Greetings folks, Tonight is the start of Yom Kippur, the most important day in the Jewish Calendar. The idea is to fast (no food or water, except if it affects your health) for about 25 hours and to pray for most of the evening and all the next day to atone for one's sins committed in the past year. The liturgy is sublime and despite the grimness, it is actually a happy holiday, chiefly because we are "cleansed" for another year. One of the most memorable insights I have learned about this day is the following question asked by the rabbis: Why do people do the wrong thing (sin)? Because they think themselves either stronger than they are, or, because they think they are weaker than they are. How does fasting help? When you fast, you realize pretty quickly how weak you can become by not eating, but by the same token, you realize how strong you are by undergoing that very same discipline of not eating until the day is over. The same discipline tends to cure both illusions. I found this beautiful poem in the synagogue bulletin about this day: Love should not be larger than life. Better the love that is the size of life So when love and life kiss neither has to bend too much. Better a flexible love that breathes, expands, contracts with life. A love that knows to find its way through a crack when the door is closed, or to lie on the threshold quietly knowing that the door is sure to open, a love that a flood of waters cannot quench for it is itself water— Water of Life Lee Evron (Israeli poet) In essence it explains that love, the forgiving, patient and realistic kind of love, is the source of life itself.
Isn't this holiday also known as the "Day of Atonement?" The only Jewish feast days I know of are Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, and Chanukah, though I do not know the significance of the last two. I'd also bet the experience at the synagogue varies by whether it's Reform, Traditional, or Orthodox. At any rate, have a productive Yom Kippur and thanks for the poem. Good poems make one think, being that they're so metaphorical.
That's sweet, wonderful! In this area (metro NYC), I see a much stronger, unique LGBT spirituality among my Jewish gay friends, than among various gay Christians. Among the latter, I feel its hetero conformity, not a bad thing, but not unique. My wishes for a blessed service tonight to Jewish EC friends. /p
I remember hearing about the Yom Kippur War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia when I was young. It was terrible.
Yes indeed, it is the day of "at-one-ment" to bring one's self back from a divided state to oneness with life as it should be. I will actually be going to a synagogue affiliated with the Reconstructionist movement, a first for me, and such a radical change in my affiliations (akin to my going from Ayn Rand capitalism (orthodox) to radical leftist), but they are accepting of LGBT folk and many of my friends are there.
Like the poem. Thanks Great Whale. BTW, having read a few of your posts now, and seeing as how you're a really strong and ready support for new comers to this forum, you're a great asset to EC.
