July 30, 2010 |
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Seems to me that the most fundamental question we can ask ourselves is: "Why was I born?" I don't mean this question from the point of view of my parents' decision - although that might be an interesting question to ponder. I mean it from the point of view of "What purpose is there to my existence?" "What difference does it make in the vast scheme of the Universe?"
For sure, there are many ways to answer this question. Perhaps as many ways as there are individuals. We can live as if we came into this Universe so that the world can satisfy our various appetites; we can live to try to find a way to make a "positive difference" to the lives of those around us or we can live our lives trying to find some kind of balance between those two extremes. (I put "positive difference" in parentheses because we soon discover that defining what is meant by "positive difference" is actually a lifelong task and involves of a great deal of study as well as trial and error!)
The way in which we each live out our answer to this question - consciously or unconsciously - essentially amounts to our religious philosophy!
Traditional Judaism represents a certain type of conscious approach to this fundamental question.
One benefit of taking such an approach - as with most formal religions - is that it represents the combined experience of a huge number of people stretching down the generations. This puts us in the position of reaping the benefits of all their discoveries as well as our own.
A fundamental assumption - you can call it a "belief" - that Judaism makes is one that we attribute to its founder: Abraham. That is: the notion that everything that exists in this world has its ultimate origin in One "creative force" which we call "God." By its very definition this Force has its own existence on a level of reality that is on a completely different level than the world you and I experience. (I think it's useful to compare what I'm talking about to the experience we have ourselves of "dream reality" as opposed to "waking reality". In this sense, "God's reality" is the waking reality and our own reality is the dream!")
Another important assumption - implied by our initial belief in Creation - is that God has a relation to this world. It's a way of answering the question "So why did God create the world?" Saying that God has a relation to this world is saying that God has "expectations" of this world.
As humans with the gift of conscious thought we are able to find a reason for our own existence in attempting - as individuals and as a society - to fulfill the "expectations" God has of us to the best of our abilities!
This amazing and profound idea is captured in the following terse statement:
"Sh'ma Yisra-el, Ado--- Elokeynu, Ado-- echad"
The Sh'ma isn't a "prayer" - it doesn't supplicate, express repentance, praise or thank God. The Sh'ma really is an affirmation of the very core of Jewish belief! Our belief in One God.
In my next message I hope to explore what we mean by this Hebrew phrase.
This Shabbat we are delighted to share a wonderful simcha with the Hudson family. Daniel Hudson, son of Stacey and Repps will be celebrating his Bar Mitzvah. Daniel is brother to Eliana and Nicola and her husband Arie Martel. His maternal grandparents are Marilyn and Marvin Levinson.
Daniel is extremely bright. He also possesses a laid-back sense of humor. At school he enjoys science and math. Outside the classroom he is an active soccer player, an archer and plays trumpet. This Shabbat he will be chanting the maftir as well as the haftarah and also offer a brief explanation of the latter.
We wish Daniel's family Mazal tov and much joy in watching Daniel continue to mature and fulfill his responsibilities to God as well as make his unique contribution to society.
We will also feature our Meshorerim Quartet as part of our service. This is a chance to add a different dimension to our service with four part harmony.
We are happy to announce some "additions"! Mazel tov to:
- Sheila and Darryl Gold on the birth of their granddaughter Mira Sadie to their children Lisa and David Moons.
- Karen and Keith Zeff on the birth of their eighth grandchild, Yosef Matan, to their children Benjamin and Nikki Zeff and to great-grandfather, Isadore Zeff.
- Penny and Mark Alper on the birth of their granddaughter Noa Alexandra to their children Laura and Michael Minkus and to great-grandmother, Sylvia Alper.
I recently made the discovery that the reason we're called "grandparents" is because the experience is so...."grand!"
... and may this Shabbat bring you an added measure of joy as you join the Jewish people in celebrating God's Creation of the Universe!
Shabbat Shalom,