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Sept. 14, 2012
Birthday of humanity
Our relationship with G-d has several aspects.
ESTHER TAUBY
This year, Rosh Hashanah is celebrated from Sunday evening, Sept. 16, through Tuesday night, Sept. 18. This Jewish New Year marks the beginning of 5,773 years since the creation of the world. It is significant that the anniversary of Creation is not observed on the first day of Creation, but on the sixth: the day when Adam and Eve were created. All other living things that make up our vast universe, including the heavens and the earth, the vegetation and trees, rivers and seas, the solar system and angels, as well as all living species of birds, insects and animals, preceded the creation of humans, as is related in the Torah in the first chapter of Genesis. Why was that so?
A classic reason given is that G-d’s creation of the world may be compared to people building a new home. First, there are the choices to be made of location, architect, plans, blueprints, then the layout of the house is decided upon, a designer is called, as well as a painter. Next is the purchasing of furniture, appliances, linens and decorations. When all that has been done, the homeowner and their family can finally move in. They are the most important part of the home and, once they have arrived, it is transformed from a house to a home. For, what good is an empty house?
It is very similar to what G-d did. He created a huge, beautiful world – His home. He did this step by step, day by day for the six days of Creation and, only when it was complete and He was satisfied with the way it turned out, did He place His beloved humans in it – His family – to enjoy it, live in it, populate it and take care of it and, of course, welcome Him inside.
G-d already presided over a world that submitted to His rule, over creatures that appreciated His wisdom, as they feared and loved Him. The world was still not the way G-d wanted it, though. Its soul of souls had not yet been evoked. When G-d created humans, He created the only one of His creations with the freedom to choose or reject their maker. He waited to see if Adam would choose or reject Him. Moments after Adam was formed by G-d from the earth and G-d breathed His Divine spirit into Adam’s nostrils, he stood up on his feet.
The Zohar tells us that, at that moment, he saw that all the creatures were in awe of him and followed him. He spoke to them and said, “Let us worship and bend down, let us kneel before G-d, our maker.” Adam decided to choose his maker and chose G-d as his king. When he did so, the primordial purpose in creation came to fruition, infusing G-d’s work with life and vitality. Rosh Hashanah then, is not just a Jewish holiday, but also is the birthday of humankind.
Every year on Rosh Hashanah, G-d again relates to His creation as He did prior to Adams’ crowning Him king. He is the true sovereign. That is, one whose subjects freely choose to submit to him, and choose him as their king. In order to be king of the universe, He had to create humans who would have free choice. He actually created beings that are simultaneously the furthest from Him and the closest to Him of all His creations. Furthest, in that humans are free and independent beings who are even free to rebel against their maker; closest to Him, in that humans are free and independent.
There are many aspects to our relationship with G-d. We can relate to G-d as our shepherd, expressing our gratitude for His providence over and sustenance of our lives. We can fear and revere Him, being mindful of His majesty and power. We can love Him with the boundless love of a child, recognizing our intrinsic bond with our Father above. We can gain an appreciation as a student does for their teacher, by studying His wisdom revealed to us in His Torah. Each of these relationships reveals another aspect or “layer” in the divine motive for Creation, intensifying and enlivening G-d’s involvement with His world.
Every particle in the universe needs sustenance. Every moment, the universe and each thing within it, pulsates with the vital energy that gives it being. This vital energy is given by G-d directly to each particle. If G-d were to take away this energy, it would cease to exist.
The most important renewal of life is that which occurs on Rosh Hashanah. It is then when all life of the previous year returns to its essential source and a new life, never known before. It emerges from the void to sustain existence for an entire year. During the 48 hours of Rosh Hashanah, every moment counts, as all of this makes its entry into the world. That is why it is called Rosh Hashanah, Head of the Year, and not Beginning of the Year. This is to emphasize the point that, just as a human head contains within it the neuro-switch for every part of the body, so is the head of the year a concentrated preview of the entire year to come; it all enters here.
The shofar is the instrument that heralds in the New Year. We squeeze all of our heartfelt prayers, tears, wishes and our very souls into its piercing sounds. They reach directly from our G-dly souls to G-d’s soul, and touch a button that starts the switch. The Divine Presence shifts from strict judgment to compassion. The Zohar says it best, “The shofar below awakens the shofar above and the Holy One, blessed be He, rises from His throne of judgment and sits in His throne of compassion.”
That’s why we can call G-d both a king and a father. A king, because He alone determines whether our world will be sustained for another year. A father, because there is something of Him within each of us, so we can take part in that decision. We are also the child. Each of us has a part of ourselves in our own children. So, too, each of us has an inner soul that is the breath of G-d within us. We are the connection point between G-d and His universe, so we are called His children and we can call Him our father.
Our desire to attend services on Rosh Hashanah and pray with our family, friends and community members comes from the part of G-d that is inside each one of us; our soul. As we follow the prayers in any language, hear the shofar’s piercing cries and listen to the rabbi’s speech, we can be assured that the G-dly parts of our souls, which come directly from G-d, are rejoicing. They are so happy to observe how each of us is doing our part to help G-d choose to renew the universe and His beloved humans, the purpose of creation, for another year of only goodness.
Wishing you a year of true blessings of health, happiness, peace and prosperity. Shana tova!
Esther Tauby is a local educator, writer and counselor.
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