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The
Work of Autumn
Rabbi David Zaslow
October, 2004
The
spiritual work of Autumn is to examine our inner lives. Springtime
is all about changing the world. From a Jewish spiritual viewpoint
we’d be better off holding elections in spring rather
than autumn. Why? Because focusing on politics right after
Yom Kippor can be a diversion from the inner work we need
to do. An election in November can make us believe that we
don’t even need to do inner work. We fool ourselves into
believing that if the world was in better shape then we’d
be better people. The teachings of Judaism, however, tell
us that if we were better people then the world would be a
better place. The work of Passover is to deal with pharaoh
and all the outer forces of liberation. The work of Autumn
is to deal with ourselves.
On
Yom Kippor I told this story. Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan was
one of the great luminaries in Europe before the World War
II, and he hosted many teachers and businessmen from throughout
the continent. Once a travelling businessman noticed how sparse
the Rabbis’ home was, and said, “Rebbe, you are
such a great teacher, you could have anything you want. Where
is your furniture?
The
Rebbe turned to his guest and said to him, “Where is
your furniture?” The businessman said, “Rabbi, I’m
on the road, I don’t have any furniture with me. I’m
just passing through.” The Rebbe turned to his guest
and said, “Me too. I’m just passing through as well.”
Judaism
upholds the paradox of two contradictory views of the world.
The other-worldly view of Autumn affirms that we are all just
travellers passing through. The worldly, activist view of
Passover affirms the necessity of toppling the oppression
of Pharaoh. The secret is for each of us is to learn when
to focus on inner work, and when to focus on politics. But
always, the thread that holds these two views together is
“mussar,” the Jewish, ethical approach to everything
we do.
In
a profound way we are all just passing through. We are the
spawning salmon; the migration of geese; the trees whose season
is over; the plants in our yards that are destined not to
survive the winter. After Yom Kippor we each die a spiritual
death. What need did the Rebbe have for furniture? He knew
that his entire life was simply and magnificently an act of
“passing through.” The root of the word “Hebrew”
actually means “passing through.” The Jews are the
“passing through” people.
In
this season we empathize with all those who are suffering
from hunger, poverty, and war. A piece of their pain is our
pain. We feel a littl bit of what the families whose loved
ones have been murdered by terrorists must be feeling. We
feel a little bit of what Israeli (Jewish, Christian, and
Muslim) victims of suicide attacks must be feeling. We feel
a little bit of what the families of the our soldiers who
died fighting for freedom this past year must feel. With empathy
for others something within us changes – we become better
people, and our “passing through” gains meaning.
Atonement occurs. Attunement occurs. At-one-ment occurs. This
is the deeper meaning of Autumn.
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