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THE STATE OF JUDAISM "Don't allow your prayer to become routine" Mishnah, Pirkei Avot, 2:18 May 2000 by Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon One of the surest ways to get rich today is to write a "spiritual" book filled with self-helpful notions of how to make life seem meaningful. Sometimes these take the form of small books with clever titles, full of anecdotes and aphorisms: Kreplach for the Soul or Life's Little Instructional Manual or Everything I Need to Know I Learned in 3rd Grade Detention. Sometimes they're written by people with fake Hindu names, or psycho-spritualogical subtitles like "How to Remake Your Life Through Self-Affirmation." There is nothing inherently wrong with any of these books. But they provide a kind of Chinese-food version of spirituality-tasty, initially satisfying, and gone in an hour. Another popular approach to marketing the inner life-sure to attract crowds-is to lead classes featuring oversimplified versions of mysticism and meditation. You are invited-no, gently encouraged-to sit quietly, hum or chant a mantra, think peaceful thoughts, and feel better. Think happy thoughts, and you'll awaken your inner child... Again, nothing inherently wrong here. These practices provide a quiet hour or so, and generally encourage some kind of introspection. In our confusing, isolating world these are probably helpful experiences to have. Unfortunately, they are spiritual placebos. Divorced from any religious system, they offer no true grounding in a in a coherent spiritual ethic, no profound connections. If this is the end point of a quest for spirituality, then the search leads, ultimately, nowhere. And yet, we seek something for our spirits. One of the most dramatic-and surprising-trends in American society recently has been the move toward spirituality. At a time of growing technological obsession, in which more of us are spending more time with more machines, in an era in which we seem to be living lonelier and lonelier lives, there is a turn towards mysticism. In other words, as we find ourselves less connected to other human beings, many of us want to explore a mystical relationship to something-anything?-beyond ourselves. In this search, we seek connection to God or "the universe" through spirituality. Admittedly, no one knows exactly what the word "spirituality" means, but lots of folks seem interested in finding out. Spirituality can mean meditation, and study, and retreats; it can mean introspection, and creative artistic exploration. The one thing most folks seem clear about with spirituality is that they do not want to experience it clothed in the traditional garb of religion So what does Judaism offer in place of spiritual placebos? How do we find a bridge to a sense of greater wholeness and completion, of purpose and peace in our lives? The simplest way to connect to God, and to the greater wholeness around us, is through prayer. It is a very old idea, but a very good one. Successful Jewish prayer requires three things. First, an admission of humility: we come before God as supplicants. We admit that we don't have all the answers-that, in fact, we need God's help to activate our spiritual sides. We are lacking a sense of wholeness and holiness in our lives, a feeling of connection to something greater than ourselves. Second, we need a certain measure of discipline, a word that is unpopular today. But unless we make prayer a regular part of our lives, keva in Hebrew-through attending temple, praying at home, involving prayer as a regular ritual in most aspects of our existence, from eating to working to playing-we won't become very good at it. And without practice, we won't be able to bridge those great gaps in our lives. Third, prayer must come from the heart and soul. The Hebrew word is kavanah, the concentration of the spirit in focused prayer. What are you feeling now? How can you express that to God? To yourself? This requires true openness and honesty, a willingness to stretch and reach. Here at Emanu-El we are in the midst of a prayer revolution. Our congregation has been experimenting all year with a new format for our Shabbat service, which has been very warmly welcomed and well attended. In addition to this "regular" service, we have included many variations-all-music services, a Kabbalistic Service, guest cantors and rabbis, Shabbat morning and Havdalah hikes/services, congregants writing drashot, participatory liturgies. We will explore more in the next year-learner's services, Outreach services, Healing Services, other variations and experiments, while retaining some keva, some coherent continuity to our collective prayer. Dr. Steve Dickstein, our outstanding Ritual Chair, and I welcome your opinions and experiences and will try to incorporate them in our planning. Please know as well that we are part of the spiritual seeking that is going on nationally. Rabbi Eric Yoffie, head of the UAHC, has articulated an entire national program to try to do what we are already doing here. But there is something more that we can each do, individually. That is, simply, to open ourselves to the possibility of personal prayer, to learn some Jewish ways to pray meaningfully, on our own and here at Temple. For if we do, we will gain the connection we all seek. And then our lives will no longer be lonely, or empty. A beautiful passage explains the rewards of Jewish spirituality, honestly explored: There are times when you are praying in an ordinary state of mind and you feel you cannot draw near to God. But then in an instant the light of your soul will be kindled and you will go up to the highest realms. You are like one who has been given a ladder The light that shines in you is a gift from above. Likutim Yekarim, 3d, translated in Your Word is Fire, Holtz and Green From the May 2000 Temple Times |
