On Monday evening, September 29th, Jews worldwide will celebrate their Jewish New Year, called Rosh Hashanah. They will gather for prayers in homes and places of worship followed by a meal full of rituals. The most symbolic custom is the dipping of challah, holiday bread, and apple into honey for a sweet year. With the holiday spirit arriving I think of its universal message for accountability and forgiveness.
How do I ask the Almighty for a blessed sweet year if I still have debts to correct? And come to think of it, who doesn't have a spiritual debts to correct? How I am going to account and repent for my misdeeds and short comings?
The answer can be found in the following observation: One of life’s lessons is that we learn from our experiences. If we do the wrong things we have a second chance to correct them. Pencils have erasers for a reason.
Before the New Year God says something like come home my children, I recognize that it is truly human to sin and Divine to forgive. All God asks is that humankind recognizes their omissions of sins and rectify them. By correcting one’s self you become accountable for your deeds and are forgiven. You become loved by God. According to Kabala the process of repenting is to transfer concealed light to a revealed one. Transforming darkness into light. Light is a metaphor for energy. Where sin exists – darkness, the absence of light, now has a light stronger than the light prior to your misdeeds.
It is a comforting feeling to know that you can always rectify matters and become stronger from your experience. The message of the New Year to humankind is to collectively reflect, repent, and correct one’s self, thus making us stronger than ever.
With the above in mind I think of the the presidential candidates.
It is with interest to note that the four major players in the political arena can be listed as members of a minority. Merriam Webster interprets the word minority “A part of a population differing from others in some characteristics and often subjected to differential treatment.” Wikipedia lists minority groups as 1) Racial or ethnic minorities 2) Religious minorities 3) Gender and sexual minorities 4) Age minorities 5) Disabled minorities.
Let’s see how the candidates fit into the minority groups.
Senator Barack Hussein Obama is a black man, a person of color. He has a Muslim name and was brought up in a home without his father. He has attended a controversial church and has since apologized for the minister’s remarks.
Senator John McCain is an older veteran, has disabilities, and is limited in some movement. He underwent surgery in 2000 for stage IIa melanoma, a potential deadly skin cancer. The probability of death is 9%, which excludes other diseases that a 72-year-old man faces. Its a fact, as we age, we may suffer some cognitive impairment.
Governor Sara Palin is a female, a mother of five, one of which is disabled, and now has a pregnant unwed daughter. She belongs to a small church that has its tradition of speaking in Tongue. She is outspoken and quite independent in her ways.
Senator Joe Biden is an unpopular leader who twice lost his bid for the democratic presidency nomination. He is entering the race as a tag-along. Interesting enough he may have more experience than others in government.
From the above it seems that the running candidates belong in minority groups. Perhaps they should give up running for office. After all, aren't they in the minority. But no, in spite of their so called minority status they are campaigning. Whether you use the slogan “Change” or “American”, or “U.S.A." you can run for office.
Senator Obama may be a black man, but hey, he may be the first black president!
Senator McCain is the oldest contender running for president and admits to some disabilities, but he may be the next president. His hardships and past suffering have made him more sensitive to war and not less sensitive. He is different than President Bush in many ways.
Governor Sara Palin may be a very strong woman who is busy raising five kids and running a large state while caring for a Down syndrome child. I say she may be the first woman vice president proving her strength by using her time wisely. She may work hard but she works smart.
And, Senator Joe Biden has the experience of losing his bids at the White House. He will now be a stronger and wiser vice president. He will be more prudent in what he says and how he acts.
The candidates with their so called minorities or handicaps have grown in spite of them. Their minority status has given them the impetus to accomplish. They are more determined than others. Where they see darkness they will turn it into light. They take their bright light and dispel the darkness of minority stereotyping.
Like Rosh Hashanah they have to change and do better to be elected.
So this Rosh Hashanah when I sit down to the table with my loved ones I will dip my bread and apple into honey and reflect upon the traditional old prayer “May it be Your will God to renew for us a good and sweet year.” I wish all the candidates do the same.
Remember, the Jewish New Year celebrates the birth of the world and all mankind. There was no minorities at creation!
Rabbi Eli Hecht is vice–president of the Rabbinical Alliance of America and past–president of the Rabbinical Council of California. He is the director of Chabad of South Bay in Lomita, CA which houses a synagogue, day school, nursery school and chaplain programs.