Jewish Stuff

I'm back at the old LA Jewish homestead, amazed at stuff.

I happened upon a tv program, which happened to be Jewish, about Jewish choral music, a fairly recent phenomenon, having become westernized in the Western world. Within it I discovered the core definition of spirituality, as simple as all truths. One of the choir participants spoke of her intermittent feelings of alienation in the world, how that happens as a matter of life, and how she returns to the choir and she feels "whole and connected". And I'm thinking, that is spirituality in a nutshell.

Davenning here is so different from davenning where I live. The ruach here is deep-seated, hooked onto tradition, whereas, there, the ruach is pretty and pleasant and inviting, but not demanding.

Simple prayer at minyan has been a revelation: who knows a black soul, a less than pristine heart? This year my soul is sootier than the leavings of wildfires along the Chatsworth hills. I'm shocked and appalled. Never mind a surgical analysis of my sins and transgressions. It's really ugly and for me, beauty is truth, and truth, beauty. Clearly, this year, my behaviour exemplifies neither.

Breaking the Tablets: LARabbi™ mentioned how some Biblical exhortations are about a state of mind, like the maftir of the Netzavim parsha (Deuteronomy (Devarim) 29:9 - 30:20). He also mentioned that the 10th commandment, the one about "coveting", also refers to a state of mind. If that is so, if there are no mitigating factors such as not acting on the coveting in any way, such as trashing the covetee, then I am so shockingly guilty, I am actually in awe of the way human beings deceive themselves. Though I must add, envy has been more destructive to me than to anyone else unless you think about how it brings a disconnect to all involved and destroys possibility; how it brings deadliness as an offering. Okay, I get it. Not good, One of the big commandments. Very important. Transcendently important! This is a tough one: to break this commandment is to be a seriously broken human being.

Perfect moments in opera give me goosebumps; the shofar invariably makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I understand that the shofar was used as an alarm in days past. It still is. You have to be there to understand the impact. Scary shows about spirits and poltergeists on tv pale in comparison.

Immerse yourself in a mitzvah and everything is transformed. All faith and belief, and all trust in humanity may crumble, but a mitzvah does indeed lead to another mitzvah. The experience of it is life affirming. Even G-d may let you down, but a mitzvah will not. Such is the genius of Judaism.

However, a mitzvah done in a vacuum must make G-d proud and weepy all at the same time. To be a decent human being, when there are no others, I think, is the ultimate Jewish challenge.

This morning, at minyan, there was an overflow of participants, so unusual. There were more of the devout ones. We all sang quite lustily. It was heaven. Afterwards there was breakfast. The woman sponsoring it, had lost her grandparents and extended family in the Shoah, the first day of Rosh Hashanah. It was a privilege to support her Yarzheit. It was a moment imbued with sorrow as well as pride. It connected us all, mourners, sinners, tzadikim, the guys setting up stuff in the Sanctuary for the Holy Days, afterwards.

LARabbi™ went to Mexico where it turns out that there is a huge community of Jews who keep to themselves right down to their laws (aligned with secular laws). The assimilation rate is 2%, but then, try to marry out and find yourself shunned and excommunicated. Even more so, here is the clincher, and a question we can all ask ourselves:

Jews in Mexico thrive and multiply because they identify themselves as Jews first and foremost. If they would have to leave Mexico it would not grieve them a whole lot. Being a Jew is their primary identity. Whereas a lot of Jews in the rest of the Diaspora perceive themselves as 'X' first, and then as Jews. I don't think it is a matter of insularity, either. I think it comes down to how you perceive yourself, your core identity.

Is your primary identity Jewish or is it other?