Erev Rosh Hashana-because we can do better....Judaism and technology

Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova. Welcome to 5770! (look around) Can I ask you a question?? Why are you here? What is it that has brought you to this room on this day? I mean, I know it is Erev Rosh Hashana, but many people who are Jewish are NOT here, so I am wondering, why you are. This is a question I have been asking myself lately. And I am looking to you, my community, to help figure some of this out.

(Take answers)

I think what really got me thinking about all of this is a recent lecture I went to with Rabbi Irwin Kula, author of a book called Yearnings and Executive co-director of CLAL, The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership. Rabbi Kula suggested that Judaism is akin to all other modern technologies. We use it because it helps us to get a certain job done. If the technology does not work, or if we like a different technology better, then we do not use it. Think of eight-track tapes, audio casettes, and CDs. They let us listen to recorded sounds like music. That is their job. Eight tracks work great but casettes were a smaller and less costly technology so we moved on to those. Same thing with CDs and now, we are moving to mp3 and ipods for all of our listening enjoyment.

When Rabbi Kula said this, I sat back in my seat and said, Huh. If our religion serves a certain function in our lives and my JUdaism is the technology I use to get a certain job done...but lately I have been feeling like the technology needs some updating...I first have to ask, what is the function Judaism serves? What job is Judaism trying to get done? But what is that function? What function does being here serve?. (Comment on some of the answers)


I think Judaism and all aspects of it help us get a certain job done. Over time, the role of religion in our lives has evolved and we have used or different aspects of it differently. But the need we have may not be changing over time. Coming from New York City, I frequently ride the Subway. One morning, I looked up and saw two advertisements right next to one another. The first said, Tired of unwanted blemishes? Come see Dr. Zizmor Plaastic surgeon. This rainbow colored ad is decorated with the smiling face of a middle aged man wearing a white lab coat, with tight, shiny skin. You too can look like this, the ad suggests. You too can feel this good. The second ad was a plain white background with a lot of text. The top of the page in large letters read, "This Ad will make you Happier than any other on the Subway." Given that New York City Subways are rittled with ads, this is quite a statement. The ad was for some Institute of Philosophy and its claim was if you know philosophy, you will no longer need people like Dr. Zizmor to be happy. You just will be happy using philosophy as a technology instead of technologies like plastic surgery or other cosmetic aids.

It struck me, as I checked out all the ads and all the people riding the subway, and all the fashion, communication devices, conversations, postures and poses; all these different technological advances of different kinds contained within this one car. The job they were getting done was "make me happy." But is Judaism just another one of these technologies? Maybe that is what it is all about, maybe that is why we are here tonight, to find some kind of happiness. Maybe this ritual of these 10 days will help us find greater happiness.

When I think about though, my Jewish life has more of a purpose than finding happiness. What about you, do you find that as well? Is being here only about feeling good? Or are you seeking something more? (Take answers??)

Over the last 5770 years, Jews have produced some powerful ideas. One of our greatest, and most controversial, sages and philosophers was Rambam, Rabbi Moses Ben Maimon. He lived in the 14th century in Egypt and then in Spain. He tried to bring Judaism, Philosophy, math and science all together. Because people found that philosophy, math ans science worked better for them to get the job done. For Rambam, also known as Maimonides, he saw that Judaism could offer more than the secular studies. In chapter 27 of one of his books, the Guide to the Perplexed, he explained that the purpose or function of the whole Torah can be boiled down to 2 things known as Tikun haguf, or repairing the body and tikun hanefesh, repairing the soul.

Tikun hanefesh, repairing the soul means providing people with a basic sense of the truth of what life is about, what reality is and what our place is in it. Basically, Whatever the job is to get done, Torah has a truth to teach about how to do it. Tikun ha guf, repairing the body, does not mean the physical human body. The body being the whole of humanity. The body politic if you will. Repairing the body takes two forms, the first, simply to get people not to damage one another. We do not simply follow your immediate impulse because sometimes they hurt other people and that is not ok. Torah tells us not to shame one another, not lie about each other, to honor our parents, do the right thing, and love our neighbors as ourselves.

The second way Torah repairs the body is by teaching positive and descent virtues that make for a good community. Care for the widow, the starnger and the orphan. Give to the poor and the destitute, do not murder, do not covet, do not steal, do not lie.

For me, I am here because I believe I can do better. I think we all can do better. I want more from tonight, from this adventure to Laramie Wyoming than just an experience, than just to walk away feeling good. I want these 10 days to change my life, your life and the whole world. I beieve that being here reminds me to work harder, inspires me to strive for me and gives me some tools to get there. Judaism tells me that the way to do this is to start with the relationships in my life, the relationship I have with God and the relationship I have with myself. I want tonight, these days to give me the tools to look at where I have been less than my best self and seek out forgiveness from those I have harmed so that I can do better in the future. For me, there is a job to get done of repairing much of the broken-ness and sadness in this world beginning with the broken-ness and sadness within myself. I am here to remember and learn with and from you how to do this. For me, I am here tonight to repair my body. I have hurt others, I have hurt my community. I am here to repair my soul, to reconnect with the values and truths of the world which my living Judaism teach me, teach us all. These days will give the technology which will help get from where I am now, to something better than I am. I think I can do better, I think we all can do better. And, we have the technology.

Why are you here? As we begin the journey of 5770 together, what brings you here to this place at this time? What will Judaism give you? How will your fellow service go-ers, your time in this room, your conversations with me and each other serve you to help you get your job done?

Shana Tova.