Deuteronomy Reeh 2015

Reeh 2015

 

 

What is the place of God’s choosing?

We’re in the parasha Reeh. We translate it: See. This is direct address as if saying, see! Look!

One of the blessings of our important prayer, the Amidah, begins the same way. See. In the  Koren Siddur the title of this blessing is Redemption.

What does vision have to do with freedom?

Vision breaks us free of old chains so that we can really find intimacy with the pulse of nature and the breath of our souls.  Vision beyond our self-needs into the drum beat of the community propels us  to a place that is with God’s name in His place and chosen by Him. Vision is the catapult for true freedom.

Those old chains though…once known in ancient times in the bamot or high places…the places of child sacrifice…seem to continually haunt us. It’s such a horrible disgusting rite that it is hardly mentioned yet it is known in scholarly circles that it was real.

Those old chains are described metaphorically by Blake as the “mind forged manacles”.  We create them within our minds. While literal child sacrifice therefore is an event of the past  the grueling preparation for the sacrifice remains.

And the only way we can unbind ourselves is through conscious intent and focused decision making. We do not need to bind ourselves to  self-destructive  habits to be closer to God or to anyone.

The addict, the abused, the soldier fighting simply to get out of poverty, the homeless, the slave of a forty hour work week, the abuser, the false prophet, the liar, the slave of a college program that has been demanded by the parents, the parents who demand it….these  are people who suffer. Yet in some strange way they have chosen their form of suffering as a way to holiness.  The old chains remain.

But why not replace the suffering with joy? With flexibility and faith? With actions that break us out of a known and even highly accepted habit?

I received a swim lesson recently. I will never forget it. I was not in the mood for it but I listened. I’m a slow to medium swimmer by the way.  I’ve never understood because I’m in good shape.

So, a man told me that I needed to relax my arms and simply throw them forward. He said I was keeping them too close to my side and that my muscles were clearly clenched. He said if I relaxed my arms  when throwing them forward… and then used my strength to pull the water beneath my body…I would move easier.

It was a great lesson.

God’s place is one without self created manacles.  It’s one of lightness, flexibility, relaxation, flow and joy. Even if we have to choose to turn aside centuries of ritual (or years of bad swimming habits) we must keep trying. Our vision will expand and our body will move in rhythm with the splash and flow of new beauty and depth.

May this month of Elul create the openings for us to finally do  away with personal oppression and to throw ourselves into a joy of being and lightness  beyond our imagination.