Last night, the Jewish community began Shabbat (Sabbath) by also celebrating the beginning of the week-long festival of Sukkot, which is commanded in the book of Leviticus 23:42-43- “You shall live in booths seven days; all citizens in Israel shall live in booths, in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt”.
Traditional rabbinic commentary explains that this commandment to live in temporary shelters, that are open to the elements, for week, is intended to help us re-experience the escape from slavery, reflecting on the long and painful journey from bondage to freedom. It is one thing to read about this story in the bible, it is very different to live it… by being forced to dwell in this transitionary space, we are asked to viscerally experience what it is like to live without knowing what the future will be… to live with the memory of slavery heavy upon us, a collective trauma that impacts our ability to move forward… to recognize that such hardship is part of the process of healing… to empathize with others who live in similar challenges, by being reminded, year after year, of all that our ancestors went through… to remind us that the past is not over, and that the quest for justice, equality and freedom continues.
For many of us, the deeper spiritual lessons of Sukkot feels profoundly relevant… so many of our brothers and sisters continue to live in bondage, the trauma of slavery continues to pervade our world, and its systemic injustices continue to be manifest… the journey toward the promised land must continue for each of us… we might need to pause and rest along the way… but we cannot allow ourselves to revel in those moments of respite… they should be like a sukkah… a pause that gives us the strength and courage to persevere…
These past few weeks, many of us in Louisville have been cruelly reminded of these truths, as we watched the travesty of justice that led to the failure to charge the officers who shot Breonna Taylor in her home in the middle of the night. As we listen to recordings and continue through conflicting narratives to seek out truth with hopes that it may guide us forward in this historic quest for justice and freedom for all of G!d’s children… we might be tempted to give in to despair. But this year’s holiday of Sukkot has given us an opportunity for hope in the midst of our painful journey forward…
What happened to Breonna Taylor and George Floyd has happened to countless unarmed people of color, as well as too many others who those in privilege have been unable to recognize as created in the Divine Image… What is new this year, is the growing number of individuals who are awakening to the pervasive systemic injustice that allows such events to go unpunished…. I choose to draw strength and comfort from the people of all races, religions, gender expressions and backgrounds who are coming together to say: enough is enough… until black lives matter to us all… all lives are in jeopardy.
I also draw profound strength and courage, hope and comfort, by the interfaith clergy of Louisville, my beautiful and brave colleagues, who have come together to be a sukkah (a sanctuary) for those protesting… to serve as intermediaries and mediators inserting themselves between protesters and police… and providing safety for those who are leading the battle for justice and equity…
To see some of my fellow clergy in Louisville reclaiming the religious voice: https://www.facebook.com/InterfaithPathstoPeace/videos/3341327322569948/?t=1
To see a contemporary example of being a Sukkah in the wilderness, please see this interview about the ways that Louisville churches are providing sanctuary to those who are channeling the voices of the biblical prophets to demand justice for all people:
Emerging Torah as Rabbi Nachshon emerges 