Remember, our G-d is no sissy

By TED ROBERTS, the SCRIBBLER ON THE ROOF

“Life is real.

Life is earnest.

And the grave is not the goal.”

–  Longfellow

Ah, the High Holidays are ahead of us – facing me – brights on – in the highway of life. To say one “enjoys” them is the wrong word. More appropriate, it is like a surgical procedure that improves your health. Necessary, but not fun. And the memory lingers on for weeks, if not months. Good. Instead of skipping through life thoughtlessly, we ponder our actions. And we remember that our actions are monitored and judged by He who gives us life. For 364 days a year G-d is a judge – for this one day He is our advocate – assuming we are repentant; and even more important prepared to turn pleading regret into action. It is not enough to say, “I’m sorry”. There must be restitution.

We remember that one day we must defend all those sins we commit and recite deeds and prayers of repentance.

It is an awesome period. First, on Rosh Hashanah we glorify the Creator’s generous world and then we remember like children in a playground that we must behave. The teacher will call you into account as to why, in childhood, you pushed Rivki out of the way so you could sooner get to the swing; or how last week you defrauded your business partner.

Yom Kippur, solemn though it may be, relieves your anxiety. There is forgiveness! There is mercy! The Judge knows you to be human. He knows you wrestle daily like your ancestor, Jacob, with the spot of evil in your heart. The Yom Kippur liturgy overflows with the sweet perfume of repentance. Charity and prayer, but notice it’s not automatic. The sinner still must make amends or no deal.

And consider the following: Forgiveness is the overriding theme of Christianity – forgiveness based on faith. Judaism – aside from Yom Kippur – does not lean near as heavily on the pardoning dispensed by G-d. Faith is a frail papyrus reed in our religion. And it does not support the weight of acquittal. However, on Yom Kippur absolution takes the floor. Our G-d can be judgmental, punishing, even harsh, but on Yom Kippur tenderness rules His heart. He remembers we are imperfect.   And He remembers He blessed us with freewill, not a hard-wired behavior grid. The wolf that ravages the chicken coop is not evil – the human prowler who abducts chickens HAS heeded the evil thumping of his heart. But on Yom Kippur, no matter – even if he abducts chickens – he has hope. Remember charity, prayer, and repentance avert the stern decree.

As I say, our G-d dispenses punishment. We hate to admit that, but our Chumash states it strongly and repetitively. The Tanach is full of His righteous anger.   He is menacing to evil. But ah, on Yom Kippur, like an actor in a play who plays two roles, He becomes the mother of mercy. A bright day in the Jewish year when amnesty is offered to all.

And on erev Yom Kippur He gives us a formula for absolution – Kol Nidre – that smothers infidelities of all sorts like a blanket smothers a hearth fire. Later we’ll talk about why some don’t like it – why they claim it absolves us of all oaths, vows, and promises that we lay on G-d’s altar next year. It’s been criticized over the years (and changed). But that’s a topic all to itself.