WEEK 1 - INTRODUCTION - [Continued from page 1]
Rosh HaShanah is the "anniversary" of the creation of the world, but essentioally of Adam, the first human being. This is a movement, a development concerning first the earth and the plants and animals: "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiplyh in the earth" [Genesis 1,22]. Then, God created man "in Our Image, after Our Likeness... God created man in His own Image, in the Image of God created He him, male and female, created He him" [Genesis 1,26-27]. And He said the them "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth and subdue it..." [Genesis 1:28]. And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good ["tov me'od" in Hebrew = good much].
Do we celebrate the anniversary of the creation as just an usually party? Are we concerned by the creation of our ancestor or is it a mere fairy tale? Do we consider that our own conception and birth extends and develops the creation of the first Adam as a historical process, full of meaning for mankind and us? Are we then ready to consider that it is not a duty but a normal action to be fruitful, grow, multiply? To subdue the earth means also that we can control ourselves, which appears to be often a challenge for most people today.
In a monotheistic point of view, a year is a certain period of time allowing to modify, and to enhance something in the world and of course in our lives. In Hebrew and Aramaic the word "SHaNaH" - "SHaNTHa" means "to change, to teach, to repeat, to restart, to share a new portion of life". This is the meaning of the "Hear Israel"/Shema Israel/ in Deuteronomy 6:5: "and you will repeat/teach them [the commandments] to your children". "VeSHINANTam" means that repeat something, the children are taught, they learn, experience something from the past paving the way to the future.
# AT THE INCEPTION OF THE FIRST MAN, GOD BLESSES THE WHOLE CREATION AND CONSIDERS THAT IT IS VERY GOOD. THE DYNAMIC PROCEDURE BEGINS AS SOMETHING GOOD, NOT BAD. YEARS ARE PORTIONS, UNIQUE SEGMENTS OF HUMAN DESTINY AND DAILY LIFE, LEADING TO GOD BECAUSE COMING FROM HIM.
Are we thus ready to change because we feel that time is not a routine, a boring "around-the-clock" move? Is it then easier to cope with the alterations that may affect our personal, family, professional, social and economic involvements?
On the 10th of Tishri [this year on September 15 & 16], the Jewish Community celebrates the Day of Atonement, Yom HaKippurim or Day of Expiations. This is the time to forgive. Why? This Day recalls the sin of idolatry committed by the Sons and Daughters of Israel in the wilderness. Moses had climbed up Mount Sinai and received the Words of Life or the Ten Commandments, written by God's finger on two Tablets. When Moses first came down, he saw that the people were worshipping a Golden Calf made of silver, gold and other precious metals. His brother Aaron had cooked up and shaped these materials into a "god" like a Golden Calf.
Moses cast and broke the Tablets, but returned to God and had a nice heart-to-heart talk with Him in order to persuade Him to give the Tablets anew. God accepted to give to Moses the Commandments, but Moses had to write them, and 17 words were added in Hebrew to the first version which is found in the Book of Exodus 20:1-17. The second and final version is less known and is included in the book of Deuteronomy 5:6-21. On the Day of Atonement, the Community of Israel recalls that God forgave their sin of idolatry and they turn again and again throughout the years towards the Lord.
# GOD GIVES HIS FINAL WORDS OF FORGIVENESS BY ADDING 17 WORDS TO THE ORIGINAL TEXT IN HEBREW. THE NUMERIC VALUE OF 17, WHICH HAS A SPIRITUAL MEANING CORRESPONDING TO THE WORD "TOV" [GOOD]. GOD RESTORES HIS GOODNESS AND ENABLES EVERY CREATURE HAVING A SOUL AND A SPIRIT OF LIFE TO RENEW AND CHANGE HIS ATTITUDE AND TO FORGIVE.
Are we thus ready to forgive? Being ready to forgive ourselves seems to be convenient, but how can I accept to step down and go to my acquaintances or even to strangers and ask for forgiveness? The sentence has become a ritual: "Pardon me, excuse me, sorry" as we can hear it in any soap film or TV series. Does it refer to a moral and spiritual attitude or is it only a question of odd words? Can I accept to consider that God really restores our lives and makes them anew? Is this acceptable when I know that I have to face a lie, a betrayal or a falsehood?
THE ORTHODOX READINGS
The pericope proposed by the Orthodox Church - as well a by most Churches - for the induction of the New Year is from the Gospel according to Saint Luke 4:16-32: "Jesus came to the synagogue of Nazareth, where he has been brought up; and as was his custom He went into the synagogue on the Shabbat day and stood up to read. And there was delivered unto Him the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. And He opened the Book and He found the place where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, therefore [Hebrew: "ye'an" in answer to that] He has anointed Me to proclaim the Good News to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to announce deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set free them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord."
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