Ha'azinu - Yom Kippur |
Speaking Out Loud Parshas Ha'azinu - Yom Kippur Contact Rabbi Spero at 862-9546 or jsohr1@juno.com If you are interested in receiving Rabbi Spero's Dvar Torah in your email each week, please contact him at jsohr1@juno.com.
In
this week’s portion the Torah tells us: “When I call out the name of Hashem
(G-d), ascribe greatness to G-d” (Deut 32:3). The Talmud (Taanis 16b) learns
out from this verse that when G-d’s name was uttered in the Temple, the people
would respond: “Blessed is the name of His glorious Kingdom for all
eternity.” What
is the reason for this being done only in the Temple? The
name of G-d that was uttered in the Temple is a name that we no longer say. The
four letter name of G-d, pronounced as it is written, has two meanings: One
meaning is that it contains the words past, present and future. The other
meaning is a perpetually existing present, that G-d’s presence is willing
creation every moment. Now
when we pronounce this four lettered name of G-d, we say it as Master (although
in Torah scrolls, and other holy works, it continues to be written the original
way). The
mere presence of the Temple enabled G-d’s name to be recited as it was
written. The eternal nature of G-d is an existential truth. But there is another
factor to be taken into consideration: realistic expectation. G-d has realistic
expectations of us. That
is why, for example, a person makes two blessings when his father passes away.
One is made at the time of death - “Blessed is the true judge” -
and one at the time of inheritance - “Blessed is he who bestows
good”. The latter blessing seems like a bizarre blessing to make. Are we so
crass as to be thinking about inheritance at this time of great loss? These
two blessings are not contradictory. It is normal to be devastated at the death
of one’s father, just as it is normal to be pleased with the inheritance. G-d
expects us to be human. We are meant to channel the appropriate emotion at each
occasion and sanctify it. While in the temple it is easy to see the eternal nature of G-d and His perpetual presence. Thus the name is pronounced as it is written, and we answer by saying that, “Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity”. Outside of the Temple, sadly, it is not as clear. Throughout the year, after we recite the Shema (Hear O Israel, G-d is our Lord, G-d is One), we say in a quite tone, "Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity," because although we believe it with all our hearts, we do not know it. However, on Yom Kippur, a day that is so powerful that the day itself provides atonement, the day of the year when we are closest to G-d, we say this out loud. On this day we do not merely believe in G-d's eternal nature, we know it. Let
us properly utilize the awesomeness of this day to achieve closeness with G-d. Rabbi Jay Spero is the rabbi of the Saranac Synagogue in Buffalo. |