Tonight, we usher in “Shabbat Shuvah,” the so-called “Sabbath of Return,” the traditional name given to the Sabbath between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.
As such, this might be regarded as the most spiritually intense time in the Jewish calendar as we now begin to focus our attention on the impending Day of Atonement. This is now the time for each and every one of us to really attune our hearts and our minds to the hard, difficult, urgent, pressing work of forgiveness.
With that in mind, I’d like to share this poem with you written by Rabbis Jack Riemer and Harold Kushner. It’s called “Listen.”
Judaism essentially begins with the commandment: “Sh’ma Yisrael.” “Hear, O Israel!” But what does it really mean to hear? The person who attends a concert with a mind on business, hears – but does not really hear. The person who walks amid the songs of birds and thinks only of what will be served for dinner, hears – but does not really hear. The one who listens to the words of a friend, or spouse, or child and does not catch the note of urgency: “notice me, help me, care about me,” hears – but does not really hear. The person who listens to the news and thinks only of how it will affect business, hears – but does not really hear. The person who stifles the sound of conscience and thinks “I have done enough already,” hears – but does not really hear. The person who hears the Cantor sing those inspiring, uplifting and beloved Yontiff melodies but does not feel moved to join in prayer, hears - but does not really hear. And this is a really good one…. The person who listens to the Rabbi’s sermon and thinks that someone else is being addressed, hears – but does not really hear!!
On this Shabbat Shuvah, O God, sharpen our ability to hear.
May we hear the music of the world and the infant’s cry and the lover’s sigh. May we hear the call for help of the lonely soul, and the sound of the breaking heart. May we hear the words of our friends and also their unspoken pleas and dreams. May we hear within ourselves the yearnings that are struggling for expression. May we hear You, O God. For if only we hear You do we have the right to hope that You will hear us. Hear the prayers we will offer to You this Shabbat, O God, and may we hear them too.
I wish us all the strength, courage and determination to search deeply into our souls and truly listen to that primordial watchword of our faith, the Sh’ma!
Shabbat Shalom and Ketivah v’Chatimah Tovah! Robert
Old York Road Temple-Beth Am 971 Old York Road Abington, PA 19001
