From Whyte Darkness to Brown Light: Tisha B'Av in a Summer Like No Other A common element of the religious psyche is that of reward and punishment. If you follow the rules, good things happen. And if you don’t, bad things befall you. Generations have struggled to understand the meaning and veracity of this concept as we all continue to make sense of the worlds we live in. There is one phrase that we often hear on Tisha B’Av that seems to be in sync with this idea about how things work. (:כל המתאבל על ירושלים זוכה ורואה בשמחתה” (תענית ל“ “All who mourn [the destruction of] Jerusalem will merit to see it in its joy.” (Ta’anit 30b) In the most simple reading, it is clear. Observe Tisha B’Av, cry over the Temple and you will be lucky enough to see it rebuilt with joy. Fast, scream and wail and you will, eventually, feast, laugh and dance. And while it would be easy if things were that clear, as we often know, it doesn't seem like things work out that way. Just doing th
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Showing posts from July, 2020
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“I Am Not Here to Be Right” A 14 Word Mantra from the Vulnerability Guru Guaranteed to Lead to Goodness This one stopped me in my tracks. On my morning walk, Brene Brown, most popularly known for her work on vulnerability, has become one of my favorite podcast companions. Her most recent “Unlocking Us” podcast discussed in an incredibly insightful way, the complex notions of shaming, accountability and humiliation.* Midway through the broadcast, she shared a mantra she often uses to focus herself on her goals when in challenging conversations: I am here to get it right, I am not here to be right. In the 37 hours since I have heard this quote, I am more and more convinced that if all of us actualized this advice, our personal lives, our religious lives, our political lives or our professional lives would vastly improve. In this time of COVID where our professional lives and the lives of our precious institutions have taken on increased challenge, every one of us has to int