Yom Kippur 5780 — Into the Light

Rabbi Yael Levy

Kol Nidre 5780—A Talk

Mishkan Shalom

Shana tova.

I feel so blessed to be here with all of you, blessed to be with Rabbi Shawn

and go through these yamim noraim all together — through these powerful and holy days.

I feel a deep awe coming into the light of Yom Kippur as we listen into the call to turn and explore where we are on our individual journeys and where we are on our journeys in relationship to each other and to this world we share.

It has been a difficult season for me—coming into these holy days—

I wasn’t sure why—until I really let myself feel what I am feeling.

And what I am feeling is so much pain …

So much pain in relationship to the earth,

So much pain at the devastation that is happening to the forests and oceans, to the birds, to the land—

So much pain in relationship to what is happening to this world that I love so deeply.

The pain has been so intense and it has been so difficult to be with

I got lost—I closed down—I turned away.

And as I did, the pain became a constriction around my heart making it difficult to see any beauty—or any good.

And I found myself walking around with this heartache— immersed in despair.

Many days I go down to the river—to the Wissahickon and I pray—

I beg—I beseech …

Please, in the face of all that is happening….in the face of all that is..

What should I do? What should I do—please just tell me,

What should I do?

When I put the longing and pain of this question into these holy times and into light of Yom Kippur—

I felt held and turned.

I felt the light of Yom Kippur say to me—

Yes it is important what you do. Everything you do matters—and action is essential—

And

Before you answer the question of ….What will you do?

Answer the question:

Who will you be?

Who will you be as you experience this deep pain?

Who will you be when you see what you love dying?

Who will you be in the truth of these times?

Who will I be?

I want to be a person who can bear the pain and stay loving and caring.

I want to be a person who will stay present and in relationship

and keep lifting my eyes and contributing the work of my hands even when I don’t see the results I long for.

I want to be a person who can be in the pain and continue to love.

And this is so challenging.

The truths we have to face about our planet are heart breaking

And the pain I feel about it so difficult to bear that often the pain turns into free-floating anger that attaches itself to nothing and to everything.

And at times I feel the pain encouraging me to hate—encouraging me to create enemies—to blame—to put myself at a distance.

And with this—hatred begins taking root in my heart.

Who will I be in these times?

I want to a person who cares deeply—who stays awake

And acts from love.

How do I find this capacity in the midst of the turmoil we live within?

This is—for me—where practice comes in.

Spiritual practice feels absolutely essential in these times.

Spiritual practice—to help us return to presence again and again.

Spiritual practice to guide us in returning to right and clear relationship with ourselves, with each other, with the earth.

Spiritual practice to help us be spacious enough that we can hold the paradox and contradictions of life—

We can be with the beauty and the brokenness

And continue to love.

There are so many ways to practice—

So many ways to return to relationship and connection

So much of what we do can be our practices—when we set that intention and engage with awareness.

When we think about practice, we can ask ourselves—

What helps me feel alive and present?

What gives me energy and strength?

What brings me joy?

The answers to these questions can be our practices.

Swimming- yoga- making art - listening to and playing music

Running -walking -gardening -cooking -writing -singing

All these can be practices

We set our intentions—

I am engaging in this activity to be present and awake

And then we come to whatever we are doing with awareness and concentration.

And this awareness and concentration, in and of itself, helps us return to balance and clarity.

We can bring the focus and intention of spiritual practice to so much of what we do everyday:

Thich Nhat Hanh, the Buddhist teacher, talks about how washing the dishes is an amazing opportunity for spiritual practice.

When washing the dishes he says—

We can give thanks for the food we have eaten.

We can be alive to the sensation of water washing over our hands.

We can wash the dishes with care—really paying attention to what we are doing.

And in this way—he says, washing the dishes becomes a sacred offering.

a spiritual practice that wakes us up and opens us to the fullness of life.

There is so much urgency and need in this time.

And it can be so easy to get overwhelmed by everything that is coming at us

Spiritual practice can provide refuge and strength.

It can give us grounding and connection so we can live into the truth of these times.

So here are three practices we can do everyday— in addition to anything else we are doing.

Three practices.

Gratitude—I know we say this again and again—because it is true

Gratitude is good for the heart and soul.

Giving thanks brings us into relationship—it helps us feel connection.

Gratitude encourages joy and wonder.

Twice a day—we stop and say thank you—something we see-eat-experience

Gratitude will help us focus on what we care about and lift up what we love.

Asking for help

Asking each other for help

Asking for help from each other brings us into relationship. It dispels the illusion that we should try to do this life alone.

When we ask for help we give each other the gift of being able to be helpful.

Take this one step further

Just opening up and calling out for help

Help me—help me—help us

Doesn’t matter who or what we are calling to—guidance and help comes from so many places.

Just putting out the call activates our awareness and opens us to receive and to offer help.

Be true to our word

Make it a practice to pay close attention to the words we use.

Pause before we speak so we can find the words that are true for us to say—and say them in ways that they will be heard.

Make it a practice to speak words we are willing to stand by, to speak words we want to live into. To use our speech for good.

Gratitude Asking for help Being true to our words

Three practices that can hold and guide us.

We need each other in these times.

We need each other strong, clear and able.

And the earth—the planet needs us.

We take on spiritual practice

For the sake of each other --for the sake of the whole.

We take on practices so

We can be present to the truths of these times

And stand together in love

In this light of Yom Kippur

I want to turn to one more practice that is at the core of our tradition:

Shema veahafta—Listen and love

Listen as you wrestle with life.

Listen as you feel into your relationship with all being.

Listen into the oneness of all that is.

And Love.

Love with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength.

Teach love to your children.

Speak from love in your home and as you walk on your way.

Take love with you as you lie down and as you rise up.

Carry love in your hands, place love before your eyes, inscribe love on your gates.

And place love upon your hearts.

Place love upon your hearts

So when your hearts break open in pain

You will be able to respond with love.

Who will we be in these times?

May we be beings who care deeply

And have the capacity to respond to all that life brings with love.

Ken yihi ratzon