BY Rabbi Abe Rabinovich, Ph.D., Spiritual Leader of Adas Kodesch Shel Emeth
You may be familiar with the scene from the Seinfeld episode “Serenity Now,” where Frank Costanza, played by Jerry Stiller, z”l, was thought to say “serenity now” every time he got angry in order to keep his blood pressure down. I can only imagine that some time during the lengthy High Holiday services you may have the urge to shout out “serenity now.”
Spending hours in the synagogue during the High Holidays can be challenging and frustrating, especially if you don’t know how to read or understand Hebrew. You may try to follow along with the translations, but it can become overwhelming, and you may find yourself giving up. You may cheer up for a moment when the Cantor or choir sings an uplifting melody or release some giggles at the Rabbi’s High Holiday joke, but overall you may be wondering “What’s this service all about?” and “Why are we doing all this chanting, talking, reading, silencing, and singing?” We keep opening and closing the ark, we are told repeatedly to rise and sit back down, and we are put to the test of how long we can go on just listening and being silent.
In truth, the High Holiday services created and developed by our ancient rabbis, scholars, and poets over the ages are steeped with deep and rich resources to nurture our spiritual quest. The High Holiday liturgy is replete with theological motifs, appeals to commit to our Jewish faith, and, most importantly, constant reminders of God’s infectious love and mercy towards His creation. From Biblical times, the High Holidays were set as a time for repentance and spiritual self-improvement, when we reconnect with community, God, our traditions, Jewish roots, and, above all, our inner self. For centuries, our High Holiday services have been a platform for reflection and introspection, and have served as a time to ask ourselves some important questions, such as “Are we living a good and meaningful life, and what are we doing to make this world a better place?”
It may help to prepare yourself for this lofty High Holiday experience by reading and studying about its rich liturgy and customs. Luckily, there are so many wonderful resources available online and in the Jewish library to help you prepare for the High Holiday season. Whatever you decide to do for the holidays, remember that, just by showing up at synagogue and partaking in the experience as best you can, you are a champion. As Rabbi Roly Matalon writes “By the time the High Holidays are over, you will have spent hours in synagogue and maybe you even had a few minutes or 30 seconds of something absolutely real and deep. But those hours are worth those few minutes or seconds. In those moments when we feel really connected, there is something transcendent that happens. I can’t spell out the nature of that connection for you; it will be something unique and personal. It could be with God, with a deeper part of yourself, with the community, with the music, with the text, with your grandparents, with Israel, or with the language. There are limitless possibilities of how our connection can
be sparked.”
I wish that your High Holiday experience is inspiring and meaningful, and, if you feel the urge to shout out “serenity now,” please do so with your inner voice!
L’Shanah Tova!
