The individual worshipper prays
according to what is written in the prayer book, but at the same time a
person’s thoughts and words give to each phrase a unique interpretation formed
by the personal and private overtones which a singular personality lends to a
fixed text. The community in which a person prays adds it own contribution. (Lev Shalem p. 141 - Adin Steinsaltz,
adapted)
The prayer, the individual and the community create the
potential for a synergy of the sacred. The new Lev Shalem mahzor makes a wonderful contribution to the
Conservative movement as it manages the tension between past and present. It offers
traditional reflections to the prayers on the right page margins. It suggests
contemporary reflections on the left page margin. The mahzor welcomes me to stand in the center
where I can look back to the origins of prayers and look forward to the most
pressing of contemporary concerns.
The mahzor reminds us that God is awesome and eternal and that
we stand with feet of clay. While we seem small as we stand before God, we have
the capacity to build something inspirational and big together - sacred
community. God considers our endeavors more
favorably because of the relationship that he had with our ancestors. This is a
chain of relationship that goes from my
parents to my grandparents back to the Matriarchs and Patriarchs. The Torah
does not glorify these first families. We are reminded of their greatness and
their flaws. They were imperfect
parents. We are imperfect parents and the children of imperfect parents. We
need prayers for imperfect people.
The prayer book has a yizkor meditation for a parent that was
hurtful (Lev Shalem p. 292). The
mediations reads, “The parent I remember was not kind to me.” I am told its
inclusion was controversial. While my
parents were loving and generous, I know people who were profoundly hurt by
their parents. I love that this prayer
book speaks to people who carry such memories of pain and betrayal. Synagogues need to be places where the most
important things can be considered and even shared. The mahzor welcomes even
the most broken to feel they have a place to stand with us.
We can take comfort that God made his covenant with real people
like us. While the God of the HH sits in a throne chair, the God of Genesis
walks beside our ancestors. He walks with people at the margin who are
struggling with the messiness of life and helps them find their place within
the community. I don’t want to be limited to read only the fixed text. My life
is messy and many of my answers lie in the margins. This mahzor helps me feel
that I have a place to stand- that there is a prayer for life with all its
messiness.
Today , many talk of the demise of America, the synagogues and
Conservative Judaism. Yes- there are challenges. Our ancestors often stood at
the brink where the very ground was shifting under their feet. They were
understandably afraid to step forward. In every
generation some agreed to stand firm and not step back. The tradition was
saved. As they looked over the ledge our ancestors were comforted by the strong hands that were
on their shoulders- a chain of tradition that winds back for centuries ( a tradition
captured in this new mahzor). As they secured their footing and stiffened their
resolve, a still small voice could be heard within them, “ You were not
the first to say these ancient prayers and you will not be the last. When
people come together to pray they make a house for me. I will dwell with them.”
We hope that God will
look with favor as we try to build a community of sacred relationships- a place
that open the gates of prayer to the seeker and creates a place where God would
be called to enter.
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