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September 15, 2006
Preparing for Teshuva: Resolution
Teshuva contemplations every day until Yom Kippur here. Each entry includes an mp3 of a Jewish song related to the theme. Genres range from Iraqi folk musicians to Matisyahu. Every day we have been posting Rabbi Amy Scheinerman's guide to teshuvah using the text of Psalm 27; this week the theme is Resolution.
Zalman Schachter sings "V'tahair libeynu l'avd'cha b'emet l'ma'an lo nigah larik v'lo nailaid L'behalah."
("Purify our heart to serve you with truth, so that we shall not have worked nor have been born for naught.")
Rabbi Scheinerman talks about the resolution needed to keep rejecting old habits and to keep repeating the new ones:
When the psalmist asks God to keep him/her from falling prey to enemies and adversaries, I cannot help but think that in the context of teshuvah, the primary adversary is the Yetzer Ra (the evil inclination). The temptation to fall back into the same patterns of the past is overwhelming. Habit is powerful. That is why the psalmist continues with the reminder that we must believe in the goodness of God, keeping the vision in front of our eyes. If I have a vision of what I can become then I have a much better chance of success. Athletes visualize themselves winners. We should do no less in the moral realm. After all, far more is at stake.As we move into the week of selichot, adding more pleading and self-judgement to our daily prayers in preparation for Rosh Hashanah, we redouble our efforts to stay on our chosen path.
Judith | 09/15/06 at 06:46 PM | Categories: - Yamim Noraim
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