Ghosting God, Ghosting Self
Day 121
Along with our internal uplifting speech, it is important to do the same with another(s). We the People are taught in the Talmud that each and every person is worth an entire world, has infinite dignity and worth, and that to save one soul is to save the world. Hence we are obligated to uplift one another so each one of us can be bolstered to do the task assigned at birth, the unique task that is different from everyone else’s, that is only ours to do. The teaching in the Talmud referenced above, on Sanhedrin 37a, also says every human being has EQUAL, infinite dignity and worth as well as reminding us that each of us is unique so the idea that one is supposed to be in competition with another(s) is anathema to this teaching, the idea that one is to compare oneself with another(s) is just as ridiculous-ergo: We the People are obligated to lift one another up with our speech, our energy, our belief in their ability to find and live their purpose in life so we all can live better. Just as if a letter, a word is missing from the Torah, as my friend and teacher Rabbi Ed Feinstein teaches, the Torah is unusable, so too if one of us is missing from doing our unique task the world becomes unusable. The competition, comparison game that is a societal norm is WRONG! So, Radical Amazement and Wonder are the call of this day and every day-being maladjusted to the norms and cliches, the rational minds logic, etc and engaging our intuitive minds, our knowing in our kishkas, our search for Truth, our actions of kindness, love, caring, uplifting and helping one another have to be our daily goals and mottos!
This is one of the reasons I believe it is crucial for We the People to use our uplifting speech with another human being. Because life is not lived alone, because community is so important according to the Bible, because “it is not good for humans to be alone”, because “I will make a helpmate for the human”, because No one is the end all, be all, no one knows it all, no one is “the only one who can save us”, living together in harmony, in being helpers, in caring for the stranger and the sick, the needy and the poor, is not measured in money, in time, in anything except kindness, compassion, love. One of the kindest, caring, compassionate expressions of love is that of uplifting speech. Think about how much it mattered when our parents told us “you can do this” and were at the ‘finish line’ waiting no matter where we finished. I remember my father being at every track meet my brother Neal participated in waiting for him at the finish line and if he wasn’t we knew either he could not make it back or he was in the hospital. I remember my father being at a tap dance recital I was in and cheering me on, telling me I could win for Student Council office, proud I was a member of the Temple Youth Group, and, I have come to understand, lifting me up when he would ask me if I really did my best on a test, in a situation, knowing I was giving in to my selfish needs rather than helping another and myself. His rebukes and the rebukes of many others were/are uplifting speech because they remind me the people, God have faith in me, have belief in me, and need me to live into doing the best I can in this moment.
As we are only 2.5 days from Rosh Hashanah, as we still have 12.5 days to do our Accounting of our Souls, We the People need to see how and when we have been mentors, coaches, positive influencers for another(s), We the People need to take not of the myriad of opportunities we availed ourselves of to end our incessant inauthentic need to compare and compete, to win at all costs and lifted another human being up to their rightful place, to see and live into their purpose and not feel less than because we did not ‘win’. Experiencing the joy of helping another person is indescribable, as Harriet Rossetto says, “witnessing the transformation of spirit of another human being is the greatest joys one can have” or something similar. This is the opportunity each and every one of us has and we can relive this experience through this inventory, and awakening to more situations where we can be of service in this way.
I have been privileged and honored to help many people with my actions and my speech, both positive and negative speech, telling people when they are screwing up and when they are hitting the bullseye, giving suggestions to people on how to fulfill their soul’s desire and mission, how to defeat the negative, slanderous speech of their inner life and of those around them who don’t want to see them succeed. I also have been the recipient of uplifting speech from Harriet, from Rabbi Mel Silverman, from my brothers and sister, from my Rabbis and teachers, from the people I studied/study with, from the community, from my father’s words which I remember each day. Because of these gifts, I OWE! I owe it to the universe, to God to help another with uplifting speech, I owe it to you all to keep writing and help each other see when we are Ghosting our Self, our authentic Self and thereby Ghosting God. It is the time for me and for you to make the commitment to do this less in the coming year, to be more in line with the Divine in 5787!
ACTION STEP:
Write a list of people whom you have helped with uplifting speech
Write a list of people who have helped you with their uplifting speech
At the end of each list, write down how you are going to honor the obligation that both of these actions put upon you-showing reciprocity of generosity
God Bless, Stop Ghosting God, Ghosting Self, Rabbi Mark