not need to be Jewish to reflect upon these themes, and indeed, in the hospital, many of our patients are painfully reminded of these truths. We might feel intimidated to talk to our patients about these topics, but we actually have a lot we could learn from them, if we could allow ourselves to be vulnerable and listen to them.

In Judaism, there is a prayer that one is supposed to recite upon one’s deathbed: “Vidui” which means, confession. But the rabbis teach that we are not supposed to wait until our final moments to recite it. Recognizing that any of us could die at any moment, there are many variants of this prayer for forgiveness that are included in the daily and holy day Jewish liturgy. I share the following version, adapted by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi’s translation, along with my hopes that this coming week, we treasure and sanctify every moment we have been given, so that our lives may be anchored by forgiveness and faith…

You my Eternal Friend teach me to forgive and show me the path to healing

For Your Loving Wisdom is greater than my understanding.
Witness that I forgive anyone
who hurt or upset me or offended me –
damaging my body, my property,
my reputation or people that I love;
whether by accident or willfully,
carelessly or purposely,
with words, deeds, thought, or attitudes;
in this lifetime or another incarnation –
I forgive every person,
May no one be punished because of me.

Help me, Eternal Friend,
to keep from offending You and others.
Help me to be thoughtful and compassionate,
to live with forgiveness and intention.

Hear the words of my mouth and
may the meditations of my heart
find acceptance before You, Eternal Friend
Who protects and frees me.

Amen.

Published by rabbi n siritsky

Originally from Montreal, Canada, I studied in Jerusalem at several Orthodox yeshivas, prior to beginning my studies as a Reform rabbi at Hebrew Union College. I am a second generation Holocaust survivor, and early on, wanted to do whatever I could to build a world where hatred and prejudice would never again have the upper hand. For me, studying Judaism from traditional perspectives was crucial because “it was important to understand what we are reforming”. I believe in making educated choices from the rich set of resources provided by Jewish tradition, in order to ensure that every ritual and prayer is meaningful. I was a founding board member of the Society of Classical Reform Judaism (now Roots of Reform), due to my unwavering commitment to advocacy for interfaith families and the creation of inclusive Jewish communities that are unconditionally welcoming of all spiritual seekers, regardless of their religious background, relationship status, identity or Hebrew speaking ability. In addition to nearly two decades working in synagogues, teaching, counseling and participating in life cycle events, I am also a social worker, psychotherapist, mediator and trained as an interfaith chaplain. I worked with the American Red Cross after 9/11, providing counseling and support at the family assistance center, Ground Zero and the morgue. My doctoral research was focused on burnout and compassion fatigue, as part of my years of work in hospice and palliative care. My life experiences have taught me hope and how to cultivate resilience and wisdom. This blog reflects my attempts to distill rabbinic wisdom into insights that can speak to all people. I have dedicated my life to healing and spiritual alchemy. I first began the writings that formed the basis of this blog as part of my role as Vice President of Mission for KentuckyOne Health, an interfaith hospital system that brought together Catholic, secular and Jewish hospital systems, in order to bring wellness, healing and hope to all, including the underserved. I began my weekly reflections on the Torah portion, in order to share some of Jewish Hospital's heritage and values with staff that may not have known much about Judaism. These reflections were then shared by staff with others who asked to be placed on my blind copy list, as well as by the system mission leader of Catholic Health Initiatives to his own reader list, along with his own reflections. I have been profoundly humbled by the reactions to these writings, and as more people have asked to have access to them, I eventually worked to overcome my discomfort with the internet in order to publish them online. I realized that Jews and non-Jews were drawn to my inclusive interpretations of the biblical text, and my reflections on how to apply these in our every day. I believe that, much like the Sufi teaching that describes all the religions of the world like different prayer beads, with the same string of truth that runs through each of them, so too can these ancient spiritual and mystical teachings can come to life, when we reflect on the echoes of other world traditions and by contemporary psychological theory. As my professional journey has continued to evolve, and I have found myself transitioning from pulpit rabbi to community rabbi, to who I am becoming as I seek to move beyond all labels, I have found that this site remains an important way for people to get to know me, and understand my theology. I am fundamentally committed to the sacred act of translation- seeking to discern the Divine through text and life, and to translate those words of Torah and wisdom into reflections that can speak to people of all faith traditions... and in so doing, hopefully encouraging others to do the same. We are all created in the Image of G!d, and as such, each of us has our own unique understanding of the Sacred. In the same way as the rabbis teach that if even one letter from the scroll of the Torah is missing, the entire Torah has lost its sacredness (is no longer kosher), so too is this world diminished so long as people silence themselves. For too long, organized religion has been used as a weapon, to keep people silent and to teach shame... my quest as a rabbi, and indeed, as a human being, is to work to translate religious teachings into redemptive and healing truths, to seek to liberate s/Spirit and to work toward "tikkun olam" (the healing of the universe). My current rabbinate is dedicated to teaching and mentoring other rabbis, and working with interfaith families, as well as those traditionally marginalized from mainstream Judaism. In the same way as the holiness of the Jewish prayer shawl (tallit) can be found in its fringes (tzitzit) so too do I believe that the most important contribution I can make to the Jewish people is "Keruv" (helping people find their way home), and to the broader world is "shleimut" (helping people to find wholeness). I also serve G!d as a social worker, doing what I can to work for justice for all people. It is my prayer that the insights in this blog will bring healing and insight to others, and encourage others to find their voice and path. Thank you for your time reading my work.

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