A Summary of My Remarks
Centuries ago the rabbis taught us lessons from the selections chosen to be read from the Torah and Prophets on the holidays. As Passover draws to a close we read from the book of Exodus on the 7th day about the crossing of the sea and from Deuteronomy on the 8th day about how once the Israelites settle in the land of Israel they are to support the poor, the widows and the orphans. We read from the prophet Isaiah about his vision of the messianic future - how the wolf will lie down with lamb. The rabbis chose these selections for us to give us hope - that just as the Israelites saw their dreams fulfilled so will we. The question then arises - why do we recite the memorial prayers on the last day of the holiday? Isn't remembering the passing of our loved ones the opposite of our dreams fulfilled? Wouldn't we want our loved ones with us always?
The traditional answer is that in the time of the messiah, when the wolf will lie down with the lamb, the dead will be brought to life. We should be comforted with the faith that someday we will be reunited with our family and that we will all be healthy together in the land of Israel.
However, many of us may not be comforted by that thought and perhaps there is another lesson from the Torah reading that provides us with comfort. A central component of Jewish life is the care and compassion we must exhibit toward the less fortunate in the community. We can't be selfish and focus on just ourselves and our nuclear family - rather what defines us is the sense of community we must feel. As we celebrate Passover and read about the spring harvest, we must remember to share of that bounty with those less fortunate.
Though the historical lesson is important and inspiring - this poem by Naomi Shihab Nye brings the lesson home. I came across this poem at a rabbinic meeting a month ago and I think it bears directly on what we are supposed to learn from the recitation of the "yizkor" service on Passover.
Kindness
Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness....
Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
It is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.
Being commanded to be kind is challenging. Most of the time everything in our life is functioning well and we are capable of taking care of ourselves. At those moments we may understand the concept of kindness but we may not really appreciate it. It's only when we experience loss or live through a crisis that we fully understand the need for compassion and kindness from others.
Yizkor then on the last day of Passover reminds us that we need to look around the room and see those who are suffering. Look around the room and see those who recently experienced a loss. Reach out to them and offer words of comfort or simply a hug. Those of you who have recently lost a loved one - accept that kindness and feel how it lifts your spirit.
Even more than knowing what kindness feels like we know that kindness is the personal and individual way we can experience redemption. As the Israelites crossed the sea and made their way to Israel they experienced salvation as a community. When we lift the spirits of our friends through kindness we are redeeming and saving them. May we feel and may we provide that sense of freedom this holiday. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment