Friday, October 07, 2011

“Justice, justice you shall pursue:” A kavvanah before Ashamnu


An acrostic, the Ashamnu is translated in various ways.  One translator, choosing to create an acrostic in English that parallels the Hebrew, if not literally translating it, has us confess as a community to xenophobia—fear of or antipathy toward the stranger, the “other.”  I often wonder as I chant, “We are xenophobic,” if it really applies to me.  After all, I am, at heart, a lover of diversity and of all kinds of people.

So maybe I don’t have a xenophobic approach to the world in attitude.  However, I propose to you that I am guilty—perhaps most of us are—of not doing enough to secure the civil rights of others, be they children, women, gay, lesbian, or transgender, people of color, immigrants, or people of low socioeconomic status—at least some of whom, by the way, are other Jews.

Our tradition teaches us:

V’ahavta l’reyacha kamocha.  Love your neighbor as yourself.  –Hillel

Kol yisrael arevim ze ba’zeh.  All Israel is responsible one for another.  (And this can be expanded to include all people.)  –Tradition

Tzedek, tzedek tirdof.  Justice, justice you shall pursue.  –Deut. 16:20

Like it or not, whatever our attitude, if our actions are not pursuing justice (first for ourselves: one “tzedek,” then for others: the second “tzedek”) then perhaps we are guilty as a community, and as individuals, of xenophobia.

I wish all those observing Yom Kippur an easy and meaningful fast.  G'mar chatimah tovah. May you finish [the fast] sealed [in the Book of Life] for a good year.

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