I'm not a very observant Jew. This is obvious, since I'm typing a blog entry today. Even so, this day brings with it some good words, and I think I'll do better sharing them than standing by traditions that I've never been very serious about.
So I want to share some words from the Bible. Whether they are the words of God or man, we can debate. Regardless of the source, they are wise words.
Isaiah 58.6-7:
[T]his is the fast I desire:
To unlock fetters of wickedness,
And untie the cords of the yoke
To let the oppressed go free;
To break off every yoke.
It is to share your bread with the hungry,
And to take the wretched poor into your home;
When you see the naked, to clothe him,
And not to ignore your own kin.
These are words rejecting the simple act of fasting. They say that it's not enough to engage in an act of self-deprivation. We must do more. We must do right by our fellow man.
These are good words, and they felt appropriate for a day in which I declare my intent to try to be a better person next year than I was in the year just ended.
3 comments:
Seems to me, as an utterly outside observer, having been raised atheist/agnostic, that lapsed anyones -- not to mention all folks who keep the religion with which they were raised at arm's length -- have the greatest appreciation for the sometimes elusive spirit of their religious heritage.
"Next Year in Jerusalem"
Have a blessed Shabbat, and יום כיפור
It reminds me of the instruction to "rend your hearts, not your garments." (Joel 2:13) God is not interested in ceremony, but in sincerity.
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