Daily Prophets
Day 75
“No more shall a villain be called noble nor shall a knave be called a gentleman. For the villain speaks villainy and plots iniquity; to practice treachery… to leave the hungry unsatisfied and to deprive the thirsty of drink. Tremble you carefree ones, put cloth upon your loins. For the work of righteousness is peace and the effect of righteousness, calm and confidence forever.”(Isaiah 31:5,6,11,17).
The prophet is reminding us that mendacity will not last forever, much like Passover reminds us that slavery will end. What these two states share, I believe, is the will of us to end them. God doesn’t want mendacity-here we have another case of God not wanting what is offered when it is offered from mendacity.
This is an age-old problem, the villain being called noble and a knave (scoundrel) being called a gentleman. People keep trying to hide behind facades and convince everyone that the facade is real. Many people believe if you live a false life long enough, you can claim you are living your script from God. I hear this in Isaiah’s words. Practicing treachery is considered a noble profession to this type of person even up to today. They constantly look to satisfy themselves and their cronies at the expense of the hungry and thirsty.
Isaiah, however, tells them that God is still willing to accept them back. When the carefree tremble and put on sackcloth, when they are no longer hookers for other gods, other villains and knaves, when they do tshuvah and repent, God accepts them and lessens the decree. Then righteousness and justice prevail. Then we can reap the benefits of righteousness and justice: peace, wholeness, calm and confidence. We have the power to make this happen.
Rabbi Heschel teaches us about the villain, etc. as part of our inner life, we have to remember “The Lord alone is holy. To fear God is to be unafraid of man. For God alone is king, power, promise.”(The Prophets pg 209). Rabbi Heschel is teaching us to look for the villain and knave inside of us, I believe. Rather than just point to another(s), we need to own our inner villain/knave so we cannot let it run/ruin us. This is an important distinction that few people follow-looking at someone else is easier than looking at self. Rabbi Heschel also teaches: “Reading the words of the prophets is a strain on the emotions, wrenching one’s conscience from the state of suspended animation.”(ibid pg 7). We stay in a state of suspended animation whenever we allow the villain inside of us to rule and/or someone else’s villain to rule. We need the words of the prophets to wake us up and move us to action.
These words of Isaiah describe what politicians have done throughout the millennia. We are bombarded by the mendacity of political leaders and left wanting after each election. We are, as Jane Mayer writes about, talked about by the billionaires that want to control everything, especially the political process, as if we are nothing. They are planning to use their influence to get bills that are popular with the people, including conservatives, killed by their puppets in the Senate. How disgusting, yet it is not a new playbook-it dates back to antiquity. We, the People, have to demand decency and stand up for righteousness and justice and do it now.
In recovery, we have been the villain and the knave. We engaged in treachery, worshiping false gods and taking care of number 1, always and leaving others unsatisfied, bewildered and distressed prior to our recovery. In recovery, we place principles over personalities, we live a life of principles and of service to another(s). It is baked into our being in recovery. A life of righteousness and justice is a daily practice and, while we don’t hit the mark all day, every day, we always come back to asking ourselves: “what’s the next right action”. We are constantly seeking the path that God is calling on us to follow. We constantly seek and find a way of life that is compatible with God’s demand on us. In recovery, we began in sackcloth and now are able to wear clothes of decency, kindness, truth, compassion. In recovery, we no longer hide behind any facade, what you see is what you get, we give love and justice and righteousness to all.
I have, of course, been the villain described above. That was a long time ago, I am grateful to say. Yet, every time I miss the mark, I put on sackcloth and repent. While humans may not accept my tshuvah, I know God does. I have taken off the false make-up and no longer hide behind facades, because I know where they lead, to destruction and death of spirit. I know where mendacity leads and I know where righteousness and justice leads. I am calmer because of the righteousness God and other humans have shown me and the righteousness I practice and live. I don’t need alliances that are transactional and/or forged in desperation/need that are not real. I am unafraid to be me, I enjoy being me and I am willing to experience the joy and the arrows for being me. I don’t hide my generosity, my truth, my caring, my sense of justice, nor my anger at injustice anymore. What you see is what you get. When will you stop engaging in mendacity, cheating others of their due all the while making it look like you are being so kind and generous? Stay safe and God Bless, Rabbi Mark