Daily Life Lessons from Rabbi Heschel
Year 4 Day 220
“It is the deed that carries us away, that transports the soul, proving to us that the greatest beauty grows at the greatest distance from the center of the ego.” (God in Search of Man pg. 404)
Rabbi Heschel’s words above assume a way of being that seems to be foreign to many of We the People. This way is to be immersed in the deed one is performing, immersed in the moment one is in, and be changed by our own actions and reflections on our actions, be changed by our interactions with another human being, be aware of the impact of our “deed” upon another, upon God and upon ourselves. This is not the way of the current trend in our society, nor has this way of being been able to prevail throughout the millennia. Yet, it is at the very heart of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Being moved by one’s actions is, I believe, at the heart of the Eastern traditions as well-meditation and action raise us to a higher consciousness and better actions. Rabbi Heschel teaches that “prayer will not save us, it may make us worthy of being saved”. Spending my day in prayer and study is USELESS if I am not living what I learn out in the world, if I am not motivated and changed by the prayers I am saying, if I cannot see the reflection of the good and not good I have done through the introspection that prayer provides for me. Hence, the need for “the deed”.
Rabbi Heschel is speaking truth to We the People, as he always does, and his words and teaching demand being aware, immersed and present in the moment and in “the deed”. It is imperative that we stop living a rote life, stop doing life without thinking, end our incessant need to be on our phones, get more likes on social media, etc. When we can let go of our need to copy someone else, when we can release the need to covet someone else’s stuff, success, when we can stop plagiarize someone else’s life script, we can begin to live into our authentic moments, do the deeds that are authentically ours. Only when this happens can We the People experience “the deed that carries us away, that transports the soul”. Until We the People make a decision to “turn our lives over” to something greater than ourselves, to a purpose, a passion that is in line with the divine, a higher consciousness, we will remain stuck in the muck and mire of Egypt, under the thumb of Trump, ruled by the whims of Netanyahu, fearful of the retaliation of Putin, and whipsawed by their pawns and their puppeteers.
The situation We the People; or at least those of us who serve God, a power greater than ourselves, who engage in higher consciousness, find ourselves in demands we “do the Deed”, that we engage in the transportation of our souls so we can resist, fight, and, most of all, stay free in a world that wants to be enslaved, with fellow humans who revel in serving ‘der fuhrer’, and bow down in front of King Trump, Pharaoh Netanyahu, Adolf Putin, etc. When people like Steve Wytkoff, Howard Lutnick, and other Jews kiss the ass of Trump, it is revolting. These ‘good jews’ who celebrate Passover, who will go to Temple this Yom Kippur and believe they should be honored and hailed don’t realize that their “bad deeds”, their greed and avarice have transported their souls to hell. Yet, there is hope for them, if they are willing to do TShuvah, to repent and change-doubtful and possible.
There are so many examples of “the greatest beauty grows at the greatest distance from the center of the ego”. The great inventors, discoverers, painters, sculptors, athletes, actors, writers, while having big egos at times, knew/know their craft, their talent came/comes from something outside of themselves. For these people, “the deed” is their art, “the deed” is living their talent and allowing “the deed” to transport their souls. As Michelangelo is reported to have said:”The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material.” The same is true for We the People! Our soul is complete, what we are to add to our corner of the world is within us, we only need “to chisel away the superfluous material” that covers our souls, that puffs up our false ego, that feeds our self-deceptions.
This then is the gift of this month of Elul-the opportunity to “chisel away the superfluous material” that blocks our vision, our ability to be immersed in “the deed”. Doing our inventories, making our amends and realizing the vast amount of good We the People have done is the path Judaism gives us to be able to reveal this great work of art called our life to ourselves, to another human being, without fear nor favor, without being judgmental nor unaware. Living in this month, truly preparing for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, give us the “trip of a lifetime”, an “around the world cruise” because we get to repair the damages we have wrought, forgive those who have harmed us, seek to reconnect where possible and clear away all of “superfluous material” from our inner life. What could be better than this? PLEASE AVAIL YOURSELVES OF THIS OPPORTUNITY!!
I have for the past 37 years, this is the 38th time I am living the month of Elul and it is the best one yet. I have no resentments, no grudges, no need to ‘get even’, no desire for a ‘do-over’. I do have clarity of sight, I know the people who ‘get’ me and those who don’t. I am acutely aware of the ‘covenantal’ relationships that were/are in fact transactional and I am elated to know the truth and it doesn’t change my response to these people. I ‘see’ the need for me to keep speaking out through my writing and where/when asked, even if it is only for the one or two who can hear me. I know these are “the deeds” that define my life, these are “the deeds” that carry me away, that transport my soul and I love the ‘magic carpet ride’ away from the “center of my ego”. God Bless and stay safe, Rabbi Mark