Nitzavim-Va'Yeilech: At the Ends of the Earth No More

A favorite Yom Kippur story of mine: There once was a queen over many lands, whose son, the prince, had traveled very, very far away. When the queen called her son back, begging him to return and come home, he sent word that he simply couldn’t do it. It was just too far away, and he was too discouraged. The queen responded that if he could just turn around, start the journey back home, she would meet him in the middle. 

This is the message God wants us to hear as the High Holidays approach. We don’t have to perfect our repentance or be 100% changed by the end of the last service of Yom Kippur. However, when we feel we can’t do it all, sometimes we instead do exactly nothing. That, however, is not what teshuvah, repentance, is all about. If we can just turn around and start trying to improve ourselves just a little bit, the Divine Queen will eagerly rush to meet us where we are. This sentiment is even echoed

in our Torah portion; very seasonally apropos. First, Moses tells the Israelites that if they sin and turn away from God, they will be thrown out of the land and scattered among all the other nations. Sadly, we know this indeed happened to our ancestors many, many times across the generations of Jewish history. Yet then Moses also offers hope, saying that God will bring them all back if/when they repent and turn around. He adds, “Even if your outcasts are at the ends of the world, from there Adonai your God will gather you…” (Deut. 30:4)

I imagine our forbearers living in the Diaspora (outside Israel) for centuries - even millennia - often felt like outcasts. Like the prince in the parable above, they surely felt like they were living at the ends of the earth, compared to how far away Israel was, where the long-since-destroyed Temple once stood. Too far away to ever make it back. Sometimes we feel distant too. For many, it’s not even about God or synagogue. We feel far removed from family, history, tradition, culture, and a general sense of belonging. Just know that Judaism is always open to you. However far away you feel, however long it’s been since you felt home (if ever), and no matter how little you feel you know about Judaism; you belong. The High Holiday services are for you, and you can always find your way back. Just begin the journey - wherever you are - and we’ll meet along the way. 

Shanah Tovah u’Metukah - Wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy, and Sweet New Year!!