During the ceremonial roll call at the recent Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Governor Tony Evers was to announce Wisconsin’s support for Kamala Harris’ nomination as President of the United States. Governor Evers became tongue-tied, and – though reading from a prepared text – struggled to complete his statement. Perhaps he was overwhelmed by the gravity of his responsibility: rendered speechless at the historic import of the moment. He stammered: “94 votes for… for… for… whoa, where are we? Got me going here. Former Wisconsinite… oh my God… I’ll get there….” Governor Evers recovered… but only with considerable difficulty.
Chassidic lore records that Rabbi Aaron of Karlin had a similar experience! Serving as Cantor on Rosh Hashanah, he became over-wrought at the first word of the Shacharit service – “Ha-Melech… The (Divine) King” – and, unable to proceed, was reduced to tears. He later explained: “I suddenly grew ashamed that I had waited until that moment to approach God in sincere prayer and repentance!”
The High Holy Days are fraught with moral and spiritual gravity, imbued with a weighty national history. The scripted liturgy can grow too overwhelming to navigate. Our task? Prayerfully… contritely… worthily… to elect how we will conduct ourselves in the universe that God governs.
Our progress might be halting.
With God’s help… we’ll get there.
Rabbi Joseph H. Prouser is the rabbi of Temple Emanuel of North Jersey and the editor of “Masorti: The New Journal of Conservative Judaism.”
Chassidic lore records that Rabbi Aaron of Karlin had a similar experience! Serving as Cantor on Rosh Hashanah, he became over-wrought at the first word of the Shacharit service – “Ha-Melech… The (Divine) King” – and, unable to proceed, was reduced to tears. He later explained: “I suddenly grew ashamed that I had waited until that moment to approach God in sincere prayer and repentance!”