We are fast approaching the Yamim
Noraim, the High Holidays. Only three more weeks to go.As we all know people the world over celebrate their respective s New Years with drinks, with specific
foods and with parties. Fireworks have
long been a staple of New Year celebrations in many parts of the world along
with spending time with loved ones and
friends. It is a time to temporarily escape our day to day lives and forget our
daily struggles and challenges. For Jews it is just the opposite. Instead of
forgetting ourselves for a few hours, we try to remember. We look over the past
year, identify our sins, ask for forgiveness, and resolve to do better. We
engage in a process we call TeSHUVAH – a turning in to ourselves, a turning out
to others, and a return to our spiritual lives and to G-d.
There are of course traditional
ways that Jews have always approached this. We hope that somehow our religious
services for the High Holidays will help people to do Teshuvah. But there are
certain challenges for rabbis and cantors in helping people accomplish the
task. Rabbis hope that their brilliant sermons will inspire people to reflect
upon their lives. But that doesn’t usually work. We hope we can help people to connect their
own experiences to the liturgy of the High Holidays. But that rarely works. Cantors hope that their beautiful music will
touch something in the soul that will bring about true repentance. But at times
it is unclear whether that works. In
fact there is only one way that we can do TESHUVAH – we, each one of us, has to
work!
Tonight I want to share with you a
unique way of doing the work of Teshuvah. It is through a website called “Do
You 10Q?” You go to the website www.doyou10Q.com and sign up. Then, starting on
September 29, the first day of Rosh Hashannah, a 10Q question will arrive in
your inbox along with a link. When you click on the link, you are taken to a
private and personal space where you can answer the question in writing. Then
you save your answer. Then, each day of the Ten Days of Repentance, you will
receive another email with another question. You click on the link and answer
the new question. At the end of ten days, you can click on the magic button and
deposit all your answers to “the vault”. Your answers will be held securely in
the vault until sometime before next Rosh Hashanah, when, one day, they will
show up in your inbox for you to read.
With each question, you can choose
to share your answer with the public, either anonymously or with attribution.
Or, you can keep your answers private. It is up to you.
To give you an idea , here are
three questions, along with some answers, from last year:
Question 1: “Describe a significant experience that has
happened in the past year. How did it affect you? Are you grateful? Relieved?
Resentful? Inspired?”
Answer: “Lots of small things and nothing that
big. I did realize that if I stay in one place longer, rather than traveling
weekly on work, it does help my health! I'm relieved to know that things like
my BP can be bought under control if I can manage to curtail travel and ensure
exercise and most importantly sleep,” writes one anonymous respondent.
Question 5: Have you had any particularly spiritual
experiences this past year? How has this experience affected you?
"Spiritual" can be broadly defined to include secular spiritual
experiences: artistic, cultural, and so forth.
Answer “I feel a lot more connected to God
since I've gotten pregnant and had a baby. It is truly a miracle.”
Another person wrote: “I lowered my
guard. I was met with kindness and connection.”
“G-d this is going to sound so dumb
-- but watching "Coco." I found the film profoundly, unexpectedly,
moving. I am thinking more and more of my loved ones who have passed on as a
result, seeing their guidance and wisdom in some of my daily decisions.
Sometimes that makes it feel like they haven't left at all.”
Question 9: “What is a fear that
you have and how has it limited you? How do you plan on letting it go or
overcoming it in the coming year?”
One person answered: Fear of losing
my independence. I don't have the first clue how to let it go or overcome it. I
will learn.”
Another wrote: My biggest fear that has held me back would
he my fear of not being good enough for my goals/dreams …….I don't feel worthy
enough………I will conquer my fear one day at a time.
A third wrote: “I am afraid of
diabetes and breast cancer. I need to take back control of my health in order
to prevent the terrible diseases which are my heritage.”
These questions aim to guide us in doing the
difficult work of Teshuvah. The Rabbi can’t do it for us. The Cantor can’t do
it for us. The Choir can’t do it for us. Our beautiful building can’t do it for
us. We must do the work ourselves. I think this website can be helpful. I have
decided to use it this year and see how it works for me. I’ll post the website
address on our Facebook page. Would you join me?
Shabbat Shalom
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